Written by Gile Huni., a 3rd degree BJJ black belt and head instructor at Kimura BJJ Serbia 

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions can be nerve-wracking, even for experienced practitioners. It’s crucial to understand that these competitive scenarios are essential for growth and progress in any sport.

While it’s challenging to rid oneself entirely of nerves before a competition, a certain degree of anxiety can actually be beneficial, spurring better preparation. As those familiar with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu would attest, excelling in a competitive environment is not straightforward due to the multitude of factors at play. Hence, anxiety leading up to a competition could indeed influence one’s performance during the event.

Two Key Strategies to Combat Nerves

1. Proper Warm-Up: A good warm-up before stepping onto the mat is extremely important. The idea is to mimic the condition you would be in after a match – warmed up, sweaty, and physically ready. This approach helps in shedding nervous energy and brings your body to a state of readiness, similar to how you would feel during your best rolls in training.
2. Familiarizing with the Competitive Environment: You should get accustomed to the competition setting. There’s no shortcut to dealing with nerves; it requires practice and exposure. Competing more frequently allows you to get comfortable with the competitive environment. The more you compete, the more you learn to channel your nervous energy positively, turning it into excitement and focus.

The Psychological Aspect

If you can harness your nervous energy, it can enhance your performance. This mindset shift is crucial for competitors who perform well in training but struggle to replicate that success in tournaments.

Prepare well and embrace the competitive experience. For those new to competition or struggling with nerves, the key lies in getting a good warm-up and gaining more exposure to the competitive atmosphere. This approach, coupled with a mindset of using nervous energy as an advantage, can significantly improve performance in BJJ competitions.