This past weekend in Middleburg Heights, Ohio Prograppler staff was live on site, and even got to participate in a new trend that we hope catches on. Tackle Jiujitsu, known for their TGGL grappling league matches and Cleveland Carjitsu Tournaments, branched off into something even more amateur than usual.
The concept was simple, take 8-12 people off the streets (with no grappling experience), give them a brief “rules of the game” speech, assign them a bluebelt coach, and see who can encode as much submission grappling knowledge in 1 hour’s time.
The tournament was made up of single-elimination, sub-only matches, the action only ending with one lone competitor left standing, and the action was not lacking! From square one, I was almost shocked with how aggressivly these novices knocked horns (so to speak).
With that said, I have a few takeaways from anyone reading and considering competing in a grappling tournament for their first time, this time from all my experience as a middle-aged purplebelt and apparently mediocre coach.
3. Don’t Panic
Watching the opening seconds of a white belt match is like watching two feral cats thrown into a washing machine on the spin cycle. The referee yells “Combate!” and suddenly, all technique evaporates. It’s just two human beings operating on pure survival instinct.
The Lesson: The mat is not quicksand. The harder you thrash without a plan, the faster you sink.
When someone secures a dominant position or a tight grip on you, it is an inconvenience, not an execution. Take a half-second to assess. Identify the danger, remember the escape you’ve practiced fifty times, and execute it. Panic is the ultimate gas-out. If you can control your mind, you can control your space.
2. Stay Hydrated
You may think that it goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyways (just in case), If you are grappling against a bunch of strangers in a sweaty gym featuring 90% humidity, you should probably drink some water. (and maybe don’t shotgun a beer before your first match, but I can’t confirm that data)
- Sip, Don’t Chug: Keep a gallon of water (or electrolytes) with you and sip consistently throughout the day.
- Pack Snacks: Bananas, rice cakes, honey, whatever keeps your glycogen up without bloating you.
- The Internal Environment Matters: Your muscles cannot contract or relax without hydration. Don’t let a preventable cramp ruin a potentially good time.
1. Remember To Breathe
This sounds ridiculous. Breathing is an involuntary biological function; your body does it automatically. Except, during the adrenaline dump after your first match begins, then you might need to remind yourself.
It’s a pretty common feature in new grapplers to gas out in the heat of the moment from operating in fight or flight for the first time. Don’t be that guy. Slow down for a moment, take a deep breath, break your gaze, and then get back at it.
Try To Make Your Exhalations Audible. When you are in a bad spot, force a deep breath out. It resets your nervous system, lowers your heart rate, and reminds your brain that you are not actually dying, you’re just playing pajama wrestling on a Sunday afternoon.
The Final Verdict
To every white belt who stepped onto the mats, my joints salute your courage. It takes an immense amount of guts to put your ego on the line in front of a crowd. You made mistakes, you wasted energy, and you probably feel like you got hit by a monster truck today.
However, you stepped up nonetheless. Now, drink some water, take a deep breath, relax, and get back on the mats on Monday.
