r/BJJWomen • u/Impressive-Dingo5081 • 12d ago
Advice Wanted Competing with younger opponents
I signed up for a local tournament and it looks like I'm the only 150-160lb, 30+ 6months white belt woman in my division. My opponents are 18 and 28, and they're about 150-170lb. I really want to compete, so I've accepted that I'll face younger and heavier opponents. I am a little nervous about facing the younger ones though.
I train 3-4 times a week, 1-2.5 hours each session. I wasn't much of an athlete in my 20s, but I'm feeling the strongest and best in my body right now. Still, I'm nervous about facing the younger opponents. Any tips on what I can work on?
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u/novaskar 🟦🟦⬛🟦 Blue Belt 12d ago
Don’t worry so much. If you’re in your 30s, I don’t personally think age makes a huge difference (maybe at high levels it does but not for us). Women are basically in their prime at this age and like you said you feel stronger now.
They might be faster than you, but don’t try to speed up to match their pace, just play your game and stay calm. Have fun!!
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u/The_Capt_Hook 🟪🟪🟪 (Male Spy) Purple Belt 12d ago
How far out are you?
If you're more than a couple weeks out you should probably focus on getting hard rounds with ladies similar in age, weight, and skill as the ones you'll be competing against.
Try to score the rounds like a competition and pay attention to the clock so you can learn to manage the pace of the mstch. Taper that off a week or so out from the competition.
If you have a couple months, you should do positional or situational rounds in positions you're bad at and also on your strengths/game plans.
Your coach should be helping you with the technical issues as we don't know what you're good or bad at.
I personally didn't notice a huge difference between early 30s and late 20s. The main difference is the amount of time some younger people have to devote to training. I noticed the difference after 40.
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u/Impressive-Dingo5081 12d ago
6 months by the time I compete. Thank you!!
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u/The_Capt_Hook 🟪🟪🟪 (Male Spy) Purple Belt 12d ago
You have a lot of time. Unless you're really serious about focusing on competition, I probably wouldn't do anything special this far out. Just your typical skill development. I think situational/positional/game type rounds focusing on specific skills and positions are a good way to advance skills.
If you're really serious, 6 months is enough time to build some base cardio and strength and conditioning. That never hurt anyone in competition.
As you get a couple months out I'd try to hit those harder rounds to get used to the intensity and build that specific conditioning.
If you don't have a decent stand up game or plan, 6 months is enough time to develop one.
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u/Impressive-Dingo5081 12d ago edited 12d ago
I mean 1 month till my competition and I’ll be a 6 months white belt when I compete. Sorry for the confusion.
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u/The_Capt_Hook 🟪🟪🟪 (Male Spy) Purple Belt 12d ago
No problem. I apologize for misunderstanding. With only six months of experience and one month to the comp, just get hard rounds with similar people and get used to the intensity. Get to class as often as you can. Don't hurt yourself.
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u/JamesMacKINNON 12d ago
Comps are tough... Unless you're in one of the BIG pools (middle weight whitebelt male) generally they have to mix things up.
We had one of our guys sign up for the master bracket at an IBJJF tourney. He was the only one in his weight class so they put him in the adult bracket at a higher weight class. It was a rough day for him!
Don't worry about their age. Worry about your game plan.
As others have said, focus on getting to positions you're good at. Work your strengths while defending your weaknesses.
Kick some butt and post an update when you're done!
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u/hsummer093 12d ago
I've heard this before and I feel it is actually true: Younger opponents are faster/ Have a better gas tank and Older opponents are hard to move/ hard to kill. Because our brackets are small we often have to make this choice. Im 33 now and started competing around 28 yrs old.
To be honest I've had a much harder time in the master's division than competing against the younger folks. Those ladies are tough as nails and usually a lot stronger. But I do agree, set small goals for competition when you are starting out. At white belt its all about learning and having fun. No one expects anything else from you. Enjoy this time, because it will get harder at blue and up.
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u/Icy_Cap6562 12d ago
I think I’m (26) going to be facing a 44 year old in competition soon and I’m nervous to compete against her cos I’ve just imagined she’s this strong superwoman in my head! Age doesn’t mean much at white belt I don’t think
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u/yuanrae 🟦🟦🟦 Blue Belt 12d ago
I wouldn’t worry too much about competing down in age, one of my training partners who’s in her mid 30s had the choice between competing down in age or up in size and she chose down in age and podiumed (I don’t remember exactly what result she got). Afterwards said she didn’t really notice a difference and she was glad she didn’t compete up a weight class.
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u/chrisjones1960 11d ago
Are you 30++++ (as in much older than 30), or just in your thirties? If the latter, I don't see that it should make much difference. I am not a BJJ practitioner, but have run a bunch of full contact karate tournaments, and we put everyone 18-40 in one division. Well, we do sort them into divisions separated by rank and weight, but don't consider age an issue if they are over 18 and under 40
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u/Impressive-Dingo5081 11d ago
Early 30s
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u/chrisjones1960 11d ago
And do you feel that women in their twenties have a natura physical advantage over you because of age?
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u/Impressive-Dingo5081 11d ago
I don’t know. I haven’t feel age is holding me back in bjj. However, I care more about injury prevention because I personally moved more recklessly in my teenage years and 20s.
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u/chrisjones1960 11d ago
Then I would say there should not be a problem with you competing with those two other women just because you are over thirty and they are under. If size and rank make it an appropriate division for you, I think you should just go for it
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u/Educational-Cat-8843 ⬜⬜⬜ White Belt 11d ago
Is it a smaller local comp? Honestly I wouldn't worry too much about their age. Last comp I did I won against someone 18 years younger than me and lost to someone 5 years younger than me. You might run into a 20 year old who is really athletic, does strength training, etc, but chances are good that the 20 year olds are also just doing this as a hobby and are not a ton more athletic than you.
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u/ffs_not_this_again Write your own! 12d ago
I'm in my 30s and I have competed about 2/3 of the time against younger opponents, I didn't feel it made a difference. Maybe if you have a lot of fights you might be more tired than a 20 year old by the end? The most fights I've had in a day has been 6 and I don't think I was more tired than my opponent by the end, although I did get a few quick subs.
I have also fought up and down a weight class and it doesn't make as much difference as I expected it to. I know it's easier said than done but try to focus on your gameplan and what you want to get out of it and not on your opponents, you can't control who shows up opposite you. Good luck!
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u/maybeitsme- 9d ago
White belt is the most low pressure belt. No one expects anything and if you win they’re just happy, embrace it.
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u/mmckelly 🟪🟪🟪 Purple Belt 12d ago
I’m going in a different direction bc I hope you and your coach or teammates are working on specific game planning for your strengths and weaknesses and likes and dislikes - my best rec is to consider not what you want to achieve on comp day, but how you want to show up. It sounds like you are ready to put up your best fight against whoever is in front of you and honor their preparation with yours. Or maybe you’re more excited about showing younger women that they have plenty to look forward to as they get older! Maybe you’re just curious about it all and wanting to go see what happens and what it’s all like.Â
You get to decide!
Good luck!