Getting ready for the tourament

[ronnie_au]

Good evening all. I hope this topic hasn't been beat to death before, however, here it goes: What, if anything, do you guys/gals do getting ready for a tournament? I have my first one coming up in a couple of weeks. So far I have been doing interval training on a stationary bike. I do 2 minutes hard core, 2 of rest for 30 minutes, which usually equals out to about 10 miles. After class I've also been getting friends to spar with me to and focussing on specific weak points. Any other tips, pointers or suggestions you all have would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[TigerWoman]

What kind of tournament? Is it regional or local? An open to all styles, karate and TKD, kung fu. or closed to just TKD? Do you do point sparring or Olympic? A lot of different factors affect it. From sparring, I have done, I usually don't get someone close to me, weight or ability, or age for that matter, so it makes it more difficult to spar, match me up with a partner. It sounds llike you've trained enough for sparring. Our tournaments are more for experience and we don't have really hard just fairly hard contact at them except for the black belts. Are you doing breaking or form too? Usually everybody does forms, then less participants do breaking, musical forms, weapons and even less do sparring at the end. It gets to be a long day. But enjoy it and remember its a learning experience and it should be fun too.

 

[ronnie_au]

It's a regional tournament I'm assuming (different province). It's purely Tae Kwon do. It's point sparring. And we have the choise of forms, sparring, weapons, and/or board breaks. I've just started training with Nunchuks, but I don't think I'll be ready for this tournament. I've never done board breaks, so I think I'll pass on them, but I will deffinately be sparring and doing my form.

 

[TigerWoman]

If its point sparring its not very strenuous. Basically you attack or your opponent attacks until you get a point. Doesn't take long anyway in my matches. So its like start, stop, start, stop, start, stop. Lots of little rests.

Breaking is the most fun! (in my opinion, I love it) You get all the stress from the forms out - on the boards. If you are a lower belt, gold, orange, white, you really have an advantage usually. It depends if your "class" group of people you are subdivided in at the tournment. If you decide to do some breaks, don't practice during the week before, at least nothing to get sore. When I was a white belt, I did step side, and palm strike. If you are have more mass than me 145 lbs then you might possibly do two boards palm strike, if you have practiced it. At each tournament, I upped the techniques to get a little harder and I usually did the breaks I had already accomplished at testing for the belt and added on from there, or my master would suggest some. Breaks like front, axe, knife, hop side are good for beginners too.

As for form, you usually go to the judges table when your name is called, say your name, my school is....., my instructor is....my form is Taeguek 1 or whatever it is (ask your master) and then you say with your permission may I begin. Then you go backwards from the table to the starting point of your form--allow yourself room so you don't get to near the judges table. Then when you are in joonbi position, they will say begin or see chuk. Have Fun!

 

[ronnie_au]

Thanks for the heads up on the tournament. I can't wait!! I watched a couple hours of the last local tournament, but I had only been in TKD for about 2 weeks at this point. I think I'll be ready for this one, but only time will tell. I'll post how I did after the tournament.

 

[TigerWoman]

Yes, please do, let us know how it went for you!

Just remember, its not about winning or losing. It's about TRYING to do the best you can do. The WINNERS are the ones who line up at the very beginning of the tournament. The losers are the ones who stay home!
TW

 

[ronnie_au]

Well after the long wait, I finally competed for the first time. What an amazing experience!! I recieved bronze in forms, but gold in sparring :ultracool. I really should have known my form better, however having spent almost a full week in bed with a cold, it put my practice back alot.
Sparring was intense! It was like no fight I've ever had before. My first competitor was a fellow yellow belt, and wow did he ever have a solid kick!!! When he made contact, he deffinately made contact. However he made contact with my face twice :disgust:. Not cool for a yellow belt division in WTF Tae Kwon Do. My gold match, however, was alot better. I think my competitor was pretty good, but wasn't agressive enough and he let me back him around the ring. All in all it was an amazing experience and a great road trip. Being that the tournament was almost a days drive away, we had 3 cars going down, so it was great to get to know some of the people from my club outside of class. I can't wait till the next tournament.

 

[TigerWoman]

It sounds like you were a winner in all counts. Its hard to do form unless you have practiced before well. But that was certainly a good showing. And congrats on sparring. With experience in sparring, more is better, you will learn all the ins and outs and each tourney will get better. Glad it went well. TW

 

[terryl965]

Souds like you had the time of your life, just think it only gets better from this point on. Keep your kick strong and your blocks stronger. GOD BLESS AMERICA

 

[Zepp]

Congratulations on both your bronze and gold.

 

[Gary Crawford]

Congrats on a good first tournament! Gold in sparring!Let me try to help you a little with your forms.This advice is from what A guy who wins almost every tournament he has ever entered named Darin Cox.It's a four step process for every movement.First Look-turn your head in the direction of the stance you are about to take,eyes level and straight ahead.Second-Stance,change into your next stance. Third-Chamber-self explanitary. last Execute.This process has helped everyone who has ever tried it.Let me know how it works for you.

 

[Tae-Kwon-DoMaster]

were is this tournament at any ways

 

[Tae-Kwon-DoMaster]

what state

 

[Tae-Kwon-DoMaster]

were is it at what state i need to know badly

 

[Tae-Kwon-DoMaster]

were is tournament

 

[Rob Broad]

Tae Kwon Do Master you should take the time to read all the posts in the thread. The tournament has already passed, and it was in Nova Scotia, Canada.

 

[ronnie_au]

Actually, the tournament was in PEI, but I'm from Nova Scotia.