Kyu Tests

Yesterday we had kyu tests at Woburn Aikido, and I have to admit that I was hugely impressed by everyone's effort. I've been studying martial arts for a number of years, and I've seen all variety of tests. Unfortunately, what seems to be more common than not is that tests are poor, lack any clarity and do not show a rigorous attention to detail. I would say, hopefully without sounding too proud, that these tests showed all of these important traits. 

I'm really not sure how it happened. All I know was that about a month ago after every class I kept hearing bodies falling on the mat. I'd poke my head out of my office and there were my students training away. And then I'd get emails asking to use the dojo on a Sunday (our one day off) in order to practice for tests. I don't remember saying anyone should do this, I don't think I ever suggested that they should come in for extra training, yet there they were practicing away. 

What truly impressed me was how confident everyone was in their techniques. I can be a demanding teacher, and at times I turn the heat up on my students to see how they respond. Not once, not even for a second did any of them get rattled. There I was yelling that they weren't doing technique right, and they just kept plugging along, doing what they practiced, and executing good, clean technique. This to me shows how diligently they practiced for their tests. 

There have been many tests that I've seen over the years that completely and entirely fall apart when one small thing goes wrong. It has the feeling like a carefully constructed model where each piece is precariously balanced on the next. One small rattle, one slight bump and the whole thing falls apart. This is not how to prepare for a test. It shouldn't feel like a balancing act, or like an act at all. The techniques should be practiced and analyzed in a way where they become a part of the student. Certainly, over time they improve and change, but they become the foundation for everything else.  So when building this model, give it a shake from time to time during the building process and see what falls off. Put more glue, attach it in a better way and then give it another good shake. My job as a teacher and as a tester is to shake this model to see how well built it is. 

What worries me is that teachers stop shaking the model (I hope this metaphor is working) because it upsets people to see this thing fall apart.  Of course by test day the instructor should already know how strong the model is so when they give it a good shake is doesn't in fact fall apart, but it doesn't fall apart because he or she has been testing it all along, shaking it for months and letting things fall off as they will. So teachers don't want to upset their students and this I understand, but a test, THE test is just the last stop in a series of tests that should be happening. 

Also, I hear people say to me that "it's only 5th kyu;" 5th kyu is our very first test that people take after a few months of training. This I realize, but as a foundation for everything that is to come, I cannot, in good conscience, let their foundations crumble. So I do agree that the expectations and standards for 5th kyu should be different than those for shodan (black belt), but there still absolutely and unequivocally need to be some goal to work toward. 

I'm very proud of my students and the effort that they put toward their tests. I believe that if they hope to gain the tremendous benefits that are to be had through a diligent study of Aikido and martial arts in general then they are on the right path. I'm happy to have been a part of this process, and I hope I can continue to guide them, to assist them, and to rattle their models for many tests to come.