This weekend I went to watch my teammates compete at the Tachi Palace Grappler's Quest in Lemoore Ca. I somehow got roped into competing even though I was completely and utterly out of shape. Sure, getting to compete for free was a big plus, but I knew that I would not perform well. Maybe I wanted to punish myself for being a complete and total jackass the weekend before. Maybe I wanted a big shiny metal. Either way this competiton has led me to a few revelations:
1. Competition is 90% mental. I can't count the number of times where I sort of want to quit or question whether or not competing is something that I really want to do. (excuse me if i sound like a little bitch) Usually this occurs while I am cutting weight in utter misery or exhausted from a match. In fact, even if I win the match, there is always a split second where I am staring at my next opponent who looks bigger and stronger than me and I question if I can perform again.
2. Even if you lose a match in competition it doesn't necessarily mean you suck. It just means you sucked more than your opponent that particular day. So many different factors can play into your performance at a tournament. Whether or not these factors are mental or physical is irrelevant, what matters is that if your mind and body are occupied with other things than the task at hand...you will fail. Epic-ly.
3. Competition will accelerate your game regardless of winning or losing. Especially if you record it. To date, I have recorded nearly all of my matches. Granted, I tend to re-live the glory of winning a few more times than my losses, but I still watch all of my tapes to prevent myself from making the same mistakes twice. (For example, I need to drop my hips lower once I pass the guard and establish side control...shit, I just realized I've made this mistake before.)
4. Being able to compete and win in Sport Jiu Jitsu does not make you a good street fighter. Lets be honest here...at the end of the day, competition Jiu Jitsu is a sport. You aren't going to do flying armbars and triangles against people who could easily slam you head first into concrete or maybe bite a chunk of your thigh out while you oh so carefully apply the armbar. Nor is there a ref who will stop the fight and have you reset because you have gone out of bounds into the brick building. People shouldn't street fight anyways, it really takes a bigger man to walk away from an altercation something that I apparently haven't learned yet. Again, SHIT!
5. Competing, like nearly every damn thing in life, is not easy. It is difficult and takes a lot out of you. But when you raise your hand in victory at the end of a match...life becomes exquisitely simple. Even if it is only for a few seconds...nothing else registers or even matters. What problems at home? What girl problems? What work problems? What friend problems? All the noise just washes away, your mind goes blank, and it is pure beautiful silence. Well...until they call your name for the absolute division and there is a 220 lb man waiting to crush you with his bear paws.
And I think that's about it.
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