OK Here goes my first question.... I'm quite confident in the art that I study (Tang sou dao), I dont have any nerves in class, even when asked to do a quick solo move. However when it comes to Gradings my bottle totally leaves the building... which is odd because Ive no problems with public scrutiny... and I dont get scared... its just my legs wobble and I get the shakes which can make the forms look sloppy... Im sure everyone has had this at some stage... I did the forms at this years Nationals to try and counter this shaking thing, but at my next grading (last week), I still shook... Typically there will be 50-60 people present at my grading, which is normally presided over by the Grandmaster, (incidentally my Grandmaster is who I train under). Anyhoo after all that waffle, my question to you all is, how do you deal with grading nerves, do you have an pre-grading techniques that help you stay calm and focused, or this something that will get better over time (ive done 6 gradings already, and am still just as nervous).
the only one who can solve this is yourself. a lot of methods may work for some, but may not for you. just stay calm, envision yourself like your doing a kata, and be intense.
i sat a grade last night (for my 4th kyu in shotokan). i only started feeling nervous when the person before me got onto the last to sections of his grade, meaning there was only 5 minutes until the 3 people sitting 4th kyu were up. stood up and i started getting the old butterflys in my belly (no i didnt eat them ). they went away when i started, i just imagined the bunkai of what i was doing, so imagining attackers in front of me. nerves went OTT when i was asked a few questions about what i was doing, but went away again when i was back on the practical stuff.
To this very day I still get a case of the nerves.... never gets any better, you just have to work at handling them and channeling them so as they don't distract your performance. I won't be testing again for another 2 years or so but I now sit and grade students at test and get nervous for them!!
Really all you can do is to perform your best. You know that you know the material, its just a matter of getting up there and doing it. Take deep breaths before you do your form. Everything else will just flow from there. It'll be over before you know it! Good luck!
Ahhh, a topic I know well. I am a basket case when it comes to public scrutiny. So I have developed coping mechanisms to get through things such as public speaking, gradings, tournaments, etc. Firstly, I concentrat on my breathing when I start feeling myself getting anxious. I really make an effort at slow deep breaths. Then I close my eyes and go through the techniques in my head very slowly and completely. The final thing I do is remind myself that the people testing me, watching me - whatever, were once in the same position that I am and they want to see me succeed. They are there to help me. A positive attitude makes all the difference. Nothing spectacular, nothing you haven't probably heard already, but it works for me. Good luck.
I need to wear glasses to correct my eyesight. But I train without them as most of the time someone is within my clear vision distance in the school. When it comes to grading it is a very handy handicap! The examiners are normally well outside my clear vision distance, so I look straight ahead being well able to imagine an opponent in front of me as I can't really see anything else!! You might be able to do it yourself just by staring at that 2 or 3 feet in front of you and putting your opponent in that space. Just don't let anything else distract you from what you are doing. I do this every time I do a form, so that when it comes to doing it for the grading, it's a piece of cake!
All, Thanks for your advice on this... I'll definatly try some of the ideas (breathing etc)... Unfortuantly in this case I have 20/20 vision, so cant do the blurry thing Thanks once again !
Aww, that's too bad. Maybe you'll get lucky and loose that perfect eye sight like I did! This may be wierd, but when I grade I close my eyes and say this over and over: "Everybody has to put on their pants the same way I do." If you need a good laugh, imagine it!
I had, and still have that problem in grading. Sometimes even training. There is a huge difference I think in being comfortable in training with peers, and being under the scrutiny of a mentor. I have never been one to be comfortable in the spotlight. I know what my problem is... have had it explained to me... have had the solution for a while. Alas the knowing does not necessarily meaning being able to do it. Am working on it but it takes time. Apparently I think to much. I know I know... me think. In training we break our techniques down. We attempt to make the movements as perfect as possible and have the time to think about what were doing next. Not so the case in sparing, grading, etc. I spend to much time thinking about my next movement. Got everything planned perfectly in my mind. And when something goes wrong, I am left not knowing where to go. Nerves go through the roof. My senseai told me a while back to stop thinking so much. He was looking less for the perfection of movement as he was looking for the ability to adapte and make a technique effective regardless of how wrong you do it. the idea is to take what we know and apply it, not necessarily in the exact way we were taught but simply in a way that works for us. Stop thinking about it, just do what comes natuarally, comfortably, and if it works. Then it was perfect. I know personally the less I think abotu what I am doing and the more I move insticively the less nervous I seem to feel. Just a thought... I know I ramble.
I'll probably get panned for this, but try and remember that in the grand scheme of things it's really not that important *cringes, preparing for the backlash* The first grading I ever did I was going through a pretty rough time. To be honest I just didnt have the spare energy to put into stressing about it, and there was way more important stuff happening in my life. I went in there thinking 'ok, I've worked really hard for this, I know my stuff, I'm gonna do the best I can, but if it goes wrong, it's not the end of the world. It's not like anybody died.' These days, I have the luxury of being able to flap about my gradings, but I always try to remember that.
Yeah, I'm generally a good public speaker (how? no clue, I am a total shut-in), but on my last test... well... it was horrible. I got tunnel-vision, dizzy, nausea, my whole body was trembling. No clue why. I managed to do pretty well, though. PL
Its the same old thing, isnt it! Being nervous is ok as long as you can focus on what you are supposed to be doing. I have competed a lot in other things [mainly with my horses] so I know my reactions under stress very well by now. Sometimes it was good and sometimes it was bad but I still coped just the same. Remember that everyone has had to do this grading before you and that nothing you do will be any different from what they've seen before. Truly! Say to yourself that you've done this before and you can do it again right now really easily. Focus on this mantra, say it again and again to yourself and your thoughts will become positive and you will be able to focus on your grading. If you make a mistake just keep on going, chances are they won't notice and if they do then no worries either. Also remember that this grading is only 0.5 hour, 1 hour, 1.5 hours, 2 hours, 2.5 hours, 3 hours or whatever [insert length of grading] out of your WHOLE LIFETIME. Then it's over. You'll get through it and the sun will come up in the morning tomorrow just like it did today. And just like it will for the next x number of years if we're lucky. So go forth and DO it! I'm doing my next one [for 2nd kyu] in a couple of weeks and I'm really looking forward to it! We do all ours at National level so there are hundreds and hundreds of people there to watch! If it all really turns to custard then just imagine the grading panel & audience are all sitting there in their underwear.... Relax!
