# Taking first promotion test!



## Swordlady (Aug 22, 2006)

It's official: I will be testing for 5th kyu this Saturday.  I'm pretty confident about the techniques, but I'm still a bit nervous - because I haven't had *any* promotion tests since my TKD years as a teen.

And my right knee is still bothering me, though a hot pack and knee brace seem to be helping...


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## HKphooey (Aug 22, 2006)

Good luck!!!!


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## Jade Tigress (Aug 22, 2006)

Good Luck Jennifer! I know you'll do great.


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## terryl965 (Aug 22, 2006)

Good Luck and you will do fine.
Terry


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## SFC JeffJ (Aug 22, 2006)

Good Luck!! Though I'm sure you won't need it.

Jeff


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## Kreth (Aug 22, 2006)

You'll do fine. You seem to have a good head for techniques, as some of those kata you demoed at the M&G were fairly complex (especially the 2-sword stuff).


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## ajs1976 (Aug 22, 2006)

Good luck


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## theletch1 (Aug 22, 2006)

Best of luck!  Just remember to relax and breathe and you'll be better than great.  Just finished my Ni-kyu test week before last and had a blast with it.  Be sure to give us all the details afterwards.


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 22, 2006)

Good luck, relax you'll do fine


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## tshadowchaser (Aug 22, 2006)

be confident and have fun durring the test. 
If you go in tense you will have poblms so as the othes have said relax.
breath and let it flow


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## arnisador (Aug 22, 2006)

I thought you must have been more advanced than that already! Good luck.


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## Kacey (Aug 22, 2006)

At this point, it's not luck - trust your training, and remember that a good instructor (which it sounds like you have) will not let a student test unless s/he is capable of passing - which is not (or should not be) a guarantee - but why let you take the test if you can't pass it?  Relax, breathe, and show off - testing is a time to prove you *are *the next rank, not to *ask *if you are the next rank.


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## Swordlady (Aug 22, 2006)

arnisador said:
			
		

> I thought you must have been more advanced than that already! Good luck.



Actually, this is only my third month studying Aikido.  I've been studying my primary art (YSKR) for almost two years, but there aren't any kyu ranks (just yudansha ranks) or promotion tests for that art.

Thanks for the encouraging words, guys and gals.  If it's okay with my sensei, I'll post a clip of the test somewhere.  Just not on YouTube.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Aug 22, 2006)

You will do great!  Good luck and keep working at it.

Brian R. VanCise
www.instinctiveresponsetraining.com


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## Carol (Aug 22, 2006)

You'll do great, Jen!  I'll be cheering for you!


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## Andy Moynihan (Aug 22, 2006)

You GO, Jen!


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## Sam (Aug 23, 2006)

Woot woot!

You will do fabulously!


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## MSTCNC (Aug 23, 2006)

"Do... or do not... there is no try!" - Yoda

Mushim, Jen! Mushim!

Go in there with an empty mind... and you'll DO!

In any event... you have your MT family pullin' for you... so, feel all of that good energy on Saturday!

Best Regards,

P.S. What time on Saturday? Want to send an extra jolt of good vibes up to you around test time.


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## Swordlady (Aug 23, 2006)

Probably around noontime, after class.  I'm surprised that Sensei hasn't given me a mock test yet.  The last two girls who tested for 5th kyu got *several* mock tests two weeks before the test, up to the day before.


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## SFC JeffJ (Aug 23, 2006)

Maybe he feels you don't need a mock test to prepare.

Jeff


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## matt.m (Aug 24, 2006)

You will do absolutely great.  I have confidence in you.  Good luck and post details.


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## shesulsa (Aug 24, 2006)

Yeah, awesome testing, Jen!  You ROCK! artyon:


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## RichK (Aug 24, 2006)

Good luck Swordlady!! Hey where do you train? I trained under someone years ago in NJ that was under Waite Sensei.


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## Jenna (Aug 24, 2006)

Swordlady said:
			
		

> It's official: I will be testing for 5th kyu this Saturday. I'm pretty confident about the techniques, but I'm still a bit nervous - because I haven't had *any* promotion tests since my TKD years as a teen.
> 
> And my right knee is still bothering me, though a hot pack and knee brace seem to be helping...


Yeah good luck from me too.. tho I think you will not need it.. Im thinking youre a right little class swot!! 

Seriously.. itll be a breeze Im sure.. I wonder whats on your syllabus that youll be tested on? Id be interested to know what style is it you are practicing??

All my wishes for a calm disposition a clear head (and a strong knee!) 

Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna


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## Swordlady (Aug 24, 2006)

Rich: I'm studying under Henry Smith of the Philadelphia Aikikai.  I don't know Donovan Waite personally, but I've heard his name several times.  His dojo is about 1.5 miles away from mine.

Hey Jenna...good hearing from you again!    Our school uses the U.S. Aikido Federation Promotion test requirements.  This is what is required for 5th kyu:

 1.      Shomen-uchi Ikkyo (omote & ura)
  2.      Shomen-uchi Irimi-nage
  3.      Katate-tori Shiho-nage (omote & ura)
  4.      Ryote-tori Tenchi-nage  (omote & ura)
  5.      Tsuki Kote-gaeshi
  6.      Ushiro Tekubi-tori Kote-gaeshi  (omote & ura)
  7.      Morote-tori Kokyu-ho  (omote & ura)


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## kroh (Aug 25, 2006)

KNOCK 'EM DEAD! Er...Umm....I meant...Please render Uke incapable of further attack and thus show him the error of his aggression leading to a enlightenment to both you and your attacker... or something aikido-y like that.

Seriously, let us know how you do since we are all pulling for you.
Regards, 
Walt


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## theletch1 (Aug 25, 2006)

kroh said:
			
		

> KNOCK 'EM DEAD! Er...Umm....I meant...Please render Uke incapable of further attack and thus show him the error of his aggression leading to a enlightenment to both you and your attacker... or something aikido-y like that.
> 
> Seriously, let us know how you do since we are all pulling for you.
> Regards,
> Walt


Man, that is great!  I'll have to use that in class on sunday.:ultracool


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## fireman00 (Aug 25, 2006)

Take it easy, breath deeply and enjoy!  I'd say good luck, but luck doesn't have anything to do with it - your skills do.


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## kroh (Aug 25, 2006)

theletch1 said:
			
		

> Man, that is great! I'll have to use that in class on sunday.:ultracool


 
Thanks. I trained in Aikido for six months in Rhode Island with Glenn Webber before I blew out my knee.  It was fun training.  

*Back to topic*: Jen seems like a good person with a good head on her shoulders, I am sure that she will do just fine.

Regards, 
Walt


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## SFC JeffJ (Aug 25, 2006)

Since I probably won't be back on till after your testing tomorrow...Good luck Jen, but I'm sure you don't need it.

Jeff


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## Swordlady (Aug 26, 2006)

I PASSED!  :ultracool


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## SFC JeffJ (Aug 26, 2006)

Congrats!!!!! I knew you would!

artyon:


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## kroh (Aug 26, 2006)

Congrats Jen!  PLease post the video!

JK

Regards,
Walt


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## mcantele (Aug 27, 2006)

You will do fine. I recently tested for the first time in TKD with some fairly serious achilles tendon issues. My test went very well. So will yours.   Mike


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## Jenna (Aug 27, 2006)

Swordlady said:
			
		

> I PASSED! :ultracool


YAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

Hey Jennifer thats absolutely brilliant news.. oooh how did that ol gammy knee of yours hold up?? and hows the wrists, ha! 

Seriously.. WELL DONE YOU!!    

Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna


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## kroh (Aug 27, 2006)

Jenna said:
			
		

> Yr most obdt hmble srvt


 Exactly how does one qualify for that anyway!?!

Regards,
Walt


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## BlackCatBonz (Aug 27, 2006)

Swordlady said:
			
		

> I PASSED! :ultracool


 
WTG!!


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## Kacey (Aug 27, 2006)

Congratulations!!!! artyon:


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## Jade Tigress (Aug 27, 2006)

_WooHoo! 
Congratulations Jennifer!!!! 

artyon:artyon:artyon:artyon:artyon:artyon:artyon:artyon:

_*Never any doubt in my mind you would do awesome!

:asian:  :asian:  :asian:
*​


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## Kanoy919 (Aug 27, 2006)

Congradulations!!!

Drinks are on you


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## arnisador (Aug 27, 2006)

That's great!


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## Swordlady (Aug 27, 2006)

Thanks, guys and gals.  :asian:  I did upload the video of the test; shoot me an email if you would like to see it.  

Anywho...the test itself went well, despite some mild "issues".  For starters, I didn't have an uke til that morning.  I asked this one 4th kyu three weeks ago if she could be my uke.  She agreed at the time, but later backed out, because she hasn't been feeling that well physically.  So I asked this other girl (a 5th kyu) last week if she could be my uke.  She said "yes".  So I thought my uke was set for the test.  But then...Friday night, she said that she had other plans on Saturday - which was tomorrow.  The night before my test, and I no longer had an uke.  That made me freak out a little.  She assured me that I shouldn't have a problem finding an uke for the test.

I showed up at the dojo bright and early Saturday morning.  Poked my head in (the children's class was still going on) - and only saw black belts.  Then I _really_ started to freak out; I was seriously thinking about asking Sensei to delay my test for another week.  Fortunately, another mudansha (a 3rd kyu) showed up shortly before class started.  I was so happy to see her, and asked to to be my uke - even though she took something of a break from training for a while.  She wavered a bit, saying that she was "out of practice", and not only that, hurt her left arm in a biking accident a week ago.  She didn't know how well her arm would hold up for ukemi.  I assured her that I would go slow and easy with the techniques.  She agreed - if no other mudansha showed up.

As it turned out, there were ten people at class that morning - all black belts except myself, Farrah (the 3rd kyu) and Colin (an unranked Aikidoka who is also in my Yagyu class).  Since Farrah was hurt, I asked Colin to uke.  Colin said he still didn't know any of the Japanese terms and as be totally lost.  I couldn't ask any of the black belts, because uke is only supposed to be one or two ranks above you.  Not only that, all of the black belts were BIG guys, and I was not about to use someone five times my size for my first test!

So Farrah ended up being my uke.  For the most part, the test went well.  Farrah hasn't been training for a while, so she got a little confused with some of the Japanese terms ("Aihanmi...nay, that's [SIZE=-1]_gyakuhanmi..._No, AIHANMI!")  I was supposed to do two from the right side and two from the left - one omote (front), one ura (back) each side.  I kept on forgetting which side I did the last technique, and I think I did something like three from the right for one of them - oops.  Sensei didn't say anything, and just kept on throwing out techniques.  He also threw in a [/SIZE]_[SIZE=-1]kokyunage [/SIZE]_[SIZE=-1](throw)[/SIZE]_[SIZE=-1] - [/SIZE]_[SIZE=-1]which wasn't part of the 5th kyu requirements - at the end of the test.  I kinda winged that one, and was told today that I actually elected to do a _harder_ technique than expected.  Good "oops", I guess.

I'm just glad to get the first test over and down with.  I watched the video of the test with a couple black belts and a couple other mudansha this morning, and they offered me some helpful critique to consider for my next test.  It's definitely useful to be able to watch yourself do the techniques, since you can see things you don't necessarily notice during the time.  I noticed that I didn't drop down far enough for [/SIZE]_[SIZE=-1]kotegaeshi, [/SIZE]_[SIZE=-1]and bent forward way too much.  And my footwork was off for some of the techniques.  Acceptable for 5th kyu and possibly 4th kyu, but not for the higher kyu ranks.  At least I have some time to clean up my stuff before the next test; I'm shooting for either late December or January...hopefully.
[/SIZE]


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## theletch1 (Aug 27, 2006)

Great to hear that your test went well.  Congratulations!  That's odd to me that you'd be responsible for finding your own uke for the test.  At my dojo we normally have no idea who will be uke for our tests and then we normally have a couple of different ones at the same time to see how we handle different energies from different people.  Enjoy all the new techniques you'll be getting for the next level.


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## matt.m (Aug 27, 2006)

I thought that you finding your partner was odd as well.  In tae kwon do and hapkido tests in my school we always have enough people testing so there is no problem for people having partners.

However, congratulations are in order.  The first test as you know is always the hardest.  At least you are now familiar with the format for future testing.


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## Swordlady (Aug 27, 2006)

As far as I know, we are allowed to pick our uke for 5th and 4th kyu tests (maybe 3rd kyu as well?), as long as uke is at least one kyu rank above - but no more than two.  The 2nd and 1st kyu tests require multiple uke, so I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be allowed to be choosey at that point.

In any case, I was grateful to have a choice for my first promotion test.  I already work with many bigger people (most everyone is bigger than me - lol), and they will most likely be uke for me in future tests.


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## Yari (Aug 28, 2006)

Swordlady said:
			
		

> I PASSED! :ultracool


 
Congratulations!

Welcome to the first step ..... Keep up the good work


Gambatte!

/Yari


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## MSTCNC (Aug 28, 2006)

Way to go, Jenn! artyon:

Glad to hear that everything worked out well... and that you were able to find an Uke!

Regards,

Andy


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