Don’t leave tournament early

Mitch Wilson the British instructor division kata and kumite champion 2005

I attend about four tournaments a year, and at every single one, the venue is 90 percent empty by the final events. Apart from the fact that it shows really poor esprit de corps (team spirit) to leave as soon as your events are over, you’re also missing the best part of the day.

The last hour is when the finals of the sensei and opens divisions are held. These are the very best martial artists in GKR, yet so many of you leave without seeing what they do.

The fact that you attend tournaments shows that you are keen, and you are the kind of person who will be around for a long time. At tournaments, there are many, many excellent role models, and it’s great place to study up and learn how winners perform their katas, and how winners manage to take the points in kumite.

There’s a wealth of useful information, and most people are happy to talk to lower grades to explain what they are doing, and why. Even if you can’t stick around until the end of the day, at least watch the next grade division above your own. Then you can get a preview of the kind of standards that you will be expected to achieve.

If it seems like a really long day, disappear for a nice long lunch or a relaxing cup of coffee, and return to the arena at about 4pm. Then you will still be in time to watch the best events, but hopefully you’ll feel a little more refreshed.

I love watching the finals and the team events – it’s the most exciting time of the day, and I often learn more karate lessons in that last hour, than I do in class over the past three months. I’ve got a brilliant sensei, but people are just at their very best at tournament.

I learn lessons about which kata to choose, and which katas everyone else chooses. I learn what to add to my katas to give them that little something extra, and I learn I learn which strategies to use against which types of fighters, and which defences are more or less effective.

Tournament is the nearest thing to a real fight and you rob yourself of so much learning and excitement when you leave before the very best exponents of GKR karate step up to the line…