How long before comps?

For not starting yet I'm posting a lot!! Anyways i was wondering how long you would have to wait to participate in competitions, I think it's a good way to discover your strenghts and weaknesses. Cheers.

My god you're keen! :o)

The only problem I see in starting too soon is getting shot down, and your dreams being shattered, would you go again?

Atleast give youself a fighting chance.

If you think you're better than everyone in your club, then maybe jump in to competitions, but otherwise you simply run the risk of getting your arse whooped, then feeling too defeated to try again.

It would be a good (and maybe severe) way of seeing yourself progress, but only if you've got the sort of personality to constantly lose to start with.

I don't think many of us have that.

I recommend that students don't start doing competitions until they're about six months or so into training. That gives them enough experience to have a chance of doing fairly well. I think after at least one belt test they've got some experience performing under pressure.

Thanks for the help, and Rob don't get me wrong I know i'm not going to start and automatically be brilliant at it and I wouldn't start without getting a few belts passed first. Like I said I think it's a good way of honing what you've learnt and it helped me when I was in karate, I was thinking about it perhaps too early but in karate they had seperate sections for different belts and even at a second or third kyu there was something you could do. Thanks for the help people!

Ju jistu competitions separate by rank too. Or you could go to an open competition, 10th kup is 10th kup no matter what the colour of the belt.

By all means go in for a comp. if it is belt sectioned but remember you only learn when you lose! Win and you learn nothing except you love the adulation.

Cant get truer than that!!

I really have no intent on competing at all, Im just learning BJJ for a better physical and mental confidence for myself...

That would depend on your attendance level at training and your fitness level and the amount of newbies at your club really imho