The Value of Outside Competitions

Style versus Style
There are many different types of Martial Arts Tournaments.  Some are style specific and some are open to all styles of Martial Arts. 

As a group, we travel to Open Martial Arts tournaments where all variety of styles participate with each other.  Competition takes place under a specific set of rules and guidelines.  Additionally, there are usually several different aspects to tournament competition that students can compete in.

Variety of ways to Compete
Usually open tournaments host competitions in point sparring, forms demonstration, and weapon forms demonstration.  Often they will include other competitions for things like stick fighting, self defense demonstrations and continuous sparring.

Our instructors can prepare students for many different aspects of tournament competition.  Those students wishing to participate in specific aspects of tournament competition should speak with their instructor about preparing in private lessons.

Performance under Pressure
For us, tournaments represent an opportunity for our students to journey out together and practice their skills in a new environment.

The pressure of formalized competition and crowds of people watching, help to create a uniquely stressful situation that we find to be a valuable learning aid for students.

While our students tend to do well at tournaments, we do not focus on winning and losing.  We instead focus on achieving specific goals and the maintenance of state through the stress. 

Valuable Experiences
Our students gain very valuable lessons at each tournament experience.  The practice of conducting ourselves well and the camaraderie we gain together make tournaments well worth while.