I've being practicing Jiu Jitsu for almost 5 years. I do very well while sparring in class, etc. However, I always choke when it comes to tournaments. I am 90% certain that if it was a sparring session, etc in my class I would beat my tournament opponent. What can I do to better prepare myself for this?
2007-02-19 06:44:59 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Martial Arts
When you say choke, what is it you are doing wrong? Are you psychin yourself out? Are you getting baited? Are you overly defensive? Ask someone who watched the match (coach, friend, sparring partner) to give you the big picture. Roll through the match and see where you went wrong. You can learn SO much from a real match, win or lose, take advantage.
2007-02-19 07:24:33 · answer #1 · answered by Celebrate Life 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have been in martial arts for almost 30 years and still get nervous in tournaments. I don't even compete anymore. I just get nervous watching my students now.
Be glad you get nervous to some extent. This means you are alive and your adrenlin is working. If you were totally relaxed you'd be too cocky and get your butt stomped.
The more you practice and the more confident you become with your skills, the more relaxed you will feel. It just takes time. You have been practicing for 5 years now and I'm sure you aren't as nervous performing some techniques now as you were when you started. What did you feel like when you first got choked out? Were you scared? Of course! Human nature.
Just relax and take deep breaths before your fights. Watch the other fighters as we are all creatures of habit and work on our best techniques. We hardly ever work on the ones we really need to practice, they make us look silly! It's just human nature. God designed us for His amusement.
Remember that you ase there to have fun and gain experience. You win either way you look at it. If you win the fight, you won. If you lose, you learn to watch out for the rear naked choke or whatever! You learned you need to guard against it a little better. As long as you learned, you are still a winner.
When I fought tournaments I wanted to dominate every fight and was disappointed if I didn't. Going in as a Blackbelt and beating the tar out of a blue belt doesn't do you any good unless you're trying to prove you're a bully! Now, go in there against Bill "Superfoot" Wallace and you'll learn something. -Trust me I know just from sparring seminars with him.
Relax, breathe, and most importantly... LEARN.
Take care and God Bless!
2007-02-20 01:07:23 · answer #2 · answered by Batistafan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You gotta not take the tournament to seriously. I'm not talking about the training but like as for how important is. Just think of it like a normal sparring session nothing special. Except still get pumped up and give it all your power. Also if you know how to use chi it helps reaction time if you sink it
2007-02-19 14:50:04 · answer #3 · answered by The Wall 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Having competed in many tournaments over the last 25 years, one of the things I do is zone. I know that I am prepared, as you seem to feel you are, so I spend about 10 - 15 minutes by myself.. running through my techniques. This helps me to visually see the fight before entering it. I play my attacks in my head..seeing what I would do and predicting how my opponent my react. Then I visualize my counter. This does a few things for me:
1. it helps to remind me that I am prepared
2. it helps to remind me that I am in control of what I do
3. when I actually fight, the techniques and concepts are new to me.. I have run through them 20 times in my head.
Be sure to watch the fighters that are fighting before you. See their tendencies and their moves. Most fighters have a few things that they are comfortable with and will revert back to them over and over. This goes back to be forewarned about your opponents. If you have seen them attempt something..you can play your counter in your mind.
Next Kumite or sparring session at the dojo, visualize it as a tournament. React and intensify your movements and actions as you would a tournament. The more comfortable you get in that environment, the easier it becomes.
Good luck and hope I helped.
2007-02-19 15:09:02 · answer #4 · answered by lmkarate 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
don't worry about any body else. just try to have fun. try imagine your self in class. pay attention to your opponent. it helped me.
2007-02-20 10:15:41 · answer #5 · answered by blackhawk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
take it one step at a time good luck
2007-02-19 18:30:30 · answer #6 · answered by nic h 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
R-E-L-A-X !!!
2007-02-19 15:35:25 · answer #7 · answered by Ray H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋