Competition is a way of life for many Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes. It can be both enjoyable and a big pain to compete. It is important to find an 
effective techniques for how to deal with competition jitters. This way, the experience will be more fun for you.
The following are some tips to help you develop a strategy:
Boost Your Energy
Conduct some cardio exercises, which will put your mind at ease. When you realize that you can do several 5 minute rounds of cardio, it will be a great boost to your confidence before a match. Nothing is worse than being exhausted, low on points, and racing the clock. When you have conditioned better than your opponents, you can work on forcing mistakes. The exercises will give you enough of an adrenaline rush, that you will have a physical and mental advantage.
Compete Again and Again
You will gain confidence and be more comfortable with competing, the more that you do it. It is a major accomplishment to have your first competition under your belt, especially in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Having fear of the unknown produces stress in your mind, so having more experience with competing will help to ease your stress.
Find a Partner
It is perfectly fine for you to attend tournaments by yourself. However, having a team or some kind of support system there for you will improve your morale significantly. It is great to have someone there to coach you before your tournament, as well as have someone to watch your belongings while you are competing.
Be Prepared
Make sure that you have everything that you will need at the tournament. The following are some examples of things that you should have on hand:
*Gatorade/water/drink of choice and a snack that will provide good energy
*Jump rope or other items for you to use for warming up
*Music
*Grappling tape
*Some form of ID or tournament registration documents
*Videotape (someone to get video of your match)
*Extra gi, in case something happens to the one you’re wearing
Have a Warm-Up Ritual
Come up with a warm-up ritual that is about 15 minutes long. This way, you can avoid doing random jumping jacks or something that is awkward and not suited to you. Practice this as you are training for your tournament. When you have something already developed to do on the big day, you can relax in knowing that you will be adequately warmed up before the match.
Do Drills
In the weeks before the tournament, run through drills of your plan. Begin with no resistance or very little, and then build up to a highly resistant opponent. Be sure that you are fully comfortable come time for you to compete. Tell your coach for the tournament day about your plan.
Have Fun
Since you are paying for the ability to compete, after all, you really should have some fun with the whole process. It is a huge accomplishment just to step onto the mat and be able to compete, as most people do not get that far. Plan to go out with your friends afterwards, regardless of how you do at your match.
Photo By: Mike Calimbas
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