I Don't Think I'm Ready....

“I don’t think I’m ready for testing,” or “I don’t think my child is ready for testing”. We hear this phrase a minimum of 10 times a training cycle. Self-doubt is a serious thing that can truly hinder you as a student, or your child when you project it onto them. Especially in the early ranks, we aren’t looking at how great of a white belt you are, no white belts are perfect. We are looking at how you have handled this new challenge. We are looking at what you could possibly be in 3 or 5 years. We are looking for what you may look like as a black belt. Did you get motivated to learn the material and do your best? How did you handle your nerves? Each testing should represent an improvement in the student in more than just patterns and one-steps. At each new level, there should be more of a familiarity with basic techniques, basic rules of the program, basic understanding of the process, handling your nerves. When we call your name on testing day, do you say “Yes sir/ma’am” and move quickly, showing us that you respect all of the work that you have put into learning, and all of the work that we have put into teaching. Can you make it through a testing sitting focused and being a good classmate/teammate for the students around you. This is what we are really looking at, besides if you can handle the taekwondo techniques. If you’re not sure if you’re ready to test, or if your child is, look at your belt. Do you have all of the required stripes? Then we think you’re ready, even if you don’t.