COMPETITION PREP · 試合準備

Sixteen weeks of deliberate build.

Most athletes train hard. Few train periodised. The six-phase preparation arc below is the model used at the highest competitive levels — foundation, strength, sharpening, taper, peak, recovery. Skip phases at your peril. The athlete who walks into the venue physically peaked and mentally calm beats the athlete who is fitter but exhausted, every time.

6 PHASES · 5 CHECKLIST CATEGORIES · 6 MENTAL TECHNIQUES · 9-MEAL FUEL DAY · 6 WITHDRAWAL RED FLAGS

SIX-PHASE PERIODISATION

Each phase has a job.

WEEKS −16 to −12

Phase 1 · Foundation

FOCUS

Volume + base conditioning

LOAD

High volume / low intensity

Heavy kihon, foundational kata polishing, low-intensity continuous kumite. Conditioning runs 30–45 minutes 3× weekly. Two technical sessions per week.

PACKING CHECKLIST

Five categories, nothing forgotten.

GEAR

□Two competition-approved gi (in case one tears)
□Belt (broken in, not new)
□Mouthguard (custom-fit ideally)
□Hand mitts (red + blue pair)
□Shin/instep guards (red + blue)
□Chest protector (women + juniors)
□Groin guard
□Toe protectors if used
□Headgear if cadet/junior

DOCUMENTS

□Karate ID printed
□Federation membership card current
□Passport (international events)
□Visa if required
□Medical clearance if applicable
□Insurance certificate
□Parental consent (juniors)
□Travel insurance

NUTRITION

□Two bananas per bout day
□500 ml electrolyte mix
□Plain rice cakes / energy bars
□Plain water 1.5 L
□No caffeine surprises — same coffee as training days
□No new foods on competition trip

RECOVERY

□Foam roller (travel size)
□Massage ball
□Compression socks for flights
□Sleep mask + earplugs
□Magnesium supplement (if used)
□Trigger-point cream

MENTAL

□Visualisation playlist (audio)
□Notebook for between-bout reflection
□List of personal cues for kumite + kata
□Photo of sensei + dojo (for grounding)
□Family contact info on paper, not just phone

MENTAL PROTOCOLS

Six techniques the elite use.

Pre-bout visualisation

Night before · 10 minutes

In bed, eyes closed. Play through the opening 30 seconds of a hypothetical bout. See yourself executing kizami-zuki and gyaku-zuki cleanly. Visualise the bow afterwards.

Anchor breath protocol

30 minutes before each bout

Square breathing 4-4-4-4 for 5 minutes. This anchors the autonomic system. Cortisol drops. Reaction sharpens.

Personal cue word

In the 5 seconds before stepping on the mat

A single word you have trained the dojo to associate with your best technical state. "Long" (for distance), "Fast" (for tempo), "Quiet" (for composure). Yours alone.

Between-bout reset

Immediately after each bout

Sit, drink water, write one sentence: what worked, what did not. 90 seconds. Then put it down and breathe until the next call.

Loss-handling protocol

If you lose any bout

Bow correctly. Walk to your sensei. Receive the technical feedback first; the emotional acknowledgement second. Do not check the bracket. Do not look at the opponent's next match. Recover for the next event.

Post-event debrief

24–48 hours after event close

Sit with sensei. Three questions: What did I do that worked? What did I do that did not? What will I train differently in the next cycle? Document in your training log.

FUEL DAY