Fighting games PSYCHOLOGY Guide

This is UNIVERSAL psychology guide and can be useful for ALL Fighting games and competitive disciplines.
This topic was created by myself in 2007 on our russian fighting forum (after graduating from medical college and medical psychology). It can be helpful for those who have problems in public or important events. This is almost a copy-past from my old file (only links i selected in english).
https://www.fighting.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=2639&hilit=парадоксальное



Part 1: Syndrome of a paradoxical state ("WTF" effect) - THEORY:

Almost all of us go to tournaments or participate in online tournaments. Almost all of us are worried at the tournament (especially during the battle), who are more, who are less (heart palpitations, sweat, someone’s hands and ... legs may tremble). Many people know that such excitement affects their results badly. But few know why (what is the mechanism), and how to deal with it.
Let's try to figure it out. In psychology, there is the term "paradoxical state":
Imagine the situation. Before you is a medium-thick log. You need to go through it. You walk calmly. Again and again - with complete confidence.
The log is raised to a height of one and a half meters. You pass ... However ... less confidence: one or two swayed ...
And here is the log at a great (!) Height. You do not go. Scary to say. But isn’t this the same log that you walk along the floor with such ease? After all, it is gone. You can go freely, you know that! But knowing a little ... You no longer believe that you will pass. Do not believe, because you are afraid. And be afraid, because you do not believe. And if you go with such fear, you really fall ...


How to explain this? Consider the chain reaction:
1) In the 1st situation, subconsciously sweeps: "The log is thick enough to go through .. Low ... It’s not dangerous to fall .. (This is not a tournament. Nobody is watching. The price of loss (error) is low. There will be no condemnation.) ... All the same, you will fall or not ... THE PROBABILITY OF A FALL MAY NOT BE TAKEN INTO THE CALCULATION AND go calmly.
In the 2nd situation, subconsciously: "A log, everything is also a log ... But high! (Tournament! Everyone (friends and enemies) watch, evaluate and comment on each movement. Error price - departure from the tournament and censure, drop in rating-image.) Fall it’s dangerous from such a height. It’s not all the same whether you fall or not ... You cannot fall (lose)! Anything, just don’t fall ... So, THIS PROBABILITY MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. "
2) And here the ideomotor reaction begins (in psychophysiology):
The body is reinsured - muscles are tightened and paralyzed, sweat is released, breathing quickens - just in case, as if you had already begun to fall (this is an involuntary reinsurance), thoughts get confused.
3) And all this directly affects the consciousness - you are trying to consciously cope with these symptoms (which interfere with the battle), as a result, most of your brain (conscious and subconscious) is occupied with this; About 20 percent of attention and reserves remain for the battle. Thus, in advance you give a big head start to a calm (nothing to lose, no one will blame) newcomer ..... HERE AND DAMAGE OF THE “FATHER” FROM Rookie Tournaments! In a calm environment, a beginner would hardly have won at least one battle.


This is especially CRITICAL in fighting games, where there are more conscious actions (strategy and tactics of battle, the need for (psychological) adaptation to the opponent’s playing style, mindgame) rather than in reflex actions (after a juggle, drive a 10-beat combination, which is already at the level of a conditioned reflex, by which excitement affects less, although it affects anyway).
Those. it’s that “you cannot fall” increases the probability of a fall. Subjective, and as a result, objective! So it turns out the PARADOX state ... and (no less paradoxical) result.

Therefore, it is very important when you participate in tournaments (and other "responsible" matches) to prevent (stop) the "paradoxical state", and then nothing will interfere with your victory.




Part 2: Stopping excitement (Paradoxical state) and increasing the level of CONCENTRATION in the tournament - PRACTICE:

Performance at the tournament depends on 2 components (the value of which, in most cases, is almost the same-50: 50):
-Technical preparation - (development of teams, combos, series, knowledge of the frame date, combat experience).
-Psychological training - (Concentration of attention) - it depends on how fully you implement your technical training during the battle (how concentration of attention affects the performance - see Part 1)
It is about the psychological. preparation and there will be a speech. (Note: it is possible that for someone some of the writing is already known (obvious) things, but for the integrity of the picture they will have to be voiced).





1.A few days before the tournament:

1.1.Do not get sick, it is important to maintain the good physical well-being, because "a healthy mind in a healthy body" (in a physically ill person, the brain does not work well).

1.2. To develop a “relation” to such tournaments (i.e., to shut off Paradoxical state in advance):
1.2.1. Do not think about the "possible consequences of the defeat" - The more the moment (matter) means to you, the easier it is for Paradoxical state will arise.
1.2.2.AT (autogenous training) - inculcate thoughts like "life does not end there, this is just a game" - (i.e., reduce the significance (domination) of this event in the mind).

1.3. It is more often to train with DIFFERENT people (with varying degrees of training, including with “noobs”) - in order to gain confidence in one's abilities and abilities.

2. The day before the tournament:

2.1. The main thing is not to overtraining (max-4 hours).

2.2. It is imperative BEFORE SLEEP to go through (repeat) all command lists, combos, series and go to bed (preferably until 24:00) - during sleep, the subconscious mind will “process” (“digest”) and correctly organize these reflexes.

3. On the day of the tournament, in the morning (sleep, if desired. 9 hours):

3.1 Increase the psychophysical tone:
3.1.1 (Preferred) physical charging, jogging.
3.1.2. Light breakfast - max. 1 cup of coffee, with chocolate, you can bananas (Dense food will lull the brain).

3.2 TRAINING A LITTLE (max-1 hour) —better one (repeat the command list, combos, series, “blanks”) in Training- (all these reflexes will “go” to RAM).

3.3. Stop Paradoxical sate - see above.

4. At the tournament:

4.1. Solve Paradoxical state - see above, and also add:
4.1.1. Present (suggest) that "you are at home in the company of friends."
4.1.2. If nothing, then "Wedge by wedge" - think about another event much more important and responsible (eg, "tomorrow exam").

4.2.Physically relax (Yoga say: “Release your muscles - STRENGTH AT REST!”) - stretch, push yourself several times, i.e. remove the clamps in the muscles and therefore in the mind.

4.3 Soothing (relaxing) breathing exercises (Yoga):
4.3.1.Rhythmic breathing:
http://www.yoga-for-beginners-a-practical-guide.com/rhythmic-breathing.html

4.3.2. Then - "Murcha" pranayama:
https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/8753/murcha-pranayama
4.4. Immediately before (in anticipation of) the battle, for concentration:
4.4.1. "Sukh-Purvak" pranayama:
https://machadoanil.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/pranayama/

4.4.2. And as an "emergency" measure to relieve stress and concentration-Mudras - (Yoga of the fingers) - special gestures (the positions of the fingers that affect our consciousness at a reflex ideomotor psychosomatic level) - hold them for a couple of minutes, "listening" to the sensations, arising in the body and mind:
- mudra of the "Earth":
https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/6853/prithvi-mudra

- mudra "Temple of the Dragon":
http://cifrology-astrology.blogspot.com/2016/09/mudra-yoga-for-fingers-temple-of-dragon.html?m=0
- more Mudras (use Google translate):
http://shemeacov.narod****/mudra/mudra.htm#13





IMPORTANT: All of the above can also be successfully applied in ANY important and important situations (whether it is an exam, an important meeting or negotiations, it is successfully applied in professional sports, as well as in martial arts, especially breathing and wise).