It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt
Preparing for Competition
- You should consider a 4 week period of time for your prep time or camp. If it is your first tournament you body needs to be prepared
- During that prep period go to every jiu jitsu class possible
Registering
- Applying to the Open weight class and Nogi categories is a great way to build experience
- When registering for your tournament look for the ‘One World Jiu-Jitsu’. Otherwise, reach out to Mike about what to sign-up under
- Tournaments often offer early registration benefits. Sign up early and save some money
Weight Cutting
If you make a choice to cut weight to perform in a weight class under your normal weight then keep these guidelines in mind:
- Keep your weight-loss goal realistic
- Do not cut weight at a rate greater than 1.5lbs per 1 week
- The competition is about Jiu-Jitsu, not weight loss
- Your Gi weighs between 3-4lbs, so sign up and cut weight appropriately going into the tournament
Prep the day before by:
- No hard training the day before. Flo train and get a light sweat going. Nothing more.
- Check your weight with your competition gi on. Make certain you are a couple lbs below what you need to be at
- Eat a balanced meal (Proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables)
- Check that your Gi is also ‘competition legal’, check that tournament’s standards
- Get plenty of sleep
What to bring:
- Your favorite water container
- Some snacks for in between matches
- Nail clippers
- Flip flops or comfortable shoes that do not require ‘lacing up’
- A small backpack to hold your belongings when on the mat
- Best to bring 2 forms of photo ID when going to a tournament (Drivers License and IBJJF ID)
- Bring a second gi, just in case you get a rip or your gi is considered not legal
- If you spend a lot of time on your phone bring a battery backup. You will spend a lot of time at the tournament
- Rashguard and fight shorts in case you enter the nogi rounds
The day of:
- Give your self around 90 min lead time before your first match. Some tournaments have been known to run early
- Make certain to warm up for 30 min pervious to your first match
During the match:
- Shake hands and show respect with your opponent and referee. You represent OW but more importantly you represent you.
- Focus on technique over strength
- Always work for the tap out
- Shake hands on the way out of the match
- The refs decision is final. If there are issues you can have a polite word with the referee after to explain his/her decision.
In general remember:
- You either win or you learn. Don’t take the loss so hard. It’s a teaching moment not an indication of your self-worth.
- Try the Açaí. It’s delicious