TBA-USA instructor test...

[gregimotis]

One of the women at my gym is testing in Tulsa next month. Any suggestions for tightening up the bolts?

Her form and stamina are pretty strong. We work 15 / 17 counts and ceremony regularly, also she is going to work with Khru Vic in Denver this weekend for technique.


I wondered if anyone had personal experience or suggestions.

[Trace]

I am a female that tested last year and I had a lot of advice from many kruu friends of mine (in addition to my own kruu). All of them stressed to me to pace myself during the rounds. If you don't pace yourself then you get beat up after you get your quota in. Work on the ceremony every day; Ajarn Chai says that just from looking at how a person performs the ceremony, he can tell how well they will do during the rounds and whether they are relaxed. Don't forget to say TANG for every knee and also to always wait until Ajarn Chai says "go" before you demonstrate a technique or you will have to do push ups, which is not preferable before doing the rounds. Sometimes when your adrenaline is rushing and you are nervous, it is easy to forget. Good luck!

[chalambok]

My advice is lighten up on her for the last couple of weeks and let her body get relaxed. The idea of the test is, it is supposed to take you beyond your limits, irregardless of conditioning. Let her work on the wai kru and shadowbox, and don't stress the test. Unless her teacher is disliked by the padholders, it will be a fair test of her abilities to defend herself. The holders are being tested on their ability to attack, so Master Chai may be putting more pressure on them than her. Her last 3 years have already determined whether she will pass or fail. And wish her luck. All you should ask, as a teacher, is that she do her best.

[gregimotis]

I appreciate the replies.

To keep it honest, I'm not her instructor. She and I have 'inherited' a gym. Our instructor has decided to do other things and that leaves her and I as the people in charge of closing the gym or not. We decided 'not' and are now teaching and trying to learn faster than our students.
We do have some help from a BJJ/MMA school in town and a couple people who are fully qualified to teach but don't want the responsibility of gym ownership. Ajarn Chai is aware of the situation and has endorsed it (I think... or at least he isn't resisting it).

In any case, neither of us have tested. I have a fight scheduled just before the Tulsa seminar and so have decided to put off testing until later this year.