Just wanted to thank my instructors Brian Johnson and Tim Cartmell who were both pivotal in helping me prepare physically and mentally for my first BJJ fight this weekend! I took second! It was an amazing time that seems to have flown by! I won my first match on points. Lost my second from a submission. The adrenaline dump killed me! I was in great shape going into the fight, stamina was high (can roll with the club for a good 45minutes to an hour before getting tired), and I was not as nervous as I thought I would be going into it. But ••••, halfway through the first match I felt like someone reached in and took away all my energy!! Any tips on dealing with this, or is it simply experience?
Anyways...neither one of the guys was much better or worse than me. The cat who tapped me said he would be getting his blue belt this week! Everyone were great sportsmen, and very nice guys. Overall a great experience!
Thanks again Tim and Brian for the techniques, the incessant emails and phone calls bugging you with silly questions, the encouragement, and the kind words! Means the world to me!
Cheers
Jake

Good job Jake!

The nerves are just due to lack of experience. They'll go away the more you compete.

Congrats!

Jake,

Conditioning is one thing and tension is another. Tension eats up conditioning like a cancer. You can wrestle 15 guys you know you can beat one after another for an hour and not be tired,...yet if you wrestle one guy that's better than you for 15 minutes, you'd be exhausted.

Self-doubt can create tension.

Uncertainty can create tension.

And as I said, "tension is a cancer that eats conditioning".

Anyone who are fans of combative arts, not so much martial arts, have witnessed professional athletes who trained hard for weeks and months, only to get "gased" in the first minutes of the fight. Why? Tension!

One russian study done years ago talked about this tension theory. They said one of the major differences between a "Master Athlete" and a "novice" athlete is tension level. I don't remember the exact numbers, but it was like the tension was over 10 times more in a "novice" athlete.

I think this is where the "meditational" aspects of traditional arts can help. It begins with breathing.

I wish I could discuss this more, but I'm short on time.

Believe me, I speak from experience!

Again, congrats.

Great job Jake!

Thanks guys! Thanks Tim!
Backarcher...anytime you have time I am always open to hearing your various experiences and opinions bro! Am I still going to meet you at the Detroit seminar? Hope so!
Cheers
Jake

I'm planning on it!

My last Judo tournament, which I won, I walked on the mat humming, "Mary Had a Little Lamb". I remember looking across at my opponents with that nursery rhyme in my head, not thinking winning...not thinking losing and not thinking about what he may do or what I should do, just being in the moment...with my song.

I knew just the fact that I was competing, I'd already won and that I was about to be given a valuable lessen, win or lose...but I didn't care.

I had faith that no matter what he did, I'd have an answer for it.

I knew I was use to trying to throw people when they were also trying to kick me, hit me, knee me and take me down. Now, in Judo, I only had to worry about...a simple throw! That decreased my stress level, for I doubted my opponents had been where I had.

Because of my wrestling, BJJ and submission wrestling, I had a further lessening of stress, for I doubted the Judokas there had good ground skills. (But in the finals I ended playing against a 250lb Sambo player who had me on my back in an armlock, arm fully extended at one point. I calmly "hitch-hiked" my way out and pinned him for the win).

I did OK in my previous Shiais, but I was full of tension and self-doubt in those other events.

When I put the event in its proper perspective, only then was I able to express my skills fully.

Proper Perspective: "It's just a Judo event. World peace doesn't depend on my victory or defeat. "

Proper Perspective: I was brave enough to step up and compete. I already had victory.

Proper Perspective: My opponent was there to help me grow, as a fighter and a human being.

Great post, Backarcher.

Ditto that! I look forward to meeting you brother.
Jake