First off - it has been a while since I last wrote, which makes sense because of the break in the season after Nationals. I didn't do too bad in Div III Men's Epee, 125 out of 211 is reasonably respectable for my first time. My pool bouts were more difficult than I had anticipated, but the 80% advance rule most likely contributed to that. The upside is that my pools weren't deceptively easy like they can be at locals and the NACs. I won a couple DEs, and lost to a left hander who had a good day.
However, ever since then I have been on a bit of a plateau while I see my clubmates continue to improve. This plateau means losing in the round of 16 in highly rated tournaments, and in the round of 8 in Div3s. My technique and strategy seems to work - I just miss a lot more. Now, I am not disparging my opponents - I can tell when they have successfully fooled me. But when I do an action, and you give me a response I anticipate, and then I respone with my real attack and I glaze your uniform - then I tend to beat myself up a little bit. Especially when those glazes are costing me DEs and more importantly, my next rating.
Being totally clueless feels comfortable. Expecting only to win one pool bout makes for good cheer. Expecting to win it all, and the field supports that expectation, only to fail - is miserable.
I am not sure how to get out of the rut... so far I am just trying to practice and work out a lot more. It's just as well, I need to lose weight anyway.
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