Recently I was watching a podcast on high performance and the expert being interviewed was talking about education and the brains capacity to learn.
The professor explained that in a test or exam if the individual is not struggling with 20% of the content, then they are not being pushed to their full potential.
I have not fact checked this information, but I felt it served as a good principle and framework for life and certainly for our karate.
Based on the above, in a one-hour class twelve minutes should be beyond the student’s existing capacity or comfort zone. Or if an athlete was to compete on a circuit where their performance growth was the aspiration then they should target a win rate of eighty percent!
Often even in a karate tournament, an athlete may fight a maximum of four rounds to get to a final. So even if they come second, they are performing at this growth aspiration.
If they compete at seven events a year another aspiration could be to win five of the tournaments in each event. If they win them all, then it could be argued they are not being pushed and the events are at too comfortable a level.
I appreciate this is a generalisation and everyone is different. However, the psychology of high performance is an area I am very interested in, and I believe essential for motivating karate students.
….. Especially those of a competitive nature!
Everyone has heard the saying ‘you can’t win them all’. But I feel that an appreciation of statistics and specifically percentages can help athletes measure their performance, development and maintain motivation.
The New Zealand All Blacks are a sports team I admire immensely. Not least for their sense of togetherness, team spirit and pursuit of legacy.
The All Blacks have the highest win percentage in International Test Rugby (77%). A quick Google search reveals the following information.
Since their international debut in 1903, the All Blacks have played test matches against 19 nations, of which 12 have never won a game against the team. New Zealand has a 77 per cent winning record in test match rugby and has secured more wins than losses against every test opponent.
Earlier this year we took a team of seven to Dundee for the WUKF Scottish Open. We had a great day with lots of success. However, I felt we needed to not rest on our laurels.
I visited my good friend Colin Parker Sensei who I have known for approaching twenty-five years and I sought his advice on the next event that could offer challenge for our team. He suggested the GB Open in Birmingham on September the 15th and once again I knew that I was about to increase my colleague Sams immediate workload.
Sam and I brainstormed team members based on commitment, potential and desire to compete. After we reached out via email, some members explained they could not make it due to other commitments are team of fifteen was selected.
Sam did a fantastic job of researching hotel and travel options and soon the plans were in place. Families and friends carpooled with some travelling up Saturday evening and others braving the full commute on the day of the event.
Despite my habit of fibbing about my age I’ll concede that now I am more mature I prefer to travel the day before the event. I nearly came a cropper of a raw starter at our travel-lodge (fine dining indeed) but fortunately my fears of being stuck in the bathroom all night were unnecessary. Next time I will think more about the risks of the evening meal 😊.
(If anyone needs to see an example of assertiveness, I recommend they observe Sam communicate with a kitchen that has delivered uncooked food).
My body-clock kicked in at 5am and I was up bright and early for the competition and thankfully the cooked breakfast was hot and fresh. We needed fuel for the day.
We arrived at the University of Birmingham at 8am anticipation fuelled by the pictures on social media of the ten-mat set up and large sports hall. After queuing for entry, the doors opened on time, and we were soon rendezvousing with our team in the arena as I attended the coaches briefing with my colleague Keith Williams who had also bought members from his dojo to compete.
First up event wise was Pairs Kata which we had decided to enter for the first time.
Whilst none of our teams medalled the objective of boosting team spirit and collaboration was clear to see. Tommy and Elliotts Empi kata showed excellent potential for the future, and this is a format we will explore further.
Individual Kata was a frustrating affair. Personally, I was happy with our performances. We need to consider how to compete in Open Style events where even young, coloured-belts perform high grade katas such as Annan and Seiuchin. This is a coaching issue (i.e it’s on me) our students looked sharp and focused on the mats.
Jake did manage to take a wrong turn in Bassai Dai and finish facing the wrong way. But it was funny, and he dealt with it brilliantly. (It’s what you do next that counts).
In our preparation for the tournament, we had acknowledged that I would need coaching support to cover the vast hall and multiple mats. Wayne and Mike Sensei both offered their valuable experience and support for the day. I was thrilled to have them working with us, not least because they genuinely care and are invested in the performance and wellbeing of all our team. (Wayne may look grumpy but he is a big softy really!)
First up in Kumite was Jake who has been frustrated in recent outings. He is tall in stature for a twelve-year-old and his experience and confidence are growing to match. The Sanbon event suits him, even if he must wear XL Shin guards due to his secret weapon size eleven feet.
Jake was moving exceptionally well and soon began scoring big kicks and fast punch combinations. He also showed improved emotional maturity and was composed. He progressed through his rounds with style, and it took an exceptional young man to halt him in the final. It was a close affair, but I was proud of Jakes second place. A repeat of his first WUKF outing result back in 2023.
With ten mats running, Sam was proving her worth once again directing our team to appropriate areas. This event has it’s own App and it was proving to be a slick event with updates pinging to Sams phone and our team being informed accordingly.
Unfortunately, Bremner was feeling unwell, and I was sad that he had to abort the day and head home with his family. Bremner is an exceptional human and such a fun member of our team. When he isn’t there, we feel a big hole. Get well soon Brem who else will keep Mrs Fry on her toes in sparring.
Soon the events were running on all areas and myself and the coaching team were working hard to support as many of the team as possible.
Eliza is toughness personified. Her petite height masks her intense spirit. If you need reassurance of that take a moment to watch her perform press-ups on her knuckles. Eliza had a frustrating run-out in kumite and took a kick straight to the eye. The first I knew she was injured was when she appeared next to me sporting an incredible eye patch. Just close your eyes and imagine the character from Ice age (Buck). As always Eliza showed great resilience and wore her frustration with a smile.
Whilst overall we had a frustrating day from a kata perspective young Jessie demonstrated a step up in sharpness and Tommy delivered a smooth and promising Ninjushi-Ho.
Tommy then took this smoothness and composure into his kumite events. In the last twelve months Big T has showed excellent consistency. He secured third places in both the Sanbon and Shobbu-Ippon kumite. Now he is taller than me it easy to forget he is only thirteen years old.
Ice Man Elliott had a frustrating day by his standards, but the joy of having such a close-knit team is that when one member is stifled others will step up and shine.
First to do so was Beau whose cheeky grin masks his intense desire to win. No one is harder on themselves or more self-critical than this young man. After securing a bronze in his kata event he calmly took to the mats for Sanbon kumite under the watchful eye of Sensei Wayne.
After winning his first two rounds six points to nil it was clear to see that Beau was repeating his form from the Scottish open in June. Once again it took a skilled opponent to better Beau in the final who wasn’t helped by an injury to his big Toe. Who needs toenails anyway? And I am sure this young man is grateful of his new nickname.
He now will be forever more ‘Nine Toe Beau’.
Anna was moving well as normal but the quality on display in the Young-Ladies kumite was exceptional. After taking a heavy mawashi to the jaw Anna’s day was over, but I have no doubt she will return stronger and better than ever at our next outing.
Hugh Farrell has an explosive spring in his movement that you simply cannot teach. It affords him the ability to reach opponents from incredible and unplausible distance. He will benefit from mat-time experience, but I was happy with how he managed his matches regardless of the results. It’s all about working and understanding the process. Hugh has come a long way since he competed at the HDKI tournament last year.
Brooke (aka the Curly Assassin) was as ever tidy in kata and showed excellent fluency in kumite. However she fell victim to talented kickers whose Ura Masashi’s proved a tad faster than hers on the day.
A September competition can be tricky as it is inevitable that many team members have not been able to train as much as normal through July and August. Initially after a frustrating outing in Shobbu our team gathered around area one to watch Big Sam in his Sanbon event.
Being tall in stature Sam was with the ‘heavyweight’ cadets. But anyone who knows Sam will appreciate that for him that is a blessing. Despite his size and athleticism Sam is kind and can often suppress his performances when paired with smaller opponents.
With a mat full of ‘big guys’ Sam was in his element. Supported and coached by Mike, Sam soon found his groove with combinations of sweeps throws and ippon kicks.
Cometh the hour…. Cometh the Big Sam.
I was coaching Pandora on another area who had a frustrating day by her standards. But the applause from area one was soon capturing a great number of people’s attention.
Sam continued to put in an excellent shift and found himself in the final against a tall and talented fighter. His opponent went up by two points with two excellently timed head punches. But with 19 seconds on the clock Sam delivered an exceptional Jodan Mawashi. Whilst tied on points Sam was the victor as on count-back an ippon outweighs two wazaris.
Our team were buzzing!
Cookie the keeper was our final team member to fight. Whilst slight in build he is sharp and whippy like a cane of bamboo. He fought a talented fighter in the final of his Sanbon event but was victorious with four lightening quick gyaku-tsukis to his opponents three.
Jacob is a great team player with a wide compelling smile and big heart to match. Everyone was thrilled for him.
Last mention goes to Ionut our resident Romanian warrior. Despite not medalling in Kata, he stayed and supported our team all day. Ionut you are a rock, and I thought your Sochin was on point.
So, as the clock ticked by we waited with anticipation for the rotational Kumite. Our team of Elliot, Tommy and Big Sam put in a solid performance but were a little tired and jaded. The other team won, and we took a moment to take a breath, reflect on the day and grab a few photos.
Overall, it was a valuable benchmarking experience. I need to develop our kata strategy, the lads did well in kumite, but our ladies were frustrated.
On the drive home my brain was spinning and by the time we stopped at the services for a KFC I had the beginnings of a plan.
See you in the dojo … let’s work our percentages!
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