am i over reacting or being unreasonable?

[ErikLavigne]

Ok, recently told my instructor I was ready to start competing. He told me there is a tourney coming up in Dallas for Gi and no-gi. Here is where the problem lies, I have about 5 years of no gi and about 4 months of gi. I am truly a white belt when it comes to gi, I fall for dumb rookie chokes all the time, but I am not a beginner in no-gi, I usually would do intermediate or advanced. Since I am new to this gym and Gi, I asked my instructor how that would work, would I be a white belt in gi and do a higher level no gi. He told me because I am a white belt for gi I would do beginner for no gi. I feel like that is sandbagging to the max. Should I say something to him? Any instructors out there feel free to chime in.

[Nick_Schmidt]

Is the sign up sheet set up so you have to select your experience bracket for every event you want to enter, or can you select your belt/bracket separately for gi/no gi?
If you can, enter gi white belt and no gi advanced. If you are stuck rolling no gi at a level that you aren't challenged it wouldn't be any fun.

[Cora Sek]

Are you going to Fight 2 Win Europa?? If so I will hook you up with whatever div you want. But from my experience with regiatration, the instructor never there to click submit with you right?? Register for what you want, you the one paying for it.

[Chris Herzog]

If you plan on continuing training with your instructor, do what he suggests, there is a reason he is your instructor and you are the student.

[Arman Fathi]

If you plan on continuing training with your instructor, do what he suggests, there is a reason he is your instructor and you are the student.

Sounds pretty solid

[DanConway]

I would talk to him and explain you want to challenge yourself rather than assure a win because of your no gi experience. It also depends on what kind of experience your 5 years is -- if its doing reps every other weekend with your buddy in your garage and you only started training for real now that you've joined this school, beginner might be the best division for you. If you trained at a nogi school hardcore for 5 years, it's pretty hard not to see it as sandbagging and you probably belong in one of the more advanced divisions... I would trust your instructors opinion but also do what you can to compete at the level of your skill.

[Chris Herzog]

I would discuss it further with your instructor. Tell him exactly how you feel and why and see what he says. Let him make his best case for why you should compete in beginner nogi. In the end I would probably do what I felt was best.

If my instructor stopped teaching me because I competed in a division more advanced than he thought appropriate, he's probably not the right instructor for me anyway.

Or he is saving you because he has a better ability to asses your skills than you do yourself, he could be very well saving you from yourself. There is an inherent risk that comes in combat sports, the guy across from you most likely doesnt have the same concern for your well being as you do.

However im sure most whites belts on the internet know better than thier instructors do, so I would go with their advice.

[ErikLavigne]

Or he is saving you because he has a better ability to asses your skills than you do yourself, he could be very well saving you from yourself. There is an inherent risk that comes in combat sports, the guy across from you most likely doesnt have the same concern for your well being as you do.

However im sure most whites belts on the internet know better than thier instructors do, so I would go with their advice.

lol, now Zog you know I'd listen to you over any white belt haha. The only issue I have is the sandbagging. I think its unethical and my instructor is a Purple belt. It's his gym, I respect his rules and I plan on doing what he wants, but I can't help but think its the wins for the school name. I do understand the teacher student role, but not all teachers are right and mistakes can be made. Thats why I wanted a community based opinion to see if I am wrong for thinking this is unethical.

[Joshua Jarboe]

lol, now Zog you know I'd listen to you over any white belt haha. The only issue I have is the sandbagging. I think its unethical and my instructor is a Purple belt. It's his gym, I respect his rules and I plan on doing what he wants, but I can't help but think its the wins for the school name. I do understand the teacher student role, but not all teachers are right and mistakes can be made. Thats why I wanted a community based opinion to see if I am wrong for thinking this is unethical.

That's a good point but isn't that something he can talk to his instructor about?

If the instructor says "Hey, we need the points" then I think you have a problem.

If the instructor says "It's your first tournament in the gi. Give yourself some time to adapt and give a little credit to dudes that have been doing this for 1.5 years and know how to get those gi chokes from places you may not expect"....then I think you're good.

If he dominates and it feels like sandbagging, maybe next time talk to the instructor about going blue belt?

My two cents.

[Chris Herzog]

I always find it humorous when people pay a reasonable yet significant amount of money to have a instructor, mentor, and guide with far more experience than the student lead them in the Jiu Jitsu journey, yet students questions that guidance and experience when it comes to what division or rank they should be. Maybe, just maybe they know wtf they are talking about, and its the student's perception that is misguided.