Am I tough enough?

[rsobrien]

I'm sorry, whats GB?

[Lucy]

Osu rsobrien

Sorry got carried away rambling! GB = Great Britain

[Spirit]

Lucy,
sounds like the lightbulb over the head experiance has happened for you...
Keep it up and just do

[Lucy]

Osu Japman

Hopefully so! But i would also value your opinion...what would you advise to focus on mentally during a fight? What should i be thinking of or telling myself to help me concentrate?

[buckette]

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.

The new all japan champ's name is Takuma Koketsu

[ryudo]

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?

I think that what you're afraid of is loosing, I sugest you watch the movie throw down, even thought is about judo it will inspired you.
I don't figth to win, I fight to defeat my opponent, this is a complex statement, what I mean is the fight is really with myself, I got to push myself and defeat the guy in front of me no matter what.
Well yes it sound a little inflated, but I guess for me the only way to push myself is to think of the arena as a battlefield, is do or die...if you can come to accept this terms I really don't know how else you could do it, either I am thinking in UFC terms or something similar, or I am missing the whole concept.
But at least in judo when you fight or compete believe me is for keeps, too many guys love to brake your arm, dislocate your shoulder or shater your shins.

[ryudo]

Originally Posted by Lucy

Osu Japman

Hopefully so! But i would also value your opinion...what would you advise to focus on mentally during a fight? What should i be thinking of or telling myself to help me concentrate?

The spartan mothers used to say to their sons when they left for battle to come back to sparta with their shields or over them.
Meaning to come back victorious or dead...OSU!

[Lucy]

Originally Posted by ryudo

The spartan mothers used to say to their sons when they left for battle to come back to sparta with their shields or over them.
Meaning to come back victorious or dead...OSU!

Thankyou for that piece of advice ryudo...spartans, right i got it !

[Spirit]

Originally Posted by Lucy

Osu Japman

Hopefully so! But i would also value your opinion...what would you advise to focus on mentally during a fight? What should i be thinking of or telling myself to help me concentrate?

nothing..........

Lucy,
My way of teaching is the mind is the weakest link in fighting; do to thoughts, fears etc taught to you by parents, teachers etc…
Anxieties taught to us as a young child are set in the subconscious mind where 95% of all thought comes from…

What I can say to you (without personally knowing you or train with you) is this…
It is often the instructor (unknowing) who makes a good fighter a poor one or a good one. How you ask, well many instructors can only teach to what they understand what they themselves have been taught and do well or think they do well (with no insult to anyone or anyone’s instructor(s)).

A couple ways
Example 1) I learn all the basic moves and really adapt to being a punch fighter, well just so happens (a mere coincidence) that my instructor is one to. I now grow in that frame of mind and as time goes by I tend to be a fighter then instructor with horse blinders seeing punch as the way to go. I guest what you see in AAU or WKF type fighting.

Example 2) your instructor is a kata person, though sparring is part of your training he/she focuses on kata mind you to will develop in that mind (usually when you are young 10-30 of age). ***Yes kata is a very important part of Karate and fighting, but those who put to much emphasis on kata or fighting or kihon and fail to be equal in all other areas are 1 dementional instructors.
There are several ways that can explain this example but I believe you (and everyone else reading get where I going).

Often Lucy, you get anxiety when you fight, as you explained earlier to a tee. And this is something you need coaching on from someone who focuses on this type of training. I can’t say one way or another about things in your dojo, though it can be something in or outside that is causing you to be this way?!?

You need to stop thinking and talking to yourself (shut off that little voice in your head too) just do. I know it is a very simple thing to ask and very hard to do. The best place to train yourself in this is during hard kihon training, as you get weak from all the kihons you get stressed, this is when you need to take the deep breath and let all anxiety energy go and just do you kihons harder and faster without thought about how weak/stressed etc you are. If you can do this under this stress you can then work it in to you sparring.
Another way is if your instructor would hit you (and all the students) with a stick each time you slow down or even just look like you are not focusing on doing and letting your body slow you down do to weakness or your mind giving up do to predetermined believes it can go any further. As you get weak in training take this mindset one more, then do that one more and again one more, repeat and then repeat again and again… You will then retrain the mind from what it was taught as a child and win the war of who you really are or can be from what was taught to you as a child.
As you can see this is really in-depth and is difficult to write about or teach in words or understand my writing too. I’m sure that I would talk or train you in a different manner in person, so try to read between the lines.
Open the mind to all ways, take in everything and at least try it , if it don’t work though it out (but keep the knowledge) and move on.
Find a partner to train with that you feel comfortable with both inside and out of the dojo, who has the same desirers as you and if possible is better than you. One learns best when train with those better than self.

OK this is getting to long, if you need more or have ? PM me.

This is truly a hands on training that takes weeks between a student teacher.

[Lucy]

Osu Japman

Thankyou for your insight a lot of what you have said i can relate to! Makes alot of sense! I shall learn from your advice. My instructor has taken our trainings to deeper depths which is great, he is a very capable karate-ka; as you say fighters become alot like their instructors everyone knows what dojo we come from without needing to ask! Also the national team squad and coach are obviously alot more capable than i am, but i manage to keep up with them an they really do push me! Horrible but extremely rewarding. The coach is also an around karate-ka, kata champion and knockdown champion couldnt really find any better in my country. Your advice on anxiety is spot on to me and rings bells very useful so thankyou again!

Osu

[Spirit]

Great Lucy,
sounds like you have a great rounded training.
You are the only one that can now change it, seek out others that will challange you in different ways since everyone knows who you are by your fighting style it is time to fight your style outside of the group. Our group (so many years ago) was made up of guys who trained hour & hours, year after year together. yet they all fought differnetly if you seen one you would not know the other was from the same team. we focused on helping each other improve on the area they felt best doing, and then challange them in their weak areas.

[ksan]

Originally Posted by ryudo

The spartan mothers used to say to their sons when they left for battle to come back to sparta with their shields or over them.
Meaning to come back victorious or dead...OSU!

Spartan wives said it to their husbands to... if the movie "300" serves history right....
Some native americans used the credo "Hoka Hey" (today is a good day to die) and the USMC use "Semper Fi, Do or Die" (i think).... every culture has its own adagium in that way... to the best of my knowledge we have "Osu no Seishin" http://www.ikka.ch/osu_no_seishin1.html.

Osu

[Spirit]

ksan good point...
if I may add a little to this, it was the Sioux Nation who used the saying hoka hey" or ho'ka hey, which you can see variously translated as...
Today is a good day to die. Welcome to the soul. Hold fast. There is more.
and "a good day to fight, a good day to die! Brave hearts." Made famous by Chief Sitting Bull (Tasunka witko ) during the war between the Soiux nation and the whites in 1870's America.
I have always admired the great Spirit of the native nations of north America.

[ryudo]

Originally Posted by Lucy

Thankyou for that piece of advice ryudo...spartans, right i got it !

Well yes is over inflated and I miss the point completly. Here is a guy asking for serious advise because he's having a dilema whether to compete in full-contact or not and I given him some stupidity.
Nothing like the intelligence of a woman to point that out to me...Thanksss!!!! Look my excuse is that I usually don't engage the brain before I start the mouth or in this case the keyboard sorryyyy...

[ryudo]

Originally Posted by ksan

Spartan wives said it to their husbands to... if the movie "300" serves history right....
Some native americans used the credo "Hoka Hey" (today is a good day to die) and the USMC use "Semper Fi, Do or Die" (i think).... every culture has its own adagium in that way... to the best of my knowledge we have "Osu no Seishin" http://www.ikka.ch/osu_no_seishin1.html.

Osu

I always look at the spirit of judo, fight and fight, if you get thrown down get up and fight, for inspiration I look at the movie throw down which was made in Hong Kong. Well actually what I like most about the movie is the title song which talks about a judo legend. Now I know this site is about karate and kyokushin at that but this is where my admiration for kyokushin starts for of all the karate styles out there this is the only style in my humble opinion that could take on a judoka and win.
Believe me when I say that is not and easy thing to take upon a judo man or woman for that matter, generally they are well trained and have and over all great physical fitness. The kyokushin practioners are so far the only ones in general that have the same physical development produce by a serious training regime.
All the other styles that I have seen or practice in, I have found inssuficient or lacking. Not Shotokan nor Wado-kai, maybe Go-ju, but over all Kyokushin is the only style which thru its training regime gets all its practioners in such great physical shape.
OSU!

[Lucy]

Well 2 weeks until my tournament now! Training is going very well. Im fitter than ive ever been and ive found a new strange feeling...I cant wait to fight!?! Im really getting excited about it which is a first for me! Im ready as i'll ever be. Bring it on!

I shall report back on my experience, I hope i have a good positive story to share!

Osu!!

[ichigeki31]

good luck lucy wish you all the best and go out there and show them your best osu!!!! :

[Spirit]

Originally Posted by Lucy

Well 2 weeks until my tournament now! Training is going very well. Im fitter than ive ever been and ive found a new strange feeling...I cant wait to fight!?! Im really getting excited about it which is a first for me! Im ready as i'll ever be. Bring it on!

I shall report back on my experience, I hope i have a good positive story to share!

Osu!!

Lucy, don't forget to sniff ammonia before each match, keep relaxed and just do it!!!!
Good Skill {since luck is for those who do not prepair for battle}

[Bloke]

Originally Posted by jap man

Good Skill {since luck is for those who do not prepair for battle}

Japman

I really like that expression - its goes well with my new signature.