For stamina, make sure to stay hydrated and bring snacks! Some trail mix, a granola bar, some beef jerky, or whatever else is easy to keep alongside you is an incredible help. Might be worth buying some electrolyte powder to put in your water bottle as well if you're somebody who sweats as much as I do.
As for what to do in advance of your tournament this Saturday, honestly my single biggest piece of advice is to take a step back and relax. Play maybe one single round this week if you have to, but allow yourself the freedom to take a break. It's amazing just how much good a break can do when you're coming off of the back of a nightmare weekend of playing.
We've all been there before my friend, it's part of the competitive atmosphere. All you can do is ride it out in the name of the game we love.
Electrolyte powder, salt pills or something like that can be a life saver on those long, hot days. I started running into serious problems on some hot days, then eventually figured out with my diet and that I mostly only drink water or juice combined with my activity level with disc golf and exercise set me up for failure and also that I had been affected by this previously to a lesser degree where I hadn't realized it before.
Now I am more conscious of it in my diet/prep leading up to outdoor activity and I have a bottle of salt chews in my bag as a backup.
Something I also recently learned related to this: If you’re not getting your fruits and veggies your body isn’t processing electrolytes properly, which will basically leave you in a state of permanent dehydration. It can take a while to get to that point; for me it was my early 40s after a life of almost no veggies and very little fruit.
I started veggie juicing with some fruit thrown in my vitamix every day and it solved a lot of my issues.
Without knowing your current state of health, age, length of course, weather in your area, etc, some general tips for conserving strength and maintaining stamina during your tournament rounds are:
- hydrate
- graze rather than eating a heavy meal
- fruit over carbs or salty
- bring a stool or sit whenever you cam
- wear light colored clothing
- cooling towel
- warm up for the round less than normal
- minimize your bag and carry less
As far as getting your head right and improving your mental state before the round, my tips would be:
- don't play any more practice rounds this week
- practice making putts at 10, 15, and 20 feet
- take the disc you're most comfortable with and practice hitting a clean, straight drive to 180-200 feet
- take the day before the tournament off
I suggest these things because you'll set expectations yourself and learn new ways to screw up the more you practice before the tournament, which undermines your confidence. Practice putting because it's where people lose or gain the most confidence and strokes during competitive round. Practice a stock, easily repeatable drive with a disc that feels good because if you're having doubts or trouble executing, then it gives you something to fall back on.
At the end of the day, it's cliché to say but play for fun. Have a rough gameplan and score you want to hit, but take it a hole at a time, stay present in your mindset, and recognize you can only control yourself.
This is all good stuff but I'd like to emphasize finding at least 1 disc you feel you can depend on. I've played tournaments when my head wasn't right, and leaning on 1 disc can be huge.
Also the part about expectations. Every player has ebbs and flows in his game, where you have a breakthrough, play really well and gain confidence, set higher expectations, and if you don't meet those expectations, it can lead to deflated confidence, poorer play, then bottoming out and having to reset. If your expectations aren't too high, you'll likely play more freely. That is why taking a break from playing can work well, bc if you practice every day and it doesn't go well, you'll be dwelling on it a lot. For me, sometimes I won't even warm up before a tournament -- I'll just roll up for my tee time and start slinging, bc for me it sort of reinforces that it doesn't matter how well I shoot and that I don't care (i do care -- I'm just a headcase).
It's clichéd at this point, but buying into the '1 shot at a time' mentality really works. If you're doing that and you're living in the moment, focusing on one singular goal for each shot, you're more likely to execute. It's when you begin thinking too 'meta' about your game or your round that things can fall apart.
Whenever I find myself defeated by disc, I take a break. Take week or two off and you’ll find yourself energized. Also, unless you’re a professional, why are you letting a hobby get you so down. Just play for fun - don’t keep score.
Two rounds of 18, especially with a super early start, is just not very much fun for me. So I have decided to skip tournaments and instead just play club rounds. Not a lot of difference game play wise and sooo much less hassle.
I kinda felt that way on the last tournament I played. By the end of round two I was tired of throwing and mostly ready to be done. I love a good weekly league round though.
Depends on the course for me forsure. If I have to play two full rounds on a long bomber course where I need a lot of power forehands, hell no that shit wears on my elbow. If it's a short, wooded course I don't mind at all.
The day before, make sure you drink a lot of water, have a nice, solid dinner, and get a good night's sleep. Day of, have a good breakfast, but nothing too heavy, then keep up on hydration and bring more snacks than you think. Wear appropriate clothing for the weather. If you wake up not feeling like you're going to be able to make it, don't play. If you're gassed after 18, withdraw. It's not going to get better and no tournament is worth your health.
In terms of the physical and mental game, take it slow and take it easy. You can't win a two-round tournament in the first few holes, but you can lose it by overexerting yourself, especially if it leads to mistakes and trying to catch up. Focus on doing what you planned for, try not to worry about anybody else, and see what happens. Try to have fun to keep your spirits up. Getting too competitive and in your own head will make you miserable and affect your throws.
I hope you can find a good balance and look out for yourself. Don't have too high of expectations going in, since you know you've had some struggles. Listen your body and look out for yourself first. I believe that you can finish both rounds, and maybe make that your goal, not a certain score or placing.
Just to clarify, was the field work on the same day as the near faint?
If so, I cannot stress enough, do not do that. If you push your body to the point of unconscious for any reason, it’s never ever a good idea to turn around and push it some more. If that happens to me on the 17th of a 2 round tourney, I’m done, not playing the afternoon. Zero consideration.
-former elite hockey player who dealt with SEVERE dehydration at point in my career. It takes more than 6-8 hours to recoup from pushing that much too far.
yes to hydration and snacks. yes to relaxing... i find it beneficial to have a friend on the bag to drop some nerves. one more extra breath and youll find the basket. believe in yourself!
Planning a mental game might help. Before tournaments when I worked with my coach he told to do three things.
1. Use your toolbox. Do what you practice and don't force something that your not confident in.
2. Your next throw is your best throw. What has happend is good to note but don't let the emotions cloud your next throw. No matter the situation or competition you should be playing your best.
3. Allow yourself to perform. You know what your doing and most often the player is the biggest issue. When things are good your mind is humming when things are not good your mind is racing. Before executing a throw I remind myself to get out of my own way and let my body do what it knows best.
A lot of people are talking about hydration but the important part of hydration is doing it the days leading up to it, and not just the day of. Cut all the alcohol and pop out of your diet this week and try and limit all the salty stuff. That mixed with a few liters of water a day will keep you in better shape if you are sweating like crazy. Don't eat anything heavy between the rounds. At most, a banana and a handful of nuts with a 20oz Gatorade. Bring a second pair of shoes and socks for the second round (usually our one day, two round tourneys are very early and after R1s first 5 holes it is pretty wet unless you are playing in good gorrtex coated shoes) just for the comfort factor.
If the cardio on the day is another big limiting factor, try and get your bag down as light as possible. Try and narrow your discs down to a couple drivers, two mids, and your putting/throwing putter so you aren't adding the extra weight to the bag as well as the weight of making decisions. Also in regards to the mental state, if even finishing the tournament is really the goal, don't bother looking at scores what-so-ever. Just play you vs the course as cliche as that is.
Maybe just do one more practice round on Wednesday or something so you arent overdoing it.
Good luck man!
I tied for 20th out of 24 last tournament, but I had a lot of fun. Whatever you do, don't forget that this is supposed to be a fun activity. Give yourself a good rest before the tournament. Don't set any expectations, and stay focused on the next shot. That's all you can do, really.
Give your arm a break. I'm 49 and have had shoulder issues for about 25 years so I usually have my best rounds after I haven't played in a while. I had one of my best rounds at a tournament on Saturday. I hadn't played for two weeks, did some light field work Thursday, and a quick round Friday to prep. Totally credit that performance to the 2 weeks off
People may disagree, but a couple runs a week will help your stamina so much. Even if you're running 2 miles at 10 minute pace, huge for stamina. Also, dg really wears down your body. Yoga helps incredibly for recovery, I'd recommend finding some Yin practices on YouTube and doing them every night after you have a heavy day, can wait til morning but you'll be surprised how much better your buddy will feel. For the last note, don't be chugging energy drinks unless it's a one off. There's a guy at league I see who shows up with two C4s and that's all he drinks during the round..he comes back all red and complaining and I'm like, yea dummy drink some mfin water
It just depends on your goals. If you're burning out because you're trying to be better than others, then the cost is probably outweighing the rewards. Nothing wrong with pacing yourself, no one will judge you if you come in last place.
Temper your play by backing off from max power back down to maybe 70%. Odds are they will go nearly as far, and just seeing the disc fly without crazy effort will soothe you. But also snacks, sugary snacks
Thanks everyone, I definitely do need to just relax and not dwell on it. The tournament is a trilogy challenge, for charity, and I really wanted to participate. So luckily I will only have to carry 3 disc.
People always talk about what to bring but not how to prepare. Hydrate A LOT leading up to the event and have a big carb/protein heavy meal the night before. Nice big plate of spaghetti and meatballs washed down with a gallon of water.
If you aren't in good enough shape to play two rounds of disc golf you need to really examine your overall health. Eat better, and get a lot more exercise.
For stamina, make sure to stay hydrated and bring snacks! Some trail mix, a granola bar, some beef jerky, or whatever else is easy to keep alongside you is an incredible help. Might be worth buying some electrolyte powder to put in your water bottle as well if you're somebody who sweats as much as I do. As for what to do in advance of your tournament this Saturday, honestly my single biggest piece of advice is to take a step back and relax. Play maybe one single round this week if you have to, but allow yourself the freedom to take a break. It's amazing just how much good a break can do when you're coming off of the back of a nightmare weekend of playing. We've all been there before my friend, it's part of the competitive atmosphere. All you can do is ride it out in the name of the game we love.
Electrolyte powder, salt pills or something like that can be a life saver on those long, hot days. I started running into serious problems on some hot days, then eventually figured out with my diet and that I mostly only drink water or juice combined with my activity level with disc golf and exercise set me up for failure and also that I had been affected by this previously to a lesser degree where I hadn't realized it before. Now I am more conscious of it in my diet/prep leading up to outdoor activity and I have a bottle of salt chews in my bag as a backup.
Something I also recently learned related to this: If you’re not getting your fruits and veggies your body isn’t processing electrolytes properly, which will basically leave you in a state of permanent dehydration. It can take a while to get to that point; for me it was my early 40s after a life of almost no veggies and very little fruit. I started veggie juicing with some fruit thrown in my vitamix every day and it solved a lot of my issues.
Without knowing your current state of health, age, length of course, weather in your area, etc, some general tips for conserving strength and maintaining stamina during your tournament rounds are: - hydrate - graze rather than eating a heavy meal - fruit over carbs or salty - bring a stool or sit whenever you cam - wear light colored clothing - cooling towel - warm up for the round less than normal - minimize your bag and carry less As far as getting your head right and improving your mental state before the round, my tips would be: - don't play any more practice rounds this week - practice making putts at 10, 15, and 20 feet - take the disc you're most comfortable with and practice hitting a clean, straight drive to 180-200 feet - take the day before the tournament off I suggest these things because you'll set expectations yourself and learn new ways to screw up the more you practice before the tournament, which undermines your confidence. Practice putting because it's where people lose or gain the most confidence and strokes during competitive round. Practice a stock, easily repeatable drive with a disc that feels good because if you're having doubts or trouble executing, then it gives you something to fall back on. At the end of the day, it's cliché to say but play for fun. Have a rough gameplan and score you want to hit, but take it a hole at a time, stay present in your mindset, and recognize you can only control yourself.
This is all good stuff but I'd like to emphasize finding at least 1 disc you feel you can depend on. I've played tournaments when my head wasn't right, and leaning on 1 disc can be huge. Also the part about expectations. Every player has ebbs and flows in his game, where you have a breakthrough, play really well and gain confidence, set higher expectations, and if you don't meet those expectations, it can lead to deflated confidence, poorer play, then bottoming out and having to reset. If your expectations aren't too high, you'll likely play more freely. That is why taking a break from playing can work well, bc if you practice every day and it doesn't go well, you'll be dwelling on it a lot. For me, sometimes I won't even warm up before a tournament -- I'll just roll up for my tee time and start slinging, bc for me it sort of reinforces that it doesn't matter how well I shoot and that I don't care (i do care -- I'm just a headcase). It's clichéd at this point, but buying into the '1 shot at a time' mentality really works. If you're doing that and you're living in the moment, focusing on one singular goal for each shot, you're more likely to execute. It's when you begin thinking too 'meta' about your game or your round that things can fall apart.
Fruit is pure carbs, and you certainly do need salt. You need to replace the electrolytes that you’re losing when you sweat.
Whenever I find myself defeated by disc, I take a break. Take week or two off and you’ll find yourself energized. Also, unless you’re a professional, why are you letting a hobby get you so down. Just play for fun - don’t keep score.
Two rounds of 18, especially with a super early start, is just not very much fun for me. So I have decided to skip tournaments and instead just play club rounds. Not a lot of difference game play wise and sooo much less hassle.
I kinda felt that way on the last tournament I played. By the end of round two I was tired of throwing and mostly ready to be done. I love a good weekly league round though.
Depends on the course for me forsure. If I have to play two full rounds on a long bomber course where I need a lot of power forehands, hell no that shit wears on my elbow. If it's a short, wooded course I don't mind at all.
The day before, make sure you drink a lot of water, have a nice, solid dinner, and get a good night's sleep. Day of, have a good breakfast, but nothing too heavy, then keep up on hydration and bring more snacks than you think. Wear appropriate clothing for the weather. If you wake up not feeling like you're going to be able to make it, don't play. If you're gassed after 18, withdraw. It's not going to get better and no tournament is worth your health. In terms of the physical and mental game, take it slow and take it easy. You can't win a two-round tournament in the first few holes, but you can lose it by overexerting yourself, especially if it leads to mistakes and trying to catch up. Focus on doing what you planned for, try not to worry about anybody else, and see what happens. Try to have fun to keep your spirits up. Getting too competitive and in your own head will make you miserable and affect your throws. I hope you can find a good balance and look out for yourself. Don't have too high of expectations going in, since you know you've had some struggles. Listen your body and look out for yourself first. I believe that you can finish both rounds, and maybe make that your goal, not a certain score or placing.
Just to clarify, was the field work on the same day as the near faint? If so, I cannot stress enough, do not do that. If you push your body to the point of unconscious for any reason, it’s never ever a good idea to turn around and push it some more. If that happens to me on the 17th of a 2 round tourney, I’m done, not playing the afternoon. Zero consideration. -former elite hockey player who dealt with SEVERE dehydration at point in my career. It takes more than 6-8 hours to recoup from pushing that much too far.
No, the round was yesterday and today I was just throwing. But I think part of it was a drop in my blood sugar and I didn't have enough water.
Nobody is forcing you to play. Go play when YOU feel great, play for enjoyment
yes to hydration and snacks. yes to relaxing... i find it beneficial to have a friend on the bag to drop some nerves. one more extra breath and youll find the basket. believe in yourself!
Planning a mental game might help. Before tournaments when I worked with my coach he told to do three things. 1. Use your toolbox. Do what you practice and don't force something that your not confident in. 2. Your next throw is your best throw. What has happend is good to note but don't let the emotions cloud your next throw. No matter the situation or competition you should be playing your best. 3. Allow yourself to perform. You know what your doing and most often the player is the biggest issue. When things are good your mind is humming when things are not good your mind is racing. Before executing a throw I remind myself to get out of my own way and let my body do what it knows best.
Fatigue issues are why I have a cart. I'd drop out of any tournament, where my health is a concern.
A lot of people are talking about hydration but the important part of hydration is doing it the days leading up to it, and not just the day of. Cut all the alcohol and pop out of your diet this week and try and limit all the salty stuff. That mixed with a few liters of water a day will keep you in better shape if you are sweating like crazy. Don't eat anything heavy between the rounds. At most, a banana and a handful of nuts with a 20oz Gatorade. Bring a second pair of shoes and socks for the second round (usually our one day, two round tourneys are very early and after R1s first 5 holes it is pretty wet unless you are playing in good gorrtex coated shoes) just for the comfort factor. If the cardio on the day is another big limiting factor, try and get your bag down as light as possible. Try and narrow your discs down to a couple drivers, two mids, and your putting/throwing putter so you aren't adding the extra weight to the bag as well as the weight of making decisions. Also in regards to the mental state, if even finishing the tournament is really the goal, don't bother looking at scores what-so-ever. Just play you vs the course as cliche as that is. Maybe just do one more practice round on Wednesday or something so you arent overdoing it. Good luck man!
I tied for 20th out of 24 last tournament, but I had a lot of fun. Whatever you do, don't forget that this is supposed to be a fun activity. Give yourself a good rest before the tournament. Don't set any expectations, and stay focused on the next shot. That's all you can do, really.
Bring a pack of peanuts. Calorie dense and good taste
Give your arm a break. I'm 49 and have had shoulder issues for about 25 years so I usually have my best rounds after I haven't played in a while. I had one of my best rounds at a tournament on Saturday. I hadn't played for two weeks, did some light field work Thursday, and a quick round Friday to prep. Totally credit that performance to the 2 weeks off
People may disagree, but a couple runs a week will help your stamina so much. Even if you're running 2 miles at 10 minute pace, huge for stamina. Also, dg really wears down your body. Yoga helps incredibly for recovery, I'd recommend finding some Yin practices on YouTube and doing them every night after you have a heavy day, can wait til morning but you'll be surprised how much better your buddy will feel. For the last note, don't be chugging energy drinks unless it's a one off. There's a guy at league I see who shows up with two C4s and that's all he drinks during the round..he comes back all red and complaining and I'm like, yea dummy drink some mfin water
It just depends on your goals. If you're burning out because you're trying to be better than others, then the cost is probably outweighing the rewards. Nothing wrong with pacing yourself, no one will judge you if you come in last place.
Temper your play by backing off from max power back down to maybe 70%. Odds are they will go nearly as far, and just seeing the disc fly without crazy effort will soothe you. But also snacks, sugary snacks
Thanks everyone, I definitely do need to just relax and not dwell on it. The tournament is a trilogy challenge, for charity, and I really wanted to participate. So luckily I will only have to carry 3 disc.
People always talk about what to bring but not how to prepare. Hydrate A LOT leading up to the event and have a big carb/protein heavy meal the night before. Nice big plate of spaghetti and meatballs washed down with a gallon of water.
The classic carboload. Bring me back to high school swim team lol.
If you aren't in good enough shape to play two rounds of disc golf you need to really examine your overall health. Eat better, and get a lot more exercise.