Question on Competition
Roy,
What’s your opinion on competition in BJJ? I’m thinking of doing a tournament but I’m not quite sure that this is for me. I enjoy jiu-jitsu a lot and have gained a lot from sparring and training in class, but is competition a necessary element for development?
Curious to hear your take,
Kirk
That’s a good question. I think that competition in BJJ has several positive qualities. First, competitions are intense, and rarely is that same level of intensity reached with your teammates or training partners in class. The person you’re competing against generally doesn’t know you or anything about you, doesn’t care about you, and is only looking to conquer you. Dealing with this kind of intention is important for martial artists to experience. It’s not really about the techniques allowed (and BJJ has an extremely wide palette of legal submission techniques), it’s about feeling the spark of aggression and coping with it adequately.
At the blue belt level in particular, competitions will open your eyes to holes in your game like nothing else. Have a loose guard? Getting it passed repeatedly in public exhibition is strong motivation to tighten it up. The fancy submission you’ve been day dreaming of hitting in competition to impress that girl you like? Try it and discover the risk reward ratio for yourself. I guarantee you won’t forget it. Lessons learned at a tournament tend to stick better than repeated guidance from your instructor. It is true direct experience.
Competitions are a serious matter. There is a risk of injury. There is a risk of having your ego destroyed (if you put too much into your identity as a jiu jitsu player). You may also win and it could inflate your ego disproportionately. You have to prepare yourself properly. Physically, mentally, and tactically. I don’t recommend doing one just for kicks. Know that losing is a possibility. You might lose several tournaments before getting everything aligned. Winning a tournament is not just about technique. It’s depends on a combination of factors, including diet, jet lag, your competition, the timing of the tournament, what weight class you’re in, your coaching, etc.
Choosing the competition is also important. I highly recommend watching the tournament beforehand, if possible. I have seen some bad competitions in my day. Know that almost all promoters are there to make money, not provide meaningful experiences for the fighters. Some events run hours and hours behind schedule. Some don’t have adequate bathrooms, space, or medical personnel. I’ve seen referee’s get distracted or answer their cell phones during matches, then miss obvious and important points, sometimes deciding the match unjustly. It happens. The experience has just as many opportunities for disappointment as it does for glory and exhilaration. It’s duality, after all.
In short, competition will accelerate the development of your game. But it should only be a part of training, not the continuous end goal of training. There are many amazing jiu jitsu players who’ve never competed, but have deadly submission games. There are also great competitors who have very basic games with amazing athleticism. If you’re looking for a intense experience that makes you feel fully alive, then a competition will awaken you. If you’re looking to improve, it will also assist your development. But it isn’t necessary. The greatest asset to your development is a trusted training partner to regularly drill techniques with. That’s where you’ll find the greatest gains.
Good training to you!
Roy Dean