Jiu Jitsu Instructors respect hard work

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Jiu Jitsu Instructors respect hard work

Jiu Jitsu Instructors respect hard work. This is something many whitebelts look for when they begin to train. New whitebelts are shy, somewhat nervous and even a little scared. 20 + years of BJJ has shown me many things. Almost everything has been seen from the new student. Students have been seen offering to do anything from yard work, handyman stuff and most of all, throwing money around. Personally, I have been offered sports tickets and presents in attempts by newer students to “get in that inner circle.” If they only knew how easy it was. Just show up and put in the work, that is the way. First appearances are important. Don’t make your instructor wary of you from the beginning by being to pushy or trying to buy them.

Train hard and be yourself

Inspiring people is what the BJJ school owners I know believe in. Renzo Gracie, a legend who was one of my instructors, once said that are not in the business of selling martial arts but in the business of selling confidence. Confidence is the road to success. School owners just want to help you fit in and become better practitioners and in return, better people. most have that experience because Jiu-jitsu changed their life and they want the same for you. (Here is a link to another blog I wrote about fitting in https://njbjj.com/fitting-into-your-bjj-school/Â ) Training hard and showing an interest at getting better at BJJ is the road to take. Soak in every ounce of information you can. Ask your instructor BJJ related questions. As a result, your instructor will show more interest in you. Just be yourself. Trust is something that goes a long way in BJJ. Relationships between student and instructor must have trust. There are no shortcuts on the road to success.

Be coachable

Especially relevant is the coachability factor. Being coachable is another key to being successful and getting better. Consequently, implementing what is taught will speed up the process. Because instructors across the world have devoted their lives to spreading the art, passion in most BJJ Academy owners is visible. Personally, I am from lineage of the Gracie Family and I take the responsibility of spreading their family’s art seriously. It is the responsibility of today’s instructors to carry on the art in the way we were taught it and not let it gets watered down. Keeping the level of BJJ high is a must. The fear of the art getting watered down is always on our mind. There is an old martial art saying “When the student is ready the teacher will appear.” Always be ready to learn and your teacher will always be around.

The Perfect student

Every martial arts instructor has an image of their perfect student. My “perfect” students are the ones that strive to be the best on the mat. In addition, they also live by the martial arts code when off the mat. As a result, they are improving faster by following this code.

Hence, always be the guy who is drenched in sweat. Furthermore, are you taking an easier road or trying to fake things? Like the title says, Jiu Jitsu Instructors respect hard work. Since nothing is handed to you in BJJ, all of your belts are earned, instructors notice this. That is the beauty of BJJ. Nothing is handed to you in BJJ, all of your belts are earned. Jiu-Jitsu belt ranks, especially the blackbelt, are held so dear for this reason. Martial Arts instructors respect the process, do not try to take shortcuts. Finally, “Work hard in silence. Let your success make all the noise”.

 

Jiu Jitsu Instructors respect hard work

Jiu Jitsu Instructors respect hard work

Rafael Lovato Jr Association

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Savarese Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy is proud to represent the Rafael Lovato Jr Association as the premier academy on the East Coast.

The Lovato Jiu-Jitsu team was founded by Rafael Lovato Jr, considered by many to be “the complete fighter.” It is currently one of the strongest teams in the US and is led by the most decorated and experienced American BJJ competitor of all time.

While Professor Lovato’s personal resume is immaculate, his association produced “4 ADCC veterans, World and Pan-American medalists at all belt levels, and No-Gi World medalists at all belt levels.” Each member of the Lovato Jiu Jitsu Association follows a world class curriculum, a vast array of resources, and phenomenal instruction.

Savarese Jiu Jitsu AcademyLyndhurst martial artist wins Instructor of the Year

Savarese BJJ Academy, the sole representative of the Lovato team on the East Coast, boasts a number of accolades. This includes many team championships and even an “Instructor of the Year” distinction awarded to Chris Savarese – Savarese BJJ’s head instructor and owner.

A member of the Rafael Lovato Jr Association for several years now, Prof. Chris Savarese is a 2nd degree Black Belt under the legendary Royler Gracie. Prof. Savarese has frequented Brazil and trained with some of the best jiu jitsu practitioners in the world. A veteran of Grapplers Quest, NAGA, and many other competitions, Savarese now focuses his time and energy on his academy.

Prof. Savarese’s pedigree is forged in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and grappling. Formerly the owner of Tribe Fightwear, Savarese has acted as a sponsor, matchmaker, referee, competitor, and teacher. He has grown with both sports in several different avenues.

As an instructor, Savarese brings a no nonsense approach to teaching. Moreover, every student receives respect, honor and loyalty. As a student you receive personal attention, learn great techniques, and most importantly, you have fun doing it.

Savarese BJJ students are always held in high regard – a product of winning many individual and team championships. However, while competing is exciting and beneficial for personal growth in our sport, Savarese BJJ is also concerned with building a strong team chemistry. Being great individually is nice, but having great teammates is even better.

Finally, come grow with us and the Rafael Lovato Jr Association. Begin your training today by contacting us at 201-933-5134 or filling out a contact form. We look forward to training with you.

Savarese Jiu-Jitsu celebrates 10 yr anniversary

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Today, Savarese Jiu-Jitsu celebrates 10 years of being open!

I just wanted to take a few minutes to explain why this is such an important day for our academy.

The Dream Comes True:

The 10 yr Anniversary is much more important to me than the 1 yr because today I feel like I am living the dream I conceived as a bluebelt: running a successful BJJ Academy. However, it is more important than that. I wanted to create a school that had a

Savarese Jiu-Jitsu celebrates 10 yr anniversary

1st school

positive effect on my students and in our community for years and generations to come.

As a white and blue belt, doing something like this seemed like a pipe dream, a goal that seemed almost unattainable. These 10 years have had their trials and tribulations and some personal injuries to overcome.

In 2001, I faced a complete tear of my ACL, PCL and LCL. The doctors told me that my athletic days were over and even my family was urging me to give up BJJ. It was hard to walk without pain and my dream seemed completely out of reach.

I didn’t know it at the time, but overcoming these injuries strengthened my mindset for a much harder battle years later with my heart surgery.

The first step in my dream coming true was the grand opening. Looking back, I had no clue what I was doing. I had no plan for success and my first two years were basically a waste. I was lucky to make it through those days.

Behind the Scenes:

Few people truly know how difficult it is to run a successful academy and how much work goes on behind the scenes. Developing the culture of the academy is key and important to maintain every day. Sometimes difficult decisions are made to maintain that culture.

Cultivating a structure and a process for student and school growth, writing a solid curriculum and monitoring progress weekly are also keys to success. You must find ways to reach individuals and the group alike.

Savarese Jiu-Jitsu celebrates 10 years!

1st school

One of my former instructors, Renzo Gracie, used to say “we are in the confidence business.” This includes imparting your philosophy and message as well as undoing years of a student believing that he or she can’t, that they are weak, that they are a victim because of things that happened in their lives. In part, our job is removing this detrimental crutch. Only then will the student see success. 

It is the most difficult and challenging job I’ve ever had, but I wake up each day passionately ready to do it again. This is my life’s work and I truly believe that all the years of my dad teaching me sports, driving me to and from practices, and every coach who taught me something, prepared me for this role. I believe I was put on this earth to do this.

Proud

Proud is the word I’d describe about the way everyone treats each other. Honestly, the atmosphere in our academy is what I am most proud of. No drama or rivalries. Just a group of people who stand by each other every day in pursuit of a bigger picture, leaving their problems and ego at the door and trying to become better martial artists. The academy is a place for personal growth, not just fun, fitness, fighting or medals. It is a place where character, accountability, loyalty, and purpose are more than words.

Personal Thanks:

First, I would like to thank all of my students. You play such important part in the success of our Academy.

Now for the very long list of thank yous. A special thank you goes to David Adiv, who for years tried to get me to open a BJJ academy. Adiv was patient enough with me to let me do it when I thought I was ready. The Savarese BJJ Academy would not exist without him.

Another thank you goes to the many instructors and training partners who helped me develop the skills and knowledge I get to pass on to everyone today. Most notable are David Adiv, Renzo and Royler Gracie, Rafael Lovato Jr. and John Danaher. Between the five of them, my instruction has improved and I have grown. Each aspect of my jiu-jitsu features something I have learned from these instructors.

I also would like to thank Master Lloyd Irvin, whose advice at a BJJ tournament years ago changed my life and the fate of my academy. At the time, I was working a full time job and trying to run my academy and struggling mightily. Lloyd urged me to quit my job and focus on my academy.

I told him “Lloyd, you don’t understand, I need that job to pay the bills at the Academy.†He simply laughed in response, “No, Sav, I understand, YOU don’t understand. If you treat your business like a part time business, it will pay you like a part-time business. Treat it like a full time business and it will pay you like a full time business!â€. It was the best advice anyone ever gave me. I quit my job that Monday and haven’t looked back since. So a big thank you to Lloyd from me and everyone at Savarese BJJ.

More Thanks

Also a big thank you to my dear friend, Justin “Master Chim” Garcia, who spent countless time and energy on his own dime in an effort to help me become a better school owner and businessman. I owe a lot of my academy’s success to you.

Savarese Jiu-Jitsu celebrates 10 yr anniversary

Our 2nd school

Also to my friend Marco Perazzo, who spent a lot of phone time with me as a new school owner.

Finally, special thanks goes to Professor Sean Bermudez. He has had a great role in the academy’s growth over the last five years; successfully running our kids program. Because of him, our kid’s martial arts program is one of best in the country. We would not be in our new academy without his help.

The past 10 years

In 10 years, we went from a 850 square foot hole in the wall on Stuyvesant Ave to our 5000 sq ft, 2 room facility on Park Ave. I would like to thank all my students, parents, friends, supporters and the township of Lyndhurst New Jersey for all their support over the years. I look forward to many great years together as I am confident that our team and family will grow larger, stronger and wiser in the future. Love you guys!

Sincerely,
Professor Chris Savarese

Savarese Jiu-Jitsu celebrates 10 years

Our Academy today Back Room ^

 

Savarese Jiu-Jitsu celebrates 10 years

Front Room

Remember the reason you love jiu jitsu

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Remember the reason you love jiu jitsu

Remember the reason you love jiu jitsu, that is the answer. Recently, a blue belt student of mine contacted me saying he was thinking about quitting training. Outside stresses were draining him and seeping into his BJJ training. He wasn’t having fun anymore. Recently, I had made a list of 40 fundamental movements of BJJ that I am making all my purple belt and under students take to make sure their foundation is solid and if not, so I can fix it. My student told me that taking this test reminded him of how much progress he had made and made BJJ fun for him again.

Many times during our jiu-jitsu journey, there are going to be bumps in the road. Many, many bumps. Quitting will often creep into a student’s head during these bad times. You will hear your professor or instructor and even your teammates tell you that you have to work through it but sometimes, that is easier said than done. If you are going through one of these times, my suggestion is to try to start to just have fun again. Don’t worry about belts, stripes, how many times you are finished or finished your training partners. The key is to try to remember yourself as a white belt. What was it about jiu-jitsu that you fell in love with? What is the reason that hooked you on this art? That feeling is what you need to recapture and start by doing what you used to do then.

There will be pitfalls

On top of that feeling, try to remember that any frustration that you are feeling about your training is what is so great about BJJ. Training pitfalls and lows spark growth and are what will make you better. Our lows points are a lesson and are there so we can come out of it a better martial artist and person. Our lows tell us what are our weaknesses and what to work on. It is important that we do not avoid these weaknesses. We can never succeed until we fail first, that is one of life’s biggest lessons. Never stop showing up, learn to enjoy every aspect of your journey. Like my good friend Rafael Lovato Jr. says “without the lows, the highs wouldn’t feel half as good.” 

Lastly, remember that BJJ is not a video game, you can never master it. There is always going to be a new position, new submission, new style to learn and try to conquer. The key is to keep the mind of a white belt and have fun.

See you on the mats. oss.

Black belt means a new beginning

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Black belt means a new beginning.

There are many types of BJJ blackbelts across the world. The tournament and World Champions, the self-defense masters, as well as older and younger professors of our great art.

I decided to write a blog to help all blackbelts, but especially those newer ones who don’t have a school, aren’t competing anymore and are kind of just hobbyist who worked hard to get to this point.

Learn as much as you can!

In your mind, you have have reached the pinnacle of BJJ by earning your blackbelt. This is just the beginning. If you let it, jiu-jitsu will open up to you in a whole new way. You may get more critical of yourself here, but always try to be better.

First, never stop being a student, learn as much as you can. Really start looking at the simplest details of everything.

  • Why is this important?
  • Why do I do this in this position?
  • Ask more questions of your instructor and fellow blackbelts.
  • Try to learn from everyone’s mistakes.

Efficiency

This past year I had Rickson Gracie blackbelt Henry Akins to my Academy for a couple of days. The visit was mind blowing to me. I noticed that his jiu-jitsu was much more efficient than mine and so was many simple techniques and concepts he was teaching. I immediately went to work correcting and adding many new things into our Fundamentals program. Changing things to become more efficient.

My friend Rafael Lovato Jr and I speak of this often as well. I want to do everything as efficiently as possible; as perfectly as possible. I want to become more efficient every day by using as little energy as I probably can to achieve what I want. I want perfection in the details like:

  • defense
  • frames
  • shrimping
  • guard recovery
  • posture

All of these tiny details will make the difference in my game.

The goal is to get better every day. I always tell my students “you are only as good as your worst position.” Always improve.

Ask yourself

  • How is my guard? Can I finish from here?
  • Can I pass? Can I pass to mount?
  • Can I hold the mount? Can I finish from the mount
  • How is my Wrestling? My Judo? My takedown defense?
  • Leglocks are popular now. How are my leg submissions? My defense?
  • How are my escapes?

There is always something else to be learned, your jiu-jitsu will never be perfect, but we can always strive for perfection.

oss.

Failing is a temporary detour

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I posted this in our private Savarese BJJ group, and I think it is a good lesson for all the lower belt BJJ competitors out there.

This has always been one of my favorite quotes. I have said many times to people that when competing, sometimes it is better to lose early in your BJJ life than win. You learn a lot more from a loss.

I learned this from Royler Gracie when he used to tell the story of his dad giving them $5 for a win, $10 for a loss as kids (Royler later realized it was a way of taking pressure off of him and his brothers). Sometimes a loss can create more focus, drive and determination. Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success. The only time we really lose is when you give up. We win or we learn.

Do not be afraid to fail!

For my Savarese BJJ competition team, I am so proud of you. Four competitors, one gold, one silver, and one bronze in a tough tournament. We had a bunch of submission victories, which is always the goal. Submissions are a lost art in BJJ competitions across the country nowadays.

Our team experienced come from behind victories. We didn’t quit in matches we were losing and just had an overall tremendous showing for the weekend. I see only good things in the future for our competition team. We are getting stronger as a unit every tournament.

Anyone interested in joining the Savarese BJJ program, call 201 933-5134 for a free lesson.

 

Improving over Winning

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Today’s blog is on training focus and improving over winning. Many times in the beginning of our training, students focus on winning their “rolls” during class time instead of focusing on the bigger picture: improving. Winning or losing in training doesn’t mean a thing. In fact, sometimes in the beginning of our training, losing is much more beneficial to us getting better.

Royler Gracie on Losing

One of my instructors, 4x World BJJ Champion Royler Gracie, used to tell a story of his father, Grandmaster Helio Gracie taught about losing. His father would encourage him to compete by saying “If you win, I will give you 5 dollars. If you lose, I will give you 10 dollars.†At first Royler did not understand his father’s intentions, but later he comprehended that this was his way of taking the pressure off of him.  You learn twice as much from a loss as you do a win.

How to Improve

I always teach my students that we are only as good as our worst position. There will always be someone out there who is able to put us in that position. We will never find out where we are weak if we only practice our strengths. In order to continually improve, we need to focus on building up our weak spots. This means training with everyone. You will need to train with people less skilled than yourself. This will help you practice your offensive skills, submissions from the top and bottom, sweeps, and dominant positions. But you will also need to train with people who have better skills than you. This person will help to build upon your defense, escapes, speed of training, as well as testing your mettle. At the end of each training session, ask yourself “how did I improve today? What lesson do I take away from today’s training?”

As you grow into new belts, keep your focus on constantly improving over winning. When you reach brown and black belt, you will never remember the “roll” you had with your training partner on a Tuesday night in October. Winning that roll means nothing in your long journey through jiu-jitsu. Work on improving at all times, it will lead you to reaching all your goals through this great art.

Want to try a free jiu-jitsu class near Lyndhurst NJ? Call Savarese Jiu-Jitsu at 201 933-5134 to set up a free personal intro class!

Gabi Garcia – What We Can Learn

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Gabi Garcia is a Fabio Gurgel blackbelt and the most dominant female athlete in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. A product of hard work and dedication, Garcia remains one of the fiercest fighters in our art and represents Jiu Jitsu on the highest levels. Amongst other celebrated women BJJ practitioners, Garcia proves that Jiu Jitsu can be lucrative if the student puts in the time and effort required.

Martial Arts Training for Women

Those outside of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu may think that martial arts aren’t for women or that it is some how masculine. The truth is, there are a number of amazing female BJJ athletes that are currently dominating the sport. Gabi Garcia is just one of many who continually proves that women can be as celebrated as their male counterparts. Garcia is just one of seven women to be inducted into the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation’s (IBJJF) Hall of Fame. In a span of seven years, she became the most dominant female athlete in the sport.

While a lot of people discredit Garcia because of the size disparity, she is one of the toughest and more technical fighters in the art. During the 2009 World No Gi Championship, Garcia damaged several ligaments in her knee but still managed to come out on top with the gold. She proved that her perseverance is not to be trifled with.

Although Gabi Garcia is a world renown competitor, not every Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner needs to be. This art was originally, and still is, designed for self-defense. Savarese Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy prides itself on being a friendly environment for women to train and even offers a self-defense class designed specifically for women. It is a thriving class and continues to grow as more women find out about the art.

Martial Arts Training for Weight Loss

People mistakenly believe that the best time to start training is once they get in shape. The problem is, most people won’t ever get to the point where they believe they are athletic enough to start training. The best time to start training is now. It doesn’t matter whether you are in tremendous shape or out of shape, Jiu Jitsu will help sculpt your body. You will build muscles that are functional for BJJ and for every day use. Your cardio will also improve over time.

In an interview, Gabi Garcia discusses how she has changed her diet to help supplement her training. This is a key step to developing your Jiu Jitsu. Practicing alone will help tremendously, but developing the body you long for is a multi-step process.

Garcia describes how her most important meal is breakfast. You will hear most athletes make similar statements. Your food has a chance to digest and “burn” off throughout the course of the day; as opposed to having a large meal late at night.

Martial Arts Training for Mental Toughness

As you learn in the interview, Garcia has been through quite a lot over the years. However, one constant remained: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

The loss of her brother pushed her further into the sport and helped drive her to become a world champion. The criticism she was dealt drove her to become an even better athlete than before. Without this outlet, she probably would have never become the person she is today.

There is a camaraderie in Jiu Jitsu that most other sports will never be able to grasp. Your training partners will see you spill blood, sweat, and tears on the mats. It will allow you to form relationships with a select group of people and these people will help you learn and grow.

In a separate interview with the fight promotion Rizin, Garcia describes her career: “I have achieved far [more] than I could have imagined from just doing jujitsu. I have the most medals out of any athlete, both male and female. I have overcome so many barriers and this is my best characteristic. I’m not just a big woman, I have that rebellious spirit and endeavor that I am able to brag about. I had always wanted to try MMA but was always told that there we no divisions for bigger women. Even if someone said that this heavyweight division was made so I can fight in it, that wouldn’t be an exaggeration at all.”

Gabi Garcia is unapologetically proud of her career and her body. She brags, but, perhaps more so than any other BJJ athlete, she deserves the right to do so. I am a big admirer of Gabi and feel she has gotten a raw deal at times from many in the BJJ community. She is a great champion on and off the mats.

Savarese Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy is located in Lyndhurst, NJ and is one of the premier schools in the state. Chris Savarese, owner and head instructor, has close to 20 years of BJJ experience. Call 201-933-5134 today for a free trial class.

Lyndhurst Jiu Jitsu school shines at World BJJ Championship

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Lyndhurst Jiu Jitsu school shines at World BJJ Championship

Savarese BJJ Academy, a Lyndhurst Jiu Jitsu school, shined at the World BJJ Championship this weekend.  The Savarese BJJ Competition team won several matches, including a 29 second submission in the brownbelt division.

Professor Chris Savarese was pleased with his students’ performance and had this to say about the tournament:

“I just got back from the 2016 World BJJ Championship. There were some positive and negatives experiences, but, overall, I had a great weekend in CA. I learned a lot by watching, coaching and just speaking with some of the greatest minds in BJJ.

My team did good. We had a shot to win every single match with less than 2 minutes to go. Growing off of this years experience, I know we will continue to progress. We had some great wins including a 29 second win by Brian Procel in his 1st match at the Worlds ever! Talk about stepping up!

I have been saying this for years, I really believe EVERYONE should do this at least once. Even if you lose, you come home better from the experience. I am positive everyone on my team is 1000% better from being in that building, in that atmosphere and under that pressure.

Electric Atmosphere

The atmosphere was electric and there were some great matches and competitors. James Puopolo, Edwin Najmi, Mackenzie Dern, Dominyka Obelenyte, Gabriel Arges, Romulo Barral (his come from behind choke was my favorite of the weekend) and Marcio Andre were my favorites of the weekend.

Great representatives

I also want to shout out Gabi Garcia and Rafael Lovato Jr for being such great representatives of our sport, taking countless pictures with anyone who asked. Gabi actually spent a couple of minutes talking to and hugging one of my young students.

The negative

The negative: Too much 50/50 teeter-tottering back and forth for 2 points and competitors not fighting to finish people, just to score last. I feel many of the positions used by competitors will not transfer over to a self-defense situation or MMA fight and I hope that trend doesn’t continue.

I agree with what Rickson Gracie was talking about on the Joe Rogan podcast last year when he discussed competitors jumping up and pounding their chest after winning by an advantage. Some were acting like King Kong after winning 0-0 ref decision. If you didn’t score a point in 10 minutes, I can do without that act.

JT Torres getting screwed again. The bias against him by the IBJJF for whatever reason is obvious.

I also wish the Worlds were held on the East Coast every other year so some of the best on the East Coast can get in the mix. It costs thousands of dollars to get out there and compete.

In Conclusion

Finally, I would like to thank two friends who sponsored our trip who want to remain anonymous. You made some dreams come true and I am forever grateful. Thanks to Andrew Zeppetelli, one of our purplebelts and parents, who also raised a lot of money for this trip. I also like to thank Cinelli Iron and Metal, Sal’s Hauling, Nicoletti Disposal, and Express Recycling and Sanitation for their donations to help our students chase a dream. Seeing their hard work pay off and seeing the smile of success and getting that hug are what it’s all about. And thanks to Jess Ica for capturing some great pics! oss.”

Anyone looking to join this team, please call 201 933-5134 today to try a free class!

Tips for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition

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Tips for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition

I’ve made a list of tips for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition that I hope helps everyone. Competing is always a great tool to learn more about BJJ and more importantly, more about yourself. There are so many lessons to be learned from competing, I always say “it’s like paying a fee to get rid of a problem”. The biggest gain from competition is facing a fear. If you do not fight MMA, it is the closest you will come to a real life situation. Competition is the art of dealing with pressure and facing your toughest opponent…..yourself. You cannot overcome your opponent if you don’t overcome yourself. Here are some tips to help:

  1. I used to compete a lot and I have never seen someone say, I’ll jump in last minute and be successful. PLAN AHEAD if you are going to compete. Sign up early and commit (plus you save $). Plan for a 5 week camp of training hard and not missing your teams competing class or days where the most upperbelts are training! The last week is for winding down.
  2. Learn the point system!!!!!!!!!! How do you compete and not know the point system? You’d be surprised how many people don’t know this.
  3. Work your standup until you have 2 go-to takedowns in your toolbox.
  4. Know how to pull guard. There will always be someone you can’t take down. Don’t give up 2 points because of ego. *in the long run, I believe everyone should work their takedowns*
  5. It’s OK to be nervous. Everyone is. Some people get over that the more they compete, some never do.
  6. Always know where your coach is before your match so you know where to listen to.
  7. Not all tournaments run smoothly, be prepared w/ water (no acidic or carbonated drinks) and food in case you are there late.
  8. Have a sweep to mount series ready in case you are losing by points late in the match.
  9. Believe in yourself. Anyone can do anything they put their mind to.
  10. Don’t get psyched out watching people warm up. Your opponents’ stripes, muscles and what team they belong to mean nothing
  11. Don’t warm up too early. If you don’t go on until 3pm, warming up at 11am doesn’t make sense. You are wasting energy and will have to get warm again anyway.
  12. Once you know your division is near, break a sweat, don’t go into the match cold.
  13. Watch the people in your division, you may pick up a weakness. You may see a guy has a strong guard and decide to pull guard on him.
  14. Winning or losing doesn’t define you. You are never as good as you think you are when you win and never as bad as you think you are when you lose. Put competition into context.
  15. Remember, win or learn-there is no failure.

I always tell my students I am proud of anyone who competes, not because they won but because they are not afraid to fail. Good luck in competition. oss.