Competition Performance

[10thpjj]

Hey all,

so this past weekend I competed and medalled (bronze) at the Miami open in the Adult blue belt division. It was my first competition in BJJ of any kind. I have previously competed in MMA several years ago but took a long hiatus from MMA/BJJ due to travelling the world and being a vagabond.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I felt like I fought very poorly. I felt almost as though I was stuck in mud, very sluggish, worrying about things/techniques during the matches that normally wouldn't phase me in the gym. I'm a strong wrestler, yet I completely lost the ability to shoot a decent double leg and I usually pass guard and attack very well, yet got stuck there way more than I would like, and just wasn't firing on all cylinders.

After my first match I legit felt like I was going to die. I have never experienced forearm pump like that in my life. The match didn't even go the full 6 mins, as I got a RNC about 4 minutes in but boy was I drained and tired. I put this down to adrenaline dump? Funny thing is, I never once felt nervous or worried about stepping on the mats. However, as soon as the matched began I was unable to work my game, got very tired early and generally sucked.

I won my second match 5-2 on points and lost the semi final in a scoreless match to a dubious refs decision, to the eventual winner.

I'm wondering if this is something that most people go through? Really not performing great in competition? I imagine that experience plays a big part in it. How did you do in your first comp and compared to subsequent efforts?

Do you find you get way more tired and sluggish in competition, as opposed to sparring rounds in the gym? I'm just curious and I'm kicking myself a little for not performing the way I know I can.

 

[FATC]

I think that's how most people are. I've only competed 4 times and the first 2 times were terrible. I played it too safe and didn't apply submission like I should....I was more or less rolling like I do in training. Third one I was going against black belts at a US trials even so i knew i was going to lose and i performed much better. Fourth one I cut too much weight so i didn't have stamina but i performed much better....technique was poor but i went after it.

 

[KILL KILL]

You just need to compete more.

 

[CrossedLine]

Totally understand where you're coming from. Whether you know it or not, the adrenaline dump is there, and your body reacts to it differently. Same thing happens, feels like I'm in sand halfway through the match in my early tournaments. Keep it up; congrats on the medal but bigger congratulations are in order for learning and working through it.

 

[These Two Hands]

I was nervous and had an adrenaline dump before my first novice Muay Thai fight when I was a teenager. For some reason, I've never had it since in any fights or competitions. Only ever that one time. I always find this peaceful lucidity when I'm fighting or grappling, like I'm more alive than usual and everything is crystal clear and focuses. All my problems are outside of this square and inside is nothing but focus. I love it.

Not that it's helped me not having adrenaline dumps in BJJ, I have a record of straight losses. So maybe it's better to have them... hmmm I wonder if epipens are banned before comps? Lmfao.

 

[fanboysareevil]

After my first match I legit felt like I was going to die. I have never experienced forearm pump like that in my life. The match didn't even go the full 6 mins.

This is me every time I've competed in the gi. Maul the first guy, proceed to transformation into Popeye and then who knows.

If it helps, the only thing I can recommend is consciously relaxing your grips when it's okay to do so. They burn out quick and drain a lot of energy, and are often something that we keep relatively relaxed in the gym but go nuts on with adrenaline flowing.

 

[These Two Hands]

This is me every time I've competed in the gi. Maul the first guy, proceed to transformation into Popeye and then who knows.

If it helps, the only thing I can recommend is consciously relaxing your grips when it's okay to do so. They burn out quick and drain a lot of energy, and are often something that we keep relatively relaxed in the gym but go nuts on with adrenaline flowing.

That "hook-hands" concept from Black Belt Blueprint combined with a mildly obsessive focus on grip-strength training ended up with me never feeling that burning grip feeling again. Never say never, of course, but not in the last 18 months or so.

 

[10thpjj]

Thanks guys. Definitely agree that relaxing the grips would help. I don't believe that I am a death gripper but I bet if I could go back into the matches and feel what I was doing I was probably subconsciously gripping for dear life. As mentioned above, I think the key to relaxing and performing to your full capacity is tournament experience through competing more. . .I just wished comps didn't run $100+ and were so poorly organised but that's a whole other kettle of fish.

 

[Glokta]

You just need to compete more.

This.

And a good warmup is key. You want to get a proper sweat on.

The science is that it takes 5+ minutes to prime your cardio system and get it to 100%.

Being called 1/2 an hour before the first match ftw.

 

[Glokta]

Incidentally only one guy from the gym I go to has made it through a first match without an adrenaline dump and gas out - he was a sniper who'd just come back from Afghanistan & He still burnt his grips out.

 

[HtomSirveaux]

This.

And a good warmup is key. You want to get a proper sweat on.

The science is that it takes 5+ minutes to prime your cardio system and get it to 100%.

Being called 1/2 an hour before the first match ftw.

So basically only compete at ibjjf tournaments. Because for all the hate they get online, they run a tournament like a fucking Swiss watch.

The rando regional tournament, however.... They are pretty much guaranteed to be giant clusterfucks, the gods laugh at your desire to properly warm up

 

[loyalyolayal]

I was losing a match with 10 secs left. Pass guard, north-south, score. " I will not go down like this" was my mantra whenever I'm on the losing end. Mental conditioning is a huge factor.

 

[10thpjj]

I was losing a match with 10 secs left. Pass guard, north-south, score. " I will not go down like this" was my mantra whenever I'm on the losing end. Mental conditioning is a huge factor.

That's what my mind was saying. . .Body wasn't following, unfortunately.