Tournament Mentality

If you have never competed before, I think its worth noting the vast difference that exists from just rolling at the gym with your friends. At a tournament the people you go up against turn up the intensity 100%, winning is the goal, whereas in class I’d like to think learning is the goal, with winning being secondary. You see these people at a tournament paid good money to be there, their friends and family might be there watching, it might be being recorded, they want to bring home a medal and tales of victory. This fosters a new level of aggression than is ever seen in a gym setting. The fact is that most people you compete against in a tournament setting will absolutely not tap unless you put them in real fear for their safety. In the gym you might take an armbar for example, to a certain limit, a limit where you expect someone to tap from experience. Right at the sweet spot where it is slightly painful but not dangerous, even though you could go farther. In a tournament the person will stack you, roll, hop and twist like a fish on a hook. They most certainly will not tap unless you get within centimeters of breaking their arm. Sure there are people like me that want to train the next day, and will respect a good submission, but if you have competed before you know that what I’m talking applies to 90% of the people at those things. With that being said I am willing to bet the rate of injury is massively higher at a tournament than at your own gym. This is the reason. So if you are ever competing in your first tournament take my advice and when you get a submission on someone do not let go until the ref stops you, and do not let up. You really don’t want to lose a match because you were trying to be nice. At the end of the day it is their fault not yours, so you shouldnt feel any guilt. If they are being stubborn, refusing to tap, that is their choice I feel. I don’t think it’s crazy, its just a choice. If winning means that you are willing to take some tendon damage or what have you, I can’t hold that against someone. But I’m not going to hold back on you either. In a gym setting I would usually back off if I think someone is being like that, but not in a tournament. I’d be curious to hear from fellow grapplers about how they approach opponents like that in a tournament. Do you let go, or do you break it?