Lessons

Testing is always neat as a teacher because you get to hear feedback from other black belts about how your students are doing.  Like all good feedback, it is constructive and it consists in hearing what you’ve done correctly, what you’ve done incorrectly and what you’ve left out.

With that in mind, today’s class consisted of three themes that I hear over and over again at tests:

Perhaps all three of these could be put under the rubric of “relaxation” but I think it’s helpful to break them down in to separate pieces.

Footwork – move your feet.  Mobility is a good thing.  Moving targets are harder to hit and moving strikers are harder to predict.  Don’t get caught standing still, especially in a monkey line.  Keep your feet underneath you (about shoulder width).

Breath – almost everything is easier when you breathe.  Most folks hold their breath when they get nervous… don’t.  Exhale when you strike and your body will take care of the inhale.

Relaxation – if you made the testing list that means your teacher thinks you can make rank.  Put it on the line.  Trust your training.  Don’t psyche yourself out.

The good news is that even if everyone nails all three of these things, there will still be plenty of feedback about what else we need to work on.  Good.  Let’s keep going.