|
This week’s column is geared toward the athlete. This past weekend, I competed in a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu competition, and to my surprise, I lost. Since then, I have been doing a lot of reflecting on what I could have done differently, and even more so on what I learned from it all. For starters, I’m recognizing just how blessed I am and have been for most of my life. Looking back, I realized that I have usually been fortunate enough to win at most of the events I competed in. I also discovered that because of that, I really don’t take it very well when I lose. It really affects me—I set high standards for myself and in turn am very critical if I don’t meet those standards. Because of that, my friend, Cindy, inspired me to write about what I learned from the experience and what I could take with me and pass on to others who may find themselves in my shoes.
In my life, I’ve known people who always play it safe and never step out of their comfort zones, and while I can understand why they live that way, I never want to be one of those people. Because when it boils down to it, it is the individuals who drive and persevere through difficult times that prevail. That goes for anything you choose to do in life, whether it’s a sport, a business venture, or a career. It’s the people who aren’t afraid to challenge themselves that truly experience the joy of victory.
That is why I am determined not to let this defeat keep me down. I will train harder and smarter, working on my weaknesses and trying to increase my strengths. My husband, Lonnie, who wrestled for years in Iowa, started working with me to give me some pointers on strategy and technique to improve my grappling skills. I’ve also started emphasizing the aspects that will help me to win tournaments, since that is now my goal. The whole experience has enlightened me, and I’ve come to realize that I took a lot of my athletic ability for granted. It is definitely very humbling to lose.
For those athletes out there reading this, here are some of the things I was reminded of after competing in my competition.
1) Train harder than you need to before the competition
2) Give 100% to defeat your opponent—don’t hold back and don’t give up
3) Adopt the mindset that you cannot be defeated
4) Relax prior to the competition—too much anxiety diminishes your cardiovascular capacity
5) Make your opponent play your game
6) Be tenacious
7) Practice good sportsmanship
While I thought that I knew all of this, it was obvious that I needed to be reminded of some of the points above. I often say that anything worth doing is worth doing well, and while we all want to have a good time and enjoy ourselves, there’s nothing wrong with winning in the process!
©Melissa Allen is a certified personal trainer, Blackbelt & fitness consultant, as well as the owner of Optimum Condition— personal fitness training and kickboxing instruction. She is a self-syndicated columnist and a member of the San Diego Press Club and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. She welcomes input from her readers, so please contact her with any questions or comments that you may have by calling (619) 252-4993, email her at Opticondit@aol.com, or visit her website at www.optimumcondition.com.
|
