First Tounament advice?

NAGA Chicago is coming up April 30. I think I'm going to compete there in the masters novice and the adult novice. I've never done a tourney. What should I expect? At 5'6" and 185lbs am I going to have trouble because I weigh too much for a short as I am? I'm in pretty good shape and can move fairly good but because of lifting weights all the time I'm pretty heavy for my height. I'm worried that's going to be a problem. What kind of skillset does a novice have? I'm not sure I've ever rolled with a "novice" seems like everybody I roll with are blue to brown belts or guys with over 5 years grappling experience. I never had a newbie to train with too much really. I just kinda jumped into the wolf pit and either had to learn hard and fast or get crushed all the time. (I still get crushed most of the time...cough cough... Gary Meek :)) Is it dumb for me to even ask??

Go into it with the intent to learn and have fun, play your game and don't worry about everyone else. My first tournament everyone was half my age and 10lbs heavier so it is what it is when you compete. Its normal to be nervous, everyone is including top level guys so just understand they are feeling the exact same as you are.

Relax! It sounds so simple, but you will likely go out there like a spaz the first time.

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Originally Posted by Pat Campagnola

Relax! It sounds so simple, but you will likely go out there like a spaz the first time.

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I'll be trying really hard not to be the spazzy guy. Lol

Talk with Gary about it the next time you get down to O'Fallon. You'll be fine. Win or lose, you will learn and get valuable experience.

I'm a blue belt and 39 years old---and while I've done a bunch training in BJJ and MMA never did a straight grappling comp until this year. I was in the masters intermediate and advanced no gi. I will tell you this---if you are already training with beasts---comp feels easy. I'm training with Josh Passini, John Mejia and Matt Paul---plus all the other Monsters in Chicago---there is never an easy round. So I found comp to be way easier than training. (I took gold in my division and tapped to a brown belt in advanced) Just be go in calm, you have been there before in training---and have fun, because its about personal growth and fun at the end of the day!

Last advice would be to tap. You are paying to compete---not getting paid to compete---not worth an injury and losing mat time.

Keep your clinches tight and be aggressive. Any position is offensive if you have a tight clinch game

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Originally Posted by fightchixJake

I'm a blue belt and 39 years old---and while I've done a bunch training in BJJ and MMA never did a straight grappling comp until this year. I was in the masters intermediate and advanced no gi. I will tell you this---if you are already training with beasts---comp feels easy. I'm training with Josh Passini, John Mejia and Matt Paul---plus all the other Monsters in Chicago---there is never an easy round. So I found comp to be way easier than training. (I took gold in my division and tapped to a brown belt in advanced) Just be go in calm, you have been there before in training---and have fun, because its about personal growth and fun at the end of the day!

Last advice would be to tap. You are paying to compete---not getting paid to compete---not worth an injury and losing mat time.

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Thank you very much for that! I will file this away in my brain until comp time. I haven't actually gone through a curriculum so I've never trained with 0-6 month guys. The guys I train with have lots of experience and are very good teachers. I learn a lot from them every time I meet with them. Get folded up, learn what I done wrong and how to fix it and repeat. That's how my training has been. Hard and fast, I seem to catch on that way. I'm not expecting a win, but I AM expecting to come away with a plan for next time. And yes sir, you are right, I'm paying to compete not getting paid to compete, its not worth the injury. I don't want to get hurt just like I don't want to hurt anyone. But, I aint looking for a points win either.

Jake hit the nail on the head. You're already no doubt training with quality partners, so you're up to par if you're entertaining the thought to compete.

I would say, from my first tourney, is expect to gas. A 6 minute round will feel like 16 minutes. If you've done the work though, you'll be fine. Remember in novice, it'll be the first time for your opponent too, so he'll be just as nervous which is natural.

Be aggressive and go for the sub

Well I survived my first tourney. Got a couple second places(might as well been participation medals) One in masters one in adult. I was there, I fought hard, done my best, learned ALOT, repped our jiu jitsu, and I know exactly what I need to work on after watching the video. It all looks different from the sidelines. Huge thank you to gary meek for training me and Omar ocasio and Josh passini for cornering me. I'm ready to fix my problems and get back out there!

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Originally Posted by Zac Wilson

NAGA Chicago is coming up April 30. I think I'm going to compete there in the masters novice and the adult novice. I've never done a tourney. What should I expect? At 5'6" and 185lbs am I going to have trouble because I weigh too much for a short as I am? I'm in pretty good shape and can move fairly good but because of lifting weights all the time I'm pretty heavy for my height. I'm worried that's going to be a problem. What kind of skillset does a novice have? I'm not sure I've ever rolled with a "novice" seems like everybody I roll with are blue to brown belts or guys with over 5 years grappling experience. I never had a newbie to train with too much really. I just kinda jumped into the wolf pit and either had to learn hard and fast or get crushed all the time. (I still get crushed most of the time...cough cough... Gary Meek :)) Is it dumb for me to even ask??

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I just competed in my first tournament too. It is normal to feel a little worried about getting crushed. I finished 2nd last and only won 1 match. But the best thing about competing for real is that you will learn what skills you need to work on so it's a good measuring stick for your abilities. Don't be afraid to tap and also don't be afraid to try things. Hope my lack of experience still was able to help you just a bit. And GOODLUCK!!!

My first tournament was a disaster, sounds like you did better than me. lol Kept training and learning.

My first two matches were dogshit. I blew it. It was like I forgot half my moves. By the third one I was calmed down enough to play the game a little. I wish I could have done warm up rolls before my matches. I just went in there cold.

My first tournament I got a bye so I went straight to the second round, I jumped guard and quickly got arm bared and was out of the tournament haha that was like ten years ago. Jiu Jitsu is a journey, you keep learning every step of the way.

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Originally Posted by Aiden

My first tournament I got a bye so I went straight to the second round, I jumped guard and quickly got arm bared and was out of the tournament haha that was like ten years ago. Jiu Jitsu is a journey, you keep learning every step of the way.

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I was trying to stay calm and play, like in practice. I guess I wasn't ready for my opponents to be so psycho and it took me by surprise. They pretty much got on top of me and rode me out for points. My mind kinda went blank with a dude laying on top of me clamped onto me not moving. it was like I forgot all sweeps. lol. I don't mind playing bottom but playing bottom didn't do me any good until I could slow my mind down and think. my advice to any first timers, from my experience, just got out there like a spaz, because that's what the other guy is going to do. your body might not be spazzing out but your mind will be. just rush him and take him down and start thinking after that. lol. that's just how it felt to me. next time will be different.

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that one dude was like 6'5". I'm only 5'6". LOL

Just have fun man! Enjoy yourself!

Just saw that this already happened lol. Hope everything went good and you had fun!

People defiantly go psycho at tournaments, especially beginners. They fight like they are going to hell if they loose. Playing bottom is not bad that's what I like to do. If you haven't watch Eddie Bravo's twister documentary I highly recommend it. The strategy that he used back then still works very well today. Pull half guard old school or electric chair to work your way to the top.

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Originally Posted by Zac Wilson

NAGA Chicago is coming up April 30. I think I'm going to compete there in the masters novice and the adult novice. I've never done a tourney. What should I expect? At 5'6" and 185lbs am I going to have trouble because I weigh too much for a short as I am? I'm in pretty good shape and can move fairly good but because of lifting weights all the time I'm pretty heavy for my height. I'm worried that's going to be a problem. What kind of skillset does a novice have? I'm not sure I've ever rolled with a "novice" seems like everybody I roll with are blue to brown belts or guys with over 5 years grappling experience. I never had a newbie to train with too much really. I just kinda jumped into the wolf pit and either had to learn hard and fast or get crushed all the time. (I still get crushed most of the time...cough cough... Gary Meek :)) Is it dumb for me to even ask??

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If possible, just do everything like it was a normal day. Don't eat anything you wouldn't in a normal day and such. Remember to warm up well, do some explosive movements like clapping pushups, deep squat jumps and hit your chest with your knees and things like that.

My first competition was 2 years ago, I was so stressed out I can't remember almost anything about the whole fight. Now after ~100 matches it starts to feel normal, and I can pull out some more complex moves because my brain functions normally in matches (like the banana split last winter).

Relax, breathe and have fun! The first tournament is a milestone in your grappling career, you should definitely cherish it!

EDIT. Goddamn you already fought...

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Originally Posted by Zac Wilson

My first two matches were dogshit. I blew it. It was like I forgot half my moves. By the third one I was calmed down enough to play the game a little. I wish I could have done warm up rolls before my matches. I just went in there cold.

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That's a common experience. You typically only remember one-third of your moves when you first start competing. That one-third represents the moves that you really know. The other moves, you don't know as well as you thought you did. Even more advanced competitors don't remember every technique.

You probably were flexing every muscle in your body while you were out there too - which made you way more tired than you normally would be. As you gain more experience, you will find that you will become more energy efficient. A solid workout the morning of the tournament can help you relax and make it easier to warm up when it is time to compete.

The important thing is that you went and tested yourself. Most people never do. So congrats on that.

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Originally Posted by scottross

That's a common experience. You typically only remember one-third of your moves when you first start competing. That one-third represents the moves that you really know. The other moves, you don't know as well as you thought you did. Even more advanced competitors don't remember every technique.

You probably were flexing every muscle in your body while you were out there too - which made you way more tired than you normally would be. As you gain more experience, you will find that you will become more energy efficient. A solid workout the morning of the tournament can help you relax and make it easier to warm up when it is time to compete.

The important thing is that you went and tested yourself. Most people never do. So congrats on that.

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I'll be getting back out there again. I loved it and I can do better than that. next time I'll go in 15 pounds lighter too. 186lbs is too heavy for a 5'6" grappler even though I have a lot of muscle. i'll just have to sacrifice some muscle mass. I think I'd rather do a sub only event though. going into naga I was afraid of fighting a really tall guy or a wrestler getting points on me and just riding the clock out on me. both happened. one guy was 6'5"! and the other got points on me and clamped onto me and was stuck like glue. hopfully next time I don't look like a turd out there.

Zac as long as you were out there looking for the sub--that is really what matters---I would hate to win based on getting to a position and holding it for 6min. Blah!

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Originally Posted by fightchixJake

Zac as long as you were out there looking for the sub--that is really what matters---I would hate to win based on getting to a position and holding it for 6min. Blah!

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I did not want to win by points. I wanted to win by sub. I'm not sure I like that points tourney that much. I think I would enjoy a sub only tourney more. I don't like to be held down for time. and my sweeps from bottom aren't that good yet. I dont mind being on my back though, I actually like that better I think, but when theres nothing to work with and youre just laying there with someone on your chest and they aint working and just clamped on for the ride and you cant get a sweep, it sucks. I feel like in a sub only your opponent would be more active and thered be more chances at catching a sub.