With competition season in full swing, let’s talk a little bit about some recent results we’re excited about, as well as what competition means (and what it doesn’t mean).
Competition is very valuable for growing your jiujitsu. We train every day to improve, and if you’re training correctly, you’re testing yourself in the academy against people of all different levels and backgrounds. But going up against people who you don’t know, who do different techniques, and who are trying to earn the same medals you are, is a tremendously valuable experience — it shows you what really works and what might not, and it adapts your body and mind to stressful situations.
Our students and instructors compete regularly. From white belt to black belt, Bellingham BJJ folks have successfully competed in tournaments and superfights locally, nationally and internationally. Our instructors have won IBJJF tournaments gi and nogi at multiple belt levels, and two have reached the podium at the IBJJF World Championships at lower belt levels. (You can read all about the details on our Instructor page and our Competition page.)
Our students also regularly compete, and in the past two years have won IBJJF events, ADCC Opens, and multiple local tournaments, as well as several superfights. We’ve had some recent efforts in the last month that I’m really proud of, and we’ll get to those in a moment, but first I want to express a few broad principles about competing.
I’ve already explained some reasons why competing is valuable, and I also think it’s important to compete under multiple rulesets. Our goal here is always going to be high-quality, well-rounded jiujitsu that works in every situation — gi, nogi, with strikes, without strikes, for self defense and for sport. Competing in a modified submission-only tournament like Proving Grounds will teach different skills than a points event like The Revolution or the IBJJF, or an entertainment-focused event like those with EBI rules. If no points are awarded, the strategy is different, which teaches efficiency. If points are in play, you’ll find yourself in situations where you have to go hard in short bursts, which teaches tactics, builds attributes and mental toughness. If you get into EBI overtime, you’ll learn specific positional skills. All of this is valuable for growing and testing your jiujitsu over the long run (and it is a long run).
That said, competition is just a part of jiujitsu, and no one is or ever will be forced to compete here. We all have different goals, and our short-term goals (whether they be fitness-related, self defense related or competition related) will all support the true, long-term goal of being the best you can be in the long run. We always try to support our competitors — trying to win matches under multiple rulesets helps build those skills — but jiujitsu is much broader than any specific competition.
Finally, results-oriented thinking isn’t the best thing when dealing with near-term results. We will always try our best to win under every ruleset we compete under, and we will never make excuses if we fall short. Those principles ensure a good process, where we’re trying to build the best jiujitsu practitioners we can — and if we have a great process, great results will naturally follow. Try to keep that in mind if you have a loss that stings.
And please keep it in mind when I talk about these recent competition results! Yes, I’m proud of the victories. But I’m way more proud about the work that went into creating the victories. Sometimes you can’t control an outcome. Working hard every day so you can put yourself in a position to perform your best is something everyone can control.
So, yes, I’m proud of the medals that people fought hard for. but I’m way more proud of the weeks, months and years of work that put folks in a position to win those medals.
Let’s talk about those results!
We took five competitors to Proving Grounds under modified sub-only rules this June. We brought home 5 gold medals in Advanced Nogi, Intermediate Nogi, Blue Belt Gi and White Belt Gi divisions. Two of our folks had never competed outside the academy, so special props to Benicio and Seth for challenging themselves that way for the first time and coming up strong.
We had 17 matches and won 11 of those by submission at Proving Grounds, which is always the goal.
Also this month: Kegan Mulholland is one of our great instructors and also one of our most dedicated competitors. He competed at the Everett Grappling Industries this Saturday, and went 4-0 in the brown belt gi division and advanced nogi division, winning two of those matches by submission for double gold.
Victory and defeat have one important thing in common: They both should be forgotten quickly, because they’re fleeting. It’s all about making yourself better over the long run. Congratulations to everyone who has been crushing it lately on the competition mats!