As a coach, one of the questions I hear most from new students is:
“Should I compete?”
My answer is simple: I would never push someone to do something I haven’t done myself.
I competed in my first tournament about a month into Jiu Jitsu, and honestly, I got my ass handed to me.
But it didn’t stop me.
Before I ever signed up, I made a plan for myself: win gold within 90 days.
Every 30 days, I would compete. I knew I wasn’t great yet. I knew I was afraid. But I also knew I needed a real way to measure where I was — something beyond training with the same people every day.
So I committed.
My first tournament earned me nothing but a participation shirt.
My second, I took silver.
My third, I walked away with not one, but two gold medals.
The goal was never perfection. The goal was progress.
Each time, I just wanted to be better than I was the last time.
Now, do I expect every student to take that exact same path?
Maybe not that aggressively.
But I do believe every student should face fear, test themselves, and take on a challenge at some point.
That is part of growth.
And the truth is, no one has to do it alone.
That’s what your coaches are for.
That’s what your teammates are for.
That’s what the academy is for.
One of the biggest lessons I carry with me came from a coach I had growing up:
“You can’t control the outcome, but you can control the effort you put in.”
That applies to competition just as much as it applies to training.
Increase your mat time.
Make your rounds count.
Train with people who challenge you.
Stop chasing comfort and start chasing progress.
And one more thing — take recovery seriously.
Competition prep is not supposed to feel easy. It should stretch you. It should expose you. It should force you to adapt.
But when you stay consistent, something shifts.
You get stronger.
You get sharper.
You start becoming the kind of person who can handle hard things.
And when competition day comes, it’s no longer about fear.
It’s about trust.
Trust your training.
Trust your coaches.
Trust your teammates.
Trust yourself.
So if you’ve been thinking about competing, here’s my advice:
Give yourself three competitions before you decide it’s not for you.
Space them out 20 to 30 days apart.
Learn from each one.
Aim to improve every time.
That alone can change your Jiu Jitsu in a huge way.
And if you’re stepping into comp season, seeking quality custom comp no gi gear to represent your academy while repping the commitment to excellence, we got you.
Our Custom Comp Series No Gi gear is built for athletes who want to train hard, compete hard, and represent with purpose.
Just ask to take a look at the collection and find the one that fits your journey.
Respond to this email or email your academy logos to our team custom@rheobrand.com and start the mock up process.
– Art
CEO, RHEO BRAND LLC
art.hurtado@rheobrand.com