Trained for 11 years and competed a handful of times with mixed results. My teammates often ask why I don’t compete much. I always say the same thing. BJJ is my sanctuary where I can escape the stress of everyday life. Preparing for a competition is just another stress point and makes bjj unenjoyable. The closer a comp gets the harder it is for me to train. So do what’s right for you. If you want to compete awesome. If you just want to train and have fun also awesome. I realize it might take me longer to get promoted but don’t really care. I didn’t start training for medals or belts. I do it for the health benefits and because I find it fun.

When someone's reason for not doing something is "I'm not good enough" it translates to "I'm afraid of losing or failing" and at that point they've already lost.

This guy is cool AF

You cannot simulate the adrenaline and nerves that rise up when you are competing. No amount of rolling in your own club will prepare you. If you want your BJJ to be a self-defence system, you need to know what happens to your techniques when your body gets flooded with adrenaline. Some can rise to the occasion, others just wilt under the stress.

All your posts are so helpful, but this one may be my favorite. Thanks!

I think if you don’t compete you’d be robbing yourself of a whole aspect of Jiu Jitsu. You can learn so much. Get out there and conquer that uncomfortable feeling bro.

I train in a style that does ITF-style sparring and my instructor would encourage us to compete in tournaments. I didn't enjoy competitions because I am not super competitive by nature and I would always lose until I reached brown belt. I started to win some matches and lose others and this helped me overcome a lot of my internal conflict/self-confidence issues. As Chewy said, this helped me to better teach my students as I had competition experience and dealt with the same internal conflicts they were dealing with. To me, competitions are not about winning and losing but what lessons you took away whether it be a better understanding of how techniques work, which ones you can properly execute when someone is resisting, or learning how to overcome self-doubt or anxiety as they are present thought our lives. Keep training and seeking opportunities to learn and grow.

I really needed this video I appreciate all the content you put out keep it up !!

Nice to see you rocking the shirt from Mark Bell!

I recently did my first couple of comps, and I absolutely hated it. I was so nervous I spent most of my warmup time in the bathroom almost throwing up. When I was in the pulpit I was thinking stuff like "if I just go out and lose quickly this feeling I'm having will end. Just get it over with". Not exactly a good mentality. I was having an absolutely terrible time. And I'm just not sure I'd be willing to go through that again. I want to be a legit jiu jitsu practitioner too, but man I hate comps.

I have been doing Jiujitsu for 10 months (I am 42 years old), I already been in 3 tournements (I won bronze in the last one!!! And lost on the others)

Took my first class this week. Looking forward to picking up the Gi and white belt tomorrow at my second class. 33 years old with a medical device on my lower abdomen (protected mostly by a padded belt) and limited mobility due to 15 operations, but I can hang. Not sure if I could compete though. I live pretty close to River City, so maybe I'll have to check out your gym once I get farther along in my journey.

You’re awesome man

As a black belt who has competed up the ranks I agree 100 per cent. Feeling nerves, self-doubt, fear, winning, losing ... etc all that experience makes it possible to be a better teacher as it will help you relate to your students

i lost my first, won my second on triangle and lost my Third on a giljotin . The first match was the best, there was no guard throwing, pure brawl and super fun. 2 i dont remember much, the guy i went against was good at shooting in the double leg but couldn't get me down so i got him down, i sweept him and he sweept me then i had to pull guard and i finished with a triangle. Third match, my grips was off, he had better grip, he got me on a position where i couldn't breathe, when i came back after 30 seconds i was lightheaded then he got me in a giljotin and finished me :D I had tons of fun, and i was super excited because i now know there are pleeeeenty people better then me, and i can work on my bad sides. I dont care about winning or losing, i just want a fun fight :D

Well said!👍🏻🥋

First comp next month. Let’s go!

I’m not sure there is anyone contributing more to this sport than Chewy. Great perspective here.

I don't feel competitive at competitions. I just don't care. It feels the same in the gym as i do at competitions. Just don't have that fire. Competitions are fake. Medals and pride don't make something more real. People talk about adrenaline and nerves...What if I don't feel that? What if the competition environment just does not do that for me? How else are you going to simulate that for me?

My main instructor is a black belt trained over 20 years. Competed once ever at ibjjf took gold.