Grappling Competition Drought

[GnPFury]

Has anyone on this forum ever been through a period where it seems you just can't win a grappling match at a tournament? As of late, I've not had much success in competition. In my last three grappling competitions, my record is 0-10. Several of the matches were very close, but I was on the losing end every time. For background, I am 40 years old, 5'10" tall, 190 pounds, and I received my purple belt in March 2010. Here is a summary of my match results.

NAGA New England East Coast Championships in May 2010:
1. No Gi Directors Expert Cruiserweight: lost 6-0
2. No Gi Directors Expert Cruiserweight: lost 2-0
3. Masters Purple belt Cruiserweight: lost by submission

Grapplers Quest Boston in August 2010:
4. No Gi Executive Expert Cruiserweight: lost in overtime by submission
5. Executive Purple belt Cruiserweight: Lost by advantage, score was 0-0

NAGA Northeast Grappling Championship in Oct 2010:
6. No Gi Directors Expert Super Heavyweight: lost 6-0
7. No Gi Directors Expert Super Heavyweight: lost 2-0
8. Directors Purple belt Super Heavyweight: lost by advantage, score was 0-0
9. Directors Purple belt Super Heavyweight: lost by advantage, score was 0-0
10 Adult Purple belt Cruiserweight: lost by advantage, score was 0-0

Note that at the last tournament, I had to compete in the Super Heavyweight Division (225+ lbs) in matches 6-9 becasue there were no other competitors in my weight category which is Cruiserweight.

Suprisingly, I am not in the dumps over my string of losses. Thinking about each match and analyzing the mistakes I made have motiviated me to get better. I'm going to take the rest of the year off from competition, however, I am going to ramp up my jiu-jitsu training and also start judo in order to get better. I'll start competing again in 2011. Hopefully the added motivation and training will enable me to start winning some matches again.

 

[jrock89]

A man cannot stand up if he does not fall

Keep at it man you'll do great. Everything happens for a reason so just train hard and you will win

 

[deso]

I'm 0-6 right now but I'll admit I was beaten by guys who were obviously better than me. The only way to win is to improve which of course comes from training.

 

[879lexus]

Dude, that's awesome that you're competing. I have my first comp coming up in the middle of November. I am so nervous. I've been training 5 months. I would love to have that courage that you have competing so much.......Good luck man....

 

[Graciebarra 847]

That is awesome that your competing! I bet you may have been robbed in a few of those or they could have gone either way! I have had only 4 competition matches as a whitebelt and went 1-3. One of my matches I feel I was totally robbed. To be honest and I know I am making excuses but looking back at it I could have won at least 3 out of those 4 if I trained properly.

Guy that compete are much better than guys that don't compete generally! Just because you are 0-10 as a purple I bet your still a solid bjj player. What was your comp record at the lower belts? Also how many days a week do you train?

 

[cooltoon999]

I guess it's time to get good son

 

[Wandgun]

Dude, that's awesome that you're competing. I have my first comp coming up in the middle of November. I am so nervous. I've been training 5 months. I would love to have that courage that you have competing so much.......Good luck man....

Which one?

 

[879lexus]

Renzo's no-gi invitational in NYC..... I'm 200lbs, 5'11', white belt, 1 stripe....... nailbiting here..

 

[Vector_X]

I don't think I'd worry about it. You are a fresh purple belt and that does seem to be the belt where competition really picks up so I think naturally you will see a readjustment period. The trick just like anything is to take away what you can from your matches and just keep doing it.

 

[Fred in Houston]

I'm in the same situation. I got my purple about a year ago and then took some time off with my new baby arriving. Still, I've been training fairly reguarly most of the time and just competed in my first tourney back on the 2nd. The very next week, I did one on the 9th in Norway. So far, 0-6 for me, and 4 of the losses were via submission. I compete again on Nov. 6.

To add to it, numerous folks lower than my rank beat me in training these days. Hell, everyone in Norway that I've trained with has dominated me, whites and blues, haha. Part of me has been getting bugged by it but the other side of me says hell with it, I work full time, have a family to spend time with and can't spend all my time training and researching moves these days. I help guys all the time with details and moves and I'm ok that they are learning the moves enough to beat me with them.

I've hit a plateau and know I'll eventually get over the hump.

 

[nkkny1]

Renzo's no-gi invitational in NYC..... I'm 200lbs, 5'11', white belt, 1 stripe....... nailbiting here..

Me too. One stripe..been training 6 months. I've been debating competing in it :icon_conf

 

[MMA junkie]

Glad you are keeping at it. Do you think it's something other than BJJ related?

Is it nerves?
Are you not opening up your game enough? Not being aggressive enough? Or too aggressive?
Conditioning?
etc..

Have you had any private lessons with your Instructor to have him break down your training?

 

[Mike Wilson Jr.]

Have had good results as of late.

But i started my Jiu Jitsu record as 0-4.

Ive recovered, and had a string of wins as of this year.






But you can ask me again after this weekend, and Mundials. hehe