Getting ready for a tournament.

[lordtariel]

I've got a decent sized tournament coming up on Saturday. My first big tournament since judo five years ago. I'm wondering how hard I should be training this week. I'm going to the dojo every day this week for an hour and a half. I'm also planning on doing about an hour of training out of class every day this week. Do you think this is too much or not enough? How do you prepare for a big tournament? Entering in Kobudo, Kata, and Kumite.

[Sohan]

A week out? You're either ready or you aren't. You won't improve that dramatically in the last week, but you can definitely overtrain and be "off" on your big day. I say better to rest up, keep practices short to stay sharp, and go in mentally and physically in flow.

Good luck!

With respect,

Sohan

[daizyblackbelt]

sohan is dead on.

don't overdo it, practice lightyly, run things through at a low intensity, DO NOT GO ALL OUT. you'll end up being sore and tired.

for me, the last week before a tournament is a time to work on details and prepare myself mentally.

good luck in your competition!

[Bushido58266]

dont train to hard u dont want to burn urself out

normally when i do tournaments i train months in advance (at least 6)

id say if u are going to train to devote a lot of ur training to cardio work (like running) this way ull have better endurance especially if u have to fight more than a few people. but make sure u stay sharp on ur technique

also make sure u rest cause rest is just as important if not more important than training

[Aodhan]

I've got a decent sized tournament coming up on Saturday. My first big tournament since judo five years ago. I'm wondering how hard I should be training this week. I'm going to the dojo every day this week for an hour and a half. I'm also planning on doing about an hour of training out of class every day this week. Do you think this is too much or not enough? How do you prepare for a big tournament? Entering in Kobudo, Kata, and Kumite.

The time for extra hours is way past at this point.

There is generally a training "flow" that I try to impart to my students. A few months from the tournament is the time to really start adding hours and extra work, building to a peak about 2-4 weeks out from the tournament. (Every person is different. I need about a 4 week taper).

Then, start scaling back the hours, and work on honing and fine tuning individual segments of a form. Don't do your whole form very much, it doesn't gain you as much as section work.

The last week, make sure you're resting well, doing light workouts to stay sharp, and make sure you eat optimally the last 2-3 weeks.

I wouldn't do that much this week other than your normal routine, maybe slightly less, and go into your tournament rested and ready.

Aodhan

[jaymac]

No need to comment any further on training. Everyone has been dead on. You are ready. Have fun and good luck. Keep us posted.

[Oracle]

Prep depends on how you compete. If your a regular NASKA/NBL/KRANE/FBBA/RSKC competitor who does a circuit, most train hard in the off season (Nov-early Feb). I agree that one week out you should have your forms polished.

We train hard right up to 2-3 day before a event. If your sore from going all out your really not in shape.

We only do segments of forms or weapons to polish certain moves.....not for training purposes. Their is a difference.

You should try doing your tournament kata all out with full gi and sounds 3-4 times back to back to build stamina.

Human nature tends to make people due parts of a form rather than the whole form because it's less burdonsome. Don't give in ! your only cheating yourself.

As I have said before, you have to train like you compete. If you do a full kata, practice with a full kata.