How often should I be attending tournaments to expect improvement at a reasonable rate?

[Brdwthacgr]

Pretty much title. I don't get to go very often and they're my only chance to play with others. I don't see any improvement in my play because, by the time I get to go to another tourney, my rustiness outweighs anything that I've improved on every time.

So, once a month, once a week, multiple times a week? Or does it even matter? Please share your thoughts.

 

[A Scrub]

Practice is very important, don't get me wrong. But if you can't get out to play often, watching high level matchups can help you improve. Pretend you're watching it from the pov of one person. Watch your 'opponent' like you would if you were playing. What are their habits? Are they trying to condition? What setups do they have? What ledge options do they prefer?

These are things you identify as you go to tournaments more, but if you can't get to them regularly, you can practice identifying their habits fast so you can adapt fast. Spend a half hour a day practicing tech for your character as well.

While this isn't as good as practice with really people daily, you will certainly see improvement quickly.

Edit: realized this is Melee. Make sure you practice your techs with your character. Melee is tech and punish heavy, and while reading your opponent is important, your punish game needs to be on point. Smash 4 is very read heavy, which was what I thought this was LOL

 

[Brdwthacgr]

Practice is very important, don't get me wrong. But if you can't get out to play often, watching high level matchups can help you improve. Pretend you're watching it from the pov of one person. Watch your 'opponent' like you would if you were playing. What are their habits? Are they trying to condition? What setups do they have? What ledge options do they prefer?

These are things you identify as you go to tournaments more, but if you can't get to them regularly, you can practice identifying their habits fast so you can adapt fast. Spend a half hour a day practicing tech for your character as well.

While this isn't as good as practice with really people daily, you will certainly see improvement quickly.

Thanks! I've actually been doing this for a long time and it's my main way of beating people, having to heavily rely on wobbling and all. I'll try applying your advice more, thanks again!

edit: in response to your edit, your advice still applies, I don't really have to overwork my punish game, since, you know, grab to death, so I read peoples predictable flaws to get a kill

 

[tsmfoxmaster]

A Scrub pretty much narrowed it down just practice with one character and watch top players play your character. Also analyze your own play that will help you improve really fast!

 

[Pauer]

I think it all depends on how much meaningful practice you get outside of tournaments. If you have decent people to play against regularly, then it makes sense to use tournaments mainly as a way of measuring your progress, which imo should be enough to do every 2-4 weeks. If tournaments are your main means of getting practice, then it's of course best to attend as much as possible. If that is difficult for you right now, I can recommend looking into netplay.
I used to be in a similar situation, where it was hard for me to find people to practice with but now using netplay, I can always find good players to practice with.

 

[Brdwthacgr]

I think it all depends on how much meaningful practice you get outside of tournaments. If you have decent people to play against regularly, then it makes sense to use tournaments mainly as a way of measuring your progress, which imo should be enough to do every 2-4 weeks. If tournaments are your main means of getting practice, then it's of course best to attend as much as possible. If that is difficult for you right now, I can recommend looking into netplay.
I used to be in a similar situation, where it was hard for me to find people to practice with but now using netplay, I can always find good players to practice with.

Just to be clear, I get ZERO practice outside of a tournament, I've reasonably mastered practical tech skill a long time ago so sitting in my room doing handoffs and desync stuff doesn't help me anymore. I don't want to use netplay, but if it's a last resort then I may look into it. Thanks for the advice!

 

[DonOwens]

As always it depends.
But if its the type of situation where almost all opponent characters are moving noticeably faster than you (solid WDing/L canceling) and you find yourself overwhelmed and unable to do almost anything, then no the tournaments wont help.
If that's the case you need to grind tech by yourself, make sure all your inputs are ingrained in your mind soul hands and body.
If you're going to these tournaments and doing fairly okay, maybe ~ 50-50 win record then keep going as much as possible and it will definitely help you improve.
I now see that your main looks like ice climbers, and you think you've "reasonably" mastered tech skill (which is a bold statement.) Are you able to use all the techs consistently under pressure at these tournaments?
I don't know why you wouldn't want to use netplay but that would surely improve your game.

 

[Brdwthacgr]

As always it depends.
But if its the type of situation where almost all opponent characters are moving noticeably faster than you (solid WDing/L canceling) and you find yourself overwhelmed and unable to do almost anything, then no the tournaments wont help.
If that's the case you need to grind tech by yourself, make sure all your inputs are ingrained in your mind soul hands and body.
If you're going to these tournaments and doing fairly okay, maybe ~ 50-50 win record then keep going as much as possible and it will definitely help you improve.
I now see that your main looks like ice climbers, and you think you've "reasonably" mastered tech skill (which is a bold statement.) Are you able to use all the techs consistently under pressure at these tournaments?
I don't know why you wouldn't want to use netplay but that would surely improve your game.

I've played melee for a long time lol (much longer than I've been on Smashboards), I'm used to tournament stuff by now. I've don't feel overwhelmed just because of flashy tech skill. Speaking of that, I've never had a problem with my tech skill at tournaments either. And I really don't appreciate advice trying to tell me to "grind techskill lol" as if I haven't been told that a million times before and had it never help me. IMO, until someone understands why they need techskill, then they shouldn't be focusing on it. I didn't realize that until some time ago when I actually understand when I should use it and why.

Telling someone to react to techskill with more techskill is really bad advice and is probably what is causing a new wave of players that I've noticed that only have knowledge of it. I feel it's genuinely hurting the community.

 

[falcoferret]

Moderator Edit: Added Spoiler for the image.

Spoiler: Unrelated Picture

 

[Pauer]

Just to be clear, I get ZERO practice outside of a tournament, I've reasonably mastered practical tech skill a long time ago so sitting in my room doing handoffs and desync stuff doesn't help me anymore. I don't want to use netplay, but if it's a last resort then I may look into it. Thanks for the advice!

As I said, I can highly recommend netplay. Nowadays with Faster Melee, you can play at console-levels of lag with most people within a ~200 mile radius. Like you, I was very sceptical at first but being able to play regularly really helped me improve.

 

[KirinKQP]

Yeah, of course practice is important, especially against a larger, more various group of players. I personally went to weeklies... weekly. I lived in Columbus for a while and there were a load of tournaments almost each day close by. This exposed me to the largest possible group of players who of course are all different and allows me to play consistently as I had nothing better to do.

However, tournaments cost a bit of cash and that can accumulate over time. So if possible, find a group of people who meet together to play smash and join them. That, or teach a friend how to play the game if they are interested in it and make them good.

 

[DonOwens]

I've played melee for a long time lol (much longer than I've been on Smashboards), I'm used to tournament stuff by now. I've don't feel overwhelmed just because of flashy tech skill. Speaking of that, I've never had a problem with my tech skill at tournaments either. And I really don't appreciate advice trying to tell me to "grind techskill lol" as if I haven't been told that a million times before and had it never help me. IMO, until someone understands why they need techskill, then they shouldn't be focusing on it. I didn't realize that until some time ago when I actually understand when I should use it and why.

Telling someone to react to techskill with more techskill is really bad advice and is probably what is causing a new wave of players that I've noticed that only have knowledge of it. I feel it's genuinely hurting the community.

Alrighty then. No need to get feisty, your original post was not detailed enough to warrant such a response, no one could have deduced that you've "played melee for a long time lol and used to tournament stuff by now" from your original post.
Sorry I tried to help.
*Edit* - I didn't even advise you to grind techskills unless under certain circumstances. It's a bit backwards asking on a forum for advice then "not appreciating" advice when you either aren't fully reading or have faulty reading comprehension skills. Also... you were practicing technical skills for a long time but didn't realize the applications of them? Rhetorical question.

 

[Brdwthacgr]

Alrighty then. No need to get feisty, your original post was not detailed enough to warrant such a response, no one could have deduced that you've "played melee for a long time lol and used to tournament stuff by now" from your original post.
Sorry I tried to help.
*Edit* - I didn't even advise you to grind techskills unless under certain circumstances. It's a bit backwards asking on a forum for advice then "not appreciating" advice when you either aren't fully reading or have faulty reading comprehension skills. Also... you were practicing technical skills for a long time but didn't realize the applications of them? Rhetorical question.

You did say that if you're feeling overwhelmed by tech skill then you should grind tech skill of your own, a practice which I'm not particularly fond of. Also, did you only clarify that the question at the end was rhetorical because you don't want me to answer it? I'll answer it anyway:

I was an on/off solo Falco main nearly 3 years ago, and the only thing I worked on was brain-dead tech skill 99% of the time. The first thing I did when I got the game was to see if I could wavedash. I didn't understand or even think about why I would need to or why it was useful at the time. When I would lose, I'd blame my tech-skill not being perfect instead of my neutral game being complete trash, predictable, and unable to adapt. I would blame myself for not being able to overwhelm my opponent. I quit and come back to the game every few weeks/months, eventually, I took a long hiatus for about a year and just came back a few months ago. I then went to a few locals, and after getting rekt again I finally started to understand what was missing from my play, at the same time, I somewhat coincidentally grew more attached to my only side main that I played for fun, being Ice Climbers. Ice Climbers being a character that almost solely rewards being able to predict and read your opponent. This character fits in with my realization so well that I ended up switching mains and don't see myself going back ever.

I still adamantly believe this phase of mine would've not have gone on as long if the modern community didn't prioritize tech skill and instead talked about the top player's insane mind games, spacing, and ability to adapt. So sorry if I seemed or still seem "triggered" over recommendations to grind techskill to presumably new players, it just gets to me personally, I guess.

 

[DonOwens]

You did say that if you're feeling overwhelmed by tech skill then you should grind tech skill of your own, a practice which I'm not particularly fond of. Also, did you only clarify that the question at the end was rhetorical because you don't want me to answer it? I'll answer it anyway:

I was an on/off solo Falco main nearly 3 years ago, and the only thing I worked on was brain-dead tech skill 99% of the time. The first thing I did when I got the game was to see if I could wavedash. I didn't understand or even think about why I would need to or why it was useful at the time. When I would lose, I'd blame my tech-skill not being perfect instead of my neutral game being complete trash, predictable, and unable to adapt. I would blame myself for not being able to overwhelm my opponent. I quit and come back to the game every few weeks/months, eventually, I took a long hiatus for about a year and just came back a few months ago. I then went to a few locals, and after getting rekt again I finally started to understand what was missing from my play, at the same time, I somewhat coincidentally grew more attached to my only side main that I played for fun, being Ice Climbers. Ice Climbers being a character that almost solely rewards being able to predict and read your opponent. This character fits in with my realization so well that I ended up switching mains and don't see myself going back ever.

I still adamantly believe this phase of mine would've not have gone on as long if the modern community didn't prioritize tech skill and instead talked about the top player's insane mind games, spacing, and ability to adapt. So sorry if I seemed or still seem "triggered" over recommendations to grind techskill to presumably new players, it just gets to me personally, I guess.

Understandable. Glad that you got the distinction that you were presumed a new player.