Overcoming Self-Doubt and Competing After a BJJ Promotion

Competing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) after being recently promoted can be daunting. It's not uncommon for competitors to feel self-doubt, especially against opponents who have been at their new rank for longer. However, the reality is that you won't know for sure how you measure up until you step onto the mat and test your skills. Whether you win or lose, competition can reveal areas of your game that you need to focus on and help you grow as a martial artist.

One of the challenges of competing after being recently promoted is that you may face opponents who were in your new rank for longer. For example, if you are promoted from blue to purple belt, you may be up against opponents who have been purple belts for several years. This can be intimidating, but it's important to remember that everyone starts somewhere. Even the most successful BJJ competitors have had to work their way up the ranks and have likely experienced losses. For example, BJJ Competitor Mason Fowler struggled to reach gold initially when promoted to brown belt. Embrace the journey and use each competition as an opportunity to learn and improve.

If you experience losses after being recently promoted, taking a step back and examining what went wrong is essential. If you have footage of your matches, review it and see if there are specific mistakes you are making or positions you are getting caught in. Our BJJ experts on Digitsu can review your footage and give tips and pointers on improving; one of the benefits of subscribing is access to members-only ask the experts channels in the Digitsu community.

Losses can be difficult but can also be a valuable learning opportunity. Take the time to re-examine your habits in and outside the gym. Are you avoiding the more challenging rolls in training or prioritizing other activities over your training? Are you going out drinking every Friday night? Analyzing your habits can help you identify areas where you need to make changes to improve and reach your goals.

In conclusion, while competing may be intimidating after being recently promoted to BJJ, competing is an important tool for evaluating your skills and progress.  It can be a valuable experience that helps you test your skills, build confidence, and identify areas for improvement. Don't let self-doubt hold you back.