Mental blocks tend to surface only when tournament results consistently fall behind, despite rigorous training. They can be as simple as a few routine responses engrained in the early days of training. They may be a set of unhelpful beliefs picked out from cues of the environment.
One thing is certain: they are not ‘just in the head’. They are present across the entire body and are involved in both physiology and competition game. This program is designed to identify and resolve them, to help you reach your potential in competition.
The answer to mental blocks will vary for everyone, as the underlying cause is highly personal. The depth of the cause varies from person to person. Some are fortunate to have a little technical, strategic issue, so that can be overcome quite quickly. Whereas others will have to dig deeper. To make the topic easier to understand, below is a simplified model of the various depths that the performance block may come from.
#1 – Skin deep – technical level
Often, the block arises from the lack of personalisation during practice or lack of guidance during the early days of training. Clubs tend to provide general techniques, for which people can cherry pick what suits them the most to build up their game. Not only do you have to select the appropriate techniques and transition variations, but you also have to adjust them to suit your specific body type. For instance, closed guards and locks made by the lower leg are inefficient when the ankle is thin or fragile. In which case, although the technique may be fundamental, it cannot serve the person.
Furthermore, the tournament game plan is likely to contain a narrower set of techniques that are safe to execute under high pressure. Only a few of your favourite moves will be competition-safe. Likewise, some of your personality traits can benefit you more than others, while some require awareness and maintenance to aid in the game. Understanding one’s own skills, body preferences, and mental cards can lead to the development of a more efficient game plan, and a more tailored preparation routine.
Note: Chapter 1 of the tournament preparation series is strongly focused on skill matches and tailoring your approach.
#2 – Flesh deep – moderate self-work level
If you have a customized game strategy, but you’re still losing your edge in critical situations, there’s probably an unsupportive mental process at play. A quite high number of fighters are aware of these disruptive patterns and may attempt to modify or suppress them. The key point here is to understand that these are verbalized feelings, not ‘just thoughts’ as they first appear. They are a part of a deeper, systematic layer, with distinct locations within the brain. External messages that suggest ‘you just have to think positive’ ignore the fact that these patterns were formed in response to the environment (whatever the environment may had been), and cause people to blame themselves for their misfortune.
The task of cracking this is a little more difficult. Active self-improvement is typically necessary, either with the support of a coaching or counselling professional, or on its own with support materials and structured guidance. It’s a demanding job to reflect inwards, regardless of the circumstances. You’ll need a good amount of emotional resources, and you’ll need to find a way to strategically balance the self-work with your life circumstances.
Note: Chapter 2 of the tournament preparation series introduces the key concepts and mental processes.
#3 – Bone deep – strategic self-work level
In some cases, the lack of tournament success is the tip of the iceberg. Instead, it is a sign of ongoing distress that affects all areas of life, including the outcome of the tournament. This can be a discrepancy between the unconscious and the ego, or it can reflect long-term unmet needs. To address such deeply rooted issues, significant investment in self-development is likely necessary.
Competing with this baggage is equivalent to walking against a wind speed of 50mph gale. It will make you slow, tired, and generally impede progress. Simply stepping on the map will likely cost you more than the fight itself.
Quite often in these cases, martial arts and competition are not just a side hustle, but the main facilitator for change. Training with a purpose helps channel emotional, mental, and physical resources into self-development. Tournaments can act as a reflection of your self-improvement and a source of motivation. In order to increase the rewards you gain from competing, it’s key to understand the essence of human dynamics involved. This understanding will grow from there and expand into other aspects of life.
Note: Chapter 3 provides a magnifying glass for the competition event, zooming on the human dynamics and brain processes involved.
Summary
The aim of this simplified model of the potential depth of mental blocks is to decipher the required self-work and the nature of the mental training required. In summary, winning can be achieved by any dedicated fighter by channeling resources to the right areas and diversifying their mental skills.
