Tournaments can be exciting events that build friendships, create memories, and even hold lessons of their own. Whether the competitor wins, ties, or loses, there is much to be gained from the experience that reaches far beyond regular classes. Tournaments can be proving grounds of martial ability, exhibitions of hard work and determination, and consequences of single moments. With that in mind, the best way to experience a tournament comes downto the right preparation, simple strategies, starting from months before the event and even spanning even into the day of. That way all that needs to be focused on when stepping into the ring is giving 100% effort to the task at hand both physically and mentally.
As there are different types of tournaments and divisions, this article will focus specifically on Forms Competition, other types of tournament preparation may be discussed inother articles.
First Times, First.
The best tournament advice for a first timer is not in what to compete, or even how to compete, but rather to simply go compete. There is often stress of the unknown, which can lead to aversion to compete at all and mostly with the excuse of waiting until their rank is higher. Though at first this view may seem reasonable, preparedness for competition has nothing to do with rank making it a moot point. Competitors are matched by rank and experience; therefore, beginners will compete against other beginners and so on. If a beginner waits until they are at an advanced rank to compete, they will be up against others who are not only advanced in rank but have also attended many tournaments by that point which will create an absolute advantage, therefore it is better to start early!
Do the Research
Once the decision has been made to compete, the next step should always begin by reading the competition rules. Even if school instructors and other students have attended a specific tournament before and can provide insight on what to expect, tournament rules can be updated or changed from one year to the next,which can affect the competition and therefore a simple read through can preventfirst place medals lost to not having the proper entrance, uniform, or performance duration (for example). Every tournament will have rules for each division available either on or with the tournament application, or on the event website. If no rules are available, a copy can be obtained by contacting the hosting school or promoter.
Planning Ahead
Once the parameters are set, a form can be selected that best exhibits the competitor’s martial arts abilities, that also aligns with the rules of competition. A good rule is to select a form two months before the competition, which will allow one month to make adjustments to fit tournament time restrictions, orient the direction of performance in relation to the judges, highlighting pauses or techniques, footwork, and shouting (if part of the form), and one month to hone the competitor’s technique. Supplementary exercises can be added to training during the first month to allow enough consistency to yield visible results that will increase performance of the form by the second month. For example, doing squats and legwork to help improve leg strength to support lower stances, or agility ladder drills to increase footwork agility. The goal of such workouts should be clearly defined for a more efficient impact on the final result. As the final month begins before the tournament, the form should already be presentation ready so workcan be applied to the details to truly perfect and polish the form for competition. A good way of training at this point is to perform the form three times back-to-back, full speed and power, with no breaks and changing the direction of the form each time. Changing directions helps eliminate “room reference” habits and forgetting the form when in a new environment. The back-to-back form training builds endurance to prevent getting winded in the ring and keeping stances as low as possible.
The strong and intense workouts can continue up into the final week before the tournament, but no later than two days before which will allow the body to recover before the competition. On the day before the tournament, rather than full power, competition forms should be “walked through” at a lighter pace. Breaking a sweat is fine, but the goal is to keep the body in top condition for the next day and not sore or stiff.After months of training, the last day of practice is not necessary for remembering the form, however, it serves as an excellent way to calm the nerves before competition.
Planning for the Day of
There are even strategies to prepare for the day of tournament that will help the competitor focus and be in their best form for the competition. Often when competing in multiple divisions, tournaments can be full days with long periods of resting and waiting between divisions. It is important to pack snacks and water for the day to keep the body energized and hydrated. It is also paramount for the competitor to take time to properly warm up before competing, some venues offer practice or warm up areas for such convenience. If possible, when warming up or practicing, facing the same direction as that of when in the ring of competition will help the competitor get comfortable with the venue. Even if the tournament has a schedule, it is best to stay near the competition area and pay attention to the announcements, there are no re-dos for missed divisions.
Ringside Strategy
Although it is fun to watch other competitors in the same division, especially if they are from a different style, the waiting time can best be used to mentally map out the form in the ring of competition. Directions for certain combinations, pauses, emphasized techniques, can all be oriented to the ring of competition which helps to eliminate any moments of confusion during the performance or accidentally stepping out of the ring of competition. During the form, if there is any moment of confusion, an emphasized technique or pausing point can be jumped to, regaining control of the form to finish cleanly.Another way to deal with a lost place is to throw in a pre-practiced combination that can allow time to regain control of the form without losing tempo. An excellent way to develop this skill is to practice freestyle forms, it will help maintain flow and tempo even if there is a mistake in the form. In the end, it should appear as part of the form, not a highlighted mistake.
Post Competition
From the months of hard work and preparation to the moment of entering the ring and performing, the culmination of hard work and effort, there are still some extra strategies that can be helpful in preparation for the next competition. Judges can provide valuable insight as to what can be improved if asked immediately after the division (if the schedule permits). This should not be approached as entering a debate to prove why the form should have scored better, but an opportunity to improve oneself from the perspective of the person judging and scoring the form. If the form was videoed, footage can be reviewed later to identify weak points and strong points in performance. If the entire division is filmed, looking at the competitor’s forms can help to see what wins. This shouldn’t be meant to change the fundamentals of the martial arts style to match competition, but more so to see what the judges sought as better than the rest of the competitors.
A Gauge of Progress
One of the most important things to remember is that anything can happen in competition. The difference between a win and a loss can be a single moment, and even with proper preparation, mistakes can happen. Other times the competition is simply better. That is why it is good to use tournaments to gauge martial progression. This cannot be done in a single event, but over the process of multiple tournaments, over years of competition. No matter the results, there should be a time of reflection after the tournament to see how much the competitor has grown, what strengths they possess, and what weaknesses hinder them. Then, strategies can be made to eliminate the weaknesses and build on the strengths. After all, the improvement will encompass more than tournament specific areas, but to their entire martial arts development.
