concentration during competit.anion

[oasis]

hello I have been in karate for a year now and love it. I have been in three competitions and really enjoy it but i have a problem.
I can not seem to keep my concentration during my kata. I do a pretty goog job when i am in the dojo or at home practicing, but as soon as i get in the ring i get all shaky and mess up. It seems like it is getting worse instead of better since the first time i competed and it is starting to bring me down and rethink whether i should be competing or not. I really enjoy competing so i am at a loss. Is there a way to improve your mental focus?
If any one could help me out i sure would appreciate it.
Thanks !
By the way I love this site it has given me alot of great advice. Thanks again.
oasis:D

[KickChick]

We all get nervous to a certain extent when all eyes are focused on us ... its natural, but you must not let it hinder your presentation.

You should have the same focus & concentration during your kata
practice as would during competition ... if not begin now.
Practice, practice and then practice again!
You must practice consistently if you want your techniques to be accurate.
Take a deep breath, have confidence in your ability and show everyone what you can do ... view it as a performance of your ability. During competition try not to let your eyes wander, you will lose your concentration. Turn your your head and look in the direction you are about to move or strike... eyes forward.

So basically my advice is to practice as if you were competing every time you perform your kata...


Thanks for the positive MAP feedback.... and do hope you improve your concentration for your next competition!:)

[oasis]

thank you kickchick for your advice i will give that a go. last night at karate my sempai was walking around me, talking to me while doing my kata trying to break my concentration. i found it hard to keep my concentration but i did. my kata looked beter than ever!

[KenpoDavid]

meditate frequently

[neryo_tkd]

u see???? there is proof that u CAN do it. just continue practising.

i completely agree with what Kickchick said.

being at a competition u have to forget about the people around u: about the people who came to watch the competition, ur friends from the club, ur instructor, the judges - everyone. do the kata as good as u can. do it for urself. because at that particular moment u and ur kata are the only things that matter.

does the same thing happen when u do the kata while ur friends (not the ones from ur club) r watching u??? maybe u can start doing the kata in front of ur parents, friends etc to get used to being watched.

have u ever meditated?

u have to learn to shut everything out.

good luck :-)

[hongkongfuey]

Treat your Kata as if it were 'real'. Imagine opponents around you, and know what they are 'doing' as you perform. In my opinion Kata should be done as if it were a real fight - it may take some of the flow away, but judges will usually award marks for a more 'realistic' performance.

All I could ever see when doing Kata were the opponents, and I would almost wake up at the end of it - I would not be aware that I was in a competition whilst doing it.

[Saz]

I was practising Taikoukyo Ni one day, but by mistake, I did Pinan Ni. At the end of the kata, my sensei and my classmates had been trying to tell me I was doing the wrong one, but I didn't even know they'd spoke to me, I was that absorbed in it.

I agree with everything said here. You have to TOTALLY close yourself off from everything else and just focus on your kata. Just concentrate for a second or two and visualise the kata before you start, that helps me.

Just make sure its the right one :D

[oasis]

thanks every one for your great ideas. my kata and all of my karate basics are getting better because i am concentrating more. thanks again