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4 Reasons to Start Taking Part in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Competitions

31 August 2023

Irene Hansen

If you've been taking part in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) classes for a while, you might have thought about starting to compete. This doesn't have to mean going for gold at the next Olympics – in fact, you'll find many competitions designed for people at your level and starting to join in can help take your new hobby to the next level.

It might seem intimidating at first, but here are just four reasons to think about taking your first step into the world of competitive BJJ.

1. Gives Your Training Focus

When you know you have a competition to work towards, you're likely to become more focused in your training. Competitions provide short-term goals that push you to make the most of each session. You'll also be more motivated to start focusing on technique to ensure that as few mistakes as possible are made while you're competing. Most of all, knowing that you're actually going to be putting your skills to use in a real competition can give you an unmatched sense of determination and purpose.

2. Allows You to Track Your Progress

You should be able to feel yourself becoming better at BJJ just through taking classes, but you can take that progress to another level by joining in with local competitions. You'll be able to see yourself becoming more proficient as you gain more wins and move on to face tougher opponents. Competitions will also provide a great opportunity to understand your own weaknesses and then make adjustments during the next round of training. Next time you compete, you'll see how those adjustments bear fruit.

3. Helps Boost Your Confidence

It's common for people new to BJJ competitions to feel nervous, and those nerves will probably never entirely disappear. However, competitions are also opportunities to face and overcome your doubts, so you can emerge from each one with a better mindset. While winning can provide a real high, even losing gives you the opportunity to be a good sport and adopt a positive outlook.

4. Widens Your Social Network

BJJ has become widely popular over the last few years, so one great thing about getting involved in classes is meeting new people. By going to competitions, you widen your social circle even further and feel like a greater part of the wider BJJ community. As well as looking forward to the competition itself, you'll also start looking forward to seeing familiar faces.

Contact a local studio to learn more about Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

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