RPS Training, Part 2
18.02.07
Welcome, Seekers…
It is mid-February as I write this, and all across the country, the 2007 USARPS season is in full swing. I have been inundated with letters, email and personal messages, and they are all telling me one thing: the tips are working. The hints and clues I provide in this forum are making a difference for players, regardless of their skill level or their opponents. With average RPS ability peaking higher than at any previous point in history, my students’ victories stand as testament, not to my meager aspirations, but to the sport itself, to my teachers and to my school.
The basics of RPS Mastery, revealed in my last blog, should be considered an entry point. In truth, training for high level RPS is continuous with life experience as a whole. There is no experience in your life, however trivial, that does not impact your performance as an RPS athlete.
RPS Training is a highly personal matter; what works for one player may not work for another. Some players may need to focus on drills, while others need simulated competition. Some players are hamstrung by poor endurance, while others would succeed with a little more study of standard openings. 2006 USARPS Champion Dave “The Drill” McGill is on record as saying that his training consisted of “listening to a lot of Stevie Wonder.” I can find no fault with this type of training.
In any case, you should continue with your daily meditation on the Three Noble Throws; consider adding an additional session prior to bedtime. Make sure you are getting enough sleep, but also note how lack of sleep affects your performance. Eventually, you will discover the specific formula that equals success.
RPS, at the highest levels, revolves around the concept of the “Morphogenetic Field” posited by biologist Rupert Sheldrake. Simply put, this field, which exists around all things, carries a blueprint for future manifestation, and asserts that once an incident happens, it is likely to happen again. Great RPS players learn to draw these blueprints like quantum architects. How can you use this theory? You may notice that while wearing the same shirt you perform above expectations in two consecutive USARPS qualifiers. Far from being a matter of “luck,” the article of clothing has become part of your formula for success (you should not, however, resort to never washing the item in question.) You may find that listening to a particular song, or watching a particular movie prior to a tournament results in better performance. Keep a note of these factors in your training journal. In RPS, lightning always strikes twice.
Diet is also of primary concern, but the needs of athletes are too varied to be enumerated here. During my competitive career, I found that I played better if I added around 10 pounds in the 3 months prior to a tournament. Though I enjoy a wide variety of foods, I always found that I played better consuming lots of whole grains and vegetables. One popular Pro Tour player, “Junk Food” Jones, is a health nut all throughout the year, but can only reach his full potential when he eats a fast food meal prior to a tournament. All RPS players, however, play at their best when fully hydrated.
Next week I will help you build the RPS persona that will catapult your game over the stagnant moat of complacency and demolish the crumbling stone edifice of your opponent’s will. For now, focus on your meditations, your training journal, and dream recall. Crank up your non-competition training by around 50%, and whatever you do, get out to your local USARPS arena and compete, compete, compete. Advanced players may also wish to begin seeking sponsorship; great RPS players are neither born nor made, but they can be bought and sold.
Overestimating one’s RPS opponent is just as bad as underestimating. Let this be your mantra for the week. Avoid this basic trap and find your success.
©2007 Master Roshambollah
