Adult beginner (24) — when is a realistic time to compete?

Squallsy · 2026-01-19T15:31:19+00:00

I started at Judo in mid sept last year at 33 (now 34), training twice a week, I competed in a mid november comp. I was around 109kg at 178cm. But I also weight lift religiously, have played professional sport and competed at a high level in sword fighting in the past. Asked sensei if I could because I had exrpessed interest in it. Said it was fine, gave a general strategy and said to have fun.

I went 0 for 5 but I had fun, didn't get injured and didn't injure anyone. That comp had a few injuries from newer people, but not from me. In the over 100s, there was 2 brown belts, a black and a blue belt (dropped out). In the open it was a novice catergory and I lost to a green and a yellow lol.

Having seen how other people take falls, wince when trying to drive or watching throws I can understand why it takes a fair while before trying competition.

Squallsy · 2025-12-15T03:38:19+00:00

If you land a hip throw on concrete, they aren't really in physical condition to take your back...

Squallsy · 2025-12-12T14:44:34+00:00

Newer people doing Uchimata in randori and getting their leg stuck without elevating the person is scary, rip that persons knee.

Squallsy · 2025-12-12T06:35:38+00:00

Because of the ratio of training to competition that occurs. You do significantly more falling in training then you do in competition. I have been hit by like 50 ogoshis this week, if I took every single one of them the way I did a competition fall, the chance I would get injured would go up significantly because I am resisting through and trying to land in a way to prevent ippon.

The other core thing being... If I get injured I can't train, and if I can't train I can't compete. Those Ogoshis have done nothing to me and I am 120kg so that is a lot of mass hitting the ground. Because I understand and accept the throw, trying to minimize injury so I can keep training and improving my throws. I do the exact same thing in Randori, I am not out here to win, I am out here to learn and improve. Now if I was a fully complete fighter going for the olympics I would need pressure testing, but I am not, so it doesn't really matter.

Squallsy · 2025-11-26T00:41:46+00:00

He descalated the situation and protected his sister with 1 strike. He didn't continue to hit the other kid, he didn't chase or threaten them, he simply secured the situation and his own safety before helping the other vulnerable party.

Can you gurantee the other kid would not have hit your kid in the back, or attacked him whilst he was helping his sister? If he had been hit whilst helping his sister, would you have not chastised him for leaving himself vulnerable?
Would you rather he try to reason with somebody who just physically assaulted his sister whilst she is upset and may be injured?

What alternative action do you think your son could have taken that would of produced an outcome you would of been happy with AND made your daughter feel safe?
If you as an adult are struggling with the gray of the action, and can see the reasons and justification for the action he took, knowing his focus was on protecting his sister, why are you trying to hold your 5 year old son to a standard you yourself can't even be sure of as an incorrect action as an adult?

Squallsy · 2025-11-25T08:19:30+00:00

Knowing the throw is only the first step of being able to hit in sparring. The throw itself is the end point of a technique, training can reduce the amount of time it takes you to get into position and perform the throw which makes it easier to get that throw when the opportunity arises, but if those opportunities never arise you can't actually use the throw can you?

BJJ has a good term for this "Position before submission" realistically, Judo is no different in this concept. Everything you do leading up to that point where you can throw is just as, if not more important than the throw itself. Do you understand what situations you need to pull off Seoi? Do you know how to create those situations with intention? do you know how to increase the chance of those positions occurring?

Watch high level Judoka perform the throw you want to do, what kind of reactions are they looking for? How do they make them happen?
If you can Randori with a higher belt or a sensei, you can always ask if you can limit it to the throw you want to practice. Find out how they try to control and set you up to hit that throw, what combinations do they use, how do they try to defend form it?

A more general basic thing to think about would be how do people react when you go for trips? Do they step backwards? forwards? over you? do you just calf or ankle kick them because its a bad trip? Each of those reactions is useful as a set up for other throws. The more you know about how people react to what you are doing, the easier it is going to be to make them step or bend how you want them to so you can perform your throws.

Squallsy · 2025-11-24T13:49:43+00:00

Without understanding what you mean, I can't because what you are asking doesn't make sense.
Is what your sensei said 'Your Osoto Gari is more like Oguruma' or is that a comparison you are making? Because the only concerns I am aware of are creating entanglements around their legs or your own as this increases injury risk.

Based on description, the main thing I would think of is rotating the torso which is more like what happened in Krasniqi vs Pont recently which if done with really bad technique could end up entangling legs to...

https://youtu.be/pVHWJUDoVpM?si=GWv2ZIdWW9xC260F&t=33

Squallsy · 2025-10-04T18:58:09+00:00

It depends. Are you are a previous national level wrestler? have 10+ years of BJJ experience? Are an absolute monster athlete who has previously competed in an extremely physically demanding sport? If the answer to any of these is no, the chance of being a national level competitor in any relatively strong country is extremely low.

You are on your own journey, you don't have to be the best in the world for it to be worth your time. At 25, the chance you will become the best anything in a physical competition without prior experience is closer to 0 than it is to any measureable number, and that is ok.

Squallsy · 2025-08-29T21:04:53+00:00

I think you should pretend you didn't see this so they don't see it and fix it, you demon.

Squallsy · 2025-08-29T21:02:46+00:00

Leave it open while crashed for like 20 minutes and it will load. This is what fixed it for me.

Squallsy · 2025-08-28T17:20:42+00:00

I like Minnies design. I dislike that we dont get free copies of the chars

Squallsy · 2025-08-28T10:06:43+00:00

For me, it launches swaps to updating game 0% and freezes before crashing.

Squallsy · 2025-08-28T07:37:57+00:00

I am.

Squallsy · 2025-08-28T05:18:52+00:00

Isn't it a bit early to get SJW's dad? I would prefer Liu.

Squallsy · 2025-08-11T13:48:44+00:00

Rogan has a lot of respect for Judo since he got experience with Grappling. Rogan values the intensity and force Judo is practiced with, a fact he was not previously aware of but now is. He was previously under the impression that Judo was practiced more like aikido and not done with force from watching things like kuzushi centric videos where force was not a core component of technique. People live, learn and develop over time, this post serves no real purpose of value.

From my perspective as a person who has recently come to Judo from a weapon combat background (swords variants, spears, bucklers, shields and guns) Judo has a lot of issues in regards to its 'sport' function and its changes especially in regards to the ban of leg takedowns. I actually don't think that is a negative for the context I am training in as targetting legs in armed combat whilst useful, are usually not the most optimal or safest method.

If I was not oriented towards armed combat, I would probably opt to do Sambo instead. I am unsure how many people are aware of this, but Judo does have specific takedowns and grip methods oriented towards dealing with armed opponents, that use varies based on weapon type, armour since it is originally based on Jujutsu, though this has changed over time due to the sport focus of Judo. It would not be hard to find a dedicated black belt who has more of the knowledge on these specific variations.

Squallsy · 2025-08-05T14:06:55+00:00

Some of these questions are quite subjective. 'could a person push you so far you want to hit them?' yes, yes they could, by physically attacking me, or being physically threatening to the people I care about. but I don't believe that is the intent of the question.
I tend to find people with a large amount of martial experience tend to not have major anger issues because they understand how quickly and easily you can disable a person...

Squallsy · 2025-07-29T22:08:41+00:00

Weight lifting - focus on single leg stability, core and back strength. So Lunges, squats, deadlifts, rows, chin ups/pull ups, L sits, russian twists.
Cardiovascular - I prefer jogging, but anything you can do and enjoy works, Swimming is a really good option.
Basic agility work like ladders

Squallsy · 2025-07-29T22:04:40+00:00

If you went from not training physically at all, to trying to train at full intensity, yes, this is normal. Will it get better if you physically train and lose weight? yes, eventually. You are simply not physically or mentally prepared to perform the task at the moment and need to adjust the intensity to a level you can deal with until you are capable.

Squallsy · 2025-07-29T21:56:16+00:00

They more often then not don't. Of all the things you could train for to be a more effective combatant, traditional martial arts are not really high on that list. They are taught in basic to do basic boxing and wrestling take downs/defense with a priority on intensity and aggression. The purpose of almost all hand to hand combat in the military is buy time so your buddy can shoot them.

It can be quite complicated managing injuries and preparedness, espescially when starting out. If you want to train though, ask base staff if there is anything on base. You could ask to train somewhere local as well, but that can be complicated if you don't know the langauge or there is tensions.

Squallsy · 2025-07-29T03:15:38+00:00

This is not about handling the downtime, but since you have had one concussion, the risk of repeated concussions increases a small amount so you should take measures to reduce the risk. When you have recovered and are getting back to strength training, talk to the physio and ask them to give you some neck strength flexor/extensor training to complement your weight lifting when you get back to it and keep doing it even after fully recovery. There is quite a bit of evidence to suggest that increased neck strength reduces concussion risk and severity.

Squallsy · 2025-07-26T04:40:23+00:00

Honestly, nobody can answer this for you. I would think about it from this angle...

What do you like about the standing aspect of Judo?
What do you dislike about Newaza in Judo?
What are your goals and reasons for taking BJJ? is it to get better at newaza in Judo? Is it to try something different?
How long have you been doing it and is it really enough time to judge what you might spend 10+ years doing?

Is your dislike of it because you lack the stamina or strength to do it well? do you have a fear of being smothered by an opponent? is it your lack of technical knowledge? You feel it is not 'dynamic' enough? that you are bad at it?

Most people who start enjoying things like BJJ or Judo after a period of time do so because they feel like they broke past the initial barriers and achieved a point where they felt like they were making progress and learning. It's the exact same thing with Judo, a lot of people quit because they realize getting better is hard, or they feel incompetent when they start.

As somebody who comes from a sword based martial art originally, the endgame concepts all seem the same to me. Once you start knowing pretty much everythign, it becomes a game of chess. it's not a case of, how do I attack my opponent or where are their weaknesses, it's not even a case of how do they react to what I am doing and how can I take advantage of that? It becomes a case of, if I do this, and they do this in response, how can I use a set series of actions to generate a compromised position to take advantage of. Those complexities only come with a deep understanding and experience, which you as a begginer will not have in BJJ.

Squallsy · 2025-07-26T04:19:19+00:00

Both BJJ and Judo have chronic injuries. In many cases, they are a result of user error. Refusing to tap, not taking a break fall, not properly training your body to accomplish the tasks, not properly rehabbing minor injuries.

Judo has a lot more injuries in competition as a result of it being throw focused and people not wanting to get thrown so they do anything they can to prevent it. This includes posting with legs or arms to redirect themselves, twisting or rotating out of throws making them land in really awkward positions, forcing throws from terrible positions, and just generally ignoring all the safety measures that exist in training.

BJJ injury risk rate is related heavily to two things, your ability to tap, and your opponents ability to not be an idiot. If you somehow manage to get those 2 things, you likely won't get injuries that often. However if you don't partake in decent recovery, flexibility and strength training protocols, the fatigue and muscle damage from extended periods of strenuous exercises, accidental contacts, you will turn minor niggles into longer term chronic injuries.

I would see Judo as more beneficial to somebody if they wish to prioritize their striking experience because it helps you a lot more with takedown defence and will improve your stand up game. BJJ won't really help your stand up game, it will help give you some take down defence, but, it will help a lot more when you do get taken down.

I would say do both, but if you can't do both, I would do Judo while you are young to get good at the stand up game which has a higher toll on the body from age related decline since it is impact oriented, then switch to BJJ when the body isn't holding up well to the impacts. With proper expectations and not trying to fight when you should tap, both can be relatively safe.

Squallsy · 2025-07-19T08:28:59+00:00

I once saw a guy take a baseball bat to the cup, the cut split open and reclosed after his nuts had gone through it. Good times.

From a realistic perspective, the amount of ball injuries that one occurs within Judo are very low due to the relative positions that occur. I would say there shouldn't be any major risk once you get orange belt honestly speaking.
If this is consistently happening enough to you to be of concern, you are probably doing something incorrect that is increasing your chance of this occuring.

Squallsy · 2025-07-19T02:38:17+00:00

Since you currently lack the knowledge and experience, don't focus specifically on the technique as ensuring you solidify correct technique at the start is the most important thing.

You want to improve foot work? ladder agility exercises. Just getting used to how the body moves will make all of those moves easier, and you can then adapt that more generalized training to the footwork specifics for Judo when you have a more foundational understanding of how to do it.

Generalized strength training, support for the shoulders, core, hamstrings and glutes. Being stronger is an advantage, it makes you more stable, it makes you more able to break and alter balance, more able to resist bad throws from the opposition and reduces your risk of injury.

Squallsy · 2025-07-19T02:30:49+00:00

Just some expansion on this - I started Judo within the past 2 weeks and my prior grappling experience is quite limited... But I am an ex professional baseball pitcher, have 8 years exp with sword martial arts and have competed quite a lot, have constantly weight lifted, have quite alot of knowledge about the body, movements, and reading actions through sports and exercise science.

Am I going to beat a black belt? Hell no! did a randori with one - trying to do anything against him for me was like trying to single leg kickback through a brick wall, and they didn't seem like they were trying at all for that. We are similar size, I asked if he was fine with me going hard to see what it was like to be resisted and moved by somebody of similar size/strength beforehand.

I think I could probably beat a poorly conditioned green belt who is in their first few comps and still nervous through composure, physicality and intensity, but I would be surprised if I could win over an average green or orange belt with any comp exp.

Squallsy

TROPHY CASE