Tournament's tomorrow! any tips?

[keith_aquino]

Hey guys, my Taekwondo tournament's tomorrow. Right now, I'm feeling somewhat nervous yet excited. This will be my third Taekwondo tournament. And I've noticed that at the last two tournaments, my legs felt like it had a 250 pound weight on them. Any tips on this dillemma?

One big problem is my poor flexibility (can only achieve 110 degree splits).

This forces me to do body shots 90% of the time.

Another problem is that my Karate instincst might come in. And I vividly remembered what it was like. I punched a guy in the head forgetting that head punches aren't allowed. Also, it's hard to try to eliminate the instinct to hold a kick (which isn't allowed here). The result of this law is that everybody here (in Taekwondo (in general)) are too lazy to "pull" there kicks now that I can safely bet $100 dollars that I can catch 95% of their kicks. Sorry for those unecessary remarks, just had to relieve a little pressure.

Well, back to the question. Does anyone have some tips for this tournament? especially those nervous feelings?

Thanks in advanced!

[Zaine]

Althoguh i am not much for thinking to much about movements in a fight, here is where your gonna have to think about how hard your punching or kicking him, and also, just relax its a tournament, if ya win ya win if ya lose ya lose, it doesnt matter there will be others, but your stressing too much about the last two tournaments, let the past be the past, think about the present. Before every tournament i sit around doing nothing, and when it comes i get excited and stir crazy but i just tell myself to relax, the fight will come, and you'll do good, just tell yourself that, and try your hardest to remember to pull your punches i understand coming from shotokan, full contact then your sent to TKD tournament, it sucks, but you can do it

[keith_aquino]

Althoguh i am not much for thinking to much about movements in a fight, here is where your gonna have to think about how hard your punching or kicking him, and also, just relax its a tournament, if ya win ya win if ya lose ya lose, it doesnt matter there will be others, but your stressing too much about the last two tournaments, let the past be the past, think about the present. Before every tournament i sit around doing nothing, and when it comes i get excited and stir crazy but i just tell myself to relax, the fight will come, and you'll do good, just tell yourself that, and try your hardest to remember to pull your punches i understand coming from shotokan, full contact then your sent to TKD tournament, it sucks, but you can do it

Thanks Zaine for the advice. Unfortunately, I lost. My instructors actually advice me not to pull my punches and just follow it up with a kick. I find this somewhat logical since no one's going to hold it.

[y2_sub]

Too bad . Good luck next time , the only time i participated in a TKD tournament i lost for striking hard and for using low kicks , it was a good experience though

[Zaine]

Althoguh i am not much for thinking to much about movements in a fight, here is where your gonna have to think about how hard your punching or kicking him, and also, just relax its a tournament, if ya win ya win if ya lose ya lose, it doesnt matter there will be others, but your stressing too much about the last two tournaments, let the past be the past, think about the present. Before every tournament i sit around doing nothing, and when it comes i get excited and stir crazy but i just tell myself to relax, the fight will come, and you'll do good, just tell yourself that, and try your hardest to remember to pull your punches i understand coming from shotokan, full contact then your sent to TKD tournament, it sucks, but you can do it

Thanks Zaine for the advice. Unfortunately, I lost. My instructors actually advice me not to pull my punches and just follow it up with a kick. I find this somewhat logical since no one's going to hold it.

Yeah, sorry about the losing, my sensei tells us to pull punches unless there being stupid and are flailing...