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osopardo · 09-09-2004, 07:22 PM

Almost all the tests I ever took were because my instructor felt I was ready, not because they fit some pre-arranged schedule. Passing the test was a foregone conclusion because I'd been "tested" every day of training as I went along, and the actual test was little more than a formality, a ceremony, a show put on to inspire others at lower levels. Not to say the tests weren't challenging (they most certainly were), but a good instructor at a good school prepares you to test then tests you only when he feels confident of your success.

Man! I remember my yellow belt test; totally flubbed the forms. I'd practiced this stuff so much I could actually do it forwards, backwards, from the middle, while talking to someone about some unrelated subject, I mean I had this stuff down cold. On the evening of the test, I'm standing at ready stance all alone in the middle of the training hall. Every eye was on me. The instructor calls out the name of the form and barks out "Begin!" and I totally blanked out. I stood there immobile, flop sweat starting to form on my forehead. I could no more remember the first move than I could fly. I knew if I could just the remember that first move thew rest would be easy. The instructor, seing my dilemma, walks up to me and asks me; "How's your dad?"

"Sir?"

"Your dad, how's he doing?"

"Fine, sir."

"And your mom, how is she?"

"She's fine, sir."

"Good, good. How're things at work?"

"Work is fine..."

"Good, good. Everything's going well with you? No problems?"

"No sir."

"Good. So, you think you can do this poomse?"

"Yes, sir."

"Uh, huh. o.k. let's see it then."

So he walked back to where he was standing before and I stood there at ready stance, thinking about how could I possibly forget something I knew that I knew so well? and the sweat was forming on my forehead as every eye was on me and the harder I tried to remember the more difficult it became and I thought about what I knew of Zen, how you're not supposed to try 'cause the harder you try the more difficult it gets and the room was deadly quiet, like you could hear a hum in your ears and then somebody cougheed and it sounded too loud and some kid giggled and I tried to relax as I stood there alone at ready stance in the center of the floor nmncmyei6 wiEDFHHJNMMJJJJJJJJ[[[[[[[[[/////////\\'''''

09-09-2004, 07:22 PM	#29 (permalink)
osopardo Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Hurricane Alley Posts: 170,033 Posts: 1,915	and anudder t'ing... Almost all the tests I ever took were because my instructor felt I was ready, not because they fit some pre-arranged schedule. Passing the test was a foregone conclusion because I'd been "tested" every day of training as I went along, and the actual test was little more than a formality, a ceremony, a show put on to inspire others at lower levels. Not to say the tests weren't challenging (they most certainly were), but a good instructor at a good school prepares you to test then tests you only when he feels confident of your success. Man! I remember my yellow belt test; totally flubbed the forms. I'd practiced this stuff so much I could actually do it forwards, backwards, from the middle, while talking to someone about some unrelated subject, I mean I had this stuff down cold. On the evening of the test, I'm standing at ready stance all alone in the middle of the training hall. Every eye was on me. The instructor calls out the name of the form and barks out "Begin!" and I totally blanked out. I stood there immobile, flop sweat starting to form on my forehead. I could no more remember the first move than I could fly. I knew if I could just the remember that first move thew rest would be easy. The instructor, seing my dilemma, walks up to me and asks me; "How's your dad?" "Sir?" "Your dad, how's he doing?" "Fine, sir." "And your mom, how is she?" "She's fine, sir." "Good, good. How're things at work?" "Work is fine..." "Good, good. Everything's going well with you? No problems?" "No sir." "Good. So, you think you can do this poomse?" "Yes, sir." "Uh, huh. o.k. let's see it then." So he walked back to where he was standing before and I stood there at ready stance, thinking about how could I possibly forget something I knew that I knew so well? and the sweat was forming on my forehead as every eye was on me and the harder I tried to remember the more difficult it became and I thought about what I knew of Zen, how you're not supposed to try 'cause the harder you try the more difficult it gets and the room was deadly quiet, like you could hear a hum in your ears and then somebody cougheed and it sounded too loud and some kid giggled and I tried to relax as I stood there alone at ready stance in the center of the floor nmncmyei6 wiEDFHHJNMMJJJJJJJJ[[[[[[[[[/////////\\''''' __________________ Le Bear Extraordinaire! *Mike Brewer's 2008 Athleticon Challenge!!!* Pushups Completed: 5 1/2 Situps Completed: Does using my hands count?