There comes a point in your martial arts journey when the call for competition becomes strong enough for you to consider taking your training to the next level. You feel yourself growing more and more confident in your skills. Every time you’re in the gym, you exude a certain aura, the kind found only in those born to fight.
You remember the days when you were just first starting out, learning the ropes, and trying to grasp the journey you have found yourself on. Little by little, and day by day, your execution becomes tighter, and your techniques more sound. After hours upon hours honing your craft, you grow compelled to explore your capabilities as a martial artist.
Perhaps it’s time to take the next step towards satisfying your hunger for self-discovery, and there is only one way to achieve this and that is through competition.
For those who have never experienced competition before, it is an undeniably scary thought to begin with. You can only grasp so much in sparring. In competition, it’s the real thing, so it’s understandable that you may have your hesitations. This is perfectly normal.
If you can face your fears and take the plunge into competition, however, the effects and benefits are enormous. Today, Evolve Daily shares five reasons why you should finally try out for the Evolve Competition Team at the next tryouts on 7-8 July 2018.
1) Reach the next level of your martial arts journey
Competition is the next stage of your journey as a martial artist. Perhaps you have reached a point in your training where you are completely comfortable with the level of your skills. Maybe you have wondered how your skills stack up against people of the same level. Well, competition answers that question and much more.
Competition is the true test of mental and physical strength. All the countless hours you have spent polishing your skills comes down to a battle between you and your opponent. It is a mix of physical and emotional capacity. The action and excitement you crave can only be found in the unique environment of competition.
You have come a long way to reach this point. In order to realize your destiny as a true martial artist, it is imperative that you test your skills in competition.
2) Test your skills and grow as a martial artist
Although you are competing against another person, the truth of the matter is that you’re really competing against yourself. Competition tests your true skills and growth as a martial artist. Furthermore, it brings out the best of your abilities and puts you in situations where you can apply all that you’ve learned.
They say diamonds are only found in the rough. This metaphor is representative of your time in competition. Competition is an extremely challenging affair, but all the hard work you have put in throughout training will finally be utilized. Competition is the natural progression of your training and a way for you to realize how far you’ve come.
Although competition takes place between two competitors, it is the ultimate window into an individual’s soul and psyche.
3) Bolster your self-confidence, win or lose
In martial arts, practitioners are taught to embrace failure, because it is only in failure where we learn of our faults and how to improve upon them. Participating in competition will undoubtedly bolster your self-confidence, no matter the outcome. An integral part of being a martial artist is understanding that we should learn to embrace failure.
Then again, the euphoria of winning a bout is undeniable. Triumph feels so incredibly good. All the hard work and preparation comes down to mere minutes, where you stand face-to-face with your adversary and put your skills to the test.
Whether in victory or in defeat, your self-confidence will skyrocket and you’ll be a much better martial artist because of it. The most important thing is not the result, but what you learn from one of the greatest experiences you can have in this sport.
4) Overcome your fear of fighting
The Evolve Competition Team tryouts at Evolve MMA (Far East Square) in Singapore.
Fear is often what holds us back from achieving great things. Even if you have thought about joining the Evolve Competition Team but don’t really know what to expect or how you’ll fare, there will always be that tinge of fear lingering in the back of your mind. Thankfully, we can actively choose to face this fear head-on.
You’ve gone through this many times in sparring. You’ve worked on both your offense and your defense. But to truly understand what you are capable of on both ends, you have to compete. There is no getting around that.
Joining the team is the first step to overcoming your fear of fighting. It also does well in reminding us that martial arts is a self-defense skill that allows us to protect not only ourselves but also the people around us.
5) Stand up for what you believe in
Lastly, joining the Evolve Competition Team encourages you to stand up for what you believe in. In competition, your team will be going up against teams from other establishments. If you believe in your team and you believe in your skills, the next task will be to defend that honor.
Perhaps even beyond the four walls of the gym, we are encouraged to stand up for our beliefs. This includes our martial arts methodology and the prestige of our team.
Being a fighter means so much more than just fighting. It is a promotion of a particular way of life. You know how good you are, you know your skills, and now the only thing left is to put yourself to the test. As martial artists, and as athletes, competition is the ultimate release.
So what are you waiting for? If you feel the itch to compete, sign up for the Evolve Competition Team tryouts on 7-8 July and see if you have what it takes to be a competitor! Sign up at the front desk of any Evolve location today!
