BJJ Training

How You Should Train Before a Jiu Jitsu Tournament

January 08, 2025 3 min read

Training before a jiu jitsu tournament requires a focused and strategic approach, especially in the weeks leading up to the event. A well-structured training camp can significantly enhance your performance on the mats.

This guide outlines how to set up a proper training camp during the 6-8 weeks before competition, emphasizing the importance of situational live rounds, increased intensity, and mental preparation.

1. Transition from Drilling to Live Rounds

As you enter your training camp, it’s crucial to shift your focus from drilling techniques to live rolling. While drilling is essential for mastering techniques, the weeks leading up to competition should prioritize situational live rounds.

This means engaging in 1-3 minute rounds that simulate specific positions or scenarios you may encounter in a match.

Situational Live Rounds: These sessions allow you to practice techniques under pressure while working on specific aspects of your game, such as escaping from mount, maintaining guard, or finishing submissions.

This targeted approach helps you refine your skills while also developing your ability to react in real-time situations.

Full Live Rounds: In addition to situational drills, incorporate full live rounds from your feet. These longer sessions mimic the actual competition environment, allowing you to test your strategies and cardio against different opponents.

Focus on maintaining your composure and applying your techniques effectively during these full rolls.

2. Intensity of Training

The intensity of your training before your jiu jitsu tournament should gradually increase as your competition date approaches.

Week 1: Start your training camp with lighter sessions to allow your body to adapt to the increased workload. Focus on refining your techniques and establishing a rhythm with your training partners.

Keep the rounds shorter and prioritize skill execution over intensity.

Ramp Up the Intensity: After the first week, begin to ramp up the intensity of your training. Increase the length and competitiveness of your live rounds. Push yourself physically and mentally, simulating the high-pressure environment of a match.

This progressive overload will enhance your conditioning and prepare you for the demands of competition.

3. Keep Score During Live Sessions

Scoring is a critical component of competition. During your live training sessions, make it a point to keep score.

This practice helps you develop an understanding of how to score points in a match and prepares you to strategize effectively during competition.

Implement Scoring: By tracking points during live rolls, you can analyze your performance and identify areas for improvement.

Understanding how to score will also help you stay focused on objectives during matches, allowing you to adapt your strategy as needed.

4. Pre-Match Mindset

Creating the right mindset during your training camp is essential. As you engage in live sessions, try to get into your pre-match mindset. Before your jiu jitsu tournament, you need to have your competition mindset in every round in training.

Treat these rounds as if they were the competition itself. Visualize your strategy, manage your energy, and develop your mental toughness.

Push Your Limits: While it’s important to avoid putting your training partners in dangerous positions or risking injury, don’t shy away from pushing yourself.

Use these live sessions to test your cardio and resilience. This not only enhances your physical conditioning but also prepares you for the mental challenges of competition.

5. Training Etiquette and Safety

While intensity and competition are key focuses during your training camp, remember that safety is paramount.

Communicate with your training partners to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding the level of intensity and the nature of the training.

Always prioritize the safety and well-being of your teammates, avoiding dangerous positions that could lead to injury.

Conclusion

A successful training camp in the 1-2 months leading up to competition hinges on focusing on situational live rounds, increased intensity, and cultivating the right mindset.

By implementing these strategies, you’ll be better prepared for the challenges of competition, both physically and mentally.

If you do not have a tournament coming up, check out our article on how to train in off-season vs competition.

Embrace the process, push your limits, and get ready to showcase your skills on the mats!

FAQ

Porrada is a Portuguese term commonly used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Brazilian culture to describe a tough, intense, and gritty style of training or fighting. The direct translation of porrada from Portuguese to English is "beating" or "brawl." It embodies the spirit of going all out, giving your maximum effort, and pushing through challenges. In BJJ, practicing porrada means training with high intensity and determination.

This website is a collection of resources curated by grapplers, for grapplers. Our goal is to provide you with all the information you need to succeed. Whether you want to learn about nutrition, training on the mats, lifting, or anything in between, we are here for you. We want to see you on the podium most of all, and we hope to help you do exactly that. If you have any questions, feel free to shoot us an email or DM us on any of our social profiles!

There are two main ways you can get started with training: 1) You can find a BJJ gym near you and do a trial day, or 2) you can create your own mini home gym and start training with friends. Option #2 is how our team at Porrada got started! We ordered 1-inch thick puzzle mats in a 10’x10’ square and began training using online resources. If you do start with the second option, we recommend eventually finding a gym down the road in your career. It will help you by allowing you to roll with more people and receive high-level instruction.

BJJ is quite similar to wrestling. Both start standing and use takedowns as a method to score points. Both use very similar mechanics overall. The main differences are that there are no pins (you can be on your back in Jiu-Jitsu), BJJ involves submissions, and the points system for each is very different. BJJ grants points for takedowns/sweeps, back control, mount, guard passes, and knee on belly. Wrestling grants points for takedowns, escapes, and back points (back exposure for freestyle).

BJJ is a very unique sport in many ways. There are so many incredible benefits to training Jiu-Jitsu. The biggest reasons we advocate for it are the mindset training and the added ability to defend yourself. In BJJ, you are forced to humble yourself over and over again, every single day. This sport is a great way to mature rapidly and generally become a better person (in our opinion). You will also have a better ability to defend yourself than 99% of the population—a pretty big bonus.

You’re never too old to start training! We see people on the mats of all ages and sizes. Large and small, old and young can, and should, train BJJ. If you are on the older side, it is perfectly acceptable to take it slow and learn at your own pace. You don’t always have to go full speed—don’t worry. There are typically also classes that separate people by goals. Certain classes are for those who want to compete, some are for general instruction, and some are specifically for self-defense teachings. There is a place for everyone on the mats.