Testing Procedure for Ranks Yellow Belt White Stripe and Up

Step 1: Testing Procedure for Ranks and Asking for feedback

Testing Procedure for Ranks is as follows; Students, not parents, may ask a Senpai (i.e., student assistant instructor) or black belt instructor for permission to test after receiving the fourth stripe on their belt and sufficiently practicing the techniques required for the next belt rank.

Step 2: Senpai Evaluation

The Senpai, or instructor, will then evaluate the student’s performance of the techniques required for the next belt rank and provide feedback on necessary corrections before they are allowed to test. If the student has correctly performed the required techniques, the Senpai will then refer the student to Sensei Royce or Sensei Frank for evaluation.

Step 3: Sensei Evaluation

The Sensei will then provide further feedback or grant the student permission to “pre-test” at the end of class. Students must always check in with a Sensei before or at the start of class if they want to pre-test. If the technical evaluation is done after class is finished, they must check with a Sensei at the beginning of the next class they attend.

What is a “Pre-Test?”

A pre-test is a practice test so the student can publicly perform the required techniques in front of the class. Since performance anxiety is common in many students, the pre-test is an opportunity to get used to the jitters before testing. The pre-test assures the student and the instructor that they can perform the techniques publicly without freezing or underperforming. It is also a safety mechanism to prevent students from failing a test publicly in front of their peers, friends and family.

Step 4: The Pre-test

Students who have been given permission to pre-test and have checked in with a Sensei before class are called up at the end of the class for a pre-test. If the student correctly performs the required techniques, the Sensei will grant them permission to test for their belt in the next class that they attend. After class, the student must check in with the instructor to receive their “homework” for the test. The Sensei will give the student 1-3 technical points to fix before the test to ensure that the student practices at home so they look sharp and ready for their test.

Step 5: The Test & Receiving the New Belt Rank

Students who have passed a pre-test must check in with Sensei Royce or Sensei Frank before or at the beginning of class before they can test. If the student hasn’t done their assigned homework, i.e., practiced sufficiently to fix the technical points assigned by the Sensei, they will not be allowed to test until they do so. If the student has fixed these technical points, they will be allowed to test at the end of class and receive their new belt rank.

Why Testing Procedure for Ranks is Public Testing

• Learning How to Deal with Pressure & Anxiety
  Performing in front of peers can be extremely stressful for some people. The pre-test is a stress inoculation for people with performance anxiety. Performing in a familiar environment and in front of peers who have all done the same is a safe way to prepare students for the pressure many people feel with public performance. The more students go through this process, the more they learn that the actual performance isn’t nearly as bad as the anticipation. Because all of the color belt students have also gone through the same process they tend to be very encouraging and supporting of the students that are publicly testing for the first time.
• Building Confidence
  One of the most significant benefits of publicly performing is confidence-building. Stepping in front of an audience pushes students out of their comfort zones and helps them develop a strong presence. Over time, this reduces stage fright and boosts self-assurance in other areas of life, including school, work, and social situations. Performing in front of a large group fosters resilience. Mistakes, unexpected interruptions, or critical feedback teach students how to adapt, recover quickly, and grow from each experience. Learning to cope with stress, stay calm under pressure, and focus is not only an important life skill but an essential skill for self-defense.
• Fading of Reinforcement To Teach Perseverance & Delayed Gratification
  In the beginning, stripes and new ranks are relatively easy to achieve with the appropriate effort and practice. As students progress in rank, stripes and new belts become increasingly challenging. Gradually increasing the demands of each stripe and belt is designed to gradually move students’ motivation away from the extrinsic rewards (i.e., new stripes/belts) toward the realization that effort and perseverance within themselves are the intrinsic rewards. Our goal at Practical Karate is to teach students the value of hard work and achievement to improve self-esteem and overall well-being. We strive to create conscientious and motivated students who work hard and achieve in whatever they do, not for extrinsic rewards such as belts, trophies, awards, etc., but for their own sense of worth and self-confidence.