With a great many of the Gracie NEPA members competing or preparing for upcoming jiu-jitsu competition I wanted to take some time to share my blueprint for competition prepping. To follow is a general guideline to apply to be certain your competitive bases are covered by training, sparring, drilling, and strategy development.
Work Ethic
If you plan to compete you must know that the road to jiu-jitsu competition starts with a strong work ethic. Make a commitment to yourself, your coaches, and your training partners to stick to your training schedule, show up early and stay late, and do all task necessary outside of the gym to perform at your peak inside of the gym.
Nutrition
Once you have made the commitment to compete you must develop good eating habits. Having unhealthy eating habits leads to a poisoned body which leads to poor performance in training camp and the day of competition. Eat clean, stay hydrated, and use supplements.
Conditioning
Now that you are committed and eating healthy it is time to take the steps necessary to ensure you have enough ‘gas in the tank’. Having a huge ‘gas tank’ will ensure that you will be able to do everything that you want to do leading up to and on the day of competition. Be certain that you work multiple areas of your physical conditioning including; cardio-aerobic, cardio-anaerobic, flexibility, and strength.
Drill The Basics
Work the foundations of jiu-jitsu; takedowns, fundamental attacks, basic defense, and high percentage escapes. Remember that basics win fights!
Develop Your Reflexes
You must develop your reactions to occur beyond conscious thought. If you think you are late, if you late then you may lose. Every session you must drill, spar, push your limits beyond failure.
Address Your Weaknesses
Whatever they may be don’t ignore them! What good is it to wok the newest and coolest guard if every time you compete you lose by footlock?! Address your weaknesses, learn the fixes, and drill the crap out of them!
Make Time for Rest & Relaxation
With all the hard work you will be putting in you must remember to schedule the proper rest and relaxation. R&R is an important part of training. Remember to make time for naps, massage, hot tub, ice baths, full night sleeps, and a non jiu-jitsu distraction.
Develop A Game Plan
Just ‘winging it’ isn’t the brightest of game plans. Spend time with your coaches creating a strategy which includes playing to your strengths yet keeping in mind to develop a contingent plan in the event your opponent gets their strategy off before yours forcing you need to make up lost ground.
Get Your Mind Right
The will to win is vital so get your head right! If you follow all the previous steps this part of the blueprint will be easy. Visualize winning and accept the encouragement of family and friends, heed the advice of your team mates.
If you follow this framework you can be certain that you will be bringing the best you to the mats the day of the competition and that in the end whether you win, lose or draw, chalk up the competition as a learning experience and get back into the gym immediately following the competition and get to work!
About the Author:
Jeff Reese, Gracie Jiu-jitsu black belt, has had the honor of learning from two generations of Gracie family members including Royce, Royler, Rodrigo, Rolker, Ralek, Rener, and Ryron; he teaches at Gracie NEPA in Scranton, PA
