7th Annual Spring Tournament - 5 Tips for Success

Every year Kaizen Karate hosts 2 intramural tournaments.  Our Fall tournament geared towards intermediate & advanced level students with a focus on katas & sparring.  The Spring tournament is a much bigger event where all ages and belt levels are allowed to compete.  Students must compete in at least 10 tournaments by the time they reach black belt rank as this is a part of our curriculum.

The following are some tips for success at the tournament:

1. Show up early & stay late - it is important to arrive at least 15min before your ring time to allow time to go to the bathroom, stretch, and warm-up.  Ideally, you should arrive about 1hr before your division starts so you can get settled and mentally prepared for the competition.

2. Get a good night sleep & eat a healthy breakfast - getting plenty of sleep the two nights prior to the tournament is critical so your body is fully rested and ready to perform!  Eating a healthy breakfast is also a very important part as you need to fuel your body with the best foods possible so you can compete at a high level.

3. Hang around the black belts & ask questions - make sure to find the highest ranking black belts and ask them any questions you might have.  Look for students and instructors who are experienced and watch what they do, how they compete, and take plenty of notes in your karate journal.  

4. Compete in the divisions that make you nervous - avoiding competitions that make you nervous will not get you any closer to black belt.  For example, if you do not like the sparring completion then work with your instructor and develop a strategy on how to do well in the sparring division.  Your instructor will be able to train you and give you advice on how to do well.

5. Always look for ways to improve - after the event is over sit down and think about what you did well, what did not go as planned, and what areas you can improve in.  Most students want to win a trophy at a tournament and that is a great thing to do, however, not winning can be just as valuable if looked at in the right way.  Talk about your performance with your instructor after the event and ask them how to improve and you will be sure to get even better!

Here is a video from one of our past tournaments:

-Coach V-