I’ve again been training a lot (for me) and writing little, but I’ve wanted to jot down an experience from way back in October. Back then, I competed at a BJJ tournament for the first time in almost three years! At a gym tournament, but as I hadn’t competed since the pandemic started and as I am still a 30 something tetraplegic with little cardio, this was a Massive Deal.
Spoiler alert: I lost the two matches I was granted again, so no apparent changes there. However, I had objectively improved in technical ability and mindset compared to 2019. I’m still not good at BJJ, but ironically, the time spent not competing had still changed me.
Why are we here again?
My reasons for originally wanting to compete hadn’t really changed: I wanted to know how my BJJ would fare in a situation where I was giving my all and my opponent probably as well. I also wanted to explore how I would navigate the psychological pressure. I wanted ideas that would help me pick elements of my game to work on, as BJJ contains multitudes and it can be too easy to lose oneself in the details. Now that I had a few years more under my belt (uhm, almost literally), I was curious to measure my technical advancement. So off to Sigma Jiu-jitsu’s Nippon Sport Cup I went, inviting myself into a gym mate’s car for the ride.
How the competition went
As for mental capacity, I didn’t feel panic at any point during the competition day and was very happy about that. I felt very little anxiety before the tournament and pre-match jitters were very manageable too. Funny enough, I did feel a couple of seconds of dizziness right before I stepped into the match area and was worried for my blood pressure for another second. Then I realised this was my body’s way of showing I was actually a bit nervous. 😀
I wasn’t proud that my opponent managed to pull guard, but at least I was not taken down. I was even less proud that she got to sweep me and managed to secure mount before I put her in quarter-mount. However, then I did something I never thought I would:
- I got my arm around the opponent’s thigh with my ear to her inner thigh. Now I was in deep half-guard, a position I didn’t even know existed before this year.
- I bucked, scissored with my legs, and swept my opponent.
- I looked at the scoring board. It now stated the score as 2-6 to my opponent’s benefit. No longer 0-6 as it had a moment before.
Unfortunately, that’s where my prowess ended. I really tried to pass my opponent’s guard but kept getting trapped in closed guard or was too slow to force my way through the open guard positionings I got. I also cannot ignore the moments during the match I had ideas on what to do next but felt physically too tired to execute them. Even if part of that was just in my head, having better cardio would probably have helped. 😀
And yet, during this match I felt soo much better than I ever had in 2019. Mainly because I had simply gotten better at BJJ. I recognised all common positions and had a larger amount of techniques in my repertoire I was able to remember even under pressure. I’m honestly rather chuffed about that sweep.
When the bell went and we were asked to stop, I was so happy: I HAD NEVER SCORED IN A MATCH BEFORE. I’d been choked from the front and the back and bent into submission in all of the matches I had in 2019 with no points ever, not even an advantage. And match going full time was almost as big of a self-esteem boost as the two points I scored. I laughed and clapped for my opponent’s win. Hopefully my celebrations didn’t freak her out too much.
Emboldened from the experience, I signed up for the open class. I was faced with the same opponent, fucked up my guard pull and this time she had choked me in under 2 minutes. My opponent got double medals and is now a blue belt. I was glad to have survived.
I stayed to watch all the other matches and only headed back home in the evening in another gym mate’s car. I had had a Very Good Day.
What I took home from the experience
After all the excitement had died down, I paused to reflect on what the day actually had taught me.
- I want to compete again.
When my body and other commitments permit, I’m going to do this every now and then. I probably won’t ever be arsed to put a ton of work into competitions, but who´s counting?
I’m signed up for a couple of tournaments this Spring. I try to keep you posted on the experiences.
- I got to fix my closed guard escapes and react quicker when my opponent lets go of their closed guard.
A gym mate reviewed opening a closed guard without standing up with me the following week, and I don’t get stuck in there as much these days. I also like to think I’ve improved my mindset in passing. My best work is still done after I trap one leg and crawl forward from half-guard, though a passing seminar Coach and Jesse organised this month inspired me to try more passing from a distance.
- I have to use my mass better to be unsweepable.
I used to fall over by the slightest push when I started BJJ. That got better, but if I have anything, it’s a big weight advantage with almost everyone else in my bracket. I should use that to be more solid. I might not be quick on my feet, but I’ve recalled the importance of putting my centre of gravity lower.
- I would like to get better cardio and get used to a faster pace of BJJ again.
Well, maybe in 2024.
