Hi guys the following are tip from Steve. Who by the way has won 17 golds, 2 silvers and 4 or 5 Bronze medals between the No Gi Worlds/ International Masters Seniors/ Masters Worlds.
This includes 5 Absolutes,
BUT if anyone asks he tells them I don’t worry about what he has won but focus’s on what he is trying to win.
Now for the ; lessons you learn from competing?
1. You really have to stay tight, the moves that work in the gym can be difficult to pull off when someone is fighting at 100%.
2.Try and pass straight to mount you have better control while putting your opponent under pressure to escape.
3. Keep the pressure on them, that comes back to 1 and 2
4. Do a shit load of chin ups when all else fails you still have a residual strength in your arms, be prepared to work harder than anybody else if you think half an hour is enough make it 45 mins, you have to be more than prepared.
5 Keep your game simple and effective, you do not want to lose by your own mistakes.
6. Learn standup, which includes proper stance, takedowns, counters, grips, posture and how to react when you are taken down in other words how to counter attack. Learning how to counter is as important as learning the throws themselves especially in No gi. Those two points can come in handy and you can end up on top in a good position.
7. Stay focused, learn to control your nerves and utilize that energy to stay alert and concentrate in the fight.
8. Don’t give up even when you are behind, keep attacking try and be the one to initiate the attacks even if it is a counter attack, be aware of their breathing and keep attacking.
9. Be independent don’t rely on someone to coach you in a fight
10. Have a strategy and a game plan, visualize your game plan
11. Fight for points, but attack for submissions, which means you always accumulate points as you attack, i.e. make sure you secure the points in case you lose the position while going for a submission.
12. Lastly this is the most important and this is the ultimate lesson you learn allot about yourself, if you lose kick your self in the arse and try again, don’t ever make a reason for yourself to give up. I admire everybody that challenges themselves to compete. Finally when all else fails try, try and try again or do what the coach told you to do the 1st time (that part I read somewhere and love it).
Extra tips. Sleep – sleep early and don’t think about the comp. Diet – with nerves you tend to go to the toilet more. It is advisable when you wake up in the morning to drink a sports drink , I prefer Pocari sweat in a sachet which I mix with water, this will help prevent cramping. For breakfast I recommend eating Oatmeal with bananas, it is a low glycemic food and will take a while to be absorbed in the body so you do not feel hungry, it should keep you going all day. For quick energy I like to eat a few MMs (chocolate peanuts), and I always have a bottle of water to sip from. Once I was sipping and spitting it back again and again , at the comp as I don’t like to drink a lot, after I finished my fights I saw a guy pick it up and drink it , oh well I hope it helped. (Hide your bottle and carry it with you at all times) Do some light stretching in the morning and each day before the event ,I like at least 25 minutes. Use that time to relax your mind. Prepare your gym bag the day before , bring an extra pair of pants and in some cases even an extra Gi, especially if you are not sure if it will qualify and you are alone at a comp , make sure you packed your belt , tape, Pads warm up shirt etc. Finally focus on each fight one at a time, and good luck