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Gratefulness for first tournament experience
1 year(s) ago • 993 views • 7 replies
ANBlue beltVerified
1 year(s) ago
No complaining here - just a gratefulness rant. :) I really went out of my comfort zone and competed in my first tournament with Grappling Industries at the age of 34 at blue belt... First athletic competition of my life, too. Talk about really stacking the cards against you LOL.
However, I had such a great experience with my competitors, they gave me such encouraging and constructive feedback and my opponents' coach was so encouraging as well. I'm sure others don't always have such a great experience but I'm so grateful for mine!
Maybe someone will read this and go "Hey, maybe it's my time to try a tournament, too." I don't regret it one bit, the training and conditioning before just to ensure I wouldn't get hurt and have a good experience was worth it on its own, too. I've never been in this good of shape in my entire life. I'll be back at it in March 2025!
However, I had such a great experience with my competitors, they gave me such encouraging and constructive feedback and my opponents' coach was so encouraging as well. I'm sure others don't always have such a great experience but I'm so grateful for mine!
Maybe someone will read this and go "Hey, maybe it's my time to try a tournament, too." I don't regret it one bit, the training and conditioning before just to ensure I wouldn't get hurt and have a good experience was worth it on its own, too. I've never been in this good of shape in my entire life. I'll be back at it in March 2025!
BMBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
1 year(s) ago
However, I had such a great experience with my competitors, they gave me such encouraging and constructive feedback and my opponents' coach was so encouraging as well. I'm sure others don't always have such a great experience but I'm so grateful for mine!
I think this is fairly typical, most of the time. Many of my former opponents are now friends.
Congrats on getting out of your comfort zone and doing the thing!
Congrats on getting out of your comfort zone and doing the thing!
ARBlack beltVerified
1 year(s) ago
Awesome! :)
JABlack beltVerified
1 year(s) ago
Great job, thats awesome, happy for you!
WSBlack beltVerified
1 year(s) ago
Amazing that you did it! BJJ is mostly about self-exploration and self-development and a valuable tool to go against our own fears or demons. Happy for you that you did it. Enjoy the journey, everything will be fine!
JJBlack beltVerified
1 year(s) ago
Competing is a great way to learn the truth.
When working on new stuff don't be afraid to try it out in competition. Competition is where you truly learn what works and what doesn't work. If you have already been able to make some things work, that's awesome. Now try and make some different stuff work and keep repeating that process.
The biggest mistake that casual competitors make in competition is always trying to win and they sort of just zone out and don't really do anything except their A game. Competition is sort of like paper, rock, scissors at lower belts.
Normally takes 4-6 months to get somewhat good at new stuff through trial and error. After a year you should of gotten fairly decent at 2 or 3 things. Doesn't seem like much but it adds up as the years pass.
When working on new stuff don't be afraid to try it out in competition. Competition is where you truly learn what works and what doesn't work. If you have already been able to make some things work, that's awesome. Now try and make some different stuff work and keep repeating that process.
The biggest mistake that casual competitors make in competition is always trying to win and they sort of just zone out and don't really do anything except their A game. Competition is sort of like paper, rock, scissors at lower belts.
Normally takes 4-6 months to get somewhat good at new stuff through trial and error. After a year you should of gotten fairly decent at 2 or 3 things. Doesn't seem like much but it adds up as the years pass.
ANBlue beltVerified
1 year(s) ago
Competing is a great way to learn the truth. When working on new stuff don't be afraid to try it out in competition. Competition is where you truly learn what works and what doesn't work. If you have already been able to make some things work, that's awesome. Now try and make some different stuff work and keep repeating that process. The biggest mistake that casual competitors make in competition is always trying to win and they sort of just zone out and don't really do anything except their A game. Competition is sort of like paper, rock, scissors at lower belts. Normally takes 4-6 months to get somewhat good at new stuff through trial and error. After a year you should of gotten fairly decent at 2 or 3 things. Doesn't seem like much but it adds up as the years pass.
Thanks for the insight on this! That’s what I was thinking about too, I’m interested to come back to it in March and see which fundamentals I can depend on in the future and which things I thought would work and absolutely… did not. 😂 Which was fun to laugh off. It was interesting to see how I truly respond under pressure and what kind of refining fire that kind of pressure is, you know? I learned I’m a lot stronger than I think (physically sure but actually mentally).
Edited 1 year(s) ago
MFBlue beltVerified
1 year(s) ago
Glad to read it. Competition is something where you don't only make a grow in BJJ, but also a personal growth and you are stepping out of your comfort zone. Keep competing and having fun in that process. 💪
