Getting your mind prepared is just as important as getting physically prepared, and most often, they go hand in hand. This is especially true for fighters when you compare it to other sports. When you are competing, you can only rely on yourself. Of course, you have your coach and teammates in your corner to help, but it doesn’t matter how much they believe in you if you don’t.
It is what you do outside of the fight in preparation that will result in you winning or losing while helping you build that confidence to the point that you know you can keep up with the best at your level, or maybe even higher levels. You have to be smart about this though as you have to do a balancing act between training hard and getting the proper recovery. It helps to push yourself through hard workouts to give you that mental edge, but too much will leave you mentally and physically exhausted for the next couple of days. This is very counterproductive since it will affect your mental and physical status for the next couple of days, and this type of mental grind is why most people quit.
So, what is the best way to build up your confidence to the point where you believe that you can win against anyone? Here are some tips and strategies to follow:
- Train at a school where your instructor and training partners help you grow as a martial artist. I see a lot of schools where the teacher and/or students are just in it for themselves and their self-promotion. Surround yourself with positive people, but ones that will tell you the honest truth.
- Schedule days you are going to do higher and lower intensity workouts, recovery, drilling, mobilization, and so on.
- Train with people better than you. I know this may not be good for some of the egos out there, but being humbled is needed to grow as a martial artist.
- Do things that most people don’t do. I always get an extra edge when I am doing things that I know others aren’t. This includes extra workouts, dialing in your nutrition, getting proper sleep, and really immersing yourself in the sport.
- If you feel things aren’t working, don’t be afraid to switch things up! Remember, it isn’t all about what you do in the gym. Sometimes, it is all of the little things you do outside of the gym that will make you surpass everyone else.
- Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. This can be in or out of training. When you are training, get into bad positions or try something new. Outside of training, you can work on yoga or meditation to work on your breathing and internal self-talk.
Remember, no one is perfect and wins all the time. Don’t let losses get you down. Take them as opportunities to learn and improve yourself!
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