I've always enjoyed competition, but I dont' care if someone competes are not. Some of those people that don't are always still great to have to help me prepare. I think if you want to progress to black belt, then maybe getting a few comps in could be part of your training, but I wouldn't not promote somebody because of lack of competition. I'm only a brown now, but that day will come some day.
I do believe that people that come in for "self defense" purposes and say they're are not into competing because of that are doing the extact wrong thing. The best possible way to prepare for the nerves, emotions, anxiousness, whatever, for a real fight is to compete. A lot of people get nerves and it's the closest you can get to the real thing without it being real. If my goal was self-defense, I think competing would be exactly what I wanted to do at least on some regular basis.
For those of us that have competed in wrestling, bjj, judo, mma, etc., that comes down to being the real battle at times; dealing with your nerves and how you handle it. I'm regurgitating the idea that somebody told me a long time ago, but it made perfect sense (ie, this isn't an original though, but i agree with it).
I would like to do a local tournament now and then (and have done so 3 times). But there is nothing local anymore, and I am not into paying $100 and having to drive a hundred plus miles to wait around and maybe get a few matches.
You guys in BJJ heavy areas have it made, not a whole lot in NC and even fewer on the coast.
BrCutter - I agree 100%, the emotional/mental lead up to competing in a combat sport of any kind is really intense, and I agree with you that getting comfortable with that is of great worth for prepping for self defense.
ChipW- it was an intramural club team, not an actual program; I got to compete in "exhibition" matches where those of us who didn't win the actual comp. spot could still have matches, they just weren't scored for the total meet. I definitely did NOT wrestle at an actual college program, lol! Wrestling is not big in my area, so the guys who were serious about it moved somewhere else to pursue it in college; this was a club team open to everyone, but mostly made up of guys who wrestled all through high school and just wanted to stay active in college. I was just really happy to get a chance to try it even at a low level before I finished school.
They competed regularly against other clubs through the area, but I could never quite win the wrestle-offs against the other guy in my weight class; I only got to do it for a year, it was enough to make me love wrestling, but not enough to get particularly good.
Judo is actually a lot stronger in my area, lol (local clubs have produced 2 Olympians and a number of national competitors).
Seul - BrCutter - I agree 100%, the emotional/mental lead up to competing in a combat sport of any kind is really intense, and I agree with you that getting comfortable with that is of great worth for prepping for self defense.
ChipW- it was an intramural club team, not an actual program; I got to compete in "exhibition" matches where those of us who didn't win the actual comp. spot could still have matches, they just weren't scored for the total meet. I definitely did NOT wrestle at an actual college program, lol! Wrestling is not big in my area, so the guys who were serious about it moved somewhere else to pursue it in college; this was a club team open to everyone, but mostly made up of guys who wrestled all through high school and just wanted to stay active in college. I was just really happy to get a chance to try it even at a low level before I finished school.
They competed regularly against other clubs through the area, but I could never quite win the wrestle-offs against the other guy in my weight class; I only got to do it for a year, it was enough to make me love wrestling, but not enough to get particularly good.
Judo is actually a lot stronger in my area, lol (local clubs have produced 2 Olympians and a number of national competitors).
That's awesome man, your lucky to have a program like that available
Chipw- at one point, both of the universities in my town had wrestling clubs that practiced on alternate nights, and everyone could come to any practice; they had wrestling with like 5 coaches on the mat Monday-Friday every night for 2-3 hours a night, it was really cool.
The schools shut it down for liability reasons (something about non-students not being covered by liability, I think), it was a shame. It was a great learning experience and really humbling; its heartbreaking how hard it is to find good wrestling instruction and training as an adult, lol.
I train about 3 times a week. Sometimes 4 but that's rare. I roll a lot at the gym. I made purple in 7 years. I'm forty now. I used to compete in skateboarding and once I couldn't skate anymore due to am inner ear problem bjj took over. For some reason I just never wanted to compete in bjj. I've coached guys in tournaments. I try to not take jujitsu too serious and just enjoy the journey.
I've competed sproadically over the years but never very often. I've medalled in each of my belt levels (even if just local tournaments).
Competition was always the least important aspect to me. I always enjoyed the feeling of 'getting' a technique. Like levelling up in a video game but in real life. Training and sparring are like my meditation. It's a time in my life where i can shut off all thoughts and just be lost in the roll.
Self defence and knowing how to fight too but for me the real addiction is the roll.
Competition added stress to that equation and that wasn't what I need for BJJ.
I'm lucky in a certain respect beacuse I now have pretty severe shoulder arithritis so it's not like I have lost the chance to compete. I can still concentrate on the side of BJJ that is most important to me.
checkuroil - I train 6 times a week and some of that is competition training with world level guys. I haven't competed since 2004. I just love to train. I may compete in the future but I don't have the itch.
I do comp training 2x a week, I love it but competing just isn't in my schedule. I have 2 kids under 4 years old, my wife told me if I get hurt to the point where I can't pick up the kids then I am done, lol.
I did compete a lot as a blue belt, but I started to feel that my competition game was moving away from my fundamentals.
