What’s unique about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the sheer amount of competitions and tournaments available. Unlike most other martial arts, it’s fair to say that BJJ has a very active competition scene. As a result, many practitioners are often pushed to compete at once. The reason for this is that competition offers a completely different experience from training in the gym.
If not for the eye-opening difference in intensity, competition BJJ can also make you face your own demons such as anxiety, and confidence. Although it’s certainly not for everyone, arguably, this is why it’s good to compete at least once. However, there is one large issue with competing. This is to do with injuries which are sadly more common compared to regular training. Here’s why.
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Why you’re more likely to get injured in a BJJ competition
Imagine that you’re training with heel hooks in the gym. Your opponent catches you, but you fail to tap. The likelihood is that your opponent won’t hurt you and before cranking the submission on, they’re more likely to let go.
This doesn’t just apply to heel hooks either. Similarly, if you’ve got your opponent in a fully extended armbar, you’d have to be either very ignorant or sadistic to break their arm. Whilst this can happen in gyms, most of the time people will go softer on their fellow training partners. After all, they’re literally that – training partners. Even from a selfish perspective, if you injure them, then you may have no one left to train with either.
In comparison, a BJJ tournament is quite different. Instead, there’s no connection with you and your partner – and so they’re more likely to crank submissions in the name of victory. This means that if anything, you should even tap a little earlier in competition as your opponent will be less forgiving. Although this may sound brutal, it’s also the harsh reality of competition – that no one owes you anything.
In short, rolling in the gym is way less intense than in a competition – and if you’ve never done it before then it can be quite a wake-up call in terms of physicality.
Usually, white belt competitions are more dangerous
Arguably, the most dangerous time to compete is at white belt. Not only are you less aware of your body’s limitations – but you’re also more likely to find more aggressive opponents with a point to prove. Similarly, a lack of understanding of the rules can also play a part in injuries.
For instance, there have been some videos of white belts jumping closed guard, or slamming their opponents which can both cause serious injuries. In this sense, both parties are quite prone to getting injured compared to rolling in the gym. For example, if a crazy white belt rolls with a blue belt in the gym, they’re likely to be subdued. However, if they meet their equivalent in a competition then they could hurt each other.
Typically, by the time someone is a blue belt, they’ll be aware of the pressures their body can withstand. So, they’ll be less likely to spin the wrong way when trying to escape a kimura or a leg lock. Usually, competitors have also calmed down a little by blue belt and focus more on technique rather than tenacity when competing as well.
Overall, BJJ tournaments aren’t that dangerous
Having said this, most BJJ tournaments will proceed with very few injuries. Typically, if an average BJJ event has hundreds of competitors, they will usually all go home injury free. Or, the ones that do go home have minor injuries rather than anything serious.
This means that most competitors can go through their competitive careers without picking up any serious injuries. Statistically speaking, you’d still have to be pretty unlucky to get injured from a BJJ competition. The point is, there’s still a significantly higher chance of injury when competing compared to training in your gym.
As is always the motto, tap early and tap often. Although there’s no data on this, you could also assume that most competition injuries happen through stubbornness and reluctance to tap, rather than crazy moves such as kani basami instead.
Conclusion
Sadly, BJJ is filled with injuries. Usually, these are chronic and build up over years, such as achy joints that can eventually develop into arthritis. Sometimes these require surgery, sometimes you’ll just have to live with it.
With this said, BJJ is quite tough on the body to begin with. Because of this, it’s perfectly understandable if you don’t want to compete. Still, if you do want to compete then the chances are, you probably won’t get injured. Whilst injury is always a possibility in any combat sport, it’s definitely heightened in competition. Nonetheless, as long as you’re sensible and control what you can – you should be ok.
