Mindset for Your First Swordfighting Tournament - Coaches' Couch

Instructors Lee Smith & Stephen Kime talk about facets of the mental game for your first tournament!

[rodrigomendoza]

So nice chat. I felt my whisk... Apple juice glass in my hand and so looking forward for tournements. Big hug to you two

[Thesandchief]

my tournament anxiety was so bad that i would get horrible stomach aches during tournaments. i started taking antacid medicine and it made the pain manageable. after a few years, my tournament went down to healthy levels where it doesn't mess up my performance. and i didn't need the antacids anymore.

[honna]

Before I started HEMA I was practice Taekwondo and I wish somebody told me that we should have a good time.
That would change a lot.
Thank you for this video

[scottmacgregor]

For my first tournament I set myself the goal of winning one match from each of my pools. I think having the specific goal to focus on helped.
Leading up to it i was fine, but I felt the stress the day of.
I also had a little help from a certain Steve in settling my nerves on the day of.

[KlausBeckEwerhardy]

My intention alwaye has been to see what will happen. That lead to a lot if fun.

[dracofalconis]

I come from having been taught by old school instructors of karate and jujitsu(Japanese not that BJJ). We were taught discipline was as important as breathing, if not more important. I am now in a lightsaber class and I'm so anxious when I spar or even train because of having the expectation of preforming/practicing without messing up, even against the Instructors.

I watched this video and it just clicked to me: Just have fun. The saber Instructors said the same thing but it didn't click until I watched this video.. thanks guys!

[theapartmates]

In my university's club, we primarily do judges calls about hits over electric-scored hits as we can't afford the parts to maintain our equipment. However, I believe this creates a healthier sportsmanlike mindset for fencers in sabre and epee as you have to evaluate each of your strikes after performing them to determine effectiveness as well as performing cleaner hits. In my historical fencing group, we simply use honor system or whichever strike was better performed as we rarely have a judge outside of an audience.
Honestly, I enjoyed this chat a great deal and am excited to see what else comes from these!

[dassmith]

I can't speak for every club, but in my club we're actually encouraged to have a good time in measure with developing ourselves, and that's really a powerful message for me. I had been in other martial art systems for years and they never really put the concept of "enjoy yourself" very high. I mean, if you get to fight with swords and that doesn't make the kid in you happy then are you really in the right sport? I can't speak for everyone, but I'm not there to be a stern-faced ninja or look cool (definitely not to look cool, ha, no.). I'm there because swordfights are the stuff of my childhood dreams. I'm having a good time.

[Wuldrian]

These are all very insightful points that apply to practically all combat sports. It's true that tournament is not for everyone. If you don't feel ready to compete, there is no shame in that. Refocus on your training.

[chadherbert]

Happy New Year! A great opening episode! All good advice! Definitely not whiskey... 😂 I’m one of those fighters that over-performs relative to my skill level and it’s due to having learned how to prepare for swimming, floor-hockey, volleyball, and softball tournaments. I don’t like being coached though (unless the coach really knows my quirks - I got health and authority issues! 😂). Removing expectations is huge for me - I go around and listen to what people think of each fighter and the expectations on them and me. When I hear that no one expects me to accomplish anything I get this... intensity of body and focus of mind and anxiety turns into eagerness! 🤪⚔️😂 Judging is tough, but if you’re new, do it when you get the chance because you learn a ton about what types of hits can be scene, a front-row look at how better fighters do things, and don’t worry about missing calls because there are 3 others who can cover the fight... 😁

[umartdagnir]

I will share the experience of my first international tournament. My mindset was certainly wrong. ;D
I was pretty good at a local level. Usually finishing as No. 1 or 2 in local tournaments. I've also had some experience of fighting people from other countries in friendly bouts, and I fought on at least the same level with them (including a guy who managed to get into Swordfish eliminations). Then I went to my first international tournament. I kept telling others that I went there just to learn, but, of course, I have had secret hopes of at least getting into finals. My first fight in pools was against a guy who was No. 2 in HEMA ratings with the weapon we fought. Of course, I lost. I expected that, but it happened so quickly that I did even realize that the bout is already over, so I started feeling a bit down. In the next fight I realized that people attack from a distance much longer than I am used to and have better footwork in general, and I have lost it as well. By the third fight, I understood that am not going to meet my unrealistic goal of getting into finals. So... I stopped caring. I just wanted to finish the fights as quickly as possible and was not hoping to win. Of course, I have lost all fights and finished 2nd from the end in my pool. Although there was nothing wrong with my techniques or abilities, and I have lost only by 1 or 2 points in some of the bouts.
So, thanks for your video, it will help me to prepare for my 2nd tournament (the first one was just before the start of pandemic, so I did not have a chance to compete in another one). And 3rd. And 10th. :-)

[umartdagnir]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. The apple juice certainly helped you speak from your hearts. ;D

[SamStuart]

Zen of fencing is one more point at a time.
The hits have to be clean. HEMA reminds me of the corner judging in modern sabre, pre-electric, you have to fence for the judges. Fencing is a subjective sport so it's bound to have human failings with it. With more inexperienced side judges, the less chance of the hits being scored. Thank your judges at end of the round and DE matches.
Rules need to be more standard which will come later as HEMA develops further.

[joehartman]

Where would the thrill be if I won them all?

[lloydcastleton]

It seems from my perspective doing a lot of teaching in classes and learning how to teach would fix a lot of these. But judging is also a lot about perspective.

[АннаЛиберт-ьй]

Thank you so much for pointing out that tournaments are not for everyone!

I live in god damned Russia, and in our little club participating in some small local tournaments is just... expected. I never liked that, however, so I never competed. It just isn't my thing. Some instructors were infuriated over this. I still don't quite understand, why.

[AKlover]

If your nerves are that fried for competition I would guess your training partners are not pushing you or there is not enough variety in your training.

[GuitarsRockForever]

You can never tell your wife/gf what to do, that's universal truth.

[KirkWilliams]

Imagine Zoom call fencing tournies, how will that turn out?

[weaverjoshuab]

I’m a 30 yr old virgin, 3 cats, live in a basement. How do I join.