Mental Preparation for Competitive Martial Arts

By Dean Hebert and Lina Breunlin

One aspect that draws people to the martial arts is the mental. Look at any flier for a martial arts program and you’ll likely see the words “focus”, “discipline” and/or “confidence”. While it is true that unlike other sports, the martial arts already have “the mental” built in as part of the curriculum, the caveat is that this mental fortitude can get lost in translation when it comes to competitive (i.e. sport) martial arts. That's where we come in. This workbook was specifically designed with the martial arts athlete in mind, and contains seven standalone chapters and corresponding worksheets designed to help you hone the mental skills necessary to perform your best in competition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 9, 2017
• ISBN: 9781365956836

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Mental Preparation for Competitive Martial Arts

Mental Preparation for Competitive Martial Arts

Published by Mindset4Performance

Copyright © Mindset4Performance, 2017

First Edition

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

ISBN 978-1-365-95683-6

Introduction to Mental Preparation for Competitive Martial Arts: Performing Your Best

Inner mental technique is more important than the physical one.

-Gichin Funakoshi

One aspect that draws people to the martial arts is the mental. Look at any flier for a martial arts program and you’ll likely see the words focus, discipline and/or confidence. While it is true that unlike other sports, the martial arts already have the mental built in as part of the curriculum, the caveat is that this mental fortitude can get lost in translation when it comes to competitive (i.e. sport) martial arts. Maybe this is to be expected, given that the martial arts are rooted in self-defense, not the pursuit of medals and titles. Here comes the next caveat, ideally, the skills that are honed and perfected during a lifetime of training are only to be used in dire situations, not showcased in front of audiences. Clearly, a lot has changed since the birth of the martial arts! However, many people who study the martial arts seek a challenge, and what better challenge is there than directly competing in a tournament to test your skill with another in a head to head match? However, this requires not only different physical training but also different mental training.

That’s where we come in. We’re here to help you round out your mental game. You’ve likely already got a solid base if you’ve studied traditional martial arts, but competitive martial arts require additional mental tools to help meet the unique challenges of competition. This workbook was specifically designed with the martial arts athlete in mind, and contains seven standalone chapters and corresponding worksheets designed to help you hone the mental skills necessary to perform your best in competition. To make the most of this book you will need to commit to practicing the mental game techniques and strategies until they become your new way of thinking. Be patient. Be diligent. You’ll see, feel and hear the difference it makes in your performances.

Lesson 1: I should, I must, I have to and Other Expectations

Expectations were like fine pottery. The harder you held them, the more likely they were to crack.

-Brandon Sanderson

The word expectation is derived from the Latin word expectationem which means an awaiting. Expectations are thoughts and beliefs we have about things that might happen or things that we want to happen. Expectations can be high such as I expect to win all of my matches today or low, such as I don’t expect to do very well against this opponent.  There is danger in high expectations, low expectations, and in expectations in general.

Why are high expectations so dangerous? High expectations are dangerous because they create an enormous amount of pressure. For example, if you expect to win all your matches, what happens if you don’t? You feel