Loop Structure

A well-run training program operates as a feedback loop of learning. The general structure of the loop looks like this:

1. Train

2. Compete

3. Review

4. Repeat

The following sections of this manual will explore each of these steps in detail, but here are some baseline ideas built into each:

Train

When you train, do it in a way that maximizes learning per period of time. This means focusing on skill development above all else. Experimentation and exploration is important here. Sometimes it's fine to lose in the name of discovering weaknesses or growing your game beyond your current boundaries. Winning and losing doesn't have that much meaning here, for you or your training partners.

Compete

Test your game against someone who doesn't know you, doesn't care about you, and has a very clear goal: victory. In the training room we take care of each other and don't keep track of wins or losses, but that's not the case in a competition. You bring your A game, the one you've built out of work in the training room, and see how it does against a stranger's A game. Win and loss conditions are clear.

Review

No matter what happens, make sure you have video footage of your matches and, most importantly, review the footage with a critical eye—preferably with your coach. Too many people either don't record their matches, or if they do, they only care about footage they can post for positive attention on social media.

Repeat

Take what you've learned through this process and feed it back into your training. You now have data you can use to tailor your training to your specific strengths and weaknesses, so use it! No matter what happened in the last competition, you have a goldmine of training material you can use to improve for the future.

Competition-Free Loops

You can still make many of the same gains if you remove the "competition" element in the loop. There won't be as much pressure testing, but by simply training with a camera and reviewing your footage, you can make substantial leaps in skill. As I've said before, you don't need to compete to get better.