Get better at performing and competing. Create a smart plan to feel more confident and prepared for tournaments and belt tests.
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 [...]
I’ve been invited to test for my black belt in karate in two months. (COVID-19 pandemic permitting.) This is kind of a big deal. I Was Never an Athlete I’m 45. I’m no spring chicken. I was never athletic in my youth. I wasn’t exactly inactive; my family did [...]
Do you want a powerful tool to boost your confidence, improve your focus, and help manage performance anxiety? Check this out. When You’re Feeling Stressed or Anxious Picture these scenarios: you’re at your belt test, and you’re feeling super anxious. You really want to pass that test, but performing [...]
Sparring can be scary. And those nerves threaten to overwhelm me during a match if I’m not careful. What helps me? Acknowledging that fear, and using it to my advantage. The following is my dialogue with fear. I created this script and video as a reminder to myself that fear is normal. And [...]