Lloyd Irvin is a martial arts coach. He holds the rank of 7th degree black belt in Thai Jitsu, 2nd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, 1st degree black belt in judo. In 2002 he was named The United States Judo Federation International Coach of the year. Lloyd's coaching experience includes having taught Secret Service, FBI & SWAT. Read more on: http://www.lloydirvin.com
Mental Preparation foe Team Competitions
Most people may never have the privilege in competing in a Team Competition – a team of qualified grapplers or combat athletes coming together to compete as a unit. This is the most enjoyable experience. I had the privilege of competing in two of these competitions. The first was in 1999 in Brazil at the Campeonato Brasileiro De Equipes (National Brazilian Team Championships). My team was also composed of my BJJ instructor Leo Dalla, Guigo, TaTa and Gabriel Napao. I had just received my brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu three days before the event, and in my first match I faced a BJJ black belt for the Power House Team, Alliance. (At the Brazilian Team Championships, the Brown Belts are combined with the Black Belts.) This was my first very competition in Brazil. I was able to pull out the win, but the support that I got from my teammates really helped. My team won the silver in that event. My second time competing in a Team competition was in 2003 at the NAGA Pro Ams. There were four teams: The American Top Team, Team Renzo Gracie, Florida Freestyle and Team Lloyd Irvin. This would decide the top team on the east coast. At the event, each team included a representative at 149.9 lbs, 169.9 lbs, 189.9 lbs, 205 lbs and one super heavyweight. All of the teams were great sports, and everyone had a wonderful time. Team Lloyd Irvin ended up splitting the title with The American Top Team in the end. If you ever have the opportunity to compete in this type of event, make sure you jump at the chance. It’s a great experience and you will learn a lot from doing it.
Broadly the mental preparation for team competitions is much the same as individual events, but you have to factor in the team element of the game in your preparation. In team competition, you will have to size up more than one player on the opposing team. The unique thing about teams is that you get to discuss your opponents with other team members and get their views and opinions as well. This sharing of views improves your evaluation of the opposing team. Your next step is to develop strategies in consultation with your team members.
Developing a strategy is a little more complex in a team competition. You have to blend in your individual approaches and integrate your tactics to create a strong opposition to defeat your opponents. In fact, when you develop your strategy as a team, it pays to indulge in an activity often used in the corporate world called “brainstorming.”
In brainstorming, you and your team members come up with as many approaches and ideas as you can to tackle and defeat your opponents. This method is meant to generate the maximum number of ideas and encourage all viewpoints. No idea is shot down during brainstorming. The objective is to be as comprehensive as possible in generating alternative approaches to deal with your opponents. After the brainstorming session, you pool all the ideas together. From this basket you narrow down your options and then zero in on a strategy that you think is best suited to deal with your opponents.
Team Spirit
Teams in grappling and combat athletics have the ardous task of working together and tagging each other to seize control of the situation and establish their supremacy. However, this section is not about how you tackle the team event, it’s about behavior within a team.
Team spirit is a psychological process and is characterized by the moral strength and reliability that you bring to your team. It is a feeling of mutual trust, loyalty, empathy, and consistent support between the team members.
Team spirit should be evident for t to make an impression on your fellow players. You have to be able to support and encourage, without getting into a huff, even if your teammates makes a slip or error in judgment. The high-tension situations in the ring leave no room for recriminations. A player can feel buoyed up if fellow team members shout out approval and encouragement. It reinforces the athlete’s willpower to deal with a tough situation and deliver a good performance.
Cohesion
One of the most popular concepts of team behavior for sport professionals is called “Cohesion.” Cohesion is about bonding, making a mental connection, and being able to develop a tacit understanding. At a very basic level, it is just good chemistry. When you strategize and plan together, you are more united in your pursuit of a win. It starts with spending time together at workouts and practice sessions, it progresses to planning and strategizing as a team, and then culminates with the match or tournament where you put your plans into action.
Characteristics of a cohesive team:
¨ the team members will have a healthy respect for one another’s capabilities
¨ the team members will have a healthy respect for one another’s views and opinions
¨ there should be no ego hassles as each team member has a role to play
¨ there is cooperation between team members
¨ there is good interaction, rapport and communication
Sources:
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
Your Sign and Its Role in Marketing your Martial Arts School
By: Brian Tracy | 08/11/2009Not only do you want to know what zoning limits you have on signage, you have to know what rules the landlord may have for signs in his plaza. Being in a great location is not good if you can’t let people know about it.
Hey Martial Arts Instructors! What’s Your Potential Ratio?
By: Brian Tracy | 08/11/2009Your potential ratio is the percentage of the population that has a realistic potential of joining your school. The number used for decades has been 1.5%. Due to the explosion of exposure and credibility the martial arts gained from the fitness kickboxing boom in the mid-1990s, I personally feel the number is larger than that.
Hey Martial Arts Instructors! What’s Your Potential Ratio?
By: Brian Tracy | 08/11/2009Your potential ratio is the percentage of the population that has a realistic potential of joining your school. The number used for decades has been 1.5%. Due to the explosion of exposure and credibility the martial arts gained from the fitness kickboxing boom in the mid-1990s, I personally feel the number is larger than that.
Positioning Your School for Success
By: Brian Tracy | 08/11/2009One rule of design that most guys don’t know is that, when you hang a picture, you want the picture to complement the frame and the frame to complement the room. Though this article is not about school design, this example illustrates the three elements that must work together to make a picture work. The three parallel dynamics that must work together for a martial arts school to have a chance in any location are the area, the rent, and the space.
MMA Heavybag Training Workouts
By: James | 08/11/2009Heavybag training is good for MMA because it'll work on your technique and your standup conditioning. This shouldn't be substituted for anaerobic endurance training, but it will aid you in building up a strong striking base for MMA or boxing. Make sure you also incorporate kicks, but keep your balance when doing it.
MMA Training Techniques - Get Great Conditioning for MMA
By: James | 07/11/2009Having a good conditioning base is important for MMA, but make sure you don't overlook skill and mental training. Follow these MMA training techniques to complete the MMA triangle and do your absolute best in the ring. If you want to hang with the pros, you have to train like one. Find out here.
Identifying the Three Types of MMA Fighters!
By: Al Case | 07/11/2009The method I am about to tell you is supposed to have been originated by Bruce Lee, though I don't know whether he ever taught it in Jeet Kune Do. It was supposedly taught by Bruce to Joe Lewis, who became somewhat of a Karate legend back when point fighting was making the transition to full contact.
MMA Workout Training for Optimum Strength and Conditioning
By: James | 07/11/2009In order to get the best strength and conditioning for mma, you'll need to follow an anaerobic workout that'll teach you to utilize your muscles at 70% capacity for a long period of time. In order to do this, you'll need to do intense circuit training consisting of plyometrics and various power lifts.
Aiming for the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt
By: Lloyd Irvin | 09/09/2009 | Martial ArtsSix colored belts are used to signify grades in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The belts, in ascending order of grades are: white, blue, purple, brown, black and red. An athlete has to be at least 16 years old to be awarded blue belt.
You Can Be a "Complete" Player
By: Lloyd Irvin | 31/08/2009 | Martial ArtsThe psychological transformation through mental skills training and its impact on your performance can hit you like a thunderbolt, and that's not an exaggeration! The psychological transformation is actually a gradual process, and its full effect will be evident in a few weeks or at best a couple of months.
Integrating and Putting It All Together
By: Lloyd Irvin | 26/08/2009 | Martial ArtsWe now look at how to bring it all together in an easy step-by-step approach for a grappler or combat athlete to start applying these methods on a regular basis. Some key points from earlier chapters will be highlighted here to emphasize their importance in a comprehensive mental preparation program. The steps outlined here take into account all aspects of mental preparation discussed in this book. It gives you a complete and integrated approach to mental preparation.
Six Secrets Common to Champs in Mental Preparation
By: Lloyd Irvin | 14/08/2009 | Martial ArtsChamps have many positive qualities and many characteristics that set them apart in a class of their own. Lets' understands the 6 secrets further.
Recognize That the Game is Always Bigger Than You
By: Lloyd Irvin | 13/08/2009 | Martial ArtsThe game is the real genius, and grapplers and combat athletes are the talent who execute the game. Do you agree with this?
Understand the Behavior of Spectators and Fans
By: Lloyd Irvin | 12/08/2009 | Martial ArtsSports are a social phenomenon and from time immemorial, the spectators are as important a part of the game as the players themselves. Sports have news value. It's a discussion point, it’s entertainment, it’s something to think about for the average working person, it helps them to unwind and it certainly creates patriotic feelings. Sport marketers know that extensive promotion can increase TV audience sizes and attendance at sports venues and the business aspect of sports takes over.
Ways to Relax Even if You Are Not Consciously Stressed Out
By: Lloyd Irvin | 11/08/2009 | Martial ArtsIn this article, we look at a comprehensive list of relaxation methods that have use in relaxing the mind even if stress is not a problem for you. Even if you don't have stress its important to find ways to unwind and lighten-up the senses especially on the last few days before a fight.