Due to its proximity, the IBJJF PanAms is today the most talked about topic in the competitive Jiu-Jitsu world. Ninja Pinto, black-belt responsible for leading Ninja Stars International, is already geared up to take part in one of the main tournaments of the season. Last weekend, Ninja participated in the Indianapolis Open, also of the IBJJF, and achieved gold in both Gi and No Gi competitions. In the Gi, Ninja Pinto came first in the adult division, a feat he achieved with his own skills and with his partnership with Bruno Sena, from TMC, who close-out with him in the semi-final.
Regarding preparation for the Pans, Ninja showed to the VF Comunica team that he gives extreme importance to the mental part of his competitors. According to him, in a tournament aimed at high-performance athletes, the technical knowledge is basically the same. Therefore, it is good mental preparation that will make the difference and decide which athlete will have their arm raised by the referee.
“We are training hard, the Ninja Stars team is doing three to four training sessions a day. We focus, twice a week, on the emotional and psychological part of the championship. I believe with great conviction that athletes should pay more attention to the emotional and spiritual parts when preparing for events. Everyone already does the technical part, everyone is good. But whoever has the best mind wins.”, he says.
According to Ninja Pinto, those who compete the most are better prepared for the demands of the competition
Actively participating in competitions is another resource used by Ninja as a professor. This way, the athlete gets used to the rhythm of the fight and the need to tame the anxiety in the warm-up area.
“Everything is training. I am very much in favor of participating in events all year round. We don’t have an off season. This way, athletes are always prepared and are also training and preparing their minds for big events. For me, competition is the best method to train the emotional balance.”, highlights the black-belt.
Ninja Stars athletes are prepared for independence
A topic directly related to psychology is self-confidence. Ninja Pinto believes that the student’s independence and emotional control are fundamental ingredients to avoid ruining the recipe. The way a student reacts before and after the competition, whether they win gold or not, says a lot about the competitor’s inner self, revealing characteristics that performance on the mat is unable to show.
“I make my competitors focus on emotional control, independence and lots of repetition. I really encourage my athletes to seek independence. This way, they learn to make decisions at all times. They don’t need me for anything, because I teach them to have self-confidence and decide for what they want. Any result is better than having no result. A negative result is an indication of the need for adjustments, not a disappointment.”, he concludes.