Losing it in the ring?

[JAKEHE3078]

two words, spar allot...

And then when your done with that spar some more. Oh yeah also try to spar with people who are much better then you are. and who are way more experienced. Basically be willing to get your butt kicked everyday.

[blackbeltb584]

HUH...

[cleung]

It might be your nerves since tournaments are in a different environment compared to your own studio. Forms competitors go through the same thing, many beginners even forgetting their forms too. It's just a matter of competing more often.

[Charlie]

I participated in my first tournament-style match this past weekend. It was actually just a local event involving the three dojo that make up our local area Enshin organization. However, it was made to look as much like a tournament as possible, with referee, judges, scoring table, and a section for spectators (the parents and other relatives of the competitors).

The same thing happened to me as described earlier in this thread. Most of the tactics and techniques that I regularly and often effectively employ in dojo sparring practice evaporated from my mind as soon as the match started. I ended-up feeling very clumsy and reactive instead of in control and alert. Afterwards, watching the videotape that my wife took of me during my two matches, I could see that I didn't appear to do as bad as I thought I did. However, I see that I need to get the techniques more ingrained into my head so that I can do them more subconsciously and try to get used to the tournament-style pressure that made me lose focus on what I wanted to do in the matches.

All-in-all it was a really good experience and gave me some perspective on my involvement and training in martial arts than I probably wouldn't have gotten otherwise.

[cleung]

Those are good observations that you made. Many will not agree but there's actually some good benefits in competition. I've been competing for over 20 years and I still get something out of it. Good luck in your future competitions.

[sabro]

I keep losing to the same guy- my sparing partner. We came in first and second again at the USKA California championship. This is I believe the third time in a row and the fourth in five tournaments. At the Nationals in New Orleans, my partner wasn't competing due to broken ribs, but I lost in the first round. I used to beat him in practice all the time...Talk about a rut.

[Aodhan]

I keep losing to the same guy- my sparing partner. We came in first and second again at the USKA California championship. This is I believe the third time in a row and the fourth in five tournaments. At the Nationals in New Orleans, my partner wasn't competing due to broken ribs, but I lost in the first round. I used to beat him in practice all the time...Talk about a rut.

I would find a higher rank/better sparrer, and get him to point out techniques/holes in your technique, etc. It sounds like your sparring partner is paying attention in your practices, and has found some holes that he can exploit.

Work on some new things with a different partner, and don't show them to him before tournament day.

Aodhan

[sabro]

Domo Arigato Aodhan- san. You are absolutely right. During the state championship I started laughing because my friend Jim knew exactly what I was going to do...and we spent the first minute and a half with non scoring clashes...My other friend is a san-dan in TKD-different style and different eyes... and I'm going to try to get with him before the regionals.

[Aodhan]

Do Itashimashite.

Good luck!

Aodhan

[MasterH]

I keep losing to the same guy- my sparing partner. We came in first and second again at the USKA California championship. This is I believe the third time in a row and the fourth in five tournaments. At the Nationals in New Orleans, my partner wasn't competing due to broken ribs, but I lost in the first round. I used to beat him in practice all the time...Talk about a rut.

I would find a higher rank/better sparrer, and get him to point out techniques/holes in your technique, etc. It sounds like your sparring partner is paying attention in your practices, and has found some holes that he can exploit.

Work on some new things with a different partner, and don't show them to him before tournament day.

Aodhan

Yup, stop sparring him. I have a gent who I went thru the ranks with, point sparring him was either very boring or very exiting, but it would always be a low scoring match because we knew everything about each other. One day we started working with other people, the next thing I know, I'm sparring him at a tourney, and I have a big smelly foot in my face. He learned some new moves!

Good luck.