First Tournament

[couch]

There is a tournament where I live on the 27th of March. It's being put on by a TKD/Kickboxing school but there will be WTF TKD fights and mixed open fights as well as forms competitions, weapons, etc.

I'm 24 years old and have never entered a competition. Looks like the rules will be okay: no backfist, inside/outside leg kicks allowed...that's is for the rules.

I will have to go out and buy: a cup, mouthguard, arm and shin pads and a helmet. This is a lot of stuff to buy and I don't know if I'm even going to do okay or pursue this full-time as they're aren't that many competitions in my area that I know of.

I practise Wing Chun and have been for over 2 years now. I know I can be proficient at my style most days than not - just don't know what to expect from a bunch of kickboxers and TKD'ers. Can anyone relate to what I'm doing? Am I too old for this? Laf. Is it worth it to buy all that stuff? How much does all that crap cost?

I'm picking up all the forms on Monday to see what it's all about.

Thanks,
Couch

[Shaolinlueb]

if you have to go buy all the gear, i would make an effort to go to more tounries.

but i would say go for it man. thats what i always say. if you want to test your skill might as well try.

[brothernumber9]

The gear will cost you around or over 100 bucks. But if there's any good thrift stores near you like a value village or salvation army, alot of people throw thier old gear away there, if you're lucky you could end up getting everything for less than 10 bucks. I got a pair of hecho professional 14oz boxing gloves for 5 bucks. but that's still a long shot. See if you have any friends that could lend you the equipment.
In terms of fighting its a whole different game than what you will be used to. It's all about tag and who tags first. you can literally get tapped on the shoulder, as if they were just trying to ask you something and lose the point. It will probably be 2 points for a kick that lands and 1 point for punches so in terms of the way they score you will already be at a disadvantage. they call break and call for score after any single clear hit Continuous strikes to the head will get you disqualified, kicks below the waist do not score. Also another thing, if you are the kind of wing chun fighter that likes to counter strike, waiting for the TKD guy to go first, then be careful. If any punches get close but the defender doesn't move at all they may still award a point to the attacker.
Other than that it can be alot of fun or a waste of time, it all depends on how you view it and what you are looking to get out of it. As long as you can jam or negate their kicks, and get inside your striking range, you should be able to be more dominant, breaking down their center, chain punching and all.

[MasterKiller]

Borrow the pads from a friend or something. No sense dropping a lot of cash unless you plan on using it a lot.

[Ray Pina]

The gear is a good investment! I suggest you buy a closed-caged headgear, you can use all of this stuff to help increase the intensity of training.

As for fighting TKD in tournaments, be prepared to stop the round house and side kick. Come in on these guys, don't give them room to set up and kick.

Also check the rules. I got thrown out of a TKD tournement a few years ago for pinning their arms (pac sau-ish) and taking them down. I vowed I would never fight ina tournament like that again but the experience was worth it.

If it's more free or open, keep your guard up and come in, take one round house kick and then just beat the hell out of them .... but most likely they won't allow head strikes if its TKD...... ah, man. This upsets me so much. They can treat your head like a soccer ball, but you can't treat theirs like a volley ball.

Either way, good luck. Try not to get too nervous (I know, easy for me to say). Eat agood meal the night before, a nice breakfast but not to heavy before the fight.

How's your condition? If you win, you'll have to fight again. And then again. To take gold you'll have to win at least three fights.

You have 2 weeks. Jog a block, sprint a block, jog a block, sprint a block. Do that this weekend. Next week jog two blocks, spring a block, jog two blocks, sprint a block. (normally against this sort of training but if you're competing you have to)

Good luck and have fun. And remember, if you lose, you're actually gaining so much in knowledge. I've learned most from the matches I've lost. Jus having the confidence to go: you won already!