I hope experienced athletes won’t feel offended with the advice I’m giving as they know exactly what I mean.

Quick start is a necessary condition for winning. If competitors are evenly matched, delayed start means losing the fight. In the case of multiple round events (such as Vendetta) the ability to start and finish a match quickly is very useful as muscles don’t get so tired.

How to learn to start quickly?

First of all, it’s worth noting that having quick reflexes is genetically modified to a great extent. There are athletes who simply have quick reflexes, and thus start a match fast. However, many of them claim that they haven’t practised this skill  On the other hand, there are also those who attempt to develop this skill, but with poor results.

You need to know how to train to develop this skill.

We already looked at that topic some time ago in an article illustrated with Jan Żółciński and Vadim Stetsiuk’s photos. I recommend you reading this article.

The thing is that during trainings, (sparrings) someone (an assistant) has to give commands exactly as a referee does at competitions.

Second of all, one has to perform particular exercises upon hearing a referee’s command, or a clap of hand.

Champions know exactly what I’m talking about.

Another problem arises during competitions where live music is played. It’s the case at some professional events and it’s likely to happen more often in future. Let’s take a look at that issue. A band and an acoustician set their loudspeakers so that the audience could hear the music. They just tune to the announcer and that’s it!

What’s audible on the stage does not matter to them. Two guitars, drums, keyboards and a singer. Plus an announcer with his microphone next to them.

One table, lights on, powerful sounds and… Fully focused competitors with a referee standing next to them. Referees take turns, but they happen to get tired and their voice can break.

What should you do in such a situation to hear “Ready. Go!”?

At the competition in Lviv, one of experienced athletes told me how he dealt with such situations.  He simply looked at the referee’s lips. As simple as that?

Champions know it very well.

This piece of advice is for those who haven’t taken part in competitions with live music yet.

On Photo: Vitaliy Vavryniv – fameus announcer Lion Cup. And the band „De Sence”

PeSzy