Tournament pre jitters

[Leopard claw]

I'll be in a tournament in about 3 weeks. Doing a kata form, weapons form and sparrring. Got the kata and weapon forms down and feel pretty good about sparring. Still feel pretty jittery though. Any ideas how to over come this? Thanks.........

[Drgnslyer]

Ultimately, in preparing for a tourney, you'll find your own method for overcoming your jitters...

and I understand that..well, saying that probably doesn't help a whole lot, and really isn't what you were asking for...so having said that, here is what has always worked well for me.

The two weeks before the tourney, I focus all of my training between heavy cardio workouts, and the specific kata/kimute technique I plan on using on the big day.

Two days before the tourney, on top of my regular training if it falls on that day, I take a moment to slowly go over my kata, and fundamental kimute technique. Personally, what's worked for me has been to go through the motions at an agonizing pace, as slow as my body will allow me to go. This was recomended to me by one of my coaches once, and, well, like I said, it's worked well for me, with marked tournament success.

This ends up reinforcing the muscle memory for each technique...by the time I'm done doing everything at that painfully slow pace, I grab the nearest coach/blackbelt and do it once at regular speed and full power, just to have felt my body work at the correct pace for me individually.

The day before the tournament, I don't think I've ever done much actual physical training, however I spend about half of the day visualizing, lying down, sitting down..whatever is most comfortable at the time, and "watch" myself perform a perfect kata, and so on. Ultimately this is aimed to be a completely 'stress free' day.

As well, my own personal habit...fettucini alfredo with seafood *crab, prawns, salmon...whatever* and a piece of fresh bread for dinner, and have enough for a good helping that I'd eat the next day two hours before I compete. Load up on those carbs...they come in handy come go time.

I like to get someone to drive me there...this was easier to do when I still lived with my parents, but on the way I like to begin, i guess you could say, a basic meditation...clearing my thoughts, and making sure that school, work, friends, and so on are not using up my brainpower, and start gearing my focus on the task at hand.

Depending on the event, I usually get dressed before I leave home, or wherever I'm staying...less distraction moments before I enter the gym/tournament hall, and I'll have the ability to further mentally prepare myself. It sounds dorky, but when I put my tourney gi on, in my mind I'm strapping on my armor, and preparing for the battlefield.

When I arrive at the venue, I like to simply keep myself mentally and physically loose, do a very throrough set of stretches, and talk to my coaches...most importantly in keeping loose, I make sure to joke around a little bit about something...never anything major, but so long as I can get a little laugh in once i'm there, i'm usually good to go.

When it comes time to step up to the mats, my mind becomes mostly completely closed off to the world around me...especially in kimute. When I'm waiting, I'll usually kneel, close my eyes, and simply focus on the air going in and out of my lungs...this calms any final jittery nerves, and I can let my thoughts go with the understanding that I've prepared for this moment as best as I can, and if for whatever reason it's not good enough, worrying would only make it worse. I put faith in my coaches, and trust in myself that I will be able to get out there, and be a step above anyone else present.

When it comes to the actual event...in kata, normally I don't think much at all...I let the training and repetition over the past few months kick in, and utilize that muscle memory I've developed under the guidance of my coaches and sensei. I begin each kata with the knowledge that it will be the best kata that I can do, period. Confidence is key.

In kimute, natually there is more thinking involved...I find kimute to be more of a battle of the mind than the body. You want to be a step ahead of your oponent in your mind...see what they are about to do, and already have a counter in place before they throw the technique

Don't get overly technical with it though...things change at a rapid pace...I've had my oponent actually catch a kick I threw out in an attempt to try to push him away from me *I was getting close to the edge of the mat*, and my natural insticts kicked in, instead of thinking too much and physically panicking *believe me though, what few thoughts i had I can't repeat here* I leaned in towards my oponent, and even surprising myself, I growled from deep in my belly.

He dropped my leg, and took three quick steps back, being caught off guard like I was, and then I understood that the tide in the match had just been turned. The remaining half of the fight was the most confident Iv'e ever been in a kimute match, because from that point on, I managed to keep my focus, and keep one step ahead of him. I was able to dictate where we went, and what we did, and as a result was able to get a solid win.

Probably...to sum up, the moral of my book here is

Prepare, prepare, prepare...once tournament day comes, you've gotta trust in yourself, and have faith that your training has been the best that it can be. The more focused you are mentally, the better off you are. What I do might not work well for you..ultimately you have to discover that yourself...but a clear mind, and belief in yourself and your abilities will help you lift yourself above the average competitor, and win you a few medals along the way.

hope this helps a bit

[pineapple]

The jitters are normal.

I find to help with kata jitters, you need to practice, practice and practice. The more you can do the kata without any thinking, the more confidence that you will have in your performance.

I had found that kumite jitters goes away with the first blow.

Just go out there and have fun.

[Leopard claw]

Thanks for the great advise. The main thing is I am going to have fun. Thanks again!

[Killer Miller]

Like everyone says, practise, practise, practise. Visualize as you practice though.

Secondly, the day before and the day of, don't do anything but stretching and relaxing... If you don't know it by then, you won't know it at the tourney. Save your energy for the tourney the day before and day of.

The rest is just going to come with experience.

- Killer -

[24fightingchickens]

I'll be in a tournament in about 3 weeks. Doing a kata form, weapons form and sparrring. Got the kata and weapon forms down and feel pretty good about sparring. Still feel pretty jittery though. Any ideas how to over come this? Thanks.........

I never learned to "overcome" my jitters.

Instead, I learned to stop being ashamed of having the jitters, admit to myself that I was afraid of losing, afraid of being humiliated, afraid of being injured, afraid of looking a fool for goofing up. On some level, I think I was also usually afraid of winning.

Being nervous or anxious before an event is an expression of fear. Fear is a good thing that we grow up thinking is something to be embarased of. Behold the bumper stickers that say "No Fear." Ha! Everyone feels fear all the time. Fear is our alert system telling us "Condition Yelloy - Pay attention."

It can be annoying to have your breakfast sit uneasy in your stomach, hands get sweaty and clammy and mouth go dry, but it is something you can use. You can dig down into that sensation and actually find a spiritual power source from which you can draw to win in competitions.

The best way I ever did this was by really psyching myself up before an event by forcing myself to smile, growl, squeeze my fists, and yell, "YEAH! YEAH BABY! YEAH! I'M GOING TO BREAK SOMEONE OVER MY KNEE! YEAH!" and scream it. When you are going into your match, have that smile on your face, and do your best to have fun.

I learned that from the godan in our dojo in Nagoya, Yoshigai, who taught me to hold my own against the really talented sparring guys where before they used to just blow through me. One of his secrets was to try to have fun in the match. He said to be aware, to not worry so much about winning, that if I focused on winning or losing, I would surely lose.

Instead, he suggested I focus on partying while I was in the ring, playing with the other guy and trying to tease and annoy him instead of trying to show everyone how cool I was.

It is the difference between taking things too seriously and taking things lightly and in a detached way, as a practioner of Zen might suggest, and through that detachment finding a calm wash over you that gives you strength, and just enough nervousness to provide extra performance without depleting your will to try.

Good luck.

And remember, it is OK to lose.

Edited November 22, 2005 by 24fightingchickens

[Leopard claw]

Thanks again for the great advice. I've been doing my kata and weapons kata 30 times each day and sparring with fiends in the dojo. But you're so right, to win isn't everything. the main thing is to go and have fun and that I will. Thanks again!