Hardball, yeah, I was pretty gutted about failing, but took solace in the fact my instructor also failed his first attempt at first dan and now he is a 6th dan. However, there was no way I was going to write off 5 years training for this set back. At the time my life was going through some complications & my training suffered, but I thought I should at least give it a go & take what comes. I was lucky that I only had to wait 6 months to re-test because our GM was coming over from Australia, otherwise I would have had to wait a year. Anyway, for that 6 months I made sure I put in the time, worked on my conditioning and did plenty of breaking practice.
The original first dan test lasted pretty much the same ammount of time (2 & a half hrs-ish) but for my re-test I got it a bit easier. I didn't have to re-do the written test because I had quite a repectable mark last time. I was however tested at the end of a training weekend with Master Lee, so I was pretty exhausted, but for the test I had to perform my forms, combinations, self defence & finnished off with breaking (first a hand technique followed by any kick of my choice followed by any jump kick of my choice –*but performed in quick succession without time to compose myself.) Then it was the roof tiles which were much easier than this time round. I think I was done in about 45 mins but there was the extra pressure of being watched by a handfull of masters who had travelled from all over the country to attend the seminar.
To be honsest, my own instructor is a much tougher examiner then our grandmaster. I don't think I performed my patterns as well as first time round, but I think it was really my breaking that was being tested that day more than anything else. Anyway, getting that belt definately was all the more satisfying knowing that it had been earnt.
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