abendgules (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
abendgules) wrote2010-03-17 02:39 pm
abendgules) wrote2010-03-17 02:39 pm
Preparing for tournaments
This is a sort of part 2 of my talk about tourney preparation - some more concrete examples of what can help you prepare to get the best performances - to reach 'The Zone' - when you want to.
Top performances in the Zone are a balance of being relaxed, focused and prepared.
Part 1
Think of your best performances. What were the circumstances that helped you reach that relaxed, focused and prepared state? Consider things like:
- venue? setting? travel?
- weather?
- armour condition?
- tourney format?
- other attendees?
- friends and family?
- food, drink, seating, comforts?
- noise level?
- distractions? annoyances?
- rest?
- personal condition?
- mental attitude?
- emotional state?
Describe those best performances in writing - physical, mental and emotional conditions.
Part 2
What can you do to create some of those conditions with your own preparations? Write down what you can do to prepare.
Part 3
That same list from part 1 can equally serve as a list of the stressors that make reaching the Zone difficult.
For each potential stressor, you develop a plan of response. Try out the planned responses, and see which ones help.
Example: weather - don't fight well in cold, wet conditions
Response:
pack a cloak
stand and rest between bouts out of the wet
change or waterproof footwear
make sure of 20 mins of warmup, from slow up to full speed, before tournament
Example: food - need a full stomach to fight
Response:
get up in time for breakfast :-)
bring extra food to snack on between bouts, in small amounts that are easy to handle even with gauntlets on
Example: tourney format - don't like waiting my turn in round robins, it takes too long
Responses:
ask a friend to keep you company between bouts to fight temptation to peek at results sheet
keep stretching and moving around between bouts
This preparation thing takes practice, but before long, it'll become routine, and you'll be glad of the familiarity of your own preparations on the day of the tournament.
Top performances in the Zone are a balance of being relaxed, focused and prepared.
Part 1
Think of your best performances. What were the circumstances that helped you reach that relaxed, focused and prepared state? Consider things like:
- venue? setting? travel?
- weather?
- armour condition?
- tourney format?
- other attendees?
- friends and family?
- food, drink, seating, comforts?
- noise level?
- distractions? annoyances?
- rest?
- personal condition?
- mental attitude?
- emotional state?
Describe those best performances in writing - physical, mental and emotional conditions.
Part 2
What can you do to create some of those conditions with your own preparations? Write down what you can do to prepare.
Part 3
That same list from part 1 can equally serve as a list of the stressors that make reaching the Zone difficult.
For each potential stressor, you develop a plan of response. Try out the planned responses, and see which ones help.
Example: weather - don't fight well in cold, wet conditions
Response:
pack a cloak
stand and rest between bouts out of the wet
change or waterproof footwear
make sure of 20 mins of warmup, from slow up to full speed, before tournament
Example: food - need a full stomach to fight
Response:
get up in time for breakfast :-)
bring extra food to snack on between bouts, in small amounts that are easy to handle even with gauntlets on
Example: tourney format - don't like waiting my turn in round robins, it takes too long
Responses:
ask a friend to keep you company between bouts to fight temptation to peek at results sheet
keep stretching and moving around between bouts
This preparation thing takes practice, but before long, it'll become routine, and you'll be glad of the familiarity of your own preparations on the day of the tournament.