Entering my first no-gi tournament - advice?

[45ACP]

Hey guys, I've read through some other threads on here about entering your first tournament but figured I'd start my own thread for some more personal and pertinent feedback/advice. There's a NAGA event coming up near me (Philadelphia area) next month and I just decided I'd like to try it out and see how I do.

First, a little background. I'm 37 years old and have been training BJJ-based no-gi submission grappling (along with mma and muay thai) off and on for about 4 years, but have only gotten somewhat serious about training over the past year. I've never competed before, but have known it was something I wanted to do eventually ever since I started.

Since I've never trained with a gi, I figured I'd try my hand in one of the no-gi divisions. I plan on competing at welter weight (160-169.9 lbs). I currently weigh about 178, which is a little heavy for me (I put on about 5 lbs over the holidays). Luckily I've been blessed with an extremely fast metabolism so I don't see a problem making that weight, as the tournament is a month away and now that I've cleaned my diet back up and gotten back to training regularly I expect the weight to fall off pretty quickly.

I'm thinking I should be competing as a beginner; NAGA's definition is 6 months to 2 years experience. Does that sound right? Skill-wise, I feel like I have most of the basics down but not much else. I'm sure my coach probably has the best insight here, so I'll be asking him these questions tonight at class as well (I haven't yet let him know I'm interested in competing as I just made the decision a few days ago).

A good friend of mine is a judo brown belt competitor and has invited me to his gym to work on some takedowns/throws since that's probably my biggest weakness and the area I've trained in the least. Does that sounds like a good idea?

I read all the info I could find on NAGA's website as far as what to expect, but any other advice, tips, etc you experienced competitors could pass along would be much appreciated. Also, what techniques would you recommend I focus on in training to help prepare me as much as possible?

Thanks in advance, sherbros!

 

[Big Nasty Edison]

I think experience bracket will matter more than anything. I've done gi twice and no gi once, both at the 6 month to 2 years bracket (I have to move to Intermediate now). Basically what I was most surprised by was how fast the guys came out the gate at me in no gi. No feeling out process, all my matches the guys just went HAM as soon as the buzzer sounded.

I could be wrong, but I chalked it up to the experience bracket; essentially noob spazz outs. They seemed to be relying on 80% athleticism and 20% technique where as I suspect it would have been different at a higher bracket. Like I said though, I could just be talking out of my ass.

 

[trustdoesntrust]

The biggest surprise to everybody at their first tournament (or their second, third, fourth....) is the speed and intensity at which things take place. A very common experience people describe is something like, "I got out there, bowed, and the next thing I remember I was on the ground inside his guard." To counteract this, I'd recommend just stalling on the feet for the first 30 seconds to steady your mind. Another thing you'll notice is that your matches will automatically seek out your weaknesses and comfort areas, essentially regressing your game about 6 months. So, spend the next couple weeks in training thinking about the positions you most often find yourself in and troubleshoot those, also work on the 2-3 favorite moves you've most mastered (like that one triangle from closed guard, that one knee slide pass you do that works on higher belts, etc).

 

[45ACP]

^^This is exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for. Thanks guys, keep it coming!

 

[Shizzx]

where are you located ?? You welcome to swing down to my gym in (DE) if you would to get ready for it. we have a few guys going to the tournament. and they compete often.

Simple.. Just go out and have fun... I honestly would even worry about the weight cutting thing.. Chances are you will get bumped or bunched together with the same group of people if you go down ( for nothing.).. This isnt like wrestling ( or how it use to be) >> i know i use to cut weight down and always ended up back where i started but now the lighter guy of the group.

But Just go for it and have fun...

 

[Big Nasty Edison]

Last comp I actually was given a point because they guy wouldn't stop grabbing my compression shirt after multiple ref warnings =/ He scored the first take down but I managed to sweep him, pass his guard, mount him, take his back and rape choke him for his shirt grabbing efforts (with various elbow grindings to the face and forearm posts on the throat).

Not sure how often guys mistake your shirt for a gi but it was something else lol

 

[HtomSirveaux]

Make sure you understand the ruleset. From what I remember, naga allows reaping and a lot of leg locks at basically all levels. Not many beginners are going to be throwing heel hooks at you, but you don't want to risk getting caught off guard in a totally unfamiliar position, depending on how your gym trains or doesn't train that stuff. Also just be prepared for a lot of waiting and confusion. In my experience naga is a badly run tournament. And yeah, as others said, the beginners divisions are absolute spazz fests, so try not to be surprised by the ridiculous, uncontrolled aggression

 

[Allan san]

Ugh, I despise NAGA tournaments.

Anyways, no-gi is the land of the sandbaggers. I found way more success at intermediate than I did at beginner. Dudes that have been doing submission grappling for "only 7 months" forgot to mention their 8 years of wrestling. Beginner is also a bar room brawl. I enjoyed intermediate for the actual technical side of it.

With a month away, I would safely lose the weight and practice your best game and learn how to get back to your best game from being placed in your worst game. Spam it over and over until you lock it into your muscle memory. Competed is incredibly stressful for me and I don't know why. There is about 6 people out of the 300 in the room looking at you and no ones cares if you win. Its pretty comical.

 

[AK Gerard]

A good friend of mine is a judo brown belt competitor and has invited me to his gym to work on some takedowns/throws since that's probably my biggest weakness and the area I've trained in the least. Does that sounds like a good idea?

Great idea! I pretty much ignored takedown training (and defense) in my no-gi training and regretted it even before getting on the mat.

Anyways, no-gi is the land of the sandbaggers.

While I have no actual evidence, I'm pretty sure the guy I competed against in my weight category was sandbagging. He had as much cauliflower ear as my black belt instructor and I have a hard time believing he gained all that in two years (or less) of bjj.

 

[Ice 9 Cobra]

You can easily lose more weight and make 159 if you're 178 without dieting. I've always found longer weight cuts leave me in better condition because I have to work harder to hit my weight goals.

NAGAs nogi rules can be super subjective. If you have a submission attempt, always do enough to get the point even if you know you're not going to finish it.

You're not going to get any sort of useful takedown abilities within a month. Spend that time doing jiujitsu and learning guard pulls if your focus is to win this tournament. Also, you can sit guard without contact at NAGA, you just get a negative point for doing so.

Also, you don't mention it that I saw, but if there is somebody in masters do it. If your division is empty, they'll always give you the option of adult or moving up in weight

 

[DrJitsu]

I don't know about competing at beginner for you. You have 4 years experience? For no gi, I only competed once in beginner- I had been training for about 6 months- after that it was intermediate. Like some others have hinted at- you may get more out of competing in intermediate.

And I agree with knowing the rules set in any tournament and especially NAGA because it's a little different.

 

[Big Nasty Edison]

Make sure you understand the ruleset. From what I remember, naga allows reaping and a lot of leg locks at basically all levels. Not many beginners are going to be throwing heel hooks at you, but you don't want to risk getting caught off guard in a totally unfamiliar position, depending on how your gym trains or doesn't train that stuff. Also just be prepared for a lot of waiting and confusion. In my experience naga is a badly run tournament. And yeah, as others said, the beginners divisions are absolute spazz fests, so try not to be surprised by the ridiculous, uncontrolled aggression

They just changed that rule at Novice/Beginner this week. Saw them post about it on Facebook.

 

[71Fish]

Breath.

 

[TheGZA]

There's a NAGA event coming up near me (Philadelphia area) next month and I just decided I'd like to try it out and see how I do.

I've gone to that tournament the last two years; plan on every division running an hour late. The concession stand isn't bad, though.

NAGAs nogi rules can be super subjective. If you have a submission attempt, always do enough to get the point even if you know you're not going to finish it.

I can never make heads or tales of the rules. Some refs give points for sub attempts, while others don't bother and score it like a GI match. I had one ref threaten to DQ me for pulling guard. LOL

 

[Thrawn33]

Seriously:
Don't over think it. Just do it.
Easy for me to say I know, I've been there. Damn near getting nauseous before my first couple wrestling meets.

You know what? I lost them. Seemed like a big deal then...and I felt it was.

Years later I look back and laugh. I've competed and lost (and won!) many times. Since it wasn't World's or the Olympics, my wins and losses didn't effect me, didn't stop me from training or having fun, he'll some of my favorite stories we're from matches I lost, yet I cant remember how I won most of the medals I have.

TL/DR: Enjoy the ride, don't overthink and psyche yourself out and STFUaC.

 

[Inverse]

I'm planning on entering my first comp this year so was cool reading some of this stuff.

 

[Big Nasty Edison]

Seriously:
Don't over think it. Just do it.
Easy for me to say I know, I've been there. Damn near getting nauseous before my first couple wrestling meets.

You know what? I lost them. Seemed like a big deal then...and I felt it was.

Years later I look back and laugh. I've competed and lost (and won!) many times. Since it wasn't World's or the Olympics, my wins and losses didn't effect me, didn't stop me from training or having fun, he'll some of my favorite stories we're from matches I lost, yet I cant remember how I won most of the medals I have.

TL/DR: Enjoy the ride, don't overthink and psyche yourself out and STFUaC.

I've won the three comps I've been in, and I'm sure the first time I lose I'm gonna feel like shit even though it doesn't matter like you said. Just one of those things that seems like a big deal until it happens and you move on and no one cares.

 

[45ACP]

where are you located ?? You welcome to swing down to my gym in (DE) if you would to get ready for it. we have a few guys going to the tournament. and they compete often.

Simple.. Just go out and have fun... I honestly would even worry about the weight cutting thing.. Chances are you will get bumped or bunched together with the same group of people if you go down ( for nothing.).. This isnt like wrestling ( or how it use to be) >> i know i use to cut weight down and always ended up back where i started but now the lighter guy of the group.

But Just go for it and have fun...

Thanks for the offer buddy! I train at daddis mma in Philly, the training here is excellent so I feel I'm in good hands.

As for the weight, I'm still carrying around some turkey and mashed potatoes from the holidays. I feel my best around 165-170 anyway so I'm not really cutting so much as just getting back in shape.

 

[Thrawn33]

TS,

I saw you have a brown belt in Judo helping you with your TDs, as a Judo Brown belt myself let me offer my 2 pennies (wrestler turned Judoka turned BJJer..pushing 11 years now)

Short Term Goals for comp:
When working with him focus more on learning defence fighting off his offence. It takes months to learn TDs good enough to take down other newbies with consistency. What you can improve on is your defence. Do lots of standing rolls/randori. Try to work your stuff but realize he's going to catch you...because he will. Now learn to recognize when you are threatened (it doesn't take long...taking falls is a great teacher) and...Judo Gods forgive me...when to pull guard....(in the name of Mifune, Kimura and the Holy Kano..amen)

Learning defence and survival first is easier than learning offence, and since you don't get penalized for over defensiveness in BJJ like you do in Wrestling or Judo...use this to help you in the short term.

The Judoka in me feels dirty....but the BJJer I am now says this will help.

 

[gdjiujitsu]

Just make sure to focus on the process of getting ready for the tournament and your performance, the only things that you can control. Anytime you focus on things that you can not control, like the outcome of a tournament, it will lead to muscle tension, anxiety and most likely not performing to the best of your ability. I'm not saying that you can't win being anxious and tense, but it can be tough to be the best version of yourself on the mat.

Take a look at this video "Mental Tip for Competitors over 30". I hope this advice can help.

Gustavo Dantas