SportMartialArts.com asked top competitors for competition tips to help with warm-up, staying focused and having fun at tournaments. Here are their answers – compete and unedited:
Cory Lutkus, Team Amerikick
Cory Lutkus, Team Amerikick, Fairfield, CT
(competes primarily in weapons on the NASKA circuit)
“If you’re doing forms, make sure your form is something you enjoy doing. If you have a form that you dread doing it will be hard to focus and do it well. So if you have a form you don’t enjoy doing then add something in it that spices it up or use music you enjoy. When it comes to sparring I always made sure that when I was warming up I listen to music that has a good beat to get you relaxed. Before a competition I always take a really hot shower to help loosen up my muscles so it will make warming up easier and less strain on my body.”
Watch for more updates online and in our upcoming March SportMartialArts.com Offline Quarterly newsletter which will be available at the Amerikick Internationals tournament, March 25-26, 2011.