Hi guys, So here's what happened. As mentioned elsewhere I took part in my first TKD comp a couple of weeks ago, and totally hashed up my pattern. What's bugged me is that I somehow lost concentration during my pattern and 'noticed' the judges; this took me out of pattern thought for literally a split second but when my mind returned to my pattern I couldn't recall where I'd got to and somehow invented a new sequence of moves for the second half Does that seem weird/stupid? I hadn't felt particularly nervous, ok a little tension of course but nothing like as nervous as other people were telling me they were feeling. When I walked onto the mat my head was clear/ definitely in the right place and I felt confident in what I was about to do. I learned my pattern over and over, did a rehearsal in front of my instructors and class and so on. I totally knew the pattern and in short I don't know how I could have prepared any more for it. So when I made the mistake I did feel rather disappointed and more than a bit embarrassed. So has this happened to others here or students or yours? I'm hoping it's just a beginner thing and that with the experience of the comp under my belt and a few more gradings untill the next one it won't happen again. I hope. But are there certain concentration methods (ways to avoid distraction and so on) to use or is it really just inexperience that caught me out?
My first tournament. I was watching the other people in my ring. I started comparing my stuff to theirs. "I have a better this, their stance is better.............." I spent so much time analyzing everyone else, I got out of my own head what I needed to do. I started my form. Somewhere near the beginning my mind went BLANK! Totally blank! I knew that form well, but my mind just forgot everything! In retrospect, I am glad it happpened my first tournament. I learned that I survive completely screwing up and it isn't the end of the world. I learned that I can't watch others before going up. Oh, next tournament? I wend up, did that form and got a gold medal! Redemption! At my GM's tournament, it is a mixed studen't and instructor tournament. Different divisions of course. I watched a HIGH level instructor at my school blank out. He was obviously disappointed, but he shook it off, went to the next event, a two person form and got a medal. It happens at all levels, the important thing is to learn from it and don't let it stop you in the future. Bouncing back from it is part of what learning from touraments is about.
Thanks mate that's given me a boost of confidence and reassuring that I'm not the only one! Definitely will bounce back ; looking forward to my grading which is where I'll next perform the pattern of course. Hopefully will be fine
It happens all the time. Years ago I was doing a pattern and someone took a photo and the flash went off, right in my face and it totally threw me off. Before then forgetting a pattern wasnt something I ever worried about... but since then, to this day I worry a bit about it and it makes me nervous.. but for some reason I cant shake it. With yours its just a moments lapse, something caught your eye.. as I said, it happens and hopefully wont happen again.. but unlike me.. don't dwell on it or let it bug you. Stuart
A couple of things to help prepare against things that can throw you off. Practice your form in all directions. I have been suprised how if one practices at your school always facing one direction, you can get confused facing another one. It helps when doing your form in new surroundings- like a tournament place. Also, if you can, practice in a couple of different places besides your school. Get used to doing your form in the spacing of the ring - know your ring size and how the form fits it. I once did a staff form and the ring really wasn't big enough. I also didn't place myself in the right place when in the ring to optimize the room. I ran up against the judges table and taking a couple of steps back threw me off in my form. Didn't score very well. I am now used to sizing up a ring and going " ths form steps to the left a lot at the beginning- I shouldn't start in the middle of the ring, I should start on the right side." If possible, get fellow students to watch you do a form. Get family or friends to "be the judges." In the couple of months leading up to my school's big annual tournament, we have "mega group classes." A lot of the school student body shows up for that class. A huge part of that class is just performing your form/ techniques in front of a big group of your fellow students. (Then instructors give feedback in for the benefit of all.) More people are watching us there than in the actual tournament, where people are off in their own small rings and often not paying attention to others. The more one does it, the more you just don't get phased by being in front of others. Finally, if you do mess up. DON"T let on to the judges that you did. So often, I see people make a face, shake their heads in dismay, stop completely. So, if you skip a section or make up a bit- have a look on your face like that is EXACTLY what you meant to do. My instructor drills this into us big time. I see some other students who have not had this drilled into them as much. It really brings extra attention to your mistake.
It can happen to anyone. A few years back when going for my 1st Dan I lost concentration for a split second and ended up adding moves to a pattern before completely freezing - all in front of the TAGB committee! Although it wasn't my choice pattern it was one that i knew well, but at that moment something went wrong. Unfortunately I didn't pass, my confidence was blown and the rest of my grading was ok at best. However 6 months later it was a different story and I nailed everything. Even for patterns, or anything else for that matter, that we know well, there can be moments where things don't quite go to plan, we are human after all. Mix up the training of patterns, speed them up, slow them down, add in a press up after each punch / kick. Doing things like this break the normal routine and I found it forced me to know the pattern inside out. Can't vouch it will work for one and all, but for me it helped. Main thing is don't let it get to you, use it to make you stronger and more determined.
I was about to do a jump in a pattern and I noticed someone about to take a picture. So I jumped as high as possible thinking, "This should be a good pic!" When I landed I had no idea what the next move was, ah, vanity... But I still have that picture. So I guess it was worth it.
happens all the time! try again! forget the audience or judges, forget everything, even the form - dont think too much or concern yourself with it - just let your motions take place.... try again.... whenever i had a stumbling block or a question, one of my gung fu instructors gave me seemingly basic fortune cookie answers or simple riddles that i was forced to meditate on.... THATS IT!! meditation
That's perfectly normal. It happened to me during a bo kata once. I was able to fake my way through and got the medal, though. I don't know anything about TKD, but in karate, kata vary enough from style to style and dojo to dojo that you can get away with fudging. :hat: Just be confident so they think you did it on purpose.
