# hi everyone



## claireg31 (Jun 28, 2007)

my name is Claire and i'm 31 years old and this Sunday i will be doing my testing to become (hopefully!!) a cho dan bo, i've been a practitioner of Tang Soio Do with the EMTF for 3 years now and i love it!
i've competed in both European and British competitions, i live in the  North East of Scotland and i love doing martial arts.
looking forward to getting to know you all and sharing experiences and tips
claire


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## 14 Kempo (Jun 28, 2007)

Hello Claire and welcome to MartialTalk ... enjoy!


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## Kacey (Jun 28, 2007)

Welcome, and happy posting!  :wavey:

And do let us know how your testing goes!


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## IcemanSK (Jun 28, 2007)

Welcome to MT, Claire. Go get em at your test!


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## Drac (Jun 28, 2007)

Greetings and Welcome to MT..Best of luck on your upcoming test..Make sure you tell us how it went...


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## claireg31 (Jun 28, 2007)

thanks everyone, 
have training tonight, hopefully will get to iron out any wee problems!!
will be sure to log on sunday and let you know how it went
claire


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## Insley Stiles (Jun 28, 2007)

Welcome Claire,

Part of my heritage is Scottish and I look forward to visiting some day.

Stay focused on your test, I'm sure you'll do well. I'm somewhat unfamiliar with CMA ranking systems. Is a _*cho dan bo *_equivalent to a black belt in JMA?

Well, happy posting.

Regards,
Ins


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## Sukerkin (Jun 28, 2007)

Hi *Claire*

Welcome through the doors of MT, I think you'll like it here (much less trouble, strife and general troll-dom than you'll find almost everywhere else).

Best of British to you on your testing.  Don't let the nerves get you - the best advice I every received with regards to testing in the martial arts was "Treat it like it's training; it's not about pass or fail, it's about persistence and commitment".


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## kidswarrior (Jun 28, 2007)

Sukerkin said:


> Hi *Claire*
> 
> Welcome through the doors of MT, I think you'll like it here (much less trouble, strife and general troll-dom than you'll find almost everywhere else).
> 
> Best of British to you on your testing.  Don't let the nerves get you - the best advice I every received with regards to testing in the martial arts was "Treat it like it's training; it's not about pass or fail, it's about persistence and commitment".



Welcome, *Claire*. As you can see already, you'll _never _go wrong listening to *Sukerkin*. Lots of good people here.


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## claireg31 (Jun 28, 2007)

thank you all for your kind replies,
cho dan bo is black belt candidate, means i have about 6 - 9 months further training until i can grade for my black belt,
and thank you surekin, i will treat it like training!!
i have a recurring hip injury that prevents me from being as flexible as i would like to be but i will do my very best!
claire


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## kidswarrior (Jun 28, 2007)

claireg31 said:


> thank you all for your kind replies,
> cho dan bo is black belt candidate, means i have about 6 - 9 months further training until i can grade for my black belt,
> and thank you surekin, i will treat it like training!!
> i have a recurring hip injury that prevents me from being as flexible as i would like to be but i will do my very best!
> claire


And our best is all we _can _do, so it's always enough.


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## Hawke (Jun 28, 2007)

Greetings Claire,

Welcome to MT.  Glad you found an art you like and have perserved for the last three years.  Nice to have you abroard.

Cheers.


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## terryl965 (Jun 28, 2007)

Welcome and happy posting and enjoy yourself.


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## ArmorOfGod (Jun 28, 2007)

Hello & welcome.

AoG


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## Ping898 (Jun 28, 2007)

Welcome to MT  :wavey:


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## seasoned (Jun 28, 2007)

Welcome to MT Claire, hope you enjoy.


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## Steel Tiger (Jun 28, 2007)

Greetings and welcome to MT.


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## bydand (Jun 28, 2007)

Welcome to Martial Talk!  Wander around the posts a bit, there is a TON of great information and great people here, enjoy!


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## bluemtn (Jun 28, 2007)

Welcome and happy posting, Claire!  Please keep us informed on your test, and best wishes!


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## claireg31 (Jun 29, 2007)

just a quick little message, went through everyone of my forms in preparation for Sundays testing, Master Hatch is very happy and has every faith in me for passing, just can't wait to get it over with now, i just get so nervous!!
claire


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## Sukerkin (Jun 29, 2007)

It's okay to be nervous, *Clair*.  Everyone suffers from it just prior to any form of testing.  

The trick is to recall that you have trained in what you need for your test to the point that it is a spinal reflex activity.  What this means is that you don't need to _think_ about what you're doing.  

So it doesn't matter if your mind is chattering like a box of agitated monkeys, it just has to start the ball rolling, get out of the way and let your body get on with what *it* knows how to do.

If you're finding that your nerves are really intefering, then a trick that I used to use, prior to kata testing, is a form of self-distracting visualisation.  I would build in my head the mental image of a picturesque vista with a lake in the foreground, forested shores and lofty mountains rising behind, their heads shrouded in cloud.  That used to calm me right down.


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## BudoTiger (Jun 29, 2007)

Welcome to MT Claire. Hope everything goes well for you. And i share your pain in the hi thing. i have a back injury and bad hip flexors from a weight prob growing up. so my flexibility isnt so hot either.


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## Tswolfman (Jun 29, 2007)

Welcome and good luck on your test


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## claireg31 (Jul 2, 2007)

hi everyone
just to let you all know i grded yesterday and i got my blue belt, that is me now a cho dan bo black belt candidate and so so happy with myself, aching all over today but it was worth it!
claire


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