Am I tough enough?

[K1cker^]

Yeah, thanx
heh you are right, Lucy, in my first match at the world cup, when i was entering the mat, i shook like hell. And when the judge said 'hajime' and i looked at my opponent, all my stratergies and comboes disappeared :O
- but somehow another rutine took over and i won the fight. And reached a silver medal at the end of the cup .
But i wont forget the night i hurted myself /:
hmm i wonder why i still am nervous during turnaments aften i won silver medal to the world cup .. hmm z':

- During my next fight, i will try to remember that the opponent maybe feel the same way as i do, to. (:

[Lucy]

Well done again! What division did you fight in?

As was said previously on this thread remember the winning feeling and believe in yourself because you know you can get through it physically....you proved that! I guess we will learn to deal with that feeling one day and maybe somehow learn how to overcome it....anyone who has achieved that TELL US YOUR SECRET! lol

[Aunty Ichigeki]

Lucy it's really really worth reading a book on sports psych. I can't stress enough! I've read a few (way too late for me) & there is a common theme that makes so much sense and that completely changed the way I feel about fighting. You have to forget the who is winning who is losing mentality & focus on the process of winning ie. not the result at all. Make yourself a game plan... ie. a list of combos you're good at and basic things you failed at in previous fights & want to be better at. Maybe it's moving around your opponent or punishing them with a retaliation each time they get a gedan mawashi. Very specific stuff. Practice those few things during sparring (personally I'd choose 1 major goal) and then go into the fight 100% focussed on nailing that 1 thing. This way you can focus on how well you're achieving your personal goal and reward yourself mentally throughout the fight (so it MUST be achievable). You'll find that the sense that you're achieving what you wanted is more likely to put you in the zone or flow state whatever you want to call it. If you can get into flow state it feels so good you'll probably feel positive even if you lose and you are WAY more likely to get the win!

There is an 'expression' mu-teki (forgive me if I have this slightly twisted) that I've seen translated as no enemy but the kanji actually represents someone being whipped! The concept is that you can be whipped and still 'win' by withstanding it therefore you have nothing to fear from your opponent (enemy) because regardless the result you will win in some sense. It's hard to explain but I apply this concept to everything now & it's a much cooler world! I think it's related to the old Samurai acceptance of death thing! ...and maybe the 4 year old saying "didn't hurt" and smirking when you smack them thing!!! It kind of renders the stronger person powerless! Hmmm... don't know if I can explain it but def' suggest it's worth getting a book! I recommend The Sports Psych Handbook by Shane Murphy. You don't need a degree to read it!

[hasbeen]

i agree with azimuth!+ maybe something that might help,if you are being "charged" just go round in a circle+maybe practice a technique nobody else has seen you do,your instructor,nobody!-don`t even use it in sparring and when you do land it, it gives you quite a buzz! this also gives you something else to think about in the back of your mind during a fight and might help you?

[Lucy]

Aunty Ichigeki

Thanks for your response very helpful indeed! I will follow up on your suggestions. Your advice makes alot of sense! Osu


Hasbeen

That is a good idea! Thinking up a special move...i like the sound of that! I managed one little combo i like to use when on the defense, breaking to the left or right and a swift mawashi across the stomach works well for me!

You guys are all a great help, very enlightening!

[World War Cheese]

Hiyo, I haven't even SEEN a knockdown tournament yet, let alone trained for or done one but I have the same feeling in my Judo competitions. I start to feel like "What am I DOING HERE" and "The other guy is so much better than me" when I've never even seen him fight before!

But like Aunty Ichigeki's recommendation (and a little experience) I learned to think less of specifics of the match and my emotions and more on a kind of "overplan" that is so generic nothing breaks it up. My judo sensei tells me "Choose three techniques that you know you can do in sparring in the dojo and number each one 1, 2, 3. No more no less. Then count in your head 123 during the match. That way you don't even have to think of the names. Then do one after the other regardless of how you feel or position and after you get through the first 3 then I'll let you think more during the match"

It's really helped. I concentrate on just three things (I guess 3 combos would be the equivilent here) and just focus on 1, 2, 3 or something like that and once I do all three I feel more relaxed (If I'm still fighting x.x ) and then to keep from being repetitive I do 3, 2, 1 or something like that. It helps with the heeby jeebies.

Oh, and I think your courage to step up and fight again is admirable and true spirit! Osu!

[Lucy]

Osu World War Cheese!

Thankyou for you reply. Ive been training recently and technically its all really coming along now, I love training for tourny's! Thats the whole thing now trying to get my mind focused and not to worry etc...Stopping that trail of thought. Im getting there. When i spar in the dojo i hate fighting some ppl but i purposely spar with them now.

Your right about the 1,2,3 idea i shall definately be focusing on an idea like that! Just to think of some killer combo's now....

[Aunty Ichigeki]

Hey Lucy. Out of curiosity who is it you were avoiding? (Not names but reasons). Do you have a lot of girls to fight? Do you avoid any of them? There's a couple of guys in my club who scare the bejeebers out of me because I don't trust them not to do me serious damage.

[RASor]

Osu Lucy,

In my case I usually feel inadequate in Kumite best described as the "What do I do now?" feeling on the mat. There is also that creepy feeling of tension gripping you. I got over this after a year, it started with Blackbelt (fighters) would share their fight experiences and I got to realize I was not as bad as them.

Our strongest fighter Senpai James used to run away from his opponent because he would fear getting hurt - now he holds the most locat championships in full contact karate and he fights internationaly (Kuwait liberation, Malaysia, Singapore and soon 9th World Tournament).

Senpai Ramon would always get knocked out in the first round of his fights - now he is Champion against several kickboxers and karatekas, He is also organizing a club for Kyokushin at his College.

Senpai Allan is small built and usually stays away from the opponent by being defensive in his style - now he can take even strong punches and kicks he is now determined and offensive in style despite his small built.

Senpai Elcir used to give up whenever he would get hit hard on his body - now he absorbs the impact and takes the fight to the opponent usually releasing his deadly combinations.

All the fighters mentioned always carried that fear in their fights until they learned to block it out from their minds. focus on the opponent, and let your instincts make the best of every opportunity. This is the rationale for hard training, the body and its extensions react and do so instinctively to any strike delivered to you. Take a video of your fight you will be surprised how your fight looks different and at times surprises you with moves you never thought you could do. Just remember to trust your mind and let the body react to your opponents every move.

I hope I was of help.

Osu!

[Lucy]

Aunty ichigeki

Unfortunately i dont have many girls to fight with i dont mind fighting them at all. Yes i avoid the guys you know are gonna hurt you but there are a few that im quite evenly matched with. I spar more with them now because they are the ones who make me feel like i do on the mat lol!

[Lucy]

Osu Rasor

I think thats where we go wrong in our club. I didnt realise this before until mentioned how your guys 'talk' about their feelings. Physically and technically we are prepared but not mentally my instructor has never mentioned that we may have emotional issues to deal with! I shall talk to the people in my club who fight thats a great idea!

As for watching my fights my most recent one is on the dvd of the british open. I havent seen it yet. I really didnt want to! But the girl i fought in that fight told me and she has been very encouraging! (thanks jane). I shall get a copy at our kata comp next month and examine it! I can see my strengths and weaknesses i'll either cringe or be pleasantly surprised! Plus i can check out the girls from the open division who i will undoubtedly be facing!

Thanks again your advice is much apprieciated and very helpful

[RASor]

Osu Lucy-san,

Additional thoughts that may be useful.

Just remember hard training is the key to make your movement reactive/instinctive than just a simple physical motion.

Also trust your mind, it is that bridge between mental thought and spontaneous or immediate physical reaction. Last but not the least is Hard Training, the harder you train the more you gain in terms of strikes, kicks and combinations. Hard training involves both physical familiarization and mental absorbtion.

Hard Training -- Physical Familiarization + Mental Absorbtion

Hard and Harder training minimizes the gap between Physical Action and Mental Reaction. The objective is to remove the gap to make the movement swift. A spontaneous, natural and immediate reaction -- the goal.

Talk and discuss fight issues with your peers, knowing you are not alone will help you gain more trust with your fighting technique. Soon you will be a fighter that reacts more (instinct driven) than one lost in thought.

Best wishes always.

Osu!

[Lucy]

Osu!

Thankyou Rasor! Thats very useful!

[iceman]

great thread guys. I have a 20yr old just graded to 2kyu after 5 years, who has been competing full contact for a couple of years, he started off doing alright, won some fights then started getting beaten by bigger stronger more experienced fighters, ie open grade fighters, he seems to have become a little uncertain, he asked his Shihan to teach him how to fight, he replied that he was a good fighter but needed to strengthen his mind, does this happen with the repeated losses, as the only competition available is open grade or will he become disallusioned? I think what I am asking is how can I help him. OSU! RTR

[kakatootoshi]

Dear iceman,
In kyokushin if you want to make a name (any better way to rephrase it?) in kumite there is no way to avoid open grade/weight. It is pretty much like hunting or fishing, there is no way that you can tame a lion or net a shark by going to the local pet shop or aquarium. You have to risk your very own life to go to the most dangerous mountains and deepest seas to find your preys. Similarly it is going to take a lot of faith for your son to fight against those big boys but this is kyokushin. Your son, as a 2kyu grade, is eligible to fight in a world tournament if he is selected. My point is if he is so interested in fighting, he should not look back at his past successes as a junior kyu grade, and he should think about now how to change his fighting strategy (footwork, fitness, conditioning) to make him able to stay longer when he meet some of the meanest fighters in kumite.

OSU!

[iceman]

Hi kakatootoshi, thankyou for that advice. He is training very hard, includes boxing now as well, trying to improve his hand speed and foot work. I understand what you say, the next union world tourny has 75kg and above as the heavy weight div, 80kg verses over 100kg is very tuff. OSU! RTR

[kakatootoshi]

Dear iceman,
Your son is going to fight in the Rengokai Cup (and in the heaviest division)that's cool! He will be "coridially greeted" by Shimajiri (world champ), the new japanese champ (student of Shihan Hasegawa, sorry forgot the name) and many big names. Just sharing the same arena with them is a great honor by itself! Just let him know you are so proud of him and order your ticket to Okinawa fast. It is like at the Oscar Night, there are winners, contenders and bleachers and yes, sometimes winning is important but the whole training experience for this big, big tourney is already a great piece of memory for your son and the whole family! So "welcome to the jungle!". By the way weight gain (with control) may play an important role in your son's case and I am sure his Shihan will guide him through.

OSU!

[iceman]

Hi Kakatootoshi, thanks for the info, he has to do well at the NZ and Australian Nationals first to earn selection to compete in Okinawa, if not this 2008 world champs, he will be at the next. OSU! RTR

[Spirit]

Originally Posted by Lucy

Am I tough enough?

I’m having a dilemma at the moment about whether or not to compete in knock down again. Fitness wise not a problem! I love the training for tournaments too! My issue is my emotions during a fight. I’ve fought in 3 novice events now and its time to move up to open level. Technically I’m good enough but I seriously need to toughen up mentally! By the way I am female 26 yrs old.

Whenever I step out onto the mat I completely convince myself I shouldn’t be here, I can’t think of any combinations and rely completely on my coach, its awful and during the entire fight I just can’t wait for it to be over! I keep telling myself to give up although I’ve never lost a fight so I’m obviously capable and every one is excited about me fighting again.

I have trouble getting into that ‘zone’ I’ve been there once before and it was fantastic my opponent had no chance! My last event was for me my worst I felt I could have done so much better I was so annoyed with myself. Is it just a case needing more experience, overcoming my nerves or am I just not cut out for it?

Lucy,
Has anything change in the 4 months since you first posted this........ fill us in on things