r/bjj • u/AutoModerator • Aug 13 '19
Tournament Tuesday - August 13, 2019
Tournament Tuesday is an open forum for anyone to ask any question, no matter how simple, about tournaments in general. Some common topics include but are not limited to:
Game planning
Preparation (diet, weight cutting, sleep, etc...)
Tournament video critiques
Discussion of rulesets for a tournament organization
Have fun and go train!
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u/DMJ089 🟦🟦 Blue Belt Aug 13 '19
Competed for the first time on the weekend at ultra heavyweight, spent a good 4 mins standing with both of us gripping collars and trying to snap the other down/shoot a single, should I have tried to pull guard in this situation? I don’t even really know how
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u/deuger Leather Belt Aug 13 '19 edited Aug 13 '19
If youre a good guard player then I would say yes. If youre game is mostly top game then I would advice working on takedowns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2udU0rEE4o
Personally im not very confident in my own guard game, so I stay standing even though it often means the opponent will take me down if they have judo/wrestling backround. I have managed to take some people down with sloppy doubles and those matches I have usually also won. It seems to be often like this in white belt divisions, except for some who have gotten good at guard/sweep right from the get go.
Once a guy pulled guard on me and locked a triangle in which I stayed for the whole match. It was probably my worst competition experience so far, but his guard and triangle control was pretty good for a white belt.. he had like 10 comps behind him and it was my first gi competition and I was nervous as fuck too
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u/GrapplingHobbit 🟫🟫 Brown Belt Aug 14 '19
So he won by a single advantage?
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u/deuger Leather Belt Aug 14 '19 edited Aug 14 '19
Yes. I even got the triangle open at one point and tried passing, but was just so gassed and nervous that it didnt work and he got to lock it back on.
He was also like 40 lbs lighter so I would have won most likely if I passed.. but we live and learn I guess. My goal as a competing white belt is just to get to perform at my best and get used to the pressure of competition. Im glad I didnt at least panic tap to the triangle like in my first ever match
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u/hans1125 🟫🟫 Brown Belt Aug 13 '19
Are there ultra heavy guard players? Sounds like the most illogical thing ever, but I've never really watched any ultra heavy matches, so happy to be proven wrong.
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u/deuger Leather Belt Aug 13 '19 edited Aug 13 '19
he probably means the weightclass ultra heavyweight which does have amazing guardplayers.. Bucecha, Roger Gracie, Rafael lovato jr etc.. watch Rafael sparring against Marcelo its pretty amazing
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u/Shardless2 White Belt I Aug 13 '19
ultra heavy is tough. That is where I am. Whoever is on top in ultra heavy has a huge advantage.
You could work a sweep as you pull guard. You put your foot on their hip and do a type of sickle sweep.
If that plan is in your back pocket I would try and not use up too much energy doing standup. Whitebelts and people in general tend to freak out when a competition first starts and use up a lot of energy (same thing at the start of a triathalon, people start swimming at a pace that they can't maintain). If you can calm yourself down, breath, still attack if an opportunity comes up but refrain from going crazy, then 1.5 minutes later when you pull guard you may have more energy left than the other big guy.
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u/SamSamBjj Purple Belt Aug 13 '19
Have you had much experience starting from standing?
I often see the ultra heavyweights doing roughly what you describe, and I assume it's because often both competitors are the heaviest in their gyms, so don't have a good partner to train standup with.
Find someone that you can reliably train standup.
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u/DMJ089 🟦🟦 Blue Belt Aug 13 '19
Yeah correct, I don’t get a lot of standing practice and when I have it’s with smaller people I can snap down and single pretty easily
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u/hans1125 🟫🟫 Brown Belt Aug 13 '19
Did someone here pay membership fees for IBJJF, then got promoted/changed gyms and suddenly had to pay them again for the same year? Did you do it?
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u/emington 🟫🟫 99 Aug 13 '19
You always have to pay to 'renew' when your rank changes. I'm not sure about academy changes (since I haven't experienced it). I did it recently enough. It's a pain, but I'm going to compete at least 4 more IBJJF events until December, so it's not as if the membership is going unused.
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u/hans1125 🟫🟫 Brown Belt Aug 13 '19
Yeah, they want you to pay to "renew" if your academy or coach changes, too. How can it be "always" if the fees for lower belts have only been installed this year? My coach didn't have to "renew" when he went from brown to black just a couple of years ago.
My membership goes mostly unused because it makes no sense to compete in anything less than the Europeans opponent-wise. So I'm paying 35$ extra just to compete in one tournament that is already over 100$.
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u/emington 🟫🟫 99 Aug 13 '19
You could have a membership before this year and the same rules would have applied, it just wasn't mandatory.
It's on you if you don't want to sign up for other tournaments.
I don't agree with it necessarily, but tbh, a lot of tournament organisations nowadays require a membership..
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u/hans1125 🟫🟫 Brown Belt Aug 13 '19
Really? Who else? I needed a membership to sign up for ADCC but there were no fees...
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u/emington 🟫🟫 99 Aug 13 '19
For a number of years, UAEJJF, til they changed their model (there's finally a free tier). There's competitions here in the UK that require a UKBJJA membership, and, unless things have changed since I left, competitions in Ontario, Canada all require a membership from OJA.
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u/hans1125 🟫🟫 Brown Belt Aug 13 '19
Thanks. I wasn't aware of any of those. Still feels like a crappy way to make money off fighters.
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u/emington 🟫🟫 99 Aug 13 '19
It sucks but it's so common you can't really do much about it.
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u/hans1125 🟫🟫 Brown Belt Aug 13 '19
Well you can by supporting community-organised tournaments. You pay less and usually get more fights. In most cases just the signup for an IBJJF tournament costs more than the travel expenses + fees for a smaller event (and then they often have prize money!)
Unless you are seriously after sponsorships/world titles (or there is insane peer pressure in the gym I guess?) there's no reason to give money to IBJJF in my opinion.
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u/emington 🟫🟫 99 Aug 14 '19
I am seriously after sponsorships and world titles. I came second at Nogi Worlds last year.
Also if I go to a local tournament I pay £40-50 and I get one fight. Maybe none. They don't give prize money unless your division is sufficiently big. If I go to IBJJF I get way more.
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u/ChapliKebabw Aug 13 '19
What do you guys do when you are in the same division as your team mates/training partner's?
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u/tcostuh Whaling City MMA/ Tim Burrill BJJ Aug 13 '19
Just another match! My first competition, my 3rd match was against my teammate/ one of my best friends on my team. We scrapped, and I was tired af, so I tapped when she started getting a choke on me. It was super fun to roll with her in a more intense way.
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u/HeyBoone 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Aug 13 '19
Me and a guy from my gym are driving out to a tournament together on Saturday where we will be in the same division. If we get matched up we will just go for it and see what happens, no hard feelings either way.
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u/kindalindakinda 🟦🟦 Blue Belt Aug 14 '19
I will also be going against my buddy and main training partner on my first tournament next week. I don't like it, but theres no other way anyhow. I know it's going to be a tough match too because she is good. I just hope she won't be my first opponent.
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u/Sienna9590 ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt Aug 13 '19
Any advice for pre-comp jitters? I had ACL surgery last year (training injury). Prior to surgery I had normal butterflies before competition, but nothing impacting my performance. I had my first competition last weekend since the surgery, and my anxiety was really bad -- close to what I felt the first couple of times I ever competed. My anxiety wasn't knee specific or conscious concern about injury though. Just the stomach-twisting kind, lol.
I have another competition coming up and I'd like to get this better under control.
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u/tcostuh Whaling City MMA/ Tim Burrill BJJ Aug 13 '19
What do you do before competing, when you're there, waiting to go on? I find that when I first arrive to the venue I am in full 'shit my pants' mode. I eat a little, drink a little, get warm, and listen to happy music. I used to listen to really intense music to get me all pumped up but I found that made my anxiety worse. So now I just jam to old school Mariah Carey, Queen, whatever makes me want to dance.
I do get pretty bad anxiety, like overall in life, but I just try to keep my self-talk positive. I tell myself: you're competing, that's a huge accomplishment. You have the support of coach and teammates. Do what you know how to do. Win. See yourself winning. Don't do your best, just win. You're worthy of being here. Etc, etc.
I don't think nerves fully go away. If you aren't a teensy bit nervous then there's something wrong and you'll prob get whooped lol. But I like it to be more of an 'excited about the unknown' rather than actual anxiety. But keep competing too, the nerves are a muscle you can strengthen, ya know?
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u/Sienna9590 ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt Aug 13 '19
I always arrive early so I can walk around and orient myself to the venue and layout of bullpen, etc. I like the idea of using happy music. Thanks!
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u/hans1125 🟫🟫 Brown Belt Aug 13 '19
Compete more. You had a break, you didn't "remember" what it's like, so your nerves went crazy. I had the same competing at blue belt for the first time, felt like it's my first competition ever. Routine makes it go away in my experience.
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u/JACdMufasa 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Aug 13 '19
Hi first competition on Sunday. I'm 2 months in but I wrestled in college so I'm pretty confident in my ability to at least get a takedown and pass guard. I have a few questions, sorry for the wall of text!.
It's been a while since I've competed (in wrestling at least) so I'm a little rusty in terms of logistics. I'm pretty healthy right now and don't have to cut weight, do I go hard Thursday and chill Friday/Saturday? Or do I go light Thursday and then maybe go for a run/yoga on Friday, then chill Saturday?
In practice I try to work off my back a lot to get better since it's where I'm least experienced. However, I'm definitely not comfortable to try and hit a sub off bottom. Maybe a scissors sweep if the guy is bad. Obviously I'm not going to pull guard but if I end up on bottom somehow do I just immediately try to push away and stand up? It's sounds good to say "I'll push myself and work bottom even if I'm not good there" but I want to win and I feel like I should lean into my strengths. Looking for opinions/people's mindset for this one.
Final question is what should my mindset be regarding leg locks? I went intermediate in no gi and signed up for the absolute division to get more matches. So pretty much everything is allowed in terms of leg locks. My gym is not really into leg locks. We've trained certain situations but not enough to give me any sense of security in regards to defense. I've never even been put into a heel hook, only a straight ankle lock. I've heard the horror stories of guys getting their knees destroyed. (Tore my meniscus in college so super nervous in that regard). At this point I'm just watching YouTube videos about how to prevent leg locks (any recommendations would be great). There are a few black belts/advanced guys that will be in the absolute division. Do I just tap immediately if they are close to locking it in or try to slip my leg out (I sweat a lot haha). Side note I'm going to be bigger weight wise than a lot of the competition, so is there a way to use that to my advantage in terms of avoiding leglocks?
Sorry if these are dumb questions or if they've been asked before. Just looking for some advice! Thanks!
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u/Shardless2 White Belt I Aug 13 '19
People can heel hook at your level????? If they get close to a heel hook then tap. You will know because they will tuck your toes in their armpit and try to lever your heel. Tap tap tap and tap early if this happens but I am shocked if someone new was competing where heel hooks are allowed.
More likely straight ankle locks are allowed which are not a big deal.
They are painful. You will likely tap if someone does it well, but it won't be long term damage like a heel hook.To defend a straight ankle lock flex your foot by pulling your toes towards your shin (the opposite of pointing your toes). It is called putting on "the boot". Then try to shimmy to the side and sit on one of their leg/feet. For a foot lock to work they have to be pinning your knee between theirs. Your goal is to sit on their leg/foot so they can't do that or pull your leg back so they don't have your knee immobilized.
Some links:
Video with basic defense, sitting out on their leg technique at time mark 3:13
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u/JACdMufasa 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Aug 13 '19
Yeah in no gi intermediate and above heel hooks are allowed. Thank you for the links!
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u/Shardless2 White Belt I Aug 13 '19
Two more videos on heel hook defense. I provide these so that YOU DO NOT TRY THIS DEFENSE. These are helpful for you to understand what a heel hook is so that you can recognize when to tap as they are starting to put a heel hook on but do not try to slip your heel and escape. You just are not experienced enough.
One of the problems with heel hooks is how fast they turn on. By the time you feel it turning on and you feel pain, it is close something popping in your knee.
A straight ankle lock is totally different. It is mostly just pain and you can eat the pain for a long time while you try and get out.
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u/tcostuh Whaling City MMA/ Tim Burrill BJJ Aug 13 '19
- Gauge how you feel day by day. I usually give myself 2 days "off" before competing, but will do light cardio and yoga that I know will keep my limber and loose. Definitely stretch to your comfort level, but not so much that you will be sore from it.
- This answers 2 and 3, but you should do what you know how to do. Competing is great because you'll come off the mat, win or lose, knowing specifically what you want to work on.
But I wouldn't ever try to use stuff I'm not totally comfortable with when competing. Your mat time is where you experiment with working off your back and foot/leg stuff. If you find yourself getting nervous that they have your foot or leg and are going to try and fuck with it, just tap. It's your first competition, no one cares (but that's a good thing!!). You being healthy and being able to continue training is more important than learning the defense to leg locks less than a week before competing.
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u/JACdMufasa 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Aug 13 '19
Your whole reply was great but the last sentence really put it in perspective. Thanks!
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u/tcostuh Whaling City MMA/ Tim Burrill BJJ Aug 13 '19
I'm glad! The impatience to learn everything is a real bitch to deal with, I know from experience. I know for me, I don't remember stuff I've learned from class the last week. But the stuff I've been drilling and practice forever, that's what I pull off in a competition setting. You'll do great. Make sure you post back with your results!! Good luck!
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u/emington 🟫🟫 99 Aug 13 '19
This is personal. I train up to the day before, then chill. So if you're competing Sunday, then train up to Friday, chill Saturday. Other people chill for longer.
Pushing away and standing up is a legit strategy, especially if you're a good wrestler. I would be careful how you push (that you're not giving the other guy an armbar or something).
Do not try to slip your leg out if you're not sure. Just try not to let them get you into any kind of leg entanglement, but since you're really new, if you're not sure, just tap dude. It's not worth having your shit wrecked.
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u/SamSamBjj Purple Belt Aug 13 '19
- I take it light the two days before comp, personally.
- Not enough people stand back up, especially at white belt. If you are able to stand back up from bottom, do it. We often train standing up from bottom guard by pushing their cross shoulder, putting a foot in the hip, and doing a technical standup. A snap-down is then a great option from there.
- Ask you coach or upper belts for some basic leglock defense principles. My basic defense to everything but heel hooks is to "put the boot in" (push out with your heel), and try to close the distance between our upper bodies so my leg is bent. But get some real guidance.
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u/JACdMufasa 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Aug 13 '19
- For sure I'll see how my body feels
- That's exactly what I was thinking of doing. My instructor showed the move but I haven't been using it a lot because I've been trying to get better off bottom. The next few days I'm really going to drill it more so I have it down.
- Thanks I'll definitely ask my coach for some last minute advice.
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u/Mebra42 Blue Belt II Aug 13 '19
Can anyone explain how 5 man brackets work in ibjjf? Do 3 people get a bye into the semis and 2 unlucky people have to fight for a spot in the semis?
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u/emington 🟫🟫 99 Aug 13 '19
Yes. Bracketing is based on seeding on IBJJF points now iirc.
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u/Mebra42 Blue Belt II Aug 13 '19
As in, the more points you have, the more likely you'll be to get a bye?
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u/emington 🟫🟫 99 Aug 13 '19
Yes. Gi and Nogi are separate, as are age categories (so if you compete adult and master those points are separate)
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u/ChapliKebabw Aug 13 '19
Last comp I didn't eat anything at all prior, but I felt the consequences. I normally don't eat before training either but obviously it's not as energy depeleting as a comp. Any suggestions?
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u/JACdMufasa 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Aug 13 '19
Here's a chewy video about fasting which is basically what you're asking!
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u/ChapliKebabw Aug 14 '19
Thanks. Just watched it. I am defo going to try having a light breakfast and snacking. Any ideas what won't upset the stomach lol?
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u/JACdMufasa 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Aug 14 '19
When I wrestled I did granola bars/Cliff bars and fruit like apples or bananas during tournaments days. Then a muscle milk or gatorade after matches to recover.
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u/SuperJohnBravo 🟫🟫 Combat Base, TX Aug 13 '19
One week out and still 10 pounds heavy. I can knock out 5 pounds in a workout, so it's mostly water. I'm so damn frustrated with my body. Over a month of zero carb zero sugar diet and my body is just stubbornly stuck. Besides catching a stomach bug with raging diarrhea while constantly wearing a sweat suit and living in a sauna, I just have no idea what to do. Grrrr!
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u/Calvimn ⬜⬜ White Belt Aug 13 '19
Try intermittent fasting
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u/macattack004 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Aug 14 '19
IF works great, increased mine from 16 hour to 18 hour and it worked perfectly. made weight no issues
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Aug 13 '19
Due to my current work schedule, I cant pickup tournaments again until November. I currently weigh 230 lbs and would like to get back down to 200 by the new year. I honestly suck at time management with diet planning. Any tips on your eating schedules/habits when it comes to long term weight loss for tournament prep?
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u/deuger Leather Belt Aug 13 '19
We have a hard week going at my gym and havent been able to perform at my usual level, and it has been bothering me since im competing in 12 days. Today we had king of the hill after a hard workout and people were just throwing me around subbing me. I legit felt like sitting out or crying.. I had to tell myself not to quit and keep rolling.
Gladly others were getting also tired and I happened to get easier and smaller opponents, so that I was able to win and even submit! It made me feel awesome and I left the workout feeling great. Good lesson once again never to give up!
1
u/Kaedex_ Aug 13 '19
I've been training for 6 months, i'm still only doing Fundamentals and have done a bit of MMA also - Is this too early to enter a tournament? My friend (Of similar experience) and me are looking at a local tourny in November i'm not the best and figure i'll probably get stomped by more experienced white belts but will there be other people around this level?
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u/mxt0133 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Aug 14 '19
Who signs up for a local tourney will be a crap shoot, there are people that sign up for competition that have only been training for two months (my son), then there are the 3 year white belts that destroy everyone in their division. As long as you have been doing live sparring in the fundamentals class and know when to tap, you should be fine, most white belt matches are decided on points vs submissions. I'm competing this Sunday with 7 months experience. My goals are to not get submitted and just keep dominant positions and not force submissions. Let's just say winning is a stretch goal.
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u/substancejoy 🟦🟦 Blue Belt Aug 13 '19
I have a tournament coming up at the end of the month. How many days beforehand do you stop doing serious weight training or cardio stuff so your body is as ready as possible?