Getting rid of butteflies?

[jarra22]

Guys i was wondering what you do or did to get rid of ur "butterflies" before a match at a tournament.
All ur different tactics will help:icon_chee

 

[TalkShowOnMute]

I've always had severe performance anxiety. IN high school sports I would get sick to my stomach before football/basketball games. In various bands I would feel the same before we would go on stage, and public speaking in college. Finally I just said...fuck it. Worrying has never done anything for me. It has not ever improved the situation. When you start to realize what you are afraid of you can find ways to combat the nervousness. For me it was fear of looking stupid...which is a dumb thing to worry about anyway.

Everyone gets nervous, even at the highest levels. But the mechanisms they use to deal with that nervousness is what matters. For some it is relaxation, for others it is staying busy with anything they can to avoid thinking too much...for some it is reading or listening to music, for others it is all about visualization of the outcome. You have to find what works for you.

 

[Knock Out Ned]

I'm always really nervous. What I try to do is get to the venue as late as possible if the competition is being held where I live or try to leave after I weigh in. Waiting around in anticipation kills me. I don't warm up or anything. I just throw on my gi and go for it. I've seen some of the higher belts on here (black and brown) post that they still get nervous, which makes me feel a lot better. Remember too, the other guy is probably just as nervous as you are.

 

[Graunie]

All good advice. The more tournaments you do the better it gets (especially as you find out what works for you), but I don't think it ever goes away.

I like GSP's quote abut this. I forget exactly what he said but he was talking about how he thought after enough fights the nervousness would go away, but when it didn't he realized it wasn't about making the butterflies go away, but rather getting them to fly in formation.

 

[knoxpk]

 

[Karmeliet]

Reaching underneath and across with the hand opposite to the side the butterfly is on, grab the foot, slowly stuffing the knee and kicking your other leg back as you move your hips over the stuffed knee is one way to get rid of the butterflies.

 

[lacgoal]

Guys i was wondering what you do or did to get rid of ur "butterflies" before a match at a tournament.
All ur different tactics will help:icon_chee

To me butterflies are a good thing.
It means that what you're about to do is something important to you
I compete about once a month, sometimes more (3 tournaments last April, ughh) but before every match, butterflies
Think about it, you probably get them before meeting people that you want to impress like for a job interview, or you get them when you get promoted.

However once I'm on the mat, to calm them, I take a couple deep breaths, think over what I want to do, shake hands, go into "BJJ mode" and once I clinch up they're gone

On the other hand, if I;mn about to do something that should be important and there are no "butterflies" I know that somethings wrong adn I need to figure it out

 

[Nedrin]

Reaching underneath and across with the hand opposite to the side the butterfly is on, grab the foot, slowly stuffing the knee and kicking your other leg back as you move your hips over the stuffed knee is one way to get rid of the butterflies.

oh you

 

[platfox]

Guys i was wondering what you do or did to get rid of ur "butterflies" before a match at a tournament.
All ur different tactics will help:icon_chee

Two things that help me -

1. remind myself that this fun and I chose to do this.

2. remind myself my opponent is just as nervous

 

[RubberRyan]

just do it

 

[Mat Nemesis**]

i read that it is your body preparing to fight.

 

[Shemhazai]

Reaching underneath and across with the hand opposite to the side the butterfly is on, grab the foot, slowly stuffing the knee and kicking your other leg back as you move your hips over the stuffed knee is one way to get rid of the butterflies.

Beat me to it.

 

[skey91***]

I think they are a good thing, it's just addrenaline (fight or flight).

Whenever I wasn't nervous in wrestling I did worse.

But when I would get all nervous with butteflies and cotton mouth there was a better chance I would get in "the zone" where I was just reacting and wrestling instead of thinking about the moves.

 

[Armycombative]

Good call

But seriously its perfectly normal to be a little anxious when going into any battle. The only thing that separate the men from the boys is the confidence to fight through it. You inner demons are the only thing that will hold you back in life. Your opponent is simply an obstacle.

"Courage is just fear that held on a little longer" ~General George Patton

 

[wildman1717]

I perform better when I'm nervous, so I prefer it.

 

[PerfectBalance]

I get stoned before the tournament and that works well. I don't have to worry about the "rush" before my match. Not trying to advocate weed, but I hate being gassed because I blew my wade in the first three minutes.

 

[Armycombative]

I get stoned before the tournament and that works well. I don't have to worry about the "rush" before my match. Not trying to advocate weed, but I hate being gassed because I blew my wade in the first three minutes.

lol I like this method... wanna party?

 

[Ragno]

They usually just go away once I slap hands and the match starts....Before that though, I can't get rid of them, you just have to work through it

 

[ShogunMan]

I get stoned before the tournament and that works well. I don't have to worry about the "rush" before my match. Not trying to advocate weed, but I hate being gassed because I blew my wade in the first three minutes.

Nick Diaz is that you? This actually seems like a really good idea, it makes me understand why smoking weed is part of Nick Diaz's "plan"

 

[Throatpoker]

Train as much as possible and develop a good gameplan, with your A's, B's, and C's. The more prepared you are, the less nervious you get.