If you’ve been grappling for over a year or two, likely you’ve been in the following situation: You finish making your Smoothcomp profile, you get your Paypal confirmation email, and then reality sets in, you are now signed up for your very first BJJ competition, but what does that even mean?!
First of all, DON’T PANIC. It’s not that big of a deal, and we at Prograppler are here to hold your hand through the worst of it!
In my infinite bluebelt wisdom, I have painstakingly formulated a list of concerns that you may, and probably do have surrounding your first competition.
6. “What If I Lose My Very First Match In Thirty Seconds?”
The Reality: Then you’ll have a great story and a clear list of things to work on Monday night. In a local tournament, you aren’t losing as much as you’re getting a detailed list of where you need to improve. That is one of the primary purposes for competition, to see where you stack up. At a local whitebelt tournament, no one remembers who won or lost, even a week after the match. I remember ZERO people who I competed against as a whitebelt, win or lose.
5. “How Do I Handle A ‘Spazzy’ Opponent?”
The Reality: At whitebelt, some competitors substitute technique with pure, unadulterated aggression. They will move fast, they will be stiff, and they might accidentally elbow you in the ear.
The Strategy: Don’t meet fire with fire. Use your frames. If they are exploding with energy, weather the storm for the first 60 seconds. Most spazzy competitors have a very small gas tank, once they stop panting, that’s when you work your jiujitsu.
4. “What If I Forget Every Single Technique I’ve Ever Learned?”
The Reality: You probably will. Your brain will try to revert to chimp mode. This is why you need a simple game plan (see also; The KISS method). Don’t try the berimbolo you saw on YouTube last night.
Pick one guard pass.
Pick one takedown.
Pick one sweep.
Pick one submission.
To play the game, you don’t need to be detailed per se, just reliable and functional.
3. “Should I Cut 10 Pounds This Week To Make A Lower Weight Class?”
The Reality: No. Absolutely not. You are a white belt at a local tournament, not a pro fighting for a UFC title. Cutting weight adds a massive layer of stress, dehydration, and irritability to an already intense experience.
Pro Tip: Compete at your natural walking weight. Being well-fed and hydrated is a much bigger advantage than being the big guy in a lower-weight bracket who gasses out after thirty seconds because he hasn’t eaten a carb in four days.
2. “What Happens When The ‘Adrenaline Dump’ Hits?”
The Reality: About five minutes before your first match, your heart will try to exit your chest, and your grip strength might vanish. This is the adrenaline dump.
The Fix: Don’t sit still. Walk around, do some light pummeling, and breathe deeply. Recognize that the shaky feeling is just your body priming itself for a fight. Once the referee says combate, the fog usually clears within seconds.
1. “Am I Actually Ready For This, Or Am I Just Going To Be A Human Highlights Reel For Someone Else?”
The Reality: You will never feel 100% ready. BJJ is a game of controlled chaos, and whitebelt matches are the most chaotic of all. You aren’t there to show off world-class technique, you’re there to see how your training holds up under pressure. If you can tie your belt and escape a side control once in a while during live rolls, you’re ready enough to learn from this experience.
If I can convey anything to the literal tens of you that have actually read the article this far, it’s this, YOU ARE READY. This is not nearly as big of a deal as you think that it may be. If you’ve competed in CYO Softball as a child, you have felt comparable pressure to this moment. Just breathe, remember to keep it simple, and treat this like any other roll you’ve ever had, the $5 medal isn’t worth your peace.
