Hello Ace Peak coaches! I was wondering if you would be willing to write an article with tips for TP outrounds. Last tournament, my partner and I went 6-0 in prelims but we lost our octafinals round (it was a split ballot). What should change (if anything) between prelims and outrounds? I would love to hear your thoughts on this! - Clare C.

Great question, Clare. We have a series of articles for you, in descending order of importance.

When most debaters think about improving outround performance, they search for advanced strategies and persuasive techniques. But here’s a shocking fact:

Most national outrounds are won by the least-exhausted debater(s).

• When you’re dehydrated, none of the cells in your body work properly. 

• When you’re malnourished, you become confused and sluggish.

• When you’re sleep-deprived, your mind is as impaired as if you were drunk (according to the National Sleep Foundation). 

Here’s the problem.

Most debaters fail miserably to own and operate their own bodies. They play sweaty outdoor sports between rounds, drink soda loaded with caffeine and sugar, avoid anything that requires chewing and stay out late socializing. They perform well for the first part of the tournament, then crash and burn right when things are getting interesting.

Why does this happen?

As a teenager, it’s very difficult to know what your body is telling you. You haven’t been living in it for long, and now it’s rapidly changing and throwing a bunch of new signals at you. Thus, it’s understandable that you aren’t aware of how desperately your body needs you to take care of it. It might be screaming at you for protein or to manage your stress, and you wouldn’t know. Since you can’t listen to your body, you have to decide in advance to take care of it. In other words:

Take care of yourself. Even when you don’t feel like it.

Drink water throughout the day, eat lots of good food, and sleep eight hours a night. Avoid strenuous physical exertion and socializing past tournament hours. End your dependence on caffeine and sugar. These seemingly obvious changes will make you an unstoppable competitor against your typical bleary-eyed opponents.

We have a few more tips coming for you in the upcoming articles.