Picking myself up

[KillerTKO]

Basically i just lost in a local tournament, i won 1 and i lost 1 which isnt too bad but it makes me feel worse knowing i could do better and did do better against a guy who then beat the guy i lost to if that makes sense. Anyways, instead of crying about it i decided to learn from it and put all my time and energy into getting better so when the next competition comes around im better prepared and feel like ive given it everything even if i lose in the first minute.

So basically, what i am asking is does anyone have any suggestions of how to prepare myself mentally for a competition, i mean i thought nerves wouldnt affect me because ive done other individual sports but they got to me to the point i could have thrown up before i got on the mat and at parts during it when he leaned on me in guard.

Aside from this, i thought i may as well ask... what is everyones favourite set of instructionals to buy which can supplement my training, i have looked at the Roy Dean stuff and i have the fabio gurgel and dean lister stuff waiting for me to have a look at, is there any instructionals which explain it really well, because the quality of the instructional doesnt depend so much on them actually showing the technique as you could see that in any BJJ event, i find the better instructionals break it down and explain in fine detail the technique, in terms of why you should be doing things, why you shouldnt do others and what techniques are good to link into other techniques.

Hopefully, you can help me out and help me turn a negative into a positive for the future
Cheers

 

[Yojimbo]

What do you think you can improve on? What caused you to lose? Aside from not having flawless technique I mean. Was it nerves? Conditioning? Strength?

 

[fil]

Personally, I believe that people are born with "the killer instinct" and you cannot train for that.

With that said, know that EVERYONE is nervous and/or afraid before a fight. You'll quickly know when the bell rings if you have it inside of you to focus on the task at hand.

 

[KillerTKO]

well i wouldnt write me off just yet based on 1 tournament which ive entered with under 6 months of doing BJJ. I think the nerves got to me in the first fight which i lost then i won my second fight. The first fight i lost by guillotine, we were scrambling and i sat up right into it, very disappointed with myself even if my coach says i did well, i felt he deserved more out of me but thats why im here i guess.

 

[Sliver]

Focus on the fact you got a W with less than 6 months training for motivation. Watch tape on the tourney with your coach and learn from it! Pick one aspect that you believe is weak and drill it, learn it, work it and love it.

 

[ThaiFighter_83]

Personally, I believe that people are born with "the killer instinct" and you cannot train for that.

That's not true. Anything can be trained. My coach once compared me to another student, and said that the other student had more "spunk" and had the natural attitude of a fighter (or words to that effect). The next week, I ended up placing first in a tournament, while the other student got eliminated in the first round. I trained harder than him, and won because of it.

 

[Throwing Dummy]

I have done a bunch of competitions over the years, they have been slowing down recently - these days about the only thing I do is our in house mock tournaments. I tend to get my butt kicked by younger, less experienced, more athletic guys who have not had the kind of injuries or arthritis that I deal with all the time, so i have had to get used to losing matches I think I should win - it can be hard but it sounds like you have the right attitude about it.

To get rid of nerves - used to be a big problem for me, I always meditate before matches. Sit down, close my eyes, and imagine a place where I am totally relaxed and happy - my happy place, I know, but it works - and then concentrate on breathing with just my belly, then just upper rib cage, then belly, then full deep breaths - at least five minutes before the first match of the night. I know this sounds corny, but it makes a HUGE difference in my nervousness.

Then, when I hit the mat, just before I hear "Hajime" I wiggle my toes. Can't be tense and wiggle your toes properly. Often makes me laugh or smile right at that most tense moment.

Anyway, a couple things to try. Good luck.

 

[beeble]

i just started doing bjj about a year ago, ive had like 4 tournaments and can feel myself improving, go to as many as you can, some people say each tournament is worth over a month of training to your game... find your holes and work on them

 

[matman]

i mean i thought nerves wouldnt affect me because ive done other individual sports but they got to me to the point i could have thrown up before i got on the mat and at parts during it when he leaned on me in guard.

I know what you mean about the nerves, sometimes when im sitting on the mat before my matches my face starts to fall asleep.

This doesn't work for everyone but I like to warm up really good before a match so that im not all stiff. Not only does it get me ready to grapple but it burns of some of the nervousness.

I also imagine that im in the dojo grappling someone new that just came in.

 

[ThaiFighter_83]

u got the eye of the tiger

 

[ThaiFighter_83]

u got the eye of the tiger

 

[KenTheWalrus]

Breathing, that's all I think about now.

When I try to think of what to do next I miss the opportunity so I just act on learned instinct and keep an ear open for my coaches and teammates. All I consciously think about is breathing and keeping my flow going.

My win rate has gone from roughly 50% to a good 80-85% now. Other than the one tournament I had to bow out of due to the flu, I have only been beaten by guys who ended up taking 1st or 2nd. It works for me. It might work for you. -ken

 

[IChinaManI]

Apollo did great without the eye of the tiger, dsome of us just don't have it.

 

[davejitsu]

I have over 30 BJJ medals from competitions over the years and many of them are first place finishes. I went a tournament recently and I lost to a guy who had never won a medal (from what he stated on the medal podium to others). Bottom line...he trained harder for it than I did. Anyone can improve, if they want it bad enough. Keep at it.