pre-test injuries

[jim777]

I ended up with a broken rib from a roundhouse that got through last Friday night, and I'm going to miss my promotion test on Nov. 30th because of it. This was for the belt I should have tested for last July, but had a bone crack in my leg from a punch to the ankle (when a block would have done nicely) in May. Only 5 people actually made it to class on Friday, and I was not only the lowest ranking in the class, but the oldest in the class by a full 30 years (ok, maybe 29 years ) I'll be waiting again until April now to test for my 6th Kup green belt. What bothers me is that in my school they won't teach you forms beyond your belt rank, so I won't get to do Won-Hyo until April when I might have had it learned well enough to practice it through routinely by Christmas! Perseverence I know but come on, I thought I had percevered enough to start at 40+ in the first place! :lol:
Anyone else ever get stuck on a belt through a number of testing cycles because of basically freak injuries right before testing?

jim

 

[terryl965]

Jim your instructor would not alter the test since you have an injury?
I know if I had a student that has had two freak accidents right before testing, I could and would alter the test since I know they actually know there material.

If cannot hurt to ask.

 

[Kacey]

Jim your instructor would not alter the test since you have an injury?
I know if I had a student that has had two freak accidents right before testing, I could and would alter the test since I know they actually know there material.

If cannot hurt to ask.

That's what I was thinking... one of my students had to have his gall bladder removed about 3 weeks before testing; he was able to demonstrate everything with technical proficiency - the testing instructor just didn't run him into the ground like he did some of the other students testing for the same rank.

 

[newGuy12]

I ended up with a broken rib from a roundhouse that got through last Friday night

WAIT!

Stop the music!

Okay, so, jim777, you broke a rib, and you are continuing to practice?

YOU ARE THE MAN! With this perseverance, you will not fail! Even if you do not progress to the next belt this testing (note that I said 'if'), you will still advance steadily! Don't fret that! You will soon be past this, and you will look back on these days in the rear view mirror.

Just take care of that rib! You need to heal up, so baby it as needed! That is your real challenge now, testing yes or testing no! The real challenge is to get beyond the rib injury!

All the best and much Respect!



Robert Witten

 

[HelloKitty]

Anyone else ever get stuck on a belt through a number of testing cycles because of basically freak injuries right before testing?

jim

I'm so sorry to hear you won't be able to test because of an injury! I completely understand. Several years ago I had an injury in my left leg the day before my testing (I was going for 4th gup, blue with red strip). I didn't take care of the leg properly and it was worst. Then I had to quit completely and started all over again almost 7 years from white when I came to DFW. So, tell me about frustration and getting stucked...! LOL

(And training with broken ribs... OMG! you're perseverant! )

 

[jks9199]

I learned years ago that if you give yourself an opportunity, you WILL get hurt right before the tournament or testing. The last two weeks, I don't give myself or my students that opportunity. Sparring drills are done with strict control, or against the bat (plastic wiffle-ball type bat), not against another student. Major practice time is spent on wind and forms or bag work, not sparring.

Given that -- I'm surprised that your instructor can't arrange some sort of modified testing for you after two accidents. And that he let you do things that set you up for an injury.

 

[jim777]

To be honest, I didn't ask for any special consideration and I just can't see myself doing that. To me it's sort of like asking to test; you just don't do it. If something is offered, I will of course be very grateful as I really was hoping back in January to be 5th KUP by Christmas. Any flavor of green belt would be awesome for Christmas at this point though :lol: I guess I'm still far enough away from black where some leeway could be given, but I really can't ask for that. It's funny, my wife has been following me around saying "remember to take deep breaths even if they hurt so you don't get pneumonia" and I've been more worried about missing the belt test.
And I guess I should be more clear about what happened. I had my rib broken on Friday night but thought it was just a bad bruise. I noticed on Monday night that everything was painful, starting with the jumping jacks we did at the very beginning of the class. By the time we were going over our (included in the test) Hapkido material, side break falls and rolls staying down stuff, I could barely get up off the floor. So yesterday I had the x-rays done and found out I had a fractured rib as I suspected. So, I'm going to continue to go to class and suit up and simply tell my instructors that the rib is broken, and with their permission I will do what I can and refrain from doing what I can't. I don't want to stop going or just sit on the sidelines either. But I was curious to see if this sort of thing had happened to others, as it seems to almost be par for the course for me this year.

jim

 

[newGuy12]

To be honest, I didn't ask for any special consideration and I just can't see myself doing that. To me it's sort of like asking to test; you just don't do it.

I totally hear you! And I applaud you for this mindset! You cannot go wrong. You keep practicing and getting better and better technique. The rank will come! This is not to take away from the Teachers who have posted in this thread. I am not trying to raise a stink, but I do agree with you!

So, I'm going to continue to go to class and suit up and simply tell my instructors that the rib is broken, and with their permission I will do what I can and refrain from doing what I can't. I don't want to stop going or just sit on the sidelines either. But I was curious to see if this sort of thing had happened to others, as it seems to almost be par for the course for me this year.

I have had bruised ribs once (I did not have an x-ray, but I suppose that they were bruised only). In any event, they hurt, BAD, for a WHILE! But, it passed!

Now, also, you see, not all schools change the practice before tests. In my school we typically did not. That may be because the students as a whole yearn for the "give and take" of good sparring and do not wish to miss out, even if Testing Day is coming up!

That's the breaks, your getting injured, but, you can get beyond this. Your wife is right! You do NOT wish to get pneumonia!

I was never one to wish for testing, as I did not wish to advance in rank. I only wished to be good at whatever rank I was at, because I would rather be, say, a very good yellow belt than a new green belt. Haha, my Teacher would say, "Are you testing this time?" I would answer, "No, Sir" He would then say, "You are testing this time."

Hahahahahahaha!!!!!

You know, but, it will work out just fine!

You will soon learn Won-Hyo. It will then be yours!

Patience! Patience to Won-Hyo, patience to make the ribs heal!

 

[Laurentkd]

So, I'm going to continue to go to class and suit up and simply tell my instructors that the rib is broken, and with their permission I will do what I can and refrain from doing what I can't. I don't want to stop going or just sit on the sidelines either. But I was curious to see if this sort of thing had happened to others, as it seems to almost be par for the course for me this year.

jim

So why don't you do the exact same thing at test? Don't ask for special consideration and just do what you can and don't do what you can't. You'll either pass or fail the test, and, as long as you are ok with failing (if it really comes down to that), then you'll be no worse off than not testing at all. And if you don't fail...


To answer your question, IMO injuries/accidents happen to everyone. You were just unlucky enough for yours to occur right around testing time. Just the way it went for you. But maybe next year you'll be really lucky to balance out all this bad luck (yang for yin you know! )

 

[jim777]

I'm good with whatever happens. I will eventually get where I'm going and if the road has a few more rest stops on it than I had imagined I'll try to learn from them. But a good year next year would be sweat

 

[tkdboy81]

Man, talk about bad luck. Sounds like you a very determined though. Don't give up your luck has to change some time.

 

[newGuy12]

Haha, if you do miss this test, you are gonna be one bad-*** green belt when you DO get it!

 

[jim777]

Haha, if you do miss this test, you are gonna be one bad-*** green belt when you DO get it!

Oh hell yeah! :lol:

 

[searcher]

I am going to have to agree with Lauren. Go to the test, do the best you can, have no regrets about missing it. Many have went into their tests with injuries and did just fine. I think you will be alright.

 

[jim777]

I tested Friday evening, and got my belt I was excused from the Hapkido rolls and breakfalls, and from the sparring. It was still 3 hours, but I got my belt! Now to get blue by next Christmas!

jim

 

[Kacey]

Congratulations!!!

 

[newGuy12]

w00-h00!

 

[kingkong89]

ive never had such a problem but think about it in a way that it is not how many katas you know it is how well you can do the katas. with this delima you will be able to achieve a better qaulity and sharper demonstration of the kata at your tes, stick in their the best things are worth waiting for

 

[jim777]

Me and the crew (The Crew and I?) on promotion day.

jim

 

[Laurentkd]

Way to go!!!