Competition Preparation Articles

[Chris Herzog]

I wrote these for Coach Alder's 10th Planet Watch a couple of years ago. I've been seeing alot of questions about tournament preparation recently and thought it may help some of you, enjoy!

[Chris Herzog]

Skill+Preparation+Right Mind Set = Success. Part 1
November 24th, 2008



Coach’s Corner w/ Coach Chris Herzog


When Alder first asked me to write a blog for 10th Planet Watch I was pumped, then immediately realized, “you can barely put thoughts to spoken words you dope, how the hell are you going to articulate them to written words.” Apparently that wasn’t a concern for Alder, so as long you guys don’t care, I don’t care either. So grammar and spelling be damned (thank the Anunnaki for spell check, however I think I’m the only person in the world that gives spell check a headache, because sometimes it doesn’t even know what the hell I’m trying to spell).

So, besides the deciding what initial topics were going to cover, the next step was comming up with a name for the blog. I was playing around with the idea of something witty, and then that came to a screeching halt. So I decided upon a tribute to a close friend and mentor that’s on hard times, as a reminder to him of the lives he’s touched and effected. He used to run a open MMA forum with the same name. So welcome to the new “Coach’s Corner”.


Preparation:

In this installment of Coach’s Corner we’ll begin to take a look at the equation I use to promote success for my competitors/fighters. Just to be clear we will be discussing competition in terms of attempting to win, there are merits to competing for skill development, but that’s something we can discuss at a later date. Today will start our discussion with tournament preparation and its importance to success. “But skill is listed first”. Hey this is my blog and I start it anyway damn way I please. Now sit down and the 3 of you pay attention!

Preparation consists of many aspects but we’ll be touching on three pieces to the puzzle that I’ve found to be the most effective: sport specific conditioning, tournament strategies, and proper warming up the day of the event.

Sport Specific Conditioning: Over the years I’ve had many well conditioned athletes walk through my Academy doors; marathon runners; collegiate athletes wrestlers, soccer and football players, powerlifters, body builders, etc.
They all had one thing in common. They all gassed when they spared and when they competed, they where all in great shape, but they weren’t in the right shape.

To get into the right shape we have to understand the importance of sport specific conditioning. Most grappling matches consist of one round 5-8mins in length depending on the skill level of the competitor. Studies have show that most intense action during these matches happens in busts of approximate 20 seconds, with 25-30 seconds of “active rest” which allows heart rate recovery in between bursts. It’s important to replicate these conditions during your tournament preparation. Using a round based system one can easily apply it to drill training (escapes, passes, etc.) and their conditioning program reinforcing the replication of a competitive environment. Depending on the level of importance of the event will dictate how long you want to prepare for the tournament between 3-6 weeks, replacing your normal training routine, is a fair amount of time to prepare if you are all ready in decent shape.

Its no secret that Grappling relies heavily on core strength and flexibly, but what many people miss is the importance of dynamic strength (kettle bell swings, cleans, burpees, power bands, etc.) and functional flexibility(hip swings, full range lunges, etc.) vs. static strength (bench pressing, curls, etc.) and flexibility (seated stretching and holding for 15-20 secs). Some great training methods that promote functional fitness are becoming readily available include kettle bell training and other programs such as cross fit. At our academy we have a program that addresses these needs (Fight Fitness) designed specifically for our fighters and competitors, which has made a considerable difference in our competitive outcomes. If these types of programs are not accessible in your area there are several free online resources available that will allow you to set up your own individualized program.



Pt. 2 of this article up tomorrow!



-Chris Herzog




Is a Brown Belt in 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, under Eddie Bravo. Chris runs 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Rochester out of Empire Academy of Comabt Sports & Fitness in Rochester, Ny. Chris also teaches Judo, Sambo and MMA. He is available for seminars and be contacted through the Academy website at: www.10thplanetjiujitsurochester.com or by e-mail: CoachHerzog@teamempire.us

[Chris Herzog]

Skill+Preparation+Right Mind Set = Success. Part 2
November 25th, 2008

Coaches Corner w/ Coach Chris Herzog

Tournament Strategies


When developing a strategic game plan to win, it is imperative that your know the rules set that you will be competing under. Yes submitting your opponent should be the ultimate goal, however this may not always be possible depending on the strengths and strategies of your opponents.

Knowing what scores and what penalizes can make the difference of a win/loss in a match. I’ve seen countless competitor loose matches specifically because they didn’t know or didn’t understand the rule sets they are competing under. We’ve all seen the take down and stall strategy, where one competitor takes down the other only to play defensive and ride out the clock to win 1-0. The guard player could of had 10 sub attempts and tried to finish but still loses. This is a drain physically, emotionally and even financially that can easily be avoided if the competitors studies the rules and trains accordingly, even if for a few weeks prior to the event.
 Its becoming increasing common for competitors to be penalized for pulling guard as well, employing intelligent strategy can help us avoid being penalized while still attacking with our strengths. Attempting a double or single leg, sitting through to take guard, Damian Maia vs. Nate Quarry is a beautiful example of this.

”But my takedowns suck!” True but your opponent likely doesn’t know this, and that’s what drill training is for. Attack with intent, they’ll be forced to defend allowing the sit through to guard.
Its all about selling your attack, making them respect it, and forcing them to defend.

Even though my teams overall strategic game plan remains the same, little tweaks and twists based on an events rule set have allowed increased success. It’s all about percentages, even if its only a few percent change. Percentages matter at all levels of competition, especially at the elite level where even a 1% change can be the difference in a win or a loss.

Warming Up:

How one of the simplest concepts can be so easily overlooked is beyond me. I literally have to stalk down And hound some of my competitors and force them to warm up and stay warm prior to their matches.
 A proper warm up the day of the event is absolutely necessary for optimum performance. Many competitors are slow starters and don’t get into the zone until mid way point in the match, by then it may be too late. I have many of those guys on my team, and we’ve come up with some guidelines to help keep them on track the day of the event.

•Initial warm up 20-25mins: I prefer that our team warms up together, it re-enforces unity and the team concept that builds necessary morale and confidence the day of the event. The initial warm up consists of a light jog with some functional flexibility drills. Next would be static stretching, followed by pummeling, and transitional drills (takedowns, throws, positional and submission escapes). I tend to have them stay away from our attacking game plan as eyes are watching, and I’m sure as hell watching others.

•Keep warm: Wait times can be absolutely ridiculous while waiting for your division or waiting in between matches. A few things I preach; a keep a sweat shirt and pants on, keeping something on your feet, if the floor is cold it can seep into your legs, wearing a skull cap is another way to keep heat trapped in your body.

•Match prep: Get a good sweat going and elevate your heart rate before the match(I shoot for about 70%). When you step on the mat you want your body to feel as if your all ready 2-3 minutes deep into the match. This will defiantly help those that are slow starters.

Also remember stay hydrated (sip water throughout the day). I also like my guys to eat light through out the day; fruits and nuts are great energy sources (oranges, apples, bananas and raw almonds). Finding a balance is the key, over or under eating the day of the event can also have an effect on your performance. Lastly stay away from foods that aren’t part of your regular diet, you would be surprised the impact it will have on your body.

Over the years I’ve seen some very skilled competitors get beat by lesser skilled, but better prepared opponents. Hell, we see it all the time in MMA. It’s becoming increasing common to watch a fight and see the underdog win. This is largely due to their preparation. Forest Griffin personifies the importance of preparation, he’s become a UFC champion because of it.



Coming Soon:

Skill and the part it plays in the competitor’s equation for Success.





-Chris Herzog





Is a Brown Belt in 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, under Eddie Bravo. Chris runs 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Rochester out of Empire Academy of Comabt Sports & Fitness in Rochester, Ny. Chris also teaches Judo, Sambo and MMA. He is available for seminars and be contacted through the Academy website at: www.10thplanetjiujitsurochester.com or by e-mail: CoachHerzog@teamempire.us

[Chris Herzog]

Skill + Preparation + Right Mind Set = Success. Pt. 3
December 5th, 2008


Coach’s Corner w/ Coach Chris Herzog






Skill:

In the first two installments of the Coach’s Corner we took a look “Preparation” and the role it plays in the “Equation for Succes”. Moving forward were going to cover “Skill”, and how it should be integrated into your training camp.

Skill training for competition is going to be different then general skill training and development. During our 3-6 week training camp we are going to be narrowing are focus to two areas: generic responses and specific attacks.

Generic Responses:
This drill training will be centralized around defending common attacks; armbars, triangles, guillotines, mount, side control, etc. This is about economy of time. Spend this time doing repetitions of defenses and escapes to basic and high percentage scoring techniques, that ones that win the most. Worrying and focusing time on techniques that you may not be exposed to is poor use of your time, that can be better spent drilling escapes to techniques that are likely to happen. There is a time and place to practice defenses to flying armbars and rolling leglocks but drilling them during a training camp is a wasteful use of precious time.

Specific attacks:
This is the main reason I started with the preparation installment first, because development of strategy based on a events rules and how we score points will help formulate changes and tweaks to our personal attacking systems. Your PAS (personal attacking system) can be heavily influenced by numerous factors: your instructors teachings, your body type, strength, flexibility, etc. An example: you have your opponent in side control, ones PAS may have him transition to mount, another attempting a kimura or far side armbar, or even another transitioning to twister side control hunting to finish with a Twister. (Note: development of your PAS should be done during your on going training not during a training camp. However adjustments should be made based on individual rule sets.)

The drill training of your PAS should not only include the techniques themselves but the transitions that get your there. If your PAS includes systematic dissecting of your opponent by using Rubber Guard you not only need to drill your RG attacks, but how we get there, and what we do if we get shut down. This goes back to our strategic game planning. Pulling guard may not be an option if we loose points in doing so. However this is were we implement drilling training formulated based on our strategic game plan and our PAS. Remember our reference to Demian Maia shooting and pulling 1/2 guard in the previous installment. This is how we add transitions to our PAS based on the influence of a scoring system.

Whether your drill training your Generic Responses or your Specific Attacks make sure you pay attention to detail. Repetition of poorly drilled techniques will result in poor execution. Gradually increase resistance while drill training, if you can’t execute a technique against a partially resistant partner you can forget successfully applying it against a fully resistant opponent. To quote Eddie Bravo “the difference between most purple belts and black belts is numbers”. Putting in the numbers (reps) will revile itself when it matters most, on the competition mat


Coming Soon:

Right Mind Set and the part it plays in the competitor’s equation for Success.



Chris Herzog Is a Brown Belt in 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, under Eddie Bravo. Chris runs 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Rochester out of Empire Academy of Comabt Sports & Fitness in Rochester, Ny. Chris also teaches Judo, Sambo and MMA. He is available for seminars and be contacted through the Academy website at: www.10thplanetjiujitsurochester.com or by e-mail: CoachHerzog@teamempire.us

[Chris Herzog]

Chris Herzog: Skill+Preperation+Right Mind Set = Success. PT.3
March 6th, 2009


Part 3: Right Mind Set

In the final installment of the Equation for Competitive Success, we are going look at a few exercises to help establish the right mind set for competition.

There are several methods and exercises to help develop the Right Mind Set. Finding what works best for you is the key. I’ve found a good blend of concepts from psychology of combat and sports psychology that works best for myself and my students. Three exercises that I like include: Goal setting, positive attitude, and visualization.

Goal Setting: plays a large roll in establishing the right mind set. Goal setting is divided into 3 tiers:

Long term goals: are those that are the hardest to obtain. For many competitors long term goals are the driving force behind their motivation for competitive training. These are largely considered the “dreams” of a competitor. Such aspirations as competing in ADCC, winning Mundials or PanAms, etc would be considered a long-term goal. If these seem extremely difficult to accomplish, they should be, its the reason to wake up every morning and get out of bed and train after you’ve been beaten up the night before. Aim high!

Mid level goals: are very difficult to accomplish, but with hard work and dedication can be achieved. These are the goals that should be the mid waypoint to achieving your long-term goal. You should have to work hard to succeed with mid level goals, but they should be obtainable. If not adjustments may be necessary. Some reasonable mid level goals would be medaling in local and regional level tournaments, qualifiers etc. The main focus should be to take steps towards your long term goal.

Short term goals: should be the meat and potatoes of your goals setting. These are the daily and weekly goals you set for yourself.
They work best for your daily conditioning, flexibility, technical training. Setting short term goals such as number of technical repetitions, beating certain times for conditioning routines, etc. are ideal short term goals. Succeeding in your short term goals builds a foundation for the right mind set.

Write down your goals and share them with your trainers and teammates, its holds you accountable.

Positive Attitude: may sound simplistic, but developing inner strength and appropriate confidence is essential for a successful competitor. Keeping a positive attitude should be centered around things you have control over. Using things like positive statements and keeping a positive attitude when mistakes are made is essential. When mistakes are made, use them as learning tools and an opportunity to make corrections. Keep the positive attitude “I can do that”, or “Next time I’m in that situation, I will succeed”. Developing a positive attitude is hard work, accept the challenge, and work at it daily.

Visualization: is my favorite development tool, its extremely powerful and assists in accomplishing goals and for developing the right mind set.

Visualization is drawing a mental picture or scenario that you play out in your mind. It may be difficult at first but like everything else, the more you practice the better and more vivid it becomes.

The two types of scenarios I stress the most are; the sensation of winning (success) and the execution of your Personal Attacking System against an opponent.

Always try to replicate the competition environment (use all your senses): noisy crowd, matches being called over a loud speaker, guys warming up on the side of the mat, the feel of the mat under your feet, and the sweaty musty smell of your opponent. All of these things brings a familiarity to your visualizations that raises your level of comfort when you compete.

I tend to do my best visualizations, after a hard nights training, as I’m lying in bed before I fall asleep. I run through my Personal Attacking System, imaging a struggle but being successful, then seeing myself getting my hand raised.

Another good opportunity is while your stretching before a practice. This sets the tone for practice and what you’ll be focusing on while you roll/spar.

If your like me, during a training camp I’m fine, up until a week to two weeks out I get random bouts of anxiety about the upcoming event. I could be driving, sitting at my office at work, out to dinner with the wife, etc. One of my coaches used to preach immediately visualizing success at those times. The reason was like Pavlov’s salivating dog theory. You start to equate success with your anxiety and nervousness. This type of random visualization alone has helped myself and my team tremendously. However I don’t support visualization while driving

Don’t stop with these exercises, these are just the tip of the iceberg. Developing the Right Mind Set is essential for competitor regardless of the sport. All to often we focus on skill training and conditioning and neglect developing our mind for competition as well. Every gym has that one or two guys that tears through everyone in the class, but when they get on the competition mat they get folded like a babies diaper. They only way to get beyond that is to train your mind as part of the greater whole.

By now you should at least have a basic understanding of the planning and process necessary to increases your chances for competitive success. Nothing is for sure, and as most of you know anything can happen during competition. Our attempt is to just increases the odds in our favor and utilizing the Equation for Competitive Success does just that. Good luck and if you have any questions about implementing the Equation for Competitive Successes into your personal program, don’t hesitate to ask.



Chris Herzog is a competitive stud and runs 10th Planet Rochester

[Jason Hyatt]

^ This is why I drive 45 minutes one-way to class. Thanks for putting these up again Coach. Can we sticky this series?

[Leigh Richardson]

Thanks Chris

[Paulo Lobo]

Thanks for re-posting this series of articles Chris, I missed it the first time around and it is really much appreciated.

[Chris Herzog]

Paulo, Ottawa's not to far from Rochester you should come by and trian some time, or to one of Eddies seminars we host. My Sambo Coach lived in Ottawa for awhile until he moved back to Russia.

[Paulo Lobo]

Yeah, I'm totally down. I wanted to go to Eddie's next visit in September at your gym but I will be in Europe when he's suppose to come down. We are really spoiled here in Ottawa seeing as Montreal, Peterborough and Rochester are within driving distance. I'm hoping I can make the next one. I know that I'll be checking these forums for future dates.