Going through the ranks, I never felt that I was competitive or particularly looked forward to tournaments for the medals. Initially I tolerated them as a way to socialize with others from around the region, but beyond that I did not have any aspirations of winning 1st place or becoming a grand champion. In fact, I saw no reason for me to improve my “competition form” in order to increase my odds of getting higher scores. “I was walking my journey”, I thought, “Why should I care about how others score my form?”. And don’t get me started on sparring…
Anyways, it wasn’t until I started teaching on a regular basis that I began to understand why competition was an important part of training. Some students were driven by their desire to win trophies and medals, which pushed them to improve their forms and sparring techniques. As an instructor this gave me a chance to give them advice on not only the proper sequence or technique of the form, but also how they can work on their stances and execution in order to score higher. This would, more often than not, result in better focus and engagement during class.
There are other students, however, who see competition as an imposing obstacle on their martial arts journey and strive to avoid or minimize their exposure to it as much as possible. Getting them to register for tournaments is like pulling teeth, and as soon as their division is completed you can sense their relief. But that in and of itself is an important lesson: they have learned to face what they most dread. This lesson will prove fruitful in their non-martial arts life as they will encounter situations which make them uncomfortable, and they have the tools to overcome them.
Competition is important for instructors too, for they set an example for their students to follow. After all, if the instructor won’t compete because of “reasons”, then why would they? Obviously there are those with injuries or disabilities which prevent or restrict students and instructors alike from competition, but as much as one is able, they should compete to set expectations and provide inspiration. Instructors can also observe how their students perform outside of the controlled environment of the dojang; different floors, different lighting and a different audience can expose weaknesses or areas of improvement in your students’ form.
So next time there is a tournament or competition coming up and either you or one of your students is feeling anxious, remember: it’s not about how high a score you get or how many medals you receive, but about growing and overcoming your fears, and being the best example you can be for your peers and students.
