Thank you, Andrew Sensei.

These are great tips, both for the upcoming tests and a mindset for practicing all the time.

Something I’ve found helpful in memorizing anything — from the list of techniques on my current test to early on when I was learning names of attacks, techniques, numbers, etc. — is to write them out long-hand over and over and over. First, using the list as a cheat sheet, and then writing the list from memory. I’ve approached learning these things like a spelling/vocabulary test. It seems my brain learns from a touch and visual approach, so the physical act of writing and seeing the words helps me memorize them.

Another thing I’ve done is to keep lists in lots of places: on the bathroom mirror, in the car, on my nightstand to read every night before I go to sleep. For some reason, again, seeing the words helps me remember them.

One thing I really strive to do is take the focus and learning that hopefully occurred while building up to the test and continue on from there, rather than backsliding and letting down too much as a “reward” after the test. It’s just me, but I’d rather hold on to as much as I can, get right back on the mat the next class, and keep working.

There’s always sooooo much to learn and if I can at least not take a bunch of steps backwards by slacking off and missing class, then I can learn a little more in the too-short time I have in this life.

This sounds cliche-ish, but I also try to start right away looking at the next level — or two, as you say. That way, when we are practicing techniques on my test, I’ll know it and be able to write it down and store it in memory a bit better.

And finally, I try to have the mindset to Have Fun! This is something you’ve been emphasizing for a couple years (thank you), and it goes along with relaxing. 🙂 Yes, it can be stressful, and we all want to reflect well on our teachers and dojos. But stress is not a bad thing, as it motivates us to work hard and do our best.

And testing usually means the wonderful opportunity to practice Aikido several hours in one day, experience extra classes and learning from guest Senseis, spending time with people who share a love of this martial art, and relishing good health and community. That’s pretty cool.

I read an interesting article in the Feb/March 2009 issue of “Scientific American Mind” magazine yesterday. While this is too late for this round of testing, perhaps it can be helpful for students testing in the future.

The article, titled “Avoiding the Big Choke” by Elizabeth Svoboda, said that there are two parts of the brain that help us do tasks.

Cerebral cortex — for learning new tasks and information

Cerebellum — for the automatic performance of tasks you know (when you no longer need to actively think about what you’re doing)

The cerebellum is not consciously accessible, so we can’t check our performance in the moment at the same time we’re doing something automatically. In my interpretation, both of these brain areas cannot be functioning at the same time.

So if we’ve practiced our Aikido techniques well and often so that they’re now automatic, if we are in a test situation and start thinking, “OK, with Irimi Nage I need to put my front foot here and enter behind Uke….” doing that will activate the cerebral cortext and take us out of auto mode and into thinking mode — and that’s where the freezing takes place.

The author suggested focusing on a single-word description of what your goal is for this activity, maybe “smooth,” “flowing,” or whatever it is you want to accomplish, rather than “keep my arms extended” or “keep my center pointed correctly.”

One-word mantras help prevent us from regressing to conscious control of thought but provide enough of a cue to activate the automatic responses.

“Part of the key is not to be overconfident in advance and do recognize that you may feel more anxiety than you expect,” said Svoboda. “Practice so you can deal with any eventuality. This is especially helpful when something goes wrong.”

She suggested adding stress to practice in whatever way will simulate the actual environment. Have audiences, be thrown curve balls, add whatever extra stressors you can think of. All this preparation will help handle the actual testing with more confidence (but not overconfidance), because you know you can handle the unexpected.

Thought it was interesting!

Kara-san,
Nice addition to the post. I like the scientific backup that we have to practice to get it to be in the part of the brain that controls our automated actions. Impressive that you read “Scientific American Mind” 😉