Mental Conditioning

[MikeMartial]

...specifically, for the ring.

How, other than through experience, can one get away from the massive adrenalin dump (and really fast gas-out)???

Any tips, mental tricks/exercises appreciated.

 

[H_T_]

that's a great question. i was thinking about something similar recently. seems when i see something coming i have too much time to think about the possibilities. but when something just happens out of the blue, i just react, and everything seems to flow outward, instead of fighting to control my emotions. maybe it's fear related, or a concentration issue. meditation is great for focusing but it seems to leave me a little to calm, maybe even slow.....

 

[MikeMartial]

that's a great question. i was thinking about something similar recently. seems when i see something coming i have too much time to think about the possibilities. but when something just happens out of the blue, i just react, and everything seems to flow outward, instead of fighting to control my emotions. maybe it's fear related, or a concentration issue. meditation is great for focusing but it seems to leave me a little to calm, maybe even slow.....

Exactly. In one of my first fights in competition, I gassed out so quickly I thought I would barf. My performance was purely pathetic, and I was perplexed at what happened. In hindsight, it was pure prefight jitters. I probably had a resting pulse of 130 for over 4 hours as I waited to fight.

Time, and my own mind, were the enemy that night. Had the fight happened on 1 minute of notice, things would have been very different.

Needless to say, I've gained experience from that and from more recent matches, but whenever I do fight someone I don't know, it happens.

 

[JarheadChiro]

Taking some rolaids or whatever seems to help, reason being is under stress the we tend to secrete excess gastric juices.
Without food for its focus the body will up the sympathetic nervous system, which is the "flight or fight" mechanism.
Keeping it in check will not allow the other organ systems to overload, ie.
excess acid throught the body needed to be "released either into the blood, expiration, into muscle tissue, etc.

Another thought is accupressure points.
Learn them and use them.
Inside of the wrist, 2" above the wrist joint, is a "cooling" point.
Between the index finger and thumb, on the "web", another.
Mind control and focusing is not easily taught.
Being aware and "doing something about it" is the key.
Keeping focused on the issue at hand and not being overwhelmed is a fine line.
Keeping occupied helps.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[White Sox]

drop the mind. don't think about anything, just flow and do what comes naturally in the fight. that's the best thing I can think of. all the nervousness, etc. is all in your head, created by your mind. drop the mind and just go.

 

[Spanky11]

I think mentally preparing for a fight is very important to the outcome. Once you imagine yourself winning often enough, it will be become a reality. You have mentally convinced yourself that you can win.

 

[Djimbe]

Play your PSP till fight time and make it a REALLY engrossing game !

 

[Kane Fan]

actually that's not a bad idea
videogames tend to have a calming influence
unless it's one of those annoying games you just can't figure
also of course deep breathing

 

[Djimbe]

I was serious !

And actually , evn the most Frustrating game in existrance would be better for you because it make you Agressive , mot Feaful and Timid . Id rather enter the ring Pissed about the game than Worried about anything .

 

[tin2]

Its all mental.... Just dont let whoever ur fighting know ur like that ...

 

[Kane Fan]

I couldn't get past the third stage boss, AND YOUR GOING TO PAY!

 

[Djimbe]

Exactly !

 

[Gymgurl]

Play your PSP till fight time and make it a REALLY engrossing game !

This has been shown in Psychological studies to work.....I think being mentally prepared in half the win

 

[PyRoTeK]

drop the mind. don't think about anything, just flow and do what comes naturally in the fight. that's the best thing I can think of. all the nervousness, etc. is all in your head, created by your mind. drop the mind and just go.

This is the best answer. You must as a martial artist block out so to speak events going on, as thou nothing is happening. Start by breathing. In thur nose out thru mouth, using your stomach. After you have that down, play fight as if you are in a fight, and do simple moves no fancy moves (no flying spinning kicks) that you probably would not actually use, unless that was your style. Keep your awareness alive and focus on the second, not before or after. Figure out what the actual problem is in the given situation and go along with it rather than focus on it. This I hope will help you to keep occupied enough that you will not play out the battle.

 

[Djimbe]

easier said than done .

 

[longfistkf]

At 43 one thing that I can say for sure.. there is no substitute for experience.
pre fight jitters are also known as fear experience and some wins will overcome these jitters

 

[PyRoTeK]

I noe this is about a month late with this, but hopefully it will help you out.
For one thing your "jitters" are more or less your bodies way of prepairing itself for either new experience, and or simply getting ready by pumping adrinaline into your blood. At least that is how I have been explained to. If you relize this, as in the moment you feel this sensation, then tell yourself this is what is happening hopefully you will be able to use this rather than fight against it. The fear you think you are having is nothing more than not knowing what your jitters are and then more or less sikes you out. This will pass, win or lose in your fights. You will still get this feeling I believe, but you can acknowledge this and be able to deal with it more to your advantage. Further more, with experience you gain more confidence. Not selling anything, but here is something I found that you could look up for yourself. American Kenpo Grandmaster Edmund Parker's Infinite Insights into Kenpo series, where the first of the series deals with mental conditioning. Another thing I believe may help you is a book a personally own The Tao of Jeet Kune Do. In this book Bruce Lee for the most part explains, there is no fight. In other words you have to be as thou nothing critical is happening. I can not explain to you how to go about doing this other than try to practice shadow boxing and standing in one spot, pretend that someone is comming up behind you, or where ever you will, and fight back. Use moves you would actually use, nothing unrealistic, simple moves should be fine, such as a punch, kick or a throw. Also try meditation, where you start by breathing correctly. I do not recall the correct count, but you breath in thur the nose and then out thur the mouth. Here is the trickey part, you use your stomach rather than your chest. Ever notice how say a reptile breaths? If you watch, its the stomach that moves, not it's chest. Once you get this down, start focusing on one thing at first such as an object. Keep this picture in your mind and relax. Also do this in a comfortable position. Standing sitting does not really matter, just that you are able to consentrait. I hope this helps out.

 

[Inspector]

Im not a martial artist, but i have read something by Bruce Lee "yes im a newbie " and as you mentioned above, in a fight situation you should relax and let the subconcious dictate whats right(simpler movements), dont be concerned about Winning, and dont be scared of getting hit, its the fear of pain that will inhibit any function.

I dont know much or anything about the arts but they seem like logical things that ive picked up through casual reading.

 

[anabolicfreak]

The best thing you can do is train as hard as you can to prepare for the fight. Fights are won months before the fight, not in the moments before it.

 

[al420]

I think the difference between champions and the rest is their lack of emotion, or fear. Some people worry - some do not. Some people need to hate the other guy - some do not. I'm not sure how much of this is learned.

I'm not trying to discout training your mind - I'm just saying, even as kids, some of us are just less worried about what might/could/may/will happen.

 

[heavyweightchamp]

Im not too sure in MMA style of fighting because it is made to be a mad rush and chaotic, but as you know in boxing we only fight good one way, RELAXED. I can imagine in the street brawl that is MMA I would be steaming out of my ears so I assume you have to be pissed off at your opponent... I know in my first couple fights Amatuer and Professional I fought that fight all day in my head and was emotionally drained by the time the fight came. My trainer has told me time and again to almost lose focus until 40 minutes before the fight, we sometimes chat about anything other than the fight to put my mind at ease than at about 40 minutes to fight time I start invisioning myself moving in the ring side to side with jabs and counter punches and keep sayin to myself he has no chance, it's over, I WILL IMPOSE MY WILL ON HIM... Saying it helps me believe, in the Bible it says things are of the tongues and if you talk about them enough then they will come. I guess it depends on the individual, some people are high strung and get mentally exhausted with means mostly all endorphins are already shot. All I can say that helped me was I didnt start turning up the switch until about 40 minutes to fight time, even my mit work was light and relaxed, then I gas up right before entrance! Bap Bap!

 

[MikeMartial]

I know in my first couple fights Amatuer and Professional I fought that fight all day in my head and was emotionally drained by the time the fight came.... I guess it depends on the individual, some people are high strung and get mentally exhausted with means mostly all endorphins are already shot.

This is exactly my concern (and current problem); as I put more fights under my belt, it seems to get better.

Thanks for the replies, every tip/technique helps!