What to do to get Ready for a Tournament

The week before a tournament can be rough, no dangerous activities, no junk food, drink gallons of water, and in bed by nine. But by doing those things you are guaranteed to bring your A game. Here is a list of the things Park City Karate has to do in order to perform our very best in a tournament. 


1. Get lots of rest: start going to bed early the week before not just the night before the tournament, you want to get in the habit because if you say up till midnight the whole week then all the sudden you want to go to bed at eight you'll have a hard time

2. Load up on carbs: I suggest pasta for dinner the night before, the carbs will help you to not be so hungry and have extra energy. Carbs provide minerals and vitamins that only your brain utilizes keeping you sharp and aware

3. Eat a good breakfast: you can be at a tournament for up to 12 hours it's super important to have a good breakfast that will help you last as long as possible. I usually eat eggs and toast, or a bagel and yogurt, also I make sure to grab a piece of fruit on the way out

3. Stay hydrated: drink a lot of water it will help your body a ton, try to drink at least 3-4 water bottles throughout the day and you will be prime

4. Bring good snacks: my go to tournament snacks are granola bars, Gatorade chews, apples/oranges, goldfish, pretzels, nuts, and of course some snickers bars. You never want to let yourself get hungry so it's a good idea to keep snacking and drinking water the whole day 

5. Wear comfortable clothes: while you're waiting for your division to start you will mostly be sitting around and cheering for your team. I usually wear athletic sweats, t-shirt, and comfy running shoes. 

6. Be organized: Before a tournament make sure you have all of your gear, mitts, mouthguard, Gi, belts, snacks, everything. It's the worst feeling in the world to show up to a tournament and be told you can't compete because you're missing something (trust me I know) so double and triple check your bag 


6. Be on time: prepare yourself, being late to a tournament can cause stress and make it harder for you to focus on competing

7. Make yourself comfortable: I never go to a tournament with my headphones I would die without them, some people bring pillows, blankets, they draw, play video games, whatever relaxes you do it no one will be judging 

Follow these steps so you can kick butt like this guy.