Tournament Terror

[parkerlineage]

I don't know where this should go, so I'm putting it here - feel free to move it to the right place.

This is no easy thing to admit, but tournaments scare the living crud out of me. Sure, I'm a black belt; sure I've been training for as long as I've been in school (11 years...)...

However, I'm a Seventh Day Adventist. This means that I don't go to tournaments that are on Saturday, which means bascially all of them. I have been to probably 6 or 7 in my entire career.

Now, on the mat in class, I'm the guy to beat. The only person consistantly better than me is my instructor (who, by the way, is waaaaay better than me). I routinely slaughter people that are way older, stronger, or more experienced than me; my kata kick butt...but put me in a tournament ring...and I freeze.

I've placed second in sparring every time, and first in kata every time except for once (when I had a sprained ankle)...but I *hate* competing. It scares me to death.

I have a tournament in a month...somebody, anybody...tell me how to get over my panics!

Peace;

Parkerlineage

[lucifersdad]

easy!

for this one i would say refer to the martial artist holy book, the hagakure, it says in that (and i dont mean apply it to everyday life but you can if you wish) "live everyday as though you are already dead, that way you can perform the tasks in hand effecitvly"

basically when i enter a tournament i dont worry about what might happen i think more about the job in hand and just get on with it! plus if its points fighting the worst that can happen is you get hit 10 times, if its kata your only up there till you finish your kata and if you train properly its not like your gonna forget it!

main point, relax and enjoy it, after all we do this for fun!!

[Sparkey]

Hey Parker Lineage,

I was raised SDA, did the whole Academy, WWC, PUC, Loma linda deal...so I understand the Sabbath issues. My question is, why are tournaments important to you? What do you hope to accomplish at the end of the day? Do you hope to come back with a trophy or ribbon? What will that do for you? Do you hope to prove that your Karate is better than someone elses Karate? What will knowing that do for you?

I took flute lessons growing up, for 12 years I took one hour of private flute lesson a week. I was a VERY GOOD flute player. But I truely don't like to perform solo in front of an audience. And especially I hated perforiming for competions. I hated it. All the stress and jitters, for the only purpose of making my teacher look good. She tried to keep a "stable" of young flute players who could go into competitions and put her name on the board. It was all about her. I would do it because my parents would give me greif about spending all this money on flute lessons and I was not willing to share my "talents". I was good enough at the beginning of college to consider if performance was something I wanted to major in. I decided that I wouldn't major in something I hated to do. Although I'm fine playing flute in a group or just for myself in my house, I haven't done a solo for several years. And I'm just fine with that.

To tie this all up with Karate, now. When I was lookin for a dojo to train in, I specifically looked for a dojo that only cared about training and teaching good Karate, not about bringing home trophies and championships. My Sensei told me that if I should choose to enter a tournament, I should tell him, and that he would help me to prepare, but it was my own deal and I had to do it for my own reasons. So far, I haven't entered any kind of competition, but I have entertained the thought of entering in the Kata devision just for kicks.

Do some soul searching about why you're entering a tournament. The answer doesn't have to be "right" or "wrong" or "for a good reason". Just find the reason. Then, like lucifersdad said, figure out what's the worst that can happen. Will your Sensei not like you and be disappointed in you? If you've tried your best, and he's disappointed, then something is seriously wrong (with your Sensei, not you). If you don't come back with a trophy or whatever, so what? Are you afraid of physical injury? Most likely you'll be fine! Try to answer the question "What are you afraid of?".

[Kicks]

parkerlineage,

Think about what you would do if you weren't scared.

Then do it.

Edited April 26, 2005 by Kicks

[mai tai]

when i was in high school. i saw alot of fights. invarable westlers would win. even in straight out fist fight. why because when most people get into ther first fight they get what get is adrenilin poisoning. (fear, pride trepidation and anger all rolled up into one) people would lose there head. cause they cannot "handle" the adreniline.

westlers would win because they were much more used to this due to the adreniline you get before a contest.

everyone feels the same way when they first start to compete. rarely can a guy take the training room self into a competion.

do as many comps as your religion will allow (i wouldnt mess with the guy upstairs for martial arts excellance.

and the fear will get less.notice i said lesson.

i have had been in pro boxing, mauy tai and nhb fights and i still get nervous. not cause im afraid to get hurt but im afraid to look bad infront of family and friends. (i know that sound sad and pathetic but i care what the think)

if i was alone on an island and no one would know the out come (kinda like prison love ...i would fight anyone. mainly cause i love to fight

most of the time i when im walking up to the ring, if there was a side isle to take and i wouldnt look like a total coward i would run away.

after the bell rings i seatle down

[Kicks]

There's a saying, just like in football, you lose your jitters after getting hit the first time. Being the generous person I am, I always try to help my opponent get over his jitters very early in the match.

I've always found that in class I have a lot of fun sparring and can easily do 5 rounds of 3 to 5 minutes and still stay after class for more. But when it comes to competition sometimes my legs feel like concrete and I get cotton mouth. I would get fatigues after just 1 minute into round 1 (rounds are usually 1 1/2 to 2 minutes). In order to get over this I started doing a little 'ritual'.

In class I'll line up against my opponent and do a little preparation routine. I clench and open my fist a few times, I set up southpaw even though I'm right handed, I shake my head and give a good kiyup. When I get that euphoria feeling while sparring I'll make the 'OK' sign with my fingers and focus on how I am feeling at that moment.

How does this help? At competition I'll just try to imagine that this tournament is just like class. I'll line up against my opponent and do my 'ritual'; it puts me in that class training mood of "this is going to be fun". I'll also make the OK sign and remember that feeling of euphoria. This helps channel the adrenaline into a positive force.

That's why earlier I said:

"Think about what you would do if you weren't scared?

Then do it."

[aefibird]

That is an excellent tip Kicks.

I often get competition jitters. I'll have to try that routine (or one similar) and see how I go.

[Chaz]

Quit Tournament Sport MA, and join San Soo...

[parkerlineage]

Thanks guys.

I guess I'm afraid because I'm afraid of what everybody else is going to think about me if I lose. But, I guess that doesn't matter, does it? Physical injury is no prob...I've recieved many broken bones and such in class.

The worst that will happen...I'll feel bad about myself...

I'm going to try the routine thing, and keep in mind that the only thing I'm afraid of not impressing everybody...which doesn't matter.

You guys are awesome.

And, no, Chaz...I'm not going to quit and join San Soo, though I did like what I saw.

hehe

Peace;

Parkerlineage

[vertigo]

I guess I'm afraid because I'm afraid of what everybody else is going to think about me if I lose. But, I guess that doesn't matter, does it?

Not a bit. Trust me, I've made a fairly large fool of myself in the two tournaments I've been in. But that doesn't matter at all... everyone is on the same playing field, and you're just there to learn. If you make a mistake, oh well! Shake it off and chalk one up for experience. I almost guarantee no one will think any less of you for making mistakes.

Good luck