Months of Experience

[Louis Hermann]

You don't seem to get it...

It's not losing. And it's not about losing to be who train at schools. I don't give two shits about losing. But I want to be in a division where I can put up a fight and enjoy my competition experience.

I just don't know how good the beginners are or how bad the novice class is. I have no measurement of my abilities and if I enter Beginner and get destroyed 1st round I still wont have any measurement. I wouldn't know if I wasn't ready, or if the guy was a freak of nature, or if he just got lucky.

[stlnl]

I do get it. You asked how many months you are considered to be "training". I told you, the accepted means of measure is simple, its the calendar. That means of measure apparently puts you into a division you dont want to try to enter, or at least think you dont want to enter. If you do get destroyed by a beginner, you do realize you get to watch the whole tournament and see what other folks do, how they compete, etc, and that many times is as big a learning experience as competing for a new person.

If you enter Novice, no one knows you have more time training than you say you do, so its up to you. However if you honestly feel that is your level, just enter there at that level, rather than asking here to feel empowered with your decision (because the answers might not be the ones you expected) since its your decision, and yours alone anyway.

Low end divs, novice and beginner are legendary for sandbaggers though, so to be hoenst, it may not really matter what division you enter. Take the experience for what it is, entering a tournament, and take in everything, how guys warm up, the games good guys run, etc.

[Louis Hermann]

That's why I came here. I don't have access to many of the resources you guys do. I'm not in this for pride or ego, and I'm definitely not here to cheat someone out of what they have earned. If I don't belong in the Novice division I have no problem entering Beginner. I'm not here for validation or empowerment. I know you guys probably get a ton of that. What I'm really getting at are two things:

An honest assessment of my skills and knowledge in comparison to the skill levels that enter Novice division.

and/or

A method to discern what would be the best div to enter.

I want the learning experience. I want the fun. What I don't want is for people to be (metaphorically) eying me suspiciously because I have no method of judging where I should enter, or what skill level I am. And I definitely don't want to screw over some kid who is vastly less experienced than myself.

[Justin W.]

Just do the beginner division. I saw your video and trust me, you're not screwing over anyone by entering the beginners div. I'm not trying to be mean but what do you expect if you train yourself and only with people that don't train either. You go to a school for quality instruction, mat time and good training partners. Those 3 things are whats going to make you better and you currently don't have much of any. Also, 10th Planet should not be the only place you go for techniques and especially not just at submissions101. Just like people get caught from not knowing 10th Planet moves, you'll get caught from not knowing the basics.

[Louis Hermann]

Just do the beginner division. I saw your video and trust me, you're not screwing over anyone by entering the beginners div. I'm not trying to be mean but what do you expect if you train yourself and only with people that don't train either. You go to a school for quality instruction, mat time and good training partners. Those 3 things are whats going to make you better and you currently don't have much of any. Also, 10th Planet should not be the only place you go for techniques and especially not just at submissions101. Just like people get caught from not knowing 10th Planet moves, you'll get caught from not knowing the basics.

You say beginner, but are you referring to novice? Beginner is 6mo - 2yr

[Mike Dewitt Jr]

I think the novice division would be fine. You aren't studying under any coach, your training partners aren't training at a gym, you have only been doing it for a little while. If you want a better barometer of your skills, then go up to beginner.

[Art "ART OF WAR" Belarde]

I will say it again. Go as a beginner.... You are a beginner. There is nothing wrong with that. good luck!

[Louis Hermann]

I think the novice division would be fine. You aren't studying under any coach, your training partners aren't training at a gym, you have only been doing it for a little while. If you want a better barometer of your skills, then go up to beginner.

I just don't want you guys thinking I'm intentionally trying to sandbag in the competition. I want to go out and rep myself and 10P and fight as hard as I can for someone who doesn't have a teacher or experienced training partners. I'm going to train hard until the comp and then see how I feel when I register. I have a few friends who wrestled in high school that I may be able to learn some stuff from and I still plan on visiting Alliance when I can and humbly ask them to let me roll with their students.

Also, if you guys don't mind I'll occasionally put up videos here and you can tell me if you see improvement and give advice.

[Justin W.]

You say beginner, but are you referring to novice? Beginner is 6mo - 2yr

yes, novice. sorry. but hey, if you feel confident in your skills, it never hurts to go up a class. in fact, I prefer it. either div. you enter, you'll know where you should be afterwards. if you win novice, then beginners is for you. if you get manhandled in beginners then net tourney should be at novice. however, all this theoretical debate could be avoided if you just take one class at a gym and see how you do against people of novice/beginner skill.

[Art "ART OF WAR" Belarde]

I just don't want you guys thinking I'm intentionally trying to sandbag in the competition. I want to go out and rep myself and 10P and fight as hard as I can for someone who doesn't have a teacher or experienced training partners. I'm going to train hard until the comp and then see how I feel when I register. I have a few friends who wrestled in high school that I may be able to learn some stuff from and I still plan on visiting Alliance when I can and humbly ask them to let me roll with their students.

Also, if you guys don't mind I'll occasionally put up videos here and you can tell me if you see improvement and give advice.

No one is going to think you are a sandbagger at all. Just get that exp man. A little bit of advice though when repping schools. Most schools do not like it if you rep them and have never trained with them. The reason is if some one reps are school and maybe even shows up a once or twice and gets SMASHED at a tournament. They just ran that schools name/instruction into the ground. People will look at that as damn those 10thplanet guys don't know sh!t. lol. Just an example. I am not getting down on you at all I just want you to be informed. Since this is a small community. Oh and do put up videos that is a good thing! Take care.