Why Compete in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

I’m a big advocate for competing in Jiu Jitsu.  It may however, not be for the reasons you think.  It’s not about the gold medal.  Should you try to win, absolutely!  But there is so much more to competing than getting your hand raised.  

Let’s talk about before the tournament.  

Leading up to competition, your jiu jitsu should be more focused.  You should be designing a gameplan and thinking about points while rolling.  You should be more intentional about each round and each drill that you do.  

You should be taking better care of your body.  In other words, eat better, drink more water, maybe take some vitamins, stretch more, and get more rest.  You can also add in some extra recovering things, like chiropractic, or a massage, or soaking in the tub.  

One of my favorite reasons to compete is who you become leading up to the tournament.  

Okay, now let’s talk about the tournament itself.  You are going to have to learn to overcome your nerves.  You might have to fight back from being down, or take big risks in the last 30 seconds.  You’ll have to be able to focus on your coach’s voice when there is so much going on around you.  Every part of this is good for your personal growth.  Learn to go out and have fun, and do your best, even if someone is literally trying to beat you up.  

But the best part of the day is the team and family aspect.  We are all there for each other, cheering each other on!  Taking pictures and going to dinner after.  It’s such an amazing way to bond with your teammates.  Not only that, but you might make friends with other people at the tournament.  One of the best parts about competing is getting to see so many friends that I have made over the last 20 plus years in the community!  Honestly you can make lifelong friendships with people you meet at a tournament!

And then there is after the tournament.

I never liked the saying you either win or you learn.  I think it’s short sighted.  I believe you can learn from both wins and losses.  I’ve seen very few flawless victories in the thousands of matches that I’ve watched.  Whether you win or not, there will always be things that we learn together that you can work on.  I highly recommend that before you step on the mat you hand your phone to someone to record the match.  It’s often hard to remember exactly what happened and having a video will help us both!

Your medal count does not matter to me at the end of the day.  What matters to me is that you worked to improve your jiu jitsu and focused on your goals while being respectful and having a good time.  You’re a Roll Model and I’m thankful for you!