Choose your division and read the rules
Your division is set by belt, age, gender, weight and whether you compete in the gi or no-gi. Enter at the belt you hold. Some no-gi events group competitors by experience level instead of belt, and masters divisions for older competitors start at an age that differs between organizations.
Read the rulebook for your exact event. Organizations differ on how points are scored, whether advantages exist, how long matches last, how a tie is decided and which submissions are legal at your belt and age. Heel hooks, for example, are legal in some no-gi divisions and grounds for disqualification in others. Ask your coach about any rule you are unsure of.
Uniform rules and inspection
Gi events usually publish uniform rules, and some inspect every competitor’s gi. An inspector may check the color of the gi, the length of the sleeves and pants, how loose the jacket is, where the patches sit and the condition of your belt. A gi that fails must be swapped for one that passes.
Check your gi and your spare at home against the uniform section of your event’s rules. No-gi events have attire rules as well. Shorts without pockets or zippers are a common requirement, and some organizations require a rash guard that shows your belt color.
Weight and weigh-ins
Weigh-in procedures vary between organizations. Some events weigh you once, right before your first match, wearing your gi, and set their weight classes with the gi included. Others weigh you the day before or the morning of the event without a gi. Find out when the weigh-in happens, what you wear on the scale and what happens if you miss weight. At many events, missing weight removes you from your division.
Enter the weight class you already fall into on a normal day, and weigh yourself at home during the last week, in your gi if your event weighs you in it. Cutting weight is especially risky when the weigh-in comes right before your match, because there is no time to rehydrate.
From four weeks out to the day after
Select a stage to see what to do at that point.
Before the event
Register and train for the format
- Register before the deadline, which can fall weeks before the event.
- Start some rounds from standing, timed to your division's match length.
- Pick your opening move, such as a takedown or a guard pull where allowed, and drill it every session.
Train lighter and confirm the details
- Cut back on hard sparring so you arrive rested and uninjured.
- Check the brackets for your mat and estimated start time.
- Ask a teammate to film, and someone to coach you if your event allows it.
Pack your bag and get to bed
- Pack both uniforms, your belt, a mouthguard, water and familiar food.
- Add photo ID, and trim your nails, since some events check them.
- Eat a normal dinner and sleep at your usual time.
Competition day
Check in and find your mat
- Arrive with time to park, check in and weigh in if it happens on site.
- Divisions run early or late, so stay within earshot of your mat.
- Wear sandals off the mat, because venue floors can spread skin infections such as ringworm.
Warm up and manage the wait
- Start when your division is a few matches away, and move until you sweat.
- Keep a layer on, sip water and eat small amounts during long waits.
- Sit down between matches, because the next one can be called within minutes.
Follow the referee and your corner
- Keep working at the edge until the referee stops you. Many rulesets penalize stepping off the mat to escape.
- Tap clearly and in time. A late tap risks an injury in a match that is already lost.
- Listen to your corner for the score and the time left.
After the event
Recover and follow up
- Rest, and see a doctor about any joint that still hurts.
- Ask for the original video files, because messaging apps compress them.
- Look up any referee call that surprised you in your event's rulebook.
Expect your first match to feel faster and more tiring than a training round of the same length. Adrenaline raises your heart rate before the match starts, and many first-time competitors burn their energy in the opening minute by squeezing every grip as hard as they can. Attack and escape in bursts, and slow your breathing whenever you hold a stable position.
Film your matches and learn from them
Ask the person filming to hold the phone horizontally, stand at the side of the mat and keep both competitors in the frame instead of zooming in. They should start recording before the handshake and stop after the referee raises the winner’s hand, so the video shows the result. If the scoreboard is near the mat, they should keep it in frame.
Review the matches for what a tournament tests that a normal class often does not: how you started from standing, what you did when you were ahead or behind on the score, and how your decisions changed once you were tired. Mark where each score came from, for both of you. Pick the one or two situations that cost you the most and ask your coach to work them into your training.
The BJJ roll review guide covers what a black belt checks when watching your footage.