Fighting Fear

Imagine this, you're gearing up for your first amateur fight, one week out, your coach lets you know who your opponent is going to be. Suddenly, you get this weird queasy feeling in your stomach, it feels so foreign yet so familiar at the same time. You've felt this before, your palms are sweaty, that's right! You fell this feeling before when you were trying to lie to your mum about your grades in Primary school, you felt like this during right before your 10th attempt at the driving test. Yes! You know what you're feeling, you're feeling scared...

Fast forward to 10 minutes, before the fight, you're in the locker, trying to warm up with your coach, hitting those pads with combinations that you've drilled for the past few months. But, no matter how hard you try to warm up, nothing feels right, your body feels cold, you feel as if you can't pull the trigger. Everything is going wrong for you. Your mind is telling you to back out from the fight.

With all that being said. Such tricks that your mind is playing on you and that kind of fear is anything but irrational. Believe it or not. It is normal. With that being said. We dwell into this topic on the psychological aspects of the fight game.

Our favorite example to use regarding this topic, is UFC top 10 Lightweight, Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone, Currently on a 7 fight win streak and a mean IDGAF demeanor. One would think nerves wouldn't be an issue for him. But guess what, in the video below. Even a Professional fighter on a hot winning streak will have nerves. The video depicts a vivid mental process and struggle within the individual.

" Warming up you arms are heavy legs are heavy, you're warming up, nothing's going right. This doesn't happen in training, what's going on!? I'm scared.." - Cerrone


In this next video, UFC fighters discuss the rationale of their fears before a fight.



There's a fear in everything except getting punched in the face. Hence this brings us to the final point. It's normal to be nervous, it's just a way humans are. But you have to remember one thing. This feeling is created within your own mind. If you have created this feeling, that means you can stop it yourself.

THE SOLUTION TO MINIMIZING THE IMPACT OF FEAR

In every aspect of competition, being combat sports, or traditional sports like soccer,basketball, or even preparing for a singing competition. Fear sets in not because we are afraid to get hurt ( you dont get punched in a singing competition). What we fear most is failing, letting people down, letting your friends and family who believed in you down. When we quantify fear. We realized the very essence and source of it. FEAR OF FAILURE...

when we are able to rationalize our fear. here comes the part of being able to administer the treatment

1. EMBRACE YOUR FEAR
The more you try to push that feeling away, the harder it hits you, accept the fact that you're going to be nervous and that it is normal and part of the process. You'll realise by embracing that uncomfortable feeling and simply not fighting it, Your mind would be in a calmer state.

2. PREPARE AND PUT IN YOUR 100% DURING PRACTICE
Most people start to get nervous when the actual day comes as they feel inadequately prepared. By gaining confidence and having hard sessions in practice. You psych yourself up by believing that there's nothing harder than your training program. When the real day comes, even when the going gets tough, you're more than ready to get the tough in you going.

3.BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
Most people fear too much on what their opponent can do that they totally forget what they themselves can bring onto the table. Remember, your opponent is human too, unless you're fighting a grizzly bear, theres no point in fearing for your life. Afterall,  he fears you too. So tell yourself that and be prepared to bring a can of Whoopa** when the time comes.


With all that being said. the human mind is a complex entity. And if you're going to take up competitive martial arts. Fear is going to be a part of the game, there's no escaping from it. Embrace and accept the process.