Competition Tips for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

by Jeremy Trahan

Competition is one of the best ways to increase your game. You and your opponent are going harder than you normally would while training at your school. You get to go against people you're not familiar with, thus exposing weaknesses that you didn't know you had. Rolling with someone new allows you to grow in so many ways, and a competition gives you a lot of new people in a matter of hours or days.

Tip #1 - Cardio is King
   There's no doubt about it, cardio is key in competition. The weakest link in the chain is the one that breaks first, and if your cardio is bad, you're going down. So build your cardio up by training hard, cross train with running, jumping rope, or exploring new competitive sports like Judo or Kickboxing. Find some partners and do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practice drills until your so tired you can't think.

Tip #2 - Muscular Endurance
How many times have you let go of a Triangle position because your legs were tired? Don't let this happen in competition. Muscular Endurance can mean the difference between finishing a submission, and loosing on points. Go to the gym and lift weights for reps. Pick a weight that you can do between 12 and 25 reps, and give yourself between 15-45 seconds rest between sets.

Tip #3 - Play to your Strengths
You want to have a well rounded game, in the long run. But when preparing for competition, go for what you know. Building your strengths will result in staggering gains, whereas working on your weaknesses will result in mediocre accomplishment. Focusing on your strengths gives you confidence and gives you a set goal to focus on when you're in there. Don't let chance determine where your mind will be during your matches.

Now, don't make the mistake of thinking you shouldn't train your weak spots. Like I stated above, the weakest link in the chain is the one that breaks first. You need your game to be solid. So when you're not preparing for a specific competition, you need to be focused on your whole game. That means strengths as well as weaknesses.

Tip #4 - Be Coachable
Practice being coached. And listen to what your coach is telling you. If you don't have faith in that coach, pick someone else. More often than not, your coach can see things that you can not. You're tired, nervous, and may not be thinking strait. When your competing, negativity may set in, and this is the perfect time to find someone else to listen to. Your coach is there for a reason so take their advice.

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