Is having the mental toughness of a car salesman something I want? Vacuums? A mid-manager!? now you're talking!

Seriously, these are good points, and performing in front of others does test your nerve and ability to perform under pressure. That's what tests are for, too, though. Maybe competing is taking it to another level.

Still, I think the best way for me to stay calm under pressure is the practice of zen meditation. Fostering clarity and fearlessness in every day practice, there's no need to go out of your way to prove anything to anyone, even yourself. All is complete, right here and Now.

My final comment was rhetorical, not personal in it direction. It's difficult to separate intent of course, I was trying to engage everyone with that remark.

The use of competition in kata is for the highest push in energy development and execution. The totally random use of kata technique against random attack is an entirely separate and needed tool too. This is where you work to link the energy of the kata to the application, an entirely separte skill set except in the most exceptional individuals from my short experiences.

There is no one right way, but many times there are many that can be very useful.

And for the record I have a personal kata scoring system that makes the most sense. If any technique in a kata is execucuted at less than 100%, the final score must be zero. otherwise the score is 100. There are no second places in using kata if your life is on the line, and accepting anything else as a goal is inadequate.

Ok Victor, I'll give a little way to you on the kata adrenalin thing. When training on the class performing kata, my main focus was always perfection of the technique - I knew I could put 100% power into it anytime I liked, but doing so would have not achieved my purpose. Polishing it up was always more important to me so I took my spirit and power down a notch to allow for extra concentration on the techniques, especially the "inbetween" movements - as being discussed in another post at moment. At the kata competitions I did feel that extra andrenalin you mentioned and I just all out went into hyper pyscho killer mode. It was only a marginal increase in my level of performance as I'm a big guy and I like to perform my katas with plenty of spirit and power when being watched or demonstrating normally. I don't NEED a crowd watching me to pump me up, but it does give that small margin. I think having a senior instructor watching would do more for my performance than a crowd at a competition.

Since competitive diving doesn't make you into a better swimmer, why have or enter diving competitions?

Victor said it all. Can't add anymore.

Quote:

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http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/s...ue#Post15758622

Have fun.

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Damn you Joel! And double damn you Victor! Now where's that Rocky soundtrack, I've got some kata to do!!!!

Da, da da da-da da-da da, Da, da da da-da da-da da, Da, da da da-da da-da da, Da da.... Da....Da.......

It's been literally decades since I've thought about the 'time' a piece is written in.

It's the "Rocky" theme music, watch the movie and figure that out yourself <GRIN>.

Interesting 'Stalone' is back making the next Rocky too, (and also Rambo returns after that).