How long did you wait before you started competing at expert?

[DavidHamp]

I have been competing at intermediate for some time now usually with good results last big tourny was naga and took gold. I think i have been doing No-gi Intermediate at different tournaments for about 2 years now. I'm thinking about doing the expert division at the Chicago Naga. Now I know i'm only a blue belt but whats a good time frame before you bump up and really start challenging yourself? Any input would be great.

[Andrew Alexander]

I have been competing at intermediate for some time now usually with good results last big tourny was naga and took gold. I think i have been doing No-gi Intermediate at different tournaments for about 2 years now. I'm thinking about doing the expert division at the Chicago Naga. Now I know i'm only a blue belt but whats a good time frame before you bump up and really start challenging yourself? Any input would be great.

if you really want to test yourself, i would do expert. If you have been Smashing the intermediate divs, then a step up wouldnt be bad.

[John Mejia]

The expert divisions are hit or miss. Especially at NAGA. Sometimes a slue of blacks come out to compete sometimes there's only a few purples. If you're cool with getting smashed here and there I say do it(However you can still catch them). It's only gonna help especially if you don't have blackbelts to roll with daily.

[Scott Yockel]

for the most I started in the adv/expert divisions

[Amber Kamischke]

Technically for NAGA if you've won a division you're required to move up for the next tournament. It is their big claim to preventing sandbagging but they never really enforce it.

I did the highest level available in every tournament I competed in this year after less than two years of training. I want to challenge myself and have been fairly successful with it. I'm doing FIVE expert no gi this weekend and all of the girls in my division have at least twice as much experience as me but I don't care. Go big or go home!

[JoeO'Laughlin]

To me I've always done the highest level available but I have a mma background so I wanted to see as many high level looks as I could see that day. I can roll around with beg. or newbies where ever you go .
If your competing in points systems then your not really going against jits guys a majority of the time you get wrestlers who will just hold on for dear life after they get a takedown. So if your grappling game is still one dimensional I would stay in the lower ranks till you hone your craft.
sub only tourneys give you the chance to see the actually flow and art of it all and your made to use your skills , without some college wrestler lacky shoulder crushing your cheek bone. lol .

[DavidHamp]

I am lucky when it comes to wrestlers the Clare Hotbox has a heavy wrestling background my main partner is 3x all american out of a D3 college in Iowa Luthern i think it is called his name is Trent Flegel. Wrestling dont worry me. I dont mind getting smashed only thing that does suck is paying all the money and travel time and losing one match and getting sent home lol. besides that Sbardella is my other main partner biggest thing i have an advantage on is i move fast for a HW from training with the smaller guys constantly. I think it just would be fun and how will i ever know what its like to roll with browns and blacks if i dont try right. I have had very close matches to a couple stud purples in the past losing by 4 points or less. One was Brandon Copeland which is a huge dude and other was brad proudfoot both out of BRASA in toledo. Brad beat me by 4 points with me having him in a guillotine at end of match, he went on to win his division and absolute at pan ams in NY the next month. I'm just ready for the stiff competition just more so worried about catching flak from people as that i'm a new blue belt and want to compete in higher brackets. Just ready to get out there and start showing my skills

[Jack Hanley]

I am lucky when it comes to wrestlers the Clare Hotbox has a heavy wrestling background my main partner is 3x all american out of a D3 college in Iowa Luthern i think it is called his name is Trent Flegel. Wrestling dont worry me. I dont mind getting smashed only thing that does suck is paying all the money and travel time and losing one match and getting sent home lol. besides that Sbardella is my other main partner biggest thing i have an advantage on is i move fast for a HW from training with the smaller guys constantly. I think it just would be fun and how will i ever know what its like to roll with browns and blacks if i dont try right. I have had very close matches to a couple stud purples in the past losing by 4 points or less. One was Brandon Copeland which is a huge dude and other was brad proudfoot both out of BRASA in toledo. Brad beat me by 4 points with me having him in a guillotine at end of match, he went on to win his division and absolute at pan ams in NY the next month. I'm just ready for the stiff competition just more so worried about catching flak from people as that i'm a new blue belt and want to compete in higher brackets. Just ready to get out there and start showing my skills

You hit the nail on the head right there. I've been to tournaments where there are guys standing on the side of the mat watching a really good or famous guy in the advanced and I've heard them say, "I really wish we could get that guy to come do a seminar or something."

The funny thing about that statement is that they could have just had the best seminar ever from that guy just by entering the advanced division. They could have had this guy apply his "A" Game 100% against their very best game. In most cases, they could even film it. What better experience could you get out of a tournament!?!

I went advanced from my very first tournament. This was one of the big reasons.

[Boogeyman_TFS]

I have been competing at intermediate for some time now usually with good results last big tourny was naga and took gold. I think i have been doing No-gi Intermediate at different tournaments for about 2 years now. I'm thinking about doing the expert division at the Chicago Naga. Now I know i'm only a blue belt but whats a good time frame before you bump up and really start challenging yourself? Any input would be great.

It's different for everyone.. At the end of the day it's really up to you and ur coaches it's important to listen to them especially cus they know exactly where u are at.. I started doing expert after 1 year and like 4 months of training.. But like I said everyone is different but if u feel ur ready for that next step talk to ur coaches I'm sure they will support you if you feel ur ready

[DavidHamp]

Thanks everyone for the great advice as many of you know the first go at it went amazing cant wait for the next one.