Is competing at Masters divisions laughed at?

[The Thrill]

just read the rest of the thread, if youre thinking of competing down in age because people are talking shit then simply forget it-this is your journey, not theirs

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

I don't know how a sport that cares so much about titles won by relative novices (blue belt world titles, for instance) would discount titles won by older guys. The titles don't mean as much for sure, but that doesn't mean they mean nothing or they're worthless. The average BB Masters Worlds medalist is still a very accomplished and dangerous competitor that would school most hobbyist BBs. The only caveat I'd have is that if you win Masters titles you need to represent them as such, but that's not different than saying blue belts who win Mundials should be very clear they're world champions at a lower belt rank and are not really 'the' world champion.

Exactly this. Anyone competing in a belt division who mocks masters is simply being ridiculous. Strictly speaking, even competing in a weight division other than open is analogous to competing in an age division. Though I find (at least in judo and wrestling), no one who competes at a high level in regular competition (there are no 'belt' divisions in wrestling, and no 'belt divisions' in national or international judo) ever gives anyone grief for competing in masters. Generally people are impressed that you're willing to on onto the mats to compete at 40, 50, 60 etc; its very rare in wrestling, and uncommon in judo, and you're generally respected if you do so.

 

[Cash Bill 52]

Someone laughed at me once. Once...

 

[Deleted member 405583]

Someone laughed at me once. Once...

 

[FatherSauce]

38. Started signing up for masters divisions about 35. A good portion of the time there's one or no others so I end up in adult anyways. I usually don't do IBJJF so it's mostly small local comp stuff.

 

[jack36767]

Doing “well” against hobbyist in their 20s isn’t the right metric to measure against.. at all. But like others said, the people dissing masters division are dumb

 

[CrazyN8]

36 yo purple here, fook dat noise, zero shame in competing against people your age and rank. You're getting older, deal with it.

 

[JustTheTip]

Yeah exactly TLI bought him. They saw he was a black belt wearing a purple belt.

You must be a rape house shill.

I don't know how a sport that cares so much about titles won by relative novices (blue belt world titles, for instance) would discount titles won by older guys. The titles don't mean as much for sure, but that doesn't mean they mean nothing or they're worthless. The average BB Masters Worlds medalist is still a very accomplished and dangerous competitor that would school most hobbyist BBs. The only caveat I'd have is that if you win Masters titles you need to represent them as such, but that's not different than saying blue belts who win Mundials should be very clear they're world champions at a lower belt rank and are not really 'the' world champion.

ALL OF THIS.

I'm 28 myself so still a few years away but I plan to never compete in masters but I understand people who want to have easier competition just like it made sense for me to fight other white belts as a white belt.
All the insanely roided out guys who compete in master divisions are absolute bitches tho.

When you turn 30, compete at Master 1 to see what it is like. I promise you it won't be as easy as you think.

well masters has changed i remember masters divisions being 40 and above then all sudden ti started at 30 im 27 and i wouldnt do it unless im late 30s i know a guy who claims to be a world champ who does cross fit daily roids at 31 and goes in beating up guys in the hw division with no technique really at black belt i personally think masters should be for casuals who dont train super hard to go have fun not guys who barely make the age list but train 2 times a day ect

The last few years competitors at Masters are definitely much stronger and athletic. I do believe alot are on TRT. That said, just like Adult, you don't have to roid to win Master Worlds.

 

[Thrawn33]

Nice thing about Judo: Even when fighting in masters as a brown against some killer 4th Dan, or even a former NCAA wrestler yellow belt .... it's cool, because you both have to work on Monday.

When I destroyed my ankle, my opponent was pretty shook up, holding my hand until the emts arrived, even called me the next day.

 

[tekkenfan]

ALL OF THIS.


When you turn 30, compete at Master 1 to see what it is like. I promise you it won't be as easy as you think.

The last few years competitors at Masters are definitely much stronger and athletic. I do believe alot are on TRT. That said, just like Adult, you don't have to roid to win Master Worlds.

well im not saying masters is bad but a black belt guys whos 31 on roids trains like a mad man and just over powers everyone fighting older guys whoa re out of shape with a big gut who are usually just old school guys who teach and just getting on the mats for fun tons of brazilians are over 30 and still fight in the regular division i think as a black belt you should fight in the normal division till 40 thats my opinion personally i find ti as a way to really test your skills

its just a tournament not a fight nobody's going to get hurt especially under ibjjf rules

 

[Foppa21]

There is no shame in it at all. Competing is competing. You've put your nuts on the line.

The feeling of "getting laughed at" is a extension of "the adult division is the only one that counts" as posters above have pointed out. You won't get laughed at for competing. What you very likely will take a bit of ribbing is if you have success in competition and try to pass it off as more than it was. This includes the list below (which is in no way exhaustive):

• Trying to sell the fact that you won the open/adults division rather than any restricted division (be it weight, age, colour of gi, whatever)
• Publicly exhorting your grappling prowess in winning a division where you were the only competitor

 

[the heed]

Doing “well” against hobbyist in their 20s isn’t the right metric to measure against.. at all. But like others said, the people dissing masters division are dumb

THIS

 

[Evenflow80]

There is no shame in it at all. Competing is competing. You've put your nuts on the line.

The feeling of "getting laughed at" is a extension of "the adult division is the only one that counts" as posters above have pointed out. You won't get laughed at for competing. What you very likely will take a bit of ribbing is if you have success in competition and try to pass it off as more than it was. This includes the list below (which is in no way exhaustive):

• Trying to sell the fact that you won the open/adults division rather than any restricted division (be it weight, age, colour of gi, whatever)
• Publicly exhorting your grappling prowess in winning a division where you were the only competitor

Ha no I'd never do that. In fact at recent competition I lost my first and only match and could have still got a bronze but didn't want a participation trophy as it doesn't mean anything

 

[CrazyN8]

Ha no I'd never do that. In fact at recent competition I lost my first and only match and could have still got a bronze but didn't want a participation trophy as it doesn't mean anything

It means you showed up, more than countless others who never even try.

 

[esteven]

im 33, 34 in october and ive never competed in masters

for me personally its probably because while i feel out of shape, i dont really feel like ive lost a step

the other thing is, do you want to go home with almost a guaranteed medal, or are you looking for the hardest matches you can get?

My issue with the masters divisions is that they start at 30. I tlreally think at least 35 would make more sense. Early 30s are prime years for grapplers; their bodies are still riding their peaks, but they've also had a lot of time to mature.

People approach 30 and think "I'll never do masters," because they think that the old guys are just wimping out. They then say as much to people in their gyms and online. They don't really "get it" yet, since they're still in their prime. Because people see competitors who qualify for Masters 1 winning in adults, they think doing the old guy divisions is just a cop out.

 

[okyoureright]

There is nothing wrong at all with competing in the master's division, but I always think it's funny when the older guys say "masters division is so tough!" This is a silly thing to say, as the whole point of a master's division is that the level of competition is lower than the adult division. If masters is such a tough division, than what is the easy division?

For the most part, competing in the IBJJF adult division is a waste of time unless you're training at least five days a week. If you're not and you qualify, just do masters.

 

[JustTheTip]

There is nothing wrong at all with competing in the master's division, but I always think it's funny when the older guys say "masters division is so tough!" This is a silly thing to say, as the whole point of a master's division is that the level of competition is lower than the adult division. If masters is such a tough division, than what is the easy division?

For the most part, competing in the IBJJF adult division is a waste of time unless you're training at least five days a week. If you're not and you qualify, just do masters.

Masters Division is tough. I don't think anyone is trying to say that Masters is more difficult than Adult. The divisions get easier the higher up in Masters.

 

[MaxMMA]

Im actually surprised there is a masters division. At any given tournament half the dudes in masters could beat the shit out of half the dudes in adults.

 

[imarayda]

It just depends on how honest you are with yourself. Their is no shame in doing masters, I personally see it as the full-time job division. As long as you aren't a c*cksucker about it, don't turn into a prick about being a tournament winner. Adult blackbelts are the real world champs; masters will still be tough but it doesn't measure up to adult.

I want to do masters this year; and I'm honest with myself as to why. I don't train nearly enough to be competitive with the top brown belts in the world, but I would still like to test my skills in competition

 

[lechien]

Had a couple of guys told me they don't compete because they would compete at Masters divisions and Adults is the only one that counts. They told me I can still compete at Adults if I want (even though I'm 36). I didnt know that last part and though it was mandatory I compete at Masters 2

Anyone here 35-40 who tried competing at Adult divisions? How was it?

I do quite well at my gym with younger guys in their 20s (basically 90% of the people there), but from competing I know its a whole different beast.

Actually it is not correct.

You can choose to compete in adult even you are older but of course you cannot do the opposite.

They are making excuses.