My First Belt Test...

[Kansetsu]

Well, Last weekend...May 31st, was my first experience in a belt test. It was an interesting experience let me tell you. I won't go into the details, but being tested in front of Soshu Oyama was a...what's the correct word...Nerve wracking? LOL.

I was so nervous that doing the initial warmup, Soshu says Hiza geri, but i did Mae Keage. That wasn't a good way to start! lol.

Well, after that little incident, the warmup went well, Kata went well. Now came the fighting. I was so nervous, i just couldn't get into the groove. Since i was going for my Blue Belt (8th Kyu), i only had to fight one fight. I fought this Orange Belt (5th Kyu), and the fight went pretty well. I landed a lot on him...and he barely landed anything on me...so that was pretty good i thought.

Then after my fight all the White Belts sat down so that the other belts can continue on their fights for their tests. Well, i got called up to fight that Orange Belt once again (He was testing for his Green Belt...4th Kyu). Everything was going well...once again, he's not landing anything on me, i am kicking him...(but still, not my usual fighting, cause i still couldn't get into my groove). Then all of a sudden, he raises his leg as if to kick me with a Chudan Mawashi, so i slide my hands down a bit to block, he switches it up on me and goes for my head...i didn't see it coming, and BAM! gets me solid right across my lower jaw. Stupid me, i don't use a mouth piece...I get hit, and black out. I can't see anything except for black, and my vision slowly returns to me after a few seconds. I shake my head, and continue on, but soon the timer runs out.

My jaw still hurts, and my teeth are VERY sensitive to cold water still! LOL. Good thing is that i didn't get knocked out, and i was still standing. And speaking to the people that were watching, they told me that, that kick didn't seem like it did any damage to me, and when i told them that i blacked out, it surprised them. It seems that after i got kicked and blacked out, i punched him in the chest couple of times...totally without my knowledge...lol.

Well, that was my first experience with a belt test...was and still am very disappointed that i got kicked in the jaw like that...i should have had my hands up!

i'll do better next time!!

[Olrac]

osu
sounds like a great experience
I hope you learned your lesson and keep your hands a bit higher next time

btw did you pass your grading?

[Kansetsu]

OSU!

LOL...yeah, next time, i block with my legs instead...hahahah

So far, i've been doing Kihon Sono San Kata...so i do believe that i did pass...even if i didn't get my belt and certification yet...lol

[JAzze]

Osu! Congratulations, Kansetsu. You'll relax more next time because you'll know what to expect.

Back in the mid 80s, I had my first test with Soshu Oyama at the Fairfield dojo. He came up from NYC to give the test. I had never seen him in person before, and I thought I was going to dissolve into dust when I heard his voice. It cuts through the room and reverberates through your body. And he seems to be about 12 feet tall.

I can totally relate to being given one instruction and doing something completely different. I remember he started cracking up because I got into sanchin dachi, somehow lost my footing, and fell over. How do you do that? In a test, that's how .

[jlee24]

My first belt test with Soshu sounds reminiscent of your test. The test started out just fine, kihon, kata, etc. I was supposed to have 3 fights I believe that night. The first fight went ok, no real injuries, then came my 2nd fight. He was a 2nd kyu, but he had knockdown experience in Europe. When Soshu saw that I had to fight this guy, they put a chest protector on me. I had a strange feeling immediately afterwards, that I was in for a experience. As the match started, I get hit in the nose with a right soto-mawashi geri. I shake my head, no blood which is good, I can breathe ok. This guy by the way is about a foot taller than me too, so I couldn't really keep too much distance, then I'd be in his range. About 3 seconds later, when he sees that I'm a bit disorientated, he throws a mae geri that sends me flying into the wall, indicative of Looney Toons. I realize that staying in his kicking range is not smart, so I try to get in close, and as I do, I get a knee to my thigh, and I fall to the ground. At this point, Soshu stops the fight. He says I'm done.

So in other words, I can totally relate

[MilkManX]

Yikes! I must remember to get a mouthguard very soon! I am glad you are okay and the test was good.

[tmd]

Osu! Kensetsu - well done. Just done my 1st Kyu grading after starting in 1988 - Stepped out front to perform my 4 solo Kata's of Shihans choice which included my favourite, Sanchin no Kata - restarted it 3 times coz I kept starting on the wrong leg - it never changes!

[Dent]

Osu!

Well done, Kansetsu! I know these things are sent to test us mentally as much as physically, and it sounds like yours was a great experience.

Nice to hear about it!

Osu!

[seienchin]

Kansetsu...well done, but for goodness sake...go get a mouthpiece. You are far too young to be sacrificing teeth. One displaced tooth costs nearly 4 times as much to treat as a mouthpiece. I have had one mouthpiece now for over 10 years...they are worth every penny. And help prevent that dazed thing from happening, as they absorb some of the shock from being transmitted through to your brain.

[jcbel]

Osu Kansetsu - well done!

I agree with Seienchin, get a mouthpiece and a good one if you can afford it!

[EnterTheirMinds]

Ouchies! Not to sound like a broken record but invest in a mouthpiece! The mouthpiece will help prevent some damage, such as absorbing some of the shock to the brain, keeping your teeth and preventing biting your tongue very hard, and others I probably missed. Hopefully you'll pass the test but even if you didn't you learnt some valuable lessons to use later on.