Tournament mentality is something that I talk about constantly within the fighting game scene.  Knowing how to survive in the tournament world can get really difficult and it can be very vicious at times.  In the article I talk about tournament anxiety, composure and “pre tournament” rituals.  I plan to come out with the 2^nd part of the article sometime next week.  It’s a fairly long read but I think if you stick through to the very end you’ll find yourself really appreciating it.  Drop me a line and tell me what you think!

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What exactly makes casual sessions so drastically different compared to when we enter tournaments?  Why is it so different to step up to the sticks to play a nice friendly match in casuals, compared to a match to see who stays in winners or gets thrown in the losers bracket?  When you think about it, the answer is pretty simple right?  In a tournament we as competitors have something to lose…the money we paid to enter the tournament, embarrassment for losing to a player you think that you should have won against or maybe you feel as if you let down your team or your community because of losing.  Whatever the case, the fact of the matter is that we as competitors tend to bring our baggage from the outer world into the tournament. It allows confidence to be questioned or outer pressures to seep in, changing our entire mentality.

“Nothing matters until tournament day” – Jason Cole

Anxiety and nervousness: The most common hurdle that players deal with are those “tournament nerves” that we’ve all had.  Nervousness and anxiety builds at the mere thought of having to play at a tournament level.  I’ve had a few players tell me about strong tremors or shakes in their hands because of nervousness.  Anxiety comes in all forms and on a competitive stage it’s completely normal to have these feelings.  But for some players, getting around tournament nerves is such a challenge that it interferes with their game play.  When the time comes to play, the nervousness hasn’t worn off.  Instead of being focused on the match at hand, the player becomes entirely set towards trying to shake the anxiety and nervousness.  By this time, he’s set himself up for failure and essentially defeats himself before the opponent can even get a shot.  To put it simply, I look at tournament nerves as a battle with your mind, before the actual match.

Composure: I’ve always said that there is a specific trait that separates the best players from the good players…that being composure.  I personally define composure as “the ability to gain self control and compete when the challenge arises.”  It’s knowing how to block out the anxiety and nervousness in order to let yourself compete.  The first step to playing competitively is to make sure that you’re in a mindset where you can compete to your standard.  Playing with an emotional handicap is going to give your opponent a huge advantage.  Why play when you’re not playing at your best?  This is why keeping composed is so important.  Learning how to shut off the nervousness can be difficult, but the very first step is realizing its presence.  After realizing that you do have tournament anxiety, it’s time to focus on what you can do to get your mind off of the pressures and get back to focusing on the match itself.

“There is a lot of pressure put on me, but I don’t put a lot of pressure on myself.  I feel if I play my game, it will take care of itself.”  – Lebron James

When you become the center of attention, immediate pressure is set on your shoulders to perform.  Though it’s obvious to understand the importance of composure, it’s not always easy to get there.  Many competitors create some sort of “pre-game ritual” before actually performing in order to calm their nerves or hype themselves up before competing.  As silly as it sounds, Michael Jordan always wore his North Carolina college shorts under his Bulls uniform before playing  and Wade Boggs would eat chicken before each game and would write the Hebrew word “Chai” (translated to “living”) in the dirt before each at bat.  Though these rituals may seem zany and useless, these routines act as a trigger to subconsciously prepare themselves to focus on the game at hand.  I personally make it an effort to dress nice during tournament day as it makes me feel confident and strong.  Before each match, I zone out by listening to music that hypes me up.  While listening to the music I close my eyes, clasp my hands together and slide them up and down while focusing on the match.  Pregame rituals are may seem stupid but tons of competitors use them in order to focus and imbed confidence before they play.

Mike Tyson explained that before each and every fight, he had fear.  Fear of losing, fear of getting hurt, fear of trying his best but still not being good enough…Mike Tyson of all people in this world had “tournament nerves.”  However Mike Tyson also explained that all his fear and doubt would go away when he would make his walk down to the ring.  His fear would lift while he told himself that he was the best, that no one could beat him.  He empowered himself through his confidence of his own ability.  It’s one thing to be composed and ready for the match, but if you’re not “physically” fit for the match, composure won’t amount to much.  Remember, composure is conquering the mind in order to perform when the challenge calls for it…confidence amounts to the inner strength that pushes you to overcome that specific challenge.

“This is the mindset that literally makes me better than 90% of players regardless of their skill and experience. It is because I think this way that I am capable of being exactly what I expect to be. I believe I am BETTER than you. There is no doubt there.” – Apoc

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That’s going to wrap up part 1 of this article.  Be sure to check in for part 2 which will go over the importance confidence as well as endurance and health in a tournament.  I hope you enjoyed the read, I know it was long and I appreciate your interest!  Please, drop a comment and let me know what you thought.