Whenever I am asked, "What can I do to better prepare for the next competition?" I naturally answer train, train, train and when you get tired, train some more.  Let's face it that is easier said than done.  Everyone knows you need to train hard to be good, but, no matter how hard you train, there is always a peak which you just can't seem to get past.  A mental exhaustion where you body no longer wants to go on.  So how do you motivate yourself to train harder, to push your body just past that limit you didn't think you could?  That is the key question. 

While trophies and medals may motivate you to get ready for the next competition, this may not always motivate you to push on when your muscles ache and your body is fatigued and you are drenched in sweat.  Sometimes you just need to "trick" your body and mind into going that extra mile.  So here are five mental rules to use whenever you need that extra push.

1)      Music enrages the savage beast.  Most of the time we hear the old saying "Music soothes the savage beast" and while this may be true, the opposite is just as true.  No matter how tired someone is, they always have enough energy to tap their toes or nod their head when their favorite song comes on.  It is almost instinctive.  Sometimes all you need is some really fast paced music to give you your second wind.  You become revived and ready for another session.

2)      Just one more time.   Repetition is key in successfully executing a good form as well as building up muscle memory to execute good sparring techniques.  So when you reach the state of tiredness, simply tell yourself, "I just need to do this one more time."  Once you do it, and then repeat that in your head again.  Before you know it, you have just pushed yourself an extra 30 minutes longer than you thought you could. 

3)      10 times right.  While repetition may be key, it is CORRECT repetition which is crucial.  If you are going to do something over and over, make sure you are doing it right.  A good start is the "10 times right" rule.  This means that you pick out a combination of techniques that you need to use and execute it, at full speed and strength, ten times.  Sounds easy enough right?  Well there is a catch.  If you mess up the combo then you have to start all over again.  This means that if you have executed the combo nine times successfully and then on the tenth time you mess up, then you go back to starting all over again.  Even when exhausted you will find this drill will push you to stay in the game longer than you expected.

4)      Whatever you are doing, your opponent is doing it more, and harder.  Sometimes you need your biggest rival to motivate you to stay on the mat.  Since most of the time they don't train at the same place as you do, you have to envision that they are always training harder than yourself.  If you throw a single combo once, your opponent has thrown it twice.  If you ran your best form 10 times, your opponent ran hers fifteen times.  If you swam 20 laps, your opponent swam 21 laps.  With that in mind run that form one more time or do one more round of sparring.  Each time you reach that limit and you are about to quit, always remember your opponent had no problems doing it once more.

5)      Let the movies help.  Before an event, it is always nice to relax the body and mind.  So how can you continue your training even when you need to just unwind?  Simple, let the movies work for you.  Prior to a big event simply grab a nice meal and watch a good inspirational movie such as "Rocky" or "Remember the Titans".  Movies that tend to inspire and send out the message that even the biggest long shot can be a champion.  Such movies not only send out a positive message of overcoming adversities, it also reminds you that you can achieve the success you deserve.  What better way to go into a competition than to have that message fresh in your mind.

Everyone has their own physical and mental limits.  Many of these limitations we place on ourselves never really knowing what we may be capable of doing.  These five items are just a few things that can help you push that bar of limitation for yourself a bit higher.  Even if you are able to tack on an extra five minutes of training or execute a form one more time than usual, the mental success you will achieve will reach far beyond the competition floor into your everyday life.

Tags: Training Karate Martial Arts

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