Competitions - another point of view

[tudor_bjj]

Guys, tell me your opinion on this!
BJJ is about (mainly) the phisically disadvantaged guy against the phisically advantaged guy. The first one uses leverage and timing to make the second use more energy and hopefully they will become "equal". At least that's Helio's point of view.
Now, I competed just one time when I was a white belt. First, in my weight category then in the open one. Both guys were phisically stronger than me. How can I overcome that difference in only 5 minutes when we are supposed to be at the same technical level (white belts)?
Even in your own weight category, you'll face guys that are stronger or faster than you. So why do you give me just 5 min. to prove my technique aginst these guys? We are at the same level, but I want to prove that I'm a little more technical than him (at the same level - in this case white belt - technical differences are not huge). Let's say he takes me down and lays there 4 min, 30 sec or worst I play open guard from beginning, he just tries to pass my guard and finally wins by an advantage...
Is this OK?

P.S. - you can blame it on my 2 losses, BTW.

 

[lairdog]

Most white belt competition is more strength & aggression opposed to technique. Reason being that as a whitebelt, you are still in the beginning phases of learning BJJ. Even when you, as a white belt, try to be more technical, you may be doing things incorrect in the heat of competition. I noticed the difference in my opponents when I moved to Blue Belt level. You can feel that they are much smoother. Submission attempts and sweeps seem to be more controlled and deliberate. Just keep training and don't worry about wins & losses as a white belt. Enjoy the sport and use each tournament as a learning tool.

 

[Waxwingslain]

Interesting point.

How would you measure up opponents then? By bench press?

I have a competition coming this Sunday... I'm feeling distinctly unready. People who are stronger than me aside, I'll no doubt have to deal with a bunch of judokas and wrestlers too.

 

[apapen]

Strenght is crucial in competition, and in Blue Belt, Purple Belt, etc... as well. Unfortunatelly in competition you will not see that much fluidity and risk taking as you would in practice time. Strenght and conditioning sets the fighters appart. Just look at Jacare for instance, he is a machine. Or even better example would be Tozzi, to many considered a disgrace to BJJ but he gets the job done, and is doing well in tornaments, by using his force and by stalling the fights, winning by one advantage always, at the highest level of competition.

 

[tudor_bjj]

Interesting point.

How would you measure up opponents then? By bench press?

I have a competition coming this Sunday... I'm feeling distinctly unready. People who are stronger than me aside, I'll no doubt have to deal with a bunch of judokas and wrestlers too.

What about no time limit, huh? Or the IGJJF rules?

 

[alexgncw]

1) bjj is not about the physically disadvantaged guy against a physically stronger one as you put it ... strength, speed, explosiveness, agility, flexibility, conditioning and heart are all very important aspects of bjj (you can have great technique but if you're missing enough of the above you will not do well)

2) the reason its only 5 minutes is because not everyone that does bjj is like bj penn, think about it you have to fight several times in competition to win and often get hardly any rest time btw the matches while going at full speed. i doubt too many people could handle 10 min matches.

lesson of the day is bjj is not just about technique if it was people wouldn't spend time working on their conditioning, etc you have to work on a lot of things including your strength and speed to be at your best

 

[Stoic1]

Competition requires 3 things: Conditioning, Strategy, Technique.

Over the course of years I have broken my training down to put emphasis into each area. You can defeat a better technician with better conditioning. You can defeat better conditioning with better strategy. Etc.

It takes a lot of experience to have these tools at your disposal and there is a time to use each of them. If you are stronger than your opponent than overpower them. If you are smarter than your oppoonent than you outthink him. If you have more technique than your opponent than show it to him. It isn't always about the physical aspects of competition, although no one denies it plays a large part. But brute physical strength with no brains and no plan doesn't go very far. There are ways to overcome it.