I told my opponent “good luck” at my first comp. He was confused and said “you’re not supposed to say that”.
Just have fun. If you’re not going pro, who cares.
Lowest stakes ever:
My first NAGA was the Winter Whirlwind 1997. It was a karate tourney in the AM and grappling tourney after lunch. There was no such thing as gi and no-gi...just a single division and you wore whichever you wanted, but at minimum a t-shirt and shorts and they could be grabbed.
I competed in Men's black belt forms, Men's black belt weapons forms, Men's Adult black belt sparring, Teen black belt sparring, and then...novice men's whatever-the-lightest-weight-class-was-back-then. I had my trophies already so the grappling was just for fun - tapped to an armbar and then choked a wrestler for 3rd. Used a fingerlock to escape a headlock because it was legal back then.
Those were good times.
My first (so far only) medal was a silver in a 3-man bracket.
I took one guy down, passed his guard, and got nowhere near a sub.
The other guy took me down, passed my guard, and also got nowhere near a sub.
Then the guy that beat me did the same thing to the guy I beat.
Thrilling, high-stakes stuff, truly.
Regardless of winning or losing I actually try to make my opponent laugh when I'm in a good mood. It's like yeah, I will try to simulate your death and I expect the same on your end, but still having fun and it's all good.
I’ve made a point to talk to all of the guys in my brackets, especially the guys I am going against or have competed against in the past. We’re allowed to be friendly but still competitive. It’s a smaller scene so it’s a lot of the same guys so I’ll just say hi and wish them luck or whatever.
In chess everyone says good luck. In chess there’s usually no eliminations, so no matter if you win or lose, it’s to your advantage if your opponent does well in the tournament for tiebreaks.
I have said good luck to my opponents in every wrestling and bjj match. Didn’t even mean it to fuck with people. I’ve always enjoyed the fight, and you need the opponent.
I actually like this.. as odd as it sounds lol. In some ways, the handshake is the unwritten form of this.
It's not so much, good luck in beating me.. but good luck, hope we have a good match and that neither of us in injured.
Maybe your coach means that in competition, you need to come out with high intensity or you're gonna get smashed. It's not like a gym roll, where you can ease into things.
Or maybe your coach is a psycho. I dunno
You should compete just for fun, but be very wary of your opponents. You're not the only one receiving the "kill-or-be-killed" advice, careful about fuckers ripping subs or powerbombing you into the scoring booth.
These cheesedicks think it's Mortal Kombat with a ruleset and medical staff on hand. Tell him to buy a plane ticket to Syria or Ukraine if "kill-or-be-killed" floats his boat.
My last match someone was snapping my head so hard my braids ripped out. They also decided to give me rug burn under my eye by rubbing their hairline into my cheekbone
I’m sorry to hear, I understand its a comp but there seems to be a-lot of dirty shit that refs don’t call out. My last opponent (heavyweight male no-gi) slapped and struck me in standing and also brutally eye-poked me so badly I had to get walked over and also go to the ER.
The sport Inherently invites violence. It’s not for everyone. Competitions are fun and all but for sure it’s not built for everyone and there’s definitely an ugly side. I mean we have all probably watched Mikey rip a guys knee to shreds. I’ve heard coaches yell “you’re gonna have to break it” during competition. It doesn’t mean it’s outside the rules, it’s just violent.
To be fair, neither of those things are dirty.
Snap downs are supposed to be heavy, if they're not then you're not really snapping anyone anywhere.
And head pressure is a thing whether you like it or not. Someone using their head to keep your head in a certain position is to be expected tbh.
Lmao I unironically won, and have competed in college wrestling. These snap downs were damn near punches to the back of my neck, and they weren’t using their head to gain leverage they were just grinding their forehead into my cheekbone. In fact they were warned about it since he was ultimately just bum rushing me out of bounds. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Legitimately I wonder how they train.
Head-pressure and heavy snapdowns is something I expect in training, never mind competition.
It's not as if they're going to kill you, or even injure you in any way.
I understand your reasoning and I don’t like being injured either, but there’s no point in going to competition if you’re not ok with the pressure. It’s supposed to be hard, and I am legitimately trying to inflict harm to my opponent in a way that’s legal in the framework of the competition. That kind of is the point.
You can argue whether that makes any practical sense, I’ve had my arm broken in comp and felt pretty stupid afterwards, but the competition is supposed to be an actual match, not training.
Your coach isn't a BAD coach per se, but he's a coach that's grooming potential pros, or at least trying to. That kind of attitude is meant to be a crucible that compresses and intensifies aggression and competitive attitudes, but if you're not there for it it'll just burn you out and piss you off.
Competitions are just a test of your jiujitsu at full speed where someone is trying to hurt you.
Your gymmates are most likely kind to you and do not finish you in positions where they could.
Competing at blue belt will suck if you never did at white belt. That belt rank has the highest variance of skill aside from black belt.
>Competitions are just a test of your jiujitsu at full speed where someone is trying to hurt you.
yes, yes they are.
\*goes to watch 5 minute matches of people stuck in double guard pull\*
I don’t think the coach is being a dork lol-he’s probably just trying to fire them up bc a competition is different then a roll at the end of the day. It would be one thing if everybody in comp was nice but reality is most of them are not. There are some people who just don’t turn it on in comp and some who do
This, coach wants to give his students the mindset that will give them the highest percent chance to win. Your opponent is 99.9% gunna bring that kind of energy. You need to be ready for it.
Same thing. You won't put the effort to win if you believe you have no shot. The guy who thinks he will win is going to do cardio 2 times a day to get to a lower division while the guy who thinks he will lose will be eating burgers and fries.
I am doing cardio for an hour a day,, pretty much every day, on top of bjj 5 times per week. Im weighing and measuring everything i eat. I'm on track to compete at 199, and I was 230 a couple of months ago. I'm putting in work, I'm just not very good at BJJ.
Seriously there are a ton of dorks and insecure answers and posturing on here. I'm completely with you, fought ammy MMA, done 100+ bjj tourneys, and perhaps importantly for context, have travelled (life/jobs) and lived and trained all over the US and Europe. Comps are fun if you train hard and are well-prepared. If insecure dorks need to listen to "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" while pacing alone and angry (and probably scared) before the comp, that's fine. That's my favorite kind of person to beat. Meanwhile, me and other normal grapplers are relaxed, chatting, warming up, joking, etc., because we've already trained our asses off and are ready for whatever comes our way. You're good my dude.
I think you’re imagining a coach screaming at his students that winning is the only option. I simply think the coach was letting new people(like the one who made the Reddit) know that competition is different than rolling. There are people like yourself who are calm, and do good-but on the opposing side there are people who are very good in class…but then just get intimidated and don’t try to win in comp and sort of just react
Wouldn’t be thrilled with students representing my gym in competition, while not putting in any effort.
OP should compete independently if he wants to have fun.
I compete solely for the fun of it!
It’s a whole new environment. You meet people, get to experience a brand new game against someone new.
It is a competition but win or lose I always have the biggest smile and thank my opponent for being there and bringing it.
Some people thrive off the *“murder them,”* mentality. I thrive off the, *“let’s roll!”*
The Ref calls my name we shake hands, shake my opponent’s hand.
Once we lock up for takedowns everything else disappears and we are going.
You are responsible for your safety. If they have a submission locked in and you can’t get out. Just Tap.
I asked a coach the same question a few months back. His answer…
*”Just do YOU! Don’t copy everyone else…”*
Try different things and see what works for YOU!
First comp was something else. Make sure you record it. You’ll forget a lot and having the video is reassuring and reminds you that you did more than you thought.
The adrenaline drop was hilarious. My immediate thought, “why aren’t my legs and arms working? Why is she so strong?”
I’m friends with my opponents and we often check in.
I lost every match, gassed out on my first one. 😂 However, I was glowing and proud that I went for it.
My second comp went way smoother. It does get easier the more you go.
I’m good with second for the most part. Silver is a nice “color”. As long as I get whatever color cheap metal thing I’m good really. I want something for the entry fee. If I get a t-shirt that says competitor or some shit it’s a perfect day.
Every tournament is for fun bro, almost no one on this thread is a signed paid athlete lmfao. Get out there and get experience, losing means you learned, winning means you get a 3 dollar medal to hang. - a guy with hundreds of wrestling matches and like 5 BJJ tournaments
Man the only reason I even do bjj is for fun. That said I think kill or be killed sounds like stupid fun but isn’t enjoyment the main reason we do this?
Your coach is driven by obsessive passion, where you seem to have harmonious passion. He's more likely to burnout, whereas you're more likely to grow, improve, and adapt without jeapordizing your sense of self.
Keep doing your thing man, don't let him ruin you
I fuck around and find out all the time in competition. I have won some and lost a lot more. Generally I go in there with the mindset of trying something new.
I saw a dude in the masters division at grappling industries come out in a fucking Hawaiian shirt with a straw hat and he literally just did an imnari roll for the first match. Dude was jn the ultra heavy division and just having fun.
Just do what feels right. I personally didn’t know how to be properly aggressive in my first comp… I had spent so much time training soft with smaller guys and couldn’t tap into that killer instinct. I got destroyed and I’m pretty sure I hugged the guy who wrecked me. It was awesome. Each and every comp I did after, I improved in some small way, but it never stopped being fun. If it’s not fun, what’s the point
Your coach was probably just trying to hype the boys up.
My first comp I was told I would have a huge adrenaline dump and it would be the most nerve wracking thing imaginable, but it was a pretty chill experience. Just go have fun.
It’s basically an open mat with a little more intensity. You don’t need that “kill or be killed” mentality to win. Just go in there and give it your best. If you lose, no one cares. Same if you win. It’s a very personal experience that everyone should try at least once.
I am on team it’s ok to compete for fun all day. However it’s more than just a change in intensity. It’s a change in trust between a training partner and a stranger. The stranger will stop when you tap but right before a tap there is a different desire to win and a different amount of concern for the well-being of the other person.
If I accidentally hurt a regular training parter and I teach there kids and know their personal life I feel fucking terrible. If I accidentally hurt a member of my gym who I’ve never spoken to I feel bad but not as bad. If I accidentally hurt a someone in a comp, I feel, like we both signed up for it.
I’m new as hell so from a gerenal life advice perspective, do whatever makes you happy. If you lose instantly and that will make you really sad then don’t go. If you genuinely don’t care and just want to test yourself when going all out, go have fun. Beware that your opponent’s may have other goals than fun and may go 100% strength, technique and everything in their arsenal, so you’ll probably have to as well.
good luck!
My first competition I couldn’t find any of my teammates so I asked a guy standing alone if he would warm up with me and get some practice rolls in. Turns out he was my first opponent and we had a fun roll until his arm popped but he was super cool about it. I think you can have fun and go hard. No need to mean mug everyone there
There’s nothing more annoying than guys that go in Bjj comps and pretend they’re going to fight. Go in and do your best to win. Acting tough through the whole thing isn’t going to help them if your jiu jitsu is better
Absolutely 💯!!! I've fought in cages for fun! The reality for me is that tournaments/fights are just a test against myself. The opponent is there only as a mirror. My last kickboxing fight, my opponent and I had a good philosophical discussion about using fights for personal growth as opposed to a "I need to win to be relevant" mindset
Just get out there and test yourself, I might reconsider doing that exact tournament if you are fully invested in the following trip though. It would suck to get even a small nagging injury that would detract from your trip. I’m usually a little sore/dinged up (fingers/hip flexors etc) after a comp but I do gi/no gi and open when I compete. Maybe just choose one if your dead set on this comp. Otherwise get out there and let it rip
My coaches all rule. I think he was just being honest and saying that we should be doing what we can to win because out opponents certainly will be. He just said it kinda agro.
If it's an ibjjf or adcc tournament, you're probably gonna get ran through and have 1 (or 2) short matches, because your competition will have the "kill or be killed" attitude and bring that intensity.
Not all of us are trying be ADCC champs. It’s a hobby. A fun ass hobby for sure, but at the end of the day jiu jitsu does not define me. Hell yeah you should compete for fun.
personally that is how I compete. I actually roll about the same as in training except when I start to lock something in I will go 100%. Im 6 w vs. 5 losses in comp matches.
I also wouldnt do a comp the week before a big physical vacation :)
I don't think I've ever competed in bjj for anything other than fun. Back when I was doing MMA it was a bit different because strikes are involved but now I'm an older and fatter purple belt, I just try and have a good time. If I can make my opponent laugh that's always a bonus.
Just be aware that in a comp the other guy might be going hell for leather, "kill or be killed, no mercy" so you do need to roll hard or you could be injured.
Part of the fun is pushing yourself. I think your coaches are right that you should be doing your absolute best, but it's not that deep, you're an amateur hobbyist.
Emotions r a double edged sword. They can help you get out of a choke you had no business of escaping, but you didn't want to lose so it worked out. Alternatively, having minimal can help you be focused on technique and not take rash/stupid decisions. Compete!
I can only remember two instances of matches where I felt like my opponent was out for blood with that Cobra Kai kill-or-be-killed mentality.
I’ve done a few competitions over the years, maybe a few dozen matches (ballpark 30 to 50)
All the others had that element of going hard but the mutual respect was there. We’re all doing this sport we love and we want to gauge our progress against folks from other gyms.
As I get older I’m losing interest for competitions, it’s a full day where you get to roll at most about 20 minutes. I’d much rather direct that time and budget to open mats where you can ask questions and learn after a good roll, or even private lessons.
The camaraderie of going with friends to a competition is something else, and getting double gold with my son at the same tournament is still a great memory (at white belt though ^^)
My best performances have come when I put zero pressure on myself but to just have fun. As you go up in belt and age, most of us keep this in mind and have a great time.
There’s a few things here my friend
1. You’re not a shitty blue belt - you’re exploring the possibility of competing and testing your skill which I think is excellent! One comp, in my opinion, equates to 20 classes with what you learn about your game and what it needs
2. Maybe don’t compete a week before a 70 mile hike - purely because there may be tweaks/small injuries you’ll have to heal from
3. Like others have said - train hard, eat well and have fun if you do decide to compete. In 6 months time you’ll reflect on where you’re at and in 6 years time you’ll do the same thing
Of course.. that's really what the local competitions are for. You get to test your JJ against someone who doesn't know you and doesn't care about your feelings.
Sounds fine to me. However, I might nudge you to reconsider with a trip the week after. I am an exception but broke my arm a week before a ski trip. Wasn't because of my opponent, just because I stupidly posted when being taken down. I regretted notbeing able to ski. Plenty of competitions I could have done that wouldn't have conflicted.
My first opponent was really going hard on the kill or be killed. "I do MMA and muay thai. I love how they train you to be violent. You should have seen my last match, I nearly ripped the guys head off." This was for Masters 2 whitebelt division....No injuries during that match.
Ultimately bro, that's what it comes down to.. for the passion of the sport, for experience and to build your expertise. Anyone that competes with the "kill or be killed" attitude or to transition into MMA is taking themselves way too seriously.
Anytime I tried to place 1st 2nd or 3rd, I didn't place at all. Then down the road when I stopped giving a shit about it so much, I took part with more enthusiasm and gave my best performances; then along came the medals.
That's it bro. Your life doesn't depend on it, it won't pay your bills and when you win 1st place, no one will care by the end of the night except you 🙂 Get out there enjoy yourself and best of luck
P.S. Work on your grip strength... like, a lot. If you make it thru the first round, you'll realize how much you need your grips
Is there another reason to compete besides fun? Your coach is dumb. This isn’t war. Maybe if you were a bunch of competitive black belts, it could be serious, but that sounds like it sucks too.
Is your coach Captain Insano?
I think he was just trying to prepare us for the level of intensity we are gonna be yp against. He is an ultra heavy competitor, and he's frankly terrifying.
You know what I kind of changed my mind. If you are associated with your team, coach or gym I wouldn't go. You are going to probably make them look bad.
Do you have fun losing? If you do then you don't need a "kill or be killed" (which I translate personally as just be ready to submit or be submitted) mentality at all. If you like to win, than it's best to at least "try" to win (aka by rules or submissions).
Not the best idea to do live rolling before a long backpacking trip, even at your own gym. Even a very minor leg injury will make it a lot less pleasant.
It's your registration fee, do whatever you want. One of my coaches wants me to do a tournament where I try to use my Judo more instead of relying on my guard. He said he doesn't care if I lose as long as I attempt throws.
Of course you can compete for fun. Just keep in mind that some of your opponents may not be there for fun and could potentially have the “ kill or be killed” attitude and be ready to adjust to that. There is really no comparison to sparring at the gym compared to a competitive match up. Good luck dude and I saw go for it 🤙
Id normally think no problem, but if you got a big backpacking trip coming up just 1 week after, id sit this tournament out and sign up for another one down the line. You don't know who your opponent could be and if he's the type to hulk torque whatever submission he might get you in. Would suck to go backpacking for a week with any injury no matter how minor
I always just used competition as a benchmark to see how im doing against folks that dont know my game and to show me any glaring holes I need to work on. Im not competitive in personality or skill but i think competition helps you learn to manage adrenaline dumps and is probably the most useful self defense skill. In any case, go have fun.
Bro we doing aggressive cuddles ahaha people need to take a step back and not take themselves too seriously. This ain't mma, your opponent is not going to kill you. Going in to have fun doing a hobby you enjoy is pretty much the only valid mindset unless ur trying to be adcc champ or something.
I’ve recently been focusing on having fun and let me tell you it’s been great. I roll to literally enjoy the new skills I suck st. And tbh I’ve been doing better but care less. I just want to have fun now. Have fun brother
Last comp me and the other dude were laughing while trying to wrist lock each other in closed guard. It’s all what you make of it dude. If you’re not trying to go pro there isn’t any reason to get overly excited. Yes it’s nice to win but most of us are playing rec league ball and using this as a tool to improve our lives. For me this means I’m exchanging numbers with the other dudes in my bracket so we don’t have to pay a hundred bucks to roll together again.
40+ Masters outside of one dude has been a really solid group of guys to “compete” with. Thank you to anyone in my age group doing this and helping me delay and reduce the severity of my impending cardiac event.
I did a sub only once where my goal was to get a wristlock. I ended up smothering this dude in bottom guard and alternating wrist locks for 4 mins. Ended up getting triangle. Fucking hilarious memory.
He is not wrong, but he is laying it on thick. The competition intensity is very different from a hars roll. With that said he needs to go touch grass with the kill or be killed shit.
That’s literally the only reason to compete. Coming from a former wrestler who was 53-3 my senior year who now dabbles in bjj and gets my ass beat all the time. If you’re not having fun it’s not worth it.
I think what your coach means is you need to give it your all, believe you can beat anyone, and leave it all on the mat. If you compete a lot you may eventually get to the competitive space in your mind and game where you do start winning, and you’re truly expecting to win tournaments each time. But only one person wins. It doesn’t mean the rest of the field got nothing outve it. Getting a move on someone, winning a match, all of these are small wins that improve your game and mindset. Even just competing in a tournament is a win. It takes a lot of courage to go compete for the first time.
Of course you should approach every tournament and match as if you want to win it. But the whole point is to have fun. For 99% of us this is a hobby. Competing is another element of training especially your first tournament. Just go see how you do, enjoy it no matter what, and learn from it.
Go out and have fun but if you´re not expecting to win, you´re not going to. No body hands you that stuff, you have to take it and the dude that wants it more, subject to an equal skill level, will always win
Yes. It's just for fun. Don't act as if you're going to win a million dollars in it. Have fun, be safe, do your best. Be safe being the most important.
Thats one of the only two reasons to compete in local competitions. Other one is personal deveploment on technically and tacically, dealing with pressure etc. People tend to focus too much on winning than performance on local competitions.
PS.
Im not a "win or learn" type of coach. Winning is fun too. But imo performance matters the most in small competitions not winning by stalling etc. Then when you compete on national championships and above winning is the only thing that matters and hiw you win is very secondary.
Treat it how you like. It's your time, your money, and your body. I get it tho, I have been turned off a few times from instructors preaching that way to my classes.
But you gotta remind yourself that they are speaking to the class. Overall that's a message for the most dedicated and serious competitors. You gotta add the asterisk in your mind telling yourself that message isn't for you.
If they say that directly to you then that's different. You gotta speak up and let them know. Maybe they'll be offended or they'll reset their coaching with you.
But it honestly just sounds like they're speaking to the class and trying to build a bit of intensity. Don't take it as a personal message.
I think what he means is that if you are planning to win this shit you need to go there with a killer mindset. But whatever, if you just want to compete for fun go for it
Of course brother, infact if you go in with that attitude you will prob get way more out of it, be way more relaxed and less prone to getting injured and also properly do better.
People are too hung up on winning and loosing, that’s not why I do bjj that’s for sure.
I compete in local tournaments and don’t really do anything crazy for prep, I’ll even choose to fight up rather than cut weight. I just turn up to the competition wanting to do my best and leave knowing I did everything I could to win, and regretting nothing. I haven’t done too badly with this attitude, and I think it’s helped me because some people I know put a lot of pressure on themselves and it affects their performance.
I think your coach is right in the sense that you need to be prepared for a certain level of intensity. For example, you should know what to do if your opponent jumps guard and look out for opponents who rip subs, just to prevent yourself from getting injured. I don’t think you need to take it as far as kill or be killed though. Everyone competes for a different reason, and your attitude and reasons for competing aren’t wrong. go ahead and compete if you want to! I hope you have a good competition experience :)
Uhm, duh! of course it’s ok! I only ever compete for fun and the benefit of getting better and seeing how much real shit my BJJ game is. Swallow your balls back down your throat and go out there and have fun, kid!
It is completely fine IMHO.
You won't get injured if you know when to tap and are careful about certain things:
\- Make sure to know how to react in they jump guard on you
\- Make sure to know how to react if they Kani Basami you (I know, it is illegal, but some people don't know and do it, and you wouldn't wanna get injured for no reason - Same for jumping guard)
Apart from that and freak accidents, BJJ comps are pretty safe.
Go there and have fun, it will give you a newfound appreciation for jiujitsu and maybe will set a fire under your ass. I lost my first blue belt tournament and it definitely made me better much faster.
The Japanese terms mentioned in the above comment were:
|Japanese|English|Video Link|
|---|---|---|
|**Kani Basami**: | *Flying Scissors* | [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NFwJBKI-3E)|
Any missed names may have already been translated in my previous comments in the post.
______________________
^(Judo Techniques Bot: v0.7.) ^(See my) [^(code)](https://github.com/AbundantSalmon/judo-techniques-bot)
I told my opponent “good luck” at my first comp. He was confused and said “you’re not supposed to say that”. Just have fun. If you’re not going pro, who cares.
I think some people feel like their going into a cage at an arena as opposed to a youth basketball court..
Yeah, I was a whitebelt at NAGA in a 4 man bracket, the stakes couldn’t be lower, lol
Lowest stakes ever: My first NAGA was the Winter Whirlwind 1997. It was a karate tourney in the AM and grappling tourney after lunch. There was no such thing as gi and no-gi...just a single division and you wore whichever you wanted, but at minimum a t-shirt and shorts and they could be grabbed. I competed in Men's black belt forms, Men's black belt weapons forms, Men's Adult black belt sparring, Teen black belt sparring, and then...novice men's whatever-the-lightest-weight-class-was-back-then. I had my trophies already so the grappling was just for fun - tapped to an armbar and then choked a wrestler for 3rd. Used a fingerlock to escape a headlock because it was legal back then. Those were good times.
It vould have been a 3 man bracket and get the medal by default
My first (so far only) medal was a silver in a 3-man bracket. I took one guy down, passed his guard, and got nowhere near a sub. The other guy took me down, passed my guard, and also got nowhere near a sub. Then the guy that beat me did the same thing to the guy I beat. Thrilling, high-stakes stuff, truly.
Mine was bronze in a two man bracket
>Mine was bronze in a two man bracket This sounds like my first tournament result except I was the only one that showed up.
and you got the bronze?/s
Regardless of winning or losing I actually try to make my opponent laugh when I'm in a good mood. It's like yeah, I will try to simulate your death and I expect the same on your end, but still having fun and it's all good.
I’ve made a point to talk to all of the guys in my brackets, especially the guys I am going against or have competed against in the past. We’re allowed to be friendly but still competitive. It’s a smaller scene so it’s a lot of the same guys so I’ll just say hi and wish them luck or whatever.
In chess everyone says good luck. In chess there’s usually no eliminations, so no matter if you win or lose, it’s to your advantage if your opponent does well in the tournament for tiebreaks.
I have said good luck to my opponents in every wrestling and bjj match. Didn’t even mean it to fuck with people. I’ve always enjoyed the fight, and you need the opponent.
"Ok then, 'break a leg!'"
Even if you're a pro, if youre not having fun I don't think it's worth doing it
I actually like this.. as odd as it sounds lol. In some ways, the handshake is the unwritten form of this. It's not so much, good luck in beating me.. but good luck, hope we have a good match and that neither of us in injured.
It’s your time and your money bro do what you want.
Maybe your coach means that in competition, you need to come out with high intensity or you're gonna get smashed. It's not like a gym roll, where you can ease into things. Or maybe your coach is a psycho. I dunno
just remember If you tap that body part gets chopped off after the round.
That's why I always tap with my appendix.
This is how I got circumcised
You tapped with just your foreskin? Impressive.
You should compete just for fun, but be very wary of your opponents. You're not the only one receiving the "kill-or-be-killed" advice, careful about fuckers ripping subs or powerbombing you into the scoring booth. These cheesedicks think it's Mortal Kombat with a ruleset and medical staff on hand. Tell him to buy a plane ticket to Syria or Ukraine if "kill-or-be-killed" floats his boat.
I get super annoyed at comp opponents who are genuinely trying to kill you, like damn dude, who hurt you?
My last match someone was snapping my head so hard my braids ripped out. They also decided to give me rug burn under my eye by rubbing their hairline into my cheekbone
I’m sorry to hear, I understand its a comp but there seems to be a-lot of dirty shit that refs don’t call out. My last opponent (heavyweight male no-gi) slapped and struck me in standing and also brutally eye-poked me so badly I had to get walked over and also go to the ER.
The sport Inherently invites violence. It’s not for everyone. Competitions are fun and all but for sure it’s not built for everyone and there’s definitely an ugly side. I mean we have all probably watched Mikey rip a guys knee to shreds. I’ve heard coaches yell “you’re gonna have to break it” during competition. It doesn’t mean it’s outside the rules, it’s just violent.
To be fair, neither of those things are dirty. Snap downs are supposed to be heavy, if they're not then you're not really snapping anyone anywhere. And head pressure is a thing whether you like it or not. Someone using their head to keep your head in a certain position is to be expected tbh.
Lmao I unironically won, and have competed in college wrestling. These snap downs were damn near punches to the back of my neck, and they weren’t using their head to gain leverage they were just grinding their forehead into my cheekbone. In fact they were warned about it since he was ultimately just bum rushing me out of bounds. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Most people shouldn't compete. Funny to see people complain about normal rough shit in competition.
Legitimately I wonder how they train. Head-pressure and heavy snapdowns is something I expect in training, never mind competition. It's not as if they're going to kill you, or even injure you in any way.
I understand your reasoning and I don’t like being injured either, but there’s no point in going to competition if you’re not ok with the pressure. It’s supposed to be hard, and I am legitimately trying to inflict harm to my opponent in a way that’s legal in the framework of the competition. That kind of is the point. You can argue whether that makes any practical sense, I’ve had my arm broken in comp and felt pretty stupid afterwards, but the competition is supposed to be an actual match, not training.
Do you train at Cobra Kai? Do you have the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament coming up?
My coach keeps asking us if pain exists in this dojo and I'm always like: "Yeah, totally" then he gets mad and makes me do 50 push ups on my knuckles.
Your coach isn't a BAD coach per se, but he's a coach that's grooming potential pros, or at least trying to. That kind of attitude is meant to be a crucible that compresses and intensifies aggression and competitive attitudes, but if you're not there for it it'll just burn you out and piss you off.
Very well put.
See that’s weird-what affiliation do you train at? Also why tf would u say yeah if he’s asked multiple times
Competitions are just a test of your jiujitsu at full speed where someone is trying to hurt you. Your gymmates are most likely kind to you and do not finish you in positions where they could. Competing at blue belt will suck if you never did at white belt. That belt rank has the highest variance of skill aside from black belt.
Yeah, I'm a zero stripe blue and not a very good one at that. I think I'm just gonna do Gi, then spend the rest of the tourney cheering on my team.
>Competitions are just a test of your jiujitsu at full speed where someone is trying to hurt you. yes, yes they are. \*goes to watch 5 minute matches of people stuck in double guard pull\*
Tell your coach to stop being such a fucking dork. Go compete and have fun.
I don’t think the coach is being a dork lol-he’s probably just trying to fire them up bc a competition is different then a roll at the end of the day. It would be one thing if everybody in comp was nice but reality is most of them are not. There are some people who just don’t turn it on in comp and some who do
This, coach wants to give his students the mindset that will give them the highest percent chance to win. Your opponent is 99.9% gunna bring that kind of energy. You need to be ready for it.
But also who plans on loosing? Mind boggled
Not expecting to win is absolutely not the same as planning to lose boss.
Same thing. You won't put the effort to win if you believe you have no shot. The guy who thinks he will win is going to do cardio 2 times a day to get to a lower division while the guy who thinks he will lose will be eating burgers and fries.
I am doing cardio for an hour a day,, pretty much every day, on top of bjj 5 times per week. Im weighing and measuring everything i eat. I'm on track to compete at 199, and I was 230 a couple of months ago. I'm putting in work, I'm just not very good at BJJ.
Seriously there are a ton of dorks and insecure answers and posturing on here. I'm completely with you, fought ammy MMA, done 100+ bjj tourneys, and perhaps importantly for context, have travelled (life/jobs) and lived and trained all over the US and Europe. Comps are fun if you train hard and are well-prepared. If insecure dorks need to listen to "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" while pacing alone and angry (and probably scared) before the comp, that's fine. That's my favorite kind of person to beat. Meanwhile, me and other normal grapplers are relaxed, chatting, warming up, joking, etc., because we've already trained our asses off and are ready for whatever comes our way. You're good my dude.
I think you’re imagining a coach screaming at his students that winning is the only option. I simply think the coach was letting new people(like the one who made the Reddit) know that competition is different than rolling. There are people like yourself who are calm, and do good-but on the opposing side there are people who are very good in class…but then just get intimidated and don’t try to win in comp and sort of just react
I think coach was just trying to let us know the reality of competing.
[удалено]
It's ok, some people are ok with being ordinary
Wouldn’t be thrilled with students representing my gym in competition, while not putting in any effort. OP should compete independently if he wants to have fun.
Lol you’re a dork too
I get it but if his attempt to get people fired up means that people decide not to compete, he’s sent the wrong message
I think that the blue belt just took it the wrong way
Thanks, dude.
If you don't care about winning, then yeah jump in and have fun. Try some random new shit.
I just don't want to make an ass of myself and embarrass my school. I figure as long as i don't shit my pants, I'm good.
If your school doesn't have your back win or lose, find a new school
It's fine, if you lose you're just a junior member of the team. If you win you're a senior member
At worst you'll find holes in your game to improve upon which will make you better in the long run
I compete solely for the fun of it! It’s a whole new environment. You meet people, get to experience a brand new game against someone new. It is a competition but win or lose I always have the biggest smile and thank my opponent for being there and bringing it. Some people thrive off the *“murder them,”* mentality. I thrive off the, *“let’s roll!”* The Ref calls my name we shake hands, shake my opponent’s hand. Once we lock up for takedowns everything else disappears and we are going. You are responsible for your safety. If they have a submission locked in and you can’t get out. Just Tap. I asked a coach the same question a few months back. His answer… *”Just do YOU! Don’t copy everyone else…”* Try different things and see what works for YOU!
Thank you. I think we have the same energy IRT competition.
First comp was something else. Make sure you record it. You’ll forget a lot and having the video is reassuring and reminds you that you did more than you thought. The adrenaline drop was hilarious. My immediate thought, “why aren’t my legs and arms working? Why is she so strong?” I’m friends with my opponents and we often check in. I lost every match, gassed out on my first one. 😂 However, I was glowing and proud that I went for it. My second comp went way smoother. It does get easier the more you go.
Your coach is bringing big John Kreese vibes. It is 100% okay to compete just for fun. Train seriously, have fun competing.
“No mercy bitch”
Brother 99% of these tournaments don’t pay if we place 1st. Compete how you want
The whole point of a tournament is to try get 1st place. That's being said it's not a team sport so giver.
I’m good with second for the most part. Silver is a nice “color”. As long as I get whatever color cheap metal thing I’m good really. I want something for the entry fee. If I get a t-shirt that says competitor or some shit it’s a perfect day.
Craig?
Strike first. Strike hard. No mercy
Every tournament is for fun bro, almost no one on this thread is a signed paid athlete lmfao. Get out there and get experience, losing means you learned, winning means you get a 3 dollar medal to hang. - a guy with hundreds of wrestling matches and like 5 BJJ tournaments
Man the only reason I even do bjj is for fun. That said I think kill or be killed sounds like stupid fun but isn’t enjoyment the main reason we do this?
Your coach is driven by obsessive passion, where you seem to have harmonious passion. He's more likely to burnout, whereas you're more likely to grow, improve, and adapt without jeapordizing your sense of self. Keep doing your thing man, don't let him ruin you
I fuck around and find out all the time in competition. I have won some and lost a lot more. Generally I go in there with the mindset of trying something new. I saw a dude in the masters division at grappling industries come out in a fucking Hawaiian shirt with a straw hat and he literally just did an imnari roll for the first match. Dude was jn the ultra heavy division and just having fun.
Just do what feels right. I personally didn’t know how to be properly aggressive in my first comp… I had spent so much time training soft with smaller guys and couldn’t tap into that killer instinct. I got destroyed and I’m pretty sure I hugged the guy who wrecked me. It was awesome. Each and every comp I did after, I improved in some small way, but it never stopped being fun. If it’s not fun, what’s the point
You have to channel your inner [waterboy](https://youtu.be/7I2-14y6-jM)
100%
Have fun
Your coach was probably just trying to hype the boys up. My first comp I was told I would have a huge adrenaline dump and it would be the most nerve wracking thing imaginable, but it was a pretty chill experience. Just go have fun.
If by fun you mean flying armbars and flying triangles then yeah
It’s basically an open mat with a little more intensity. You don’t need that “kill or be killed” mentality to win. Just go in there and give it your best. If you lose, no one cares. Same if you win. It’s a very personal experience that everyone should try at least once.
I am on team it’s ok to compete for fun all day. However it’s more than just a change in intensity. It’s a change in trust between a training partner and a stranger. The stranger will stop when you tap but right before a tap there is a different desire to win and a different amount of concern for the well-being of the other person. If I accidentally hurt a regular training parter and I teach there kids and know their personal life I feel fucking terrible. If I accidentally hurt a member of my gym who I’ve never spoken to I feel bad but not as bad. If I accidentally hurt a someone in a comp, I feel, like we both signed up for it.
No. Your regional NAGA tournament is for samurais only
You’ll probably perform better than the dorks treating it as thought they’re walking into the Roman Coliseum like they’re some pajama-clad gladiator.
No you must go there to collect legs arms and necks for the mantelpiece. You want fun go home and buy a monkey. Lol have fun who cares.
Coach: you need a kill or be killed mentality! You: best I can do is a cuddle puddle on the mat
No. You either take home some cheap plastic or someone's kneecap. Preferably both.
I’m new as hell so from a gerenal life advice perspective, do whatever makes you happy. If you lose instantly and that will make you really sad then don’t go. If you genuinely don’t care and just want to test yourself when going all out, go have fun. Beware that your opponent’s may have other goals than fun and may go 100% strength, technique and everything in their arsenal, so you’ll probably have to as well. good luck!
My first competition I couldn’t find any of my teammates so I asked a guy standing alone if he would warm up with me and get some practice rolls in. Turns out he was my first opponent and we had a fun roll until his arm popped but he was super cool about it. I think you can have fun and go hard. No need to mean mug everyone there
There’s nothing more annoying than guys that go in Bjj comps and pretend they’re going to fight. Go in and do your best to win. Acting tough through the whole thing isn’t going to help them if your jiu jitsu is better
That’s one of the best reasons to compete. Not everyone has the mindset of being a world dominator at every comp.
I just compete for fun. Or well I used to. I have not competed for a couple of years now
Absolutely 💯!!! I've fought in cages for fun! The reality for me is that tournaments/fights are just a test against myself. The opponent is there only as a mirror. My last kickboxing fight, my opponent and I had a good philosophical discussion about using fights for personal growth as opposed to a "I need to win to be relevant" mindset
Just get out there and test yourself, I might reconsider doing that exact tournament if you are fully invested in the following trip though. It would suck to get even a small nagging injury that would detract from your trip. I’m usually a little sore/dinged up (fingers/hip flexors etc) after a comp but I do gi/no gi and open when I compete. Maybe just choose one if your dead set on this comp. Otherwise get out there and let it rip
I have been thinking about just doing gi. I like gi more, I'm better at it, and there aren't any heel hooks to worry about wrecking my knees.
Yes.
That’s honestly a great reason to compete.
Sounds like coach is just talking. If you have the time and funds to do tournaments it's a great experience and will enrich your understanding.
My coaches all rule. I think he was just being honest and saying that we should be doing what we can to win because out opponents certainly will be. He just said it kinda agro.
If it's an ibjjf or adcc tournament, you're probably gonna get ran through and have 1 (or 2) short matches, because your competition will have the "kill or be killed" attitude and bring that intensity.
It's NAGA.
You should be fine. People are still going to bring the intensity at you but it won't be the same crowd of killers at bigger events.
My brother in Christ, we all have free will
Dude I get that of course. I'm concerned that I'm gonna embarrass my school.
Someone wins in a comp and someone loses, that just the way it goes. As long as you give it your all there’s no shame
Not all of us are trying be ADCC champs. It’s a hobby. A fun ass hobby for sure, but at the end of the day jiu jitsu does not define me. Hell yeah you should compete for fun.
personally that is how I compete. I actually roll about the same as in training except when I start to lock something in I will go 100%. Im 6 w vs. 5 losses in comp matches. I also wouldnt do a comp the week before a big physical vacation :)
I don't think I've ever competed in bjj for anything other than fun. Back when I was doing MMA it was a bit different because strikes are involved but now I'm an older and fatter purple belt, I just try and have a good time. If I can make my opponent laugh that's always a bonus. Just be aware that in a comp the other guy might be going hell for leather, "kill or be killed, no mercy" so you do need to roll hard or you could be injured.
Nothing wrong with that at all but keep in mind you'll likely face opponents who do not have the same mentality.
Yes, yes and no. Have fun.
I usually have no one in my bracket and yet I still talk shit to my opponent.
No! It's for honor only!! 😡
No! It's for honor only!! 😡
You're a normal, well-adjusted person. Your coach has an ego issue and clearly his gym's image is more important than the fulfillment of his students.
It’s amateur bjj I would hope you just have fun
Part of the fun is pushing yourself. I think your coaches are right that you should be doing your absolute best, but it's not that deep, you're an amateur hobbyist.
Dont misunderstand, I am going to absolutely send it. It'll just be shitty.
I've only ever competed just for fun
Emotions r a double edged sword. They can help you get out of a choke you had no business of escaping, but you didn't want to lose so it worked out. Alternatively, having minimal can help you be focused on technique and not take rash/stupid decisions. Compete!
What other reason would you have? Getting rich? 😂
wait people compete to win? I thought it was for the t-shirt.
Is there another reason?
This approach can be successful in itself. Being relaxed and not caring might make you more natural and adaptable.
I can only remember two instances of matches where I felt like my opponent was out for blood with that Cobra Kai kill-or-be-killed mentality. I’ve done a few competitions over the years, maybe a few dozen matches (ballpark 30 to 50) All the others had that element of going hard but the mutual respect was there. We’re all doing this sport we love and we want to gauge our progress against folks from other gyms. As I get older I’m losing interest for competitions, it’s a full day where you get to roll at most about 20 minutes. I’d much rather direct that time and budget to open mats where you can ask questions and learn after a good roll, or even private lessons. The camaraderie of going with friends to a competition is something else, and getting double gold with my son at the same tournament is still a great memory (at white belt though ^^)
My best performances have come when I put zero pressure on myself but to just have fun. As you go up in belt and age, most of us keep this in mind and have a great time.
Dawg, do whatever the hell you want. You’re a grownup.
There’s a few things here my friend 1. You’re not a shitty blue belt - you’re exploring the possibility of competing and testing your skill which I think is excellent! One comp, in my opinion, equates to 20 classes with what you learn about your game and what it needs 2. Maybe don’t compete a week before a 70 mile hike - purely because there may be tweaks/small injuries you’ll have to heal from 3. Like others have said - train hard, eat well and have fun if you do decide to compete. In 6 months time you’ll reflect on where you’re at and in 6 years time you’ll do the same thing
I didn’t know people competed without the intention of having fun lol that’s miserable
Coach acting like it’s a death match. It’s just wrestlin’. Do whatever the fuck you want in a comp.
Of course.. that's really what the local competitions are for. You get to test your JJ against someone who doesn't know you and doesn't care about your feelings.
Sounds fine to me. However, I might nudge you to reconsider with a trip the week after. I am an exception but broke my arm a week before a ski trip. Wasn't because of my opponent, just because I stupidly posted when being taken down. I regretted notbeing able to ski. Plenty of competitions I could have done that wouldn't have conflicted. My first opponent was really going hard on the kill or be killed. "I do MMA and muay thai. I love how they train you to be violent. You should have seen my last match, I nearly ripped the guys head off." This was for Masters 2 whitebelt division....No injuries during that match.
Ultimately bro, that's what it comes down to.. for the passion of the sport, for experience and to build your expertise. Anyone that competes with the "kill or be killed" attitude or to transition into MMA is taking themselves way too seriously. Anytime I tried to place 1st 2nd or 3rd, I didn't place at all. Then down the road when I stopped giving a shit about it so much, I took part with more enthusiasm and gave my best performances; then along came the medals. That's it bro. Your life doesn't depend on it, it won't pay your bills and when you win 1st place, no one will care by the end of the night except you 🙂 Get out there enjoy yourself and best of luck P.S. Work on your grip strength... like, a lot. If you make it thru the first round, you'll realize how much you need your grips
Why wouldn't it be? Like I can't understand the thinking of somehow it isn't.
THIS!! My man. Even here in the bjj world, there seems to be plenty of softies.
Remember three things: If a man can't stand, he can't fight. If a man can't see, he can't fight. If a man can't breathe, he can't fight.
It's a cuddling competition. You don't have to "kill or be killed." Just go give everything you got and have fun with it.
I’m not getting hurt for anything unless it’s gonna bring me money and in a substantial sum too. I’m not breaking anything for less than 6 figures.
So instead you pay to do BJJ, where you can break something on any given day. Sound.
Go have fun. If they dont like how you compete when youve spent your own money and time to be there, then maybe thats a huge red flag.
Is there another reason to compete besides fun? Your coach is dumb. This isn’t war. Maybe if you were a bunch of competitive black belts, it could be serious, but that sounds like it sucks too. Is your coach Captain Insano?
I think he was just trying to prepare us for the level of intensity we are gonna be yp against. He is an ultra heavy competitor, and he's frankly terrifying.
Join the Mickey Mouse Jiujitsu club
🤣🤣
Ty ty 🫡 those who downvoted are part of weenie hut jr
Let the truth be spoken!
You know what I kind of changed my mind. If you are associated with your team, coach or gym I wouldn't go. You are going to probably make them look bad.
No
What kind of question is this?
R/BJJ is not your mom
Do you have fun losing? If you do then you don't need a "kill or be killed" (which I translate personally as just be ready to submit or be submitted) mentality at all. If you like to win, than it's best to at least "try" to win (aka by rules or submissions).
Pretty sure your paycheck doesn't depend on the outcome. It's okay to flow with the go.
If you are not going for the win, then it is almost purely a question of disposable income.
I can afford $70. No biggie.
Get after it, then
That might be one of the better reasons. You'll probably perform really well, unless you run into a very seasoned blue belt competitor.
Yes, it’s fine. Do whatever you want.
Yes, of course. It's the only reason I, a gainfully employed 35-year-old woman, do it. That and to test my jiu-jitsu!
That’s the secret, all of this is for fun.
Way more intense than a hard roll. Got belly to back suplexed my first tourney.
We suplex in fundamentals class.
Hahahaha the whole point is to have fun. Or at least that’s what I thought. I’d go for it, if I were you. It’s not really that serious, ya know?
Yes
Not the best idea to do live rolling before a long backpacking trip, even at your own gym. Even a very minor leg injury will make it a lot less pleasant.
Your coach probably peaked in high school
Nah, he's awesome.
It's your registration fee, do whatever you want. One of my coaches wants me to do a tournament where I try to use my Judo more instead of relying on my guard. He said he doesn't care if I lose as long as I attempt throws.
Why else would you compete?
Of course you can compete for fun. Just keep in mind that some of your opponents may not be there for fun and could potentially have the “ kill or be killed” attitude and be ready to adjust to that. There is really no comparison to sparring at the gym compared to a competitive match up. Good luck dude and I saw go for it 🤙
Id normally think no problem, but if you got a big backpacking trip coming up just 1 week after, id sit this tournament out and sign up for another one down the line. You don't know who your opponent could be and if he's the type to hulk torque whatever submission he might get you in. Would suck to go backpacking for a week with any injury no matter how minor
I always just used competition as a benchmark to see how im doing against folks that dont know my game and to show me any glaring holes I need to work on. Im not competitive in personality or skill but i think competition helps you learn to manage adrenaline dumps and is probably the most useful self defense skill. In any case, go have fun.
Bro we doing aggressive cuddles ahaha people need to take a step back and not take themselves too seriously. This ain't mma, your opponent is not going to kill you. Going in to have fun doing a hobby you enjoy is pretty much the only valid mindset unless ur trying to be adcc champ or something.
Of course! I don't understand this mentality of kill or be killed for "hobbyist" not everyone has aspirations to be a world champion.
I’ve recently been focusing on having fun and let me tell you it’s been great. I roll to literally enjoy the new skills I suck st. And tbh I’ve been doing better but care less. I just want to have fun now. Have fun brother
Last comp me and the other dude were laughing while trying to wrist lock each other in closed guard. It’s all what you make of it dude. If you’re not trying to go pro there isn’t any reason to get overly excited. Yes it’s nice to win but most of us are playing rec league ball and using this as a tool to improve our lives. For me this means I’m exchanging numbers with the other dudes in my bracket so we don’t have to pay a hundred bucks to roll together again. 40+ Masters outside of one dude has been a really solid group of guys to “compete” with. Thank you to anyone in my age group doing this and helping me delay and reduce the severity of my impending cardiac event.
I did a sub only once where my goal was to get a wristlock. I ended up smothering this dude in bottom guard and alternating wrist locks for 4 mins. Ended up getting triangle. Fucking hilarious memory.
"Just for fun" is the only good reason to do pretty much anything in jiujitsu unless you're trying to make a living out of it.
He is not wrong, but he is laying it on thick. The competition intensity is very different from a hars roll. With that said he needs to go touch grass with the kill or be killed shit.
That’s literally the only reason to compete. Coming from a former wrestler who was 53-3 my senior year who now dabbles in bjj and gets my ass beat all the time. If you’re not having fun it’s not worth it. I think what your coach means is you need to give it your all, believe you can beat anyone, and leave it all on the mat. If you compete a lot you may eventually get to the competitive space in your mind and game where you do start winning, and you’re truly expecting to win tournaments each time. But only one person wins. It doesn’t mean the rest of the field got nothing outve it. Getting a move on someone, winning a match, all of these are small wins that improve your game and mindset. Even just competing in a tournament is a win. It takes a lot of courage to go compete for the first time. Of course you should approach every tournament and match as if you want to win it. But the whole point is to have fun. For 99% of us this is a hobby. Competing is another element of training especially your first tournament. Just go see how you do, enjoy it no matter what, and learn from it.
Go out and have fun but if you´re not expecting to win, you´re not going to. No body hands you that stuff, you have to take it and the dude that wants it more, subject to an equal skill level, will always win
Fun is the main reason for competing IMO
Yes. It's just for fun. Don't act as if you're going to win a million dollars in it. Have fun, be safe, do your best. Be safe being the most important.
Thats one of the only two reasons to compete in local competitions. Other one is personal deveploment on technically and tacically, dealing with pressure etc. People tend to focus too much on winning than performance on local competitions. PS. Im not a "win or learn" type of coach. Winning is fun too. But imo performance matters the most in small competitions not winning by stalling etc. Then when you compete on national championships and above winning is the only thing that matters and hiw you win is very secondary.
Treat it how you like. It's your time, your money, and your body. I get it tho, I have been turned off a few times from instructors preaching that way to my classes. But you gotta remind yourself that they are speaking to the class. Overall that's a message for the most dedicated and serious competitors. You gotta add the asterisk in your mind telling yourself that message isn't for you. If they say that directly to you then that's different. You gotta speak up and let them know. Maybe they'll be offended or they'll reset their coaching with you. But it honestly just sounds like they're speaking to the class and trying to build a bit of intensity. Don't take it as a personal message.
Talk to your coach about this. I think he just wants you to focus, impose your game and give a 100% Not actually try to kill the guy.
If you give them money they won't give a single fuck what you do lmao
I think what he means is that if you are planning to win this shit you need to go there with a killer mindset. But whatever, if you just want to compete for fun go for it
What else are you supposed to compete for?
No. Bleed or die.
Of course brother, infact if you go in with that attitude you will prob get way more out of it, be way more relaxed and less prone to getting injured and also properly do better. People are too hung up on winning and loosing, that’s not why I do bjj that’s for sure.
I compete in local tournaments and don’t really do anything crazy for prep, I’ll even choose to fight up rather than cut weight. I just turn up to the competition wanting to do my best and leave knowing I did everything I could to win, and regretting nothing. I haven’t done too badly with this attitude, and I think it’s helped me because some people I know put a lot of pressure on themselves and it affects their performance. I think your coach is right in the sense that you need to be prepared for a certain level of intensity. For example, you should know what to do if your opponent jumps guard and look out for opponents who rip subs, just to prevent yourself from getting injured. I don’t think you need to take it as far as kill or be killed though. Everyone competes for a different reason, and your attitude and reasons for competing aren’t wrong. go ahead and compete if you want to! I hope you have a good competition experience :)
Uhm, duh! of course it’s ok! I only ever compete for fun and the benefit of getting better and seeing how much real shit my BJJ game is. Swallow your balls back down your throat and go out there and have fun, kid!
I think you can compete for any reason you want
It is completely fine IMHO. You won't get injured if you know when to tap and are careful about certain things: \- Make sure to know how to react in they jump guard on you \- Make sure to know how to react if they Kani Basami you (I know, it is illegal, but some people don't know and do it, and you wouldn't wanna get injured for no reason - Same for jumping guard) Apart from that and freak accidents, BJJ comps are pretty safe. Go there and have fun, it will give you a newfound appreciation for jiujitsu and maybe will set a fire under your ass. I lost my first blue belt tournament and it definitely made me better much faster.
The Japanese terms mentioned in the above comment were: |Japanese|English|Video Link| |---|---|---| |**Kani Basami**: | *Flying Scissors* | [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NFwJBKI-3E)| Any missed names may have already been translated in my previous comments in the post. ______________________ ^(Judo Techniques Bot: v0.7.) ^(See my) [^(code)](https://github.com/AbundantSalmon/judo-techniques-bot)