sub only or sport bjj?

raines513

raines513

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What competitions style do you prefer? What one is more difficult? I just did a competition that keeps points and got 1rst place, and now there is a submission only tournament coming up, I want to do it but most of my team doesn't really care for them, but I really like the submit or be submitted concept.
 
I'm torn.

I like the idea of sub-only tournaments, from a fun time sort of aspect. At the same time, I don't like them because I think they lure people into behaving directly contradictory to the concept of jiu-jitsu, which is position oriented...based on dominance and safety...not that sport jiu jitsu itself doesn't do plenty of that.
 
Submission only for me. I trained with a bunch of guys who would count the time that their team mates held a position before they would transition or attempt a submission. It drives me nuts to see that. My problem with the IBJJF tournaments is that you cannot yield to win. You have to work, work, work for every point and not give anything up to risk losing by an advantage point. The whole concept of giving something up to setup another move is almost gone. I've heard it called "anti-jiu jitsu." Fight, fight, fight instead of survival until you see an opening.
 
I like the point tournaments better even though I find I do worse in those. Sub only tournaments remind me of spazzing when I was a whitebelt. You get a set amount of time and no matter how many passes you make nothing counts, but a submission. The most difficult obviously should be submission only because it keeps the action going and encourages taking risks and using up energy.
 
i did a submission tourney at the smithhaven mall on long island last night n i went 1-1. It was fun i do better at these as there is no pressure if u know u are behind on points, when i find ,my self behind, i make dumb mistakes and i just mess up more. theres no pressure in sub only tourneys, other than just to get the submission and finish. no need to worry about advantages or anything like that and i think they are a good learning experience.
 
A guy I train with had a sub-only match last something like 3 hours (and he ended up losing). He said is was a horrible experience and would likely never do another sub-only tourney. It has kind of scared me away from the format.
 
the usual setup is 4-5 min rounds with an overtime round of 1-2 minutes using the ibjjf point system.

I never heard of a match going 3 hrs thats rediculous lol id be pissed
 
HEELHOOKURAZZ said:
the usual setup is 4-5 min rounds with an overtime round of 1-2 minutes using the ibjjf point system.

I never heard of a match going 3 hrs thats rediculous lol id be pissed
Click to expand...

In the Subleague submission only tournaments it's 4 mins. If there is a draw in the finals you go again and get judged with points.
 
I haven't done one yet but I really like the idea of them and think that I would enjoy them.
 
I like submission only. I hate losing on points. It's old school jiu jitsu. Take your time and eventually get the submission. Although my cardio has never been that good. I've done one submission only tournament and my longest match was 22 minutes.
 
i've done both now and definately like sub only competitions way better.
 
Points tournaments for me. All the major tournaments are point tournaments, so I prefer to stick to the format they use.
 
The most satisfying matches I've had were won by refs decision or an ad that I fought my ass off for, because that's how close they were. Sub Only is fun in theory, but I get pissed when I go to sweep someone and they just roll over because "it doesn't matter," and I don't like fighting back to back 30 minute matches.
 
i've done both, and like them both for different reasons.

i like the pressure of tournies based on points.

i like the win/lose aspect of sub only...there's always a clear cut winner.

btw, the sub only tourney i did, had no time limits...which to me, is the only way to do them...
 
I would think timed bjj matches contradicts the theory more. Although control and positioning are highly emphasized, the idea of making something happen in six minutes highly contradicts its' philosophy. Just look at the early UFCs with Gracie vs Severn. If that fight was a six minutes bjj match, Gracie would have lost. If you watch some of the most elite black belts roll such as John Danaher and Roger Gracie, one thing that stands is how slow and precise their movements are. When the clock is ticking, it truly prevents elite grapplers from demonstrating their true bjj skill.
 
I didn't expect people to hate sub only as much as they apparently do. I like both for different reasons. Yes, major tournaments are timed and points decide winners a lot of the time. In that sense, it's better to do those. I found that sub only offers something that most people want to prove - "my jiu jitsu is better than yours". There are a lot of ways that guys win in timed matches. Strategy plays a huge role and it's not always the guy who's got the best jiu jitsu that wins. In a sub only tournament there are no tricks. You can't go for a toe hold so that you get 1 advantage up on your opponent in the last 30 seconds of the match and win. I enjoy the strategy, but also like to get my money's worth by having 20+ minute matches.
 
I've never done a Submission only tournament but I would really like the chance to try it.

However they seem to be oddly rare in Southern CA, possible because there are already so many of the big popular points tournaments that it drives out the less popular submission only tournaments.
 
3dsmax said:
I didn't expect people to hate sub only as much as they apparently do. I like both for different reasons. Yes, major tournaments are timed and points decide winners a lot of the time. In that sense, it's better to do those. I found that sub only offers something that most people want to prove - "my jiu jitsu is better than yours". There are a lot of ways that guys win in timed matches. Strategy plays a huge role and it's not always the guy who's got the best jiu jitsu that wins. In a sub only tournament there are no tricks. You can't go for a toe hold so that you get 1 advantage up on your opponent in the last 30 seconds of the match and win. I enjoy the strategy, but also like to get my money's worth by having 20+ minute matches.
Click to expand...

my thoughts exactly.
 
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