Get better at performing and competing. Create a smart plan to feel more confident and prepared for tournaments and belt tests.
My first time sparring at a tournament, I got absolutely destroyed. I went from LOVING sparring, to having panic attacks every time I had to get my gear on in class. I almost quit competing. But then I realized two things: I was a beginner at 41 years old. [...]
You have a tournament coming up, and you’re FREAKING OUT because of one of two things: You’re going to be bumped up to a higher division, and will have to compete against people of a higher rank than you. Or you’ve just achieved a new rank; this will be your very first time [...]
Before you’re ready. The End. Okay, I’m still here, but I meant what I said: the best time to start competing in karate is AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I signed up for my first competition ONE WEEK after I started karate. One week. The competition was 2 months out, and I [...]
Next time you compete at a karate tournament, bring a foam roller. Myofascial rolling has been shown to help prolong the effects of a warm-up. So you can do your warm-up prior to competing, and even if you have to sit around and wait and wait and wait for [...]
Fear sometimes points us in the direction we need to go. My whole life, I was terrified at the thought of performing in front of an audience. So of course it came as a massive shock to me that I would come to love performing as much as I now do. [...]
We’ve all been waiting for this: Karate at the Olympics. Watching kata and kumite at Tokyo 2020 has been riveting. What we’ve seen on screen is an impressive display of athletic excellence. And as a martial artist and athlete, that lure is strong: to be THAT good? That would [...]
Have you ever had your butt kicked so badly in a sparring match that you wanted to quit? My first time sparring in a karate tournament was very nearly my last. I went into that tournament feeling pumped and ready to go. I was only a yellow belt, but [...]
I did it! I achieved the rank of Shodan—1st degree black belt—in Meibukan Goju-Ryu karate. I tested just over one month ago, on Saturday, March 27th, and I received my certificate and new belt last week, on Tuesday, April 27th. I’m feeling so incredibly satisfied and ecstatic and humbled right now. [...]
Consider a sparring division at a karate tournament. There are rules in place to protect the safety and well-being of the competitors. For example, at the tournaments I attend, if I’m going to do a head-level roundhouse kick, I can only do light contact. I have to exercise control, and retract my foot [...]
I have my black belt test in less than 2 weeks. It’s possible I’m feeling a little bit nervous. Good Stress vs Bad Stress My upcoming black belt test is really important to me, so it’s normal to feel nervous. And it’s not necessarily a bad thing: a reasonable [...]