Want to compete - am I 'comp worthy'?

Nik123

Nik123

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So I recently got my 4th stripe on my white belt. Been wanting to compete at least once before I get my blue, so figure it's now or never. If I wait too long I risk getting my blue without a single comp under my belt (pardon the pun).

Issue is, I only train twice a week. So pretty much a hobbyist, and from what I hear most competitors train at least 4 times a week. So is it even worth going to try a competition? Will I just be short changing myself by putting in a pathetic performance because I simply do not train enough?

And lastly, the comp I have in mind is only 4 weeks away ...so any advice given my training frequency will be most helpful!
 
I've gone to comps with only training twice a week, in bad shape and with bad technique. I got completely starched smashed into the ground and tapped out.
But I had a great time and I learned a lot from it, I don't think these is such a thing as not comp ready at white belt if you feel ready.
 
I think you will be fine as long as you have realistic expectations of your first competition. You should go in there wanting to see how you are doing against people you don't know. Try to have some fun and learn a little bit about your weaknesses and strengths. Have you discussed competing with your instructor yet? If not you probably want to mention it to them first.
 
Competing is the greatest thing that will happen to your Jiu Jitsu.

Aside from the boost to your confidence to actually stand up to a fear of competing and putting what you actually know on the line, you embrace the spirit of the martial art and learn what game suits you and which doesn't.

When you are rolling with friends and training partners at the gym, you aren't so concerned about being "first" or getting the dominant positions, the environment is less pressured. Competitions require you to be first and dominant against someone you probably never rolled with before; and that's the real test. The only thing I would add, on the flip side, is I actually found competing at blue belt a lot more mature than white belt. Because many people are pressured to compete a bit too early, you find a lot of the injuries or aggressive fights occurring in the white belt division, whereas the higher belts become more technical.

Never the less, go for it and trust in your Jits! You either win or you learn, never a loss!

Hope that helps.

Zeid
 
Nik123 said:
So pretty much a hobbyist, and from what I hear most competitors train at least 4 times a week
Click to expand...

I don't think this is true, especially at white belt. You legit might fight a guy who has been training for 4-6 months and only goes sometimes twice a week. You might go against guys who literally only know stuff from closed guard. You also might fight a guy who is basically a blue belt. In other words, don't let the fear of who you might compete against make you not compete.
 
I really wish I competed as a white. Would have made my experience at blue so much smoother
 
Just quit everything and begin drinking straight vodka. I didn't even read your post but I got the gist of it. You're soft.
 
Do it.

This is the perfect opportunity to say it's my first time.
Keep the game plan simple. Work your cardiovascular for 4 weeks.

Let us know how you do.
 
My first tournament was absolute garbage! I'd been training 6 mos and the experience threatened to end desire to compete. My team pushed me to compete again and just rethought my approach to competition. I focused on one match at a time, never putting the pressure of wining the whole thing. Won my first match and was triangled in the last few seconds of my second but I learned A LOT!!! Since, I've competed at least 4-5 time at Blue earning Gold at Old Man Worlds last year with ZERO points scored on me (humble brag). Taking a year off at Purple but next year I'll go into competition mode.

The point is that you're never ready for your first tournament. Make sure you're approaching it as means of learning and testing your Jiu-jitsu and not merely a way to accumulate medals.

Go for it, you'll do great.
 
Don't sit on the sidelines watching your prime years pass you by, TS. Engage in the fight.
 
Go for it,either way it will be great experience for you and your bjj game.
 
Minnja said:
I don't think this is true, especially at white belt. You legit might fight a guy who has been training for 4-6 months and only goes sometimes twice a week. You might go against guys who literally only know stuff from closed guard. You also might fight a guy who is basically a blue belt. In other words, don't let the fear of who you might compete against make you not compete.
Click to expand...

...or a state champ wrestler who just started, a Judo Brown, or a MMA fighter.....

IT DOESNT MATTER!

Win or lose you will gain, even if you decide competing is not for you will better for doing it once than never doing it ever.

Don't miss the prime of your life and be the guy who looks back and say "Wish I would've done that when I was younger"
 
In my first tournament as a white, training for only 4 months i got armbared in like 40 seconds. But it got me so motivated to improve that by the time I got to yellow i was competing in every tournament I could and started to see great results.

Competition is a good way to check where you stand and drive you forward in your motivation.
 
I think I'd only been training a month or two when I did my first competition. I didn't know or understand the point system and just went for submissions. Won 1st match by submission. For the second match, I didn't know I was winning by points (thought I was losing) and decided to try something my instructor showed me two days before. Needless to say, I screwed the technique up and ended up getting choked. LOL.

Have fun!
 
I competed after like 3 months. Go for it.
 
Thanks for all the constructive responses brahs, will keep you posted on how it goes!
 
If you can pay the entry fee, you are comp worthy ;-)

In all seriousness, if you in half decent shape do it!!! All the best
 
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