When training martial arts such as Muay Thai, BJJ, Boxing, and Mixed Martial Arts, inevitably, you’ve spent countless hours on the mat, drilling techniques until exhaustion and tapping out more training partners than you can count. You might even have earned a new color belt. It’s a beautiful thing to go from a white belt who can barely perform any techniques to starting to hold your own against more closely ranked training partners. You start to wonder how well you would fare if you signed up for local competitions.
Here’s a no‑fluff, easy‑to‑scan guide to help you decide. Plus an expanded checklist to tick off before you step on the podium or slip into that ring!
1) You’ve Logged Consistent Training
If you’ve been training consistently for 6–12 months, you’ve likely built the foundation needed to compete in martial arts.
You need a solid base before you even think about competing. Coaches across grappling arts generally agree on these ballpark figures:
- BJJ: Most white belts who train three to four days weekly are ready to compete after about nine to twelve months.
- Muay Thai: Students who train four to six times weekly should be ready to compete in six to twelve months. Ideally, you want a few months of sparring experience before competing.
- Boxing: New boxing students who train four to five times weekly are ready to compete within 6 to 12 months.
You should be more or less ready to compete if you’ve met these timelines.
2) You’ve Mastered The Fundamentals
Competition is where you showcase solid technique—not flashy moves that fall apart against fully resisting opponents.
Competition isn’t the place to test your new flying armbar or halfway‑decent spinning heel kick. It’s where you show how well you understand the fundamentals. This means:
- Grapplers should have mastered a few guard passes, sweeps, takedowns, and submissions. You should also be comfortable defending against these things.
- Strikers should be able to gauge distance, land combinations, and protect themselves.
If you still struggle with any of these things, keep training hard and wait until you can comfortably execute them against resisting training partners before competing.
3) You’ve Sparred At Match Pace
Before competing, you should have experience with high-intensity, match-paced sparring and a structured training plan that builds cardio and tapers off for recovery.
There’s a big difference between “light, friendly rolls” and “match‑pace sparring.” You should have some experience with full-intensity sparring matches before competing, or you might feel overwhelmed going against opponents who aren’t cooperating during competitions.
Ramp up your sparring sessions early in your fight camp and steadily increase intensity as your competition approaches. Structure your sparring sessions similar to how your tournament will be, but make them more intense. For example, if you’ll be competing for three five-minute rounds, make your sparring session five or six five-minute rounds. Having excellent cardio can be an excellent advantage when competing against similarly sized and skilled opponents.
Taper down the intensity of your sparring session seven to ten days before your competition to give your body some rest so you can compete optimally.
4) You’ve Spent Months Working On Your Strength And Conditioning
Spend 4–12 weeks building strength, endurance, and mobility to ensure your body is competition-ready.
Your physical condition substantially affects how well you perform during competition, so spend a few months strengthening your body before signing up for a local event.
A balanced approach to working out is typically best for martial artists. Some of the things you should focus on include:
- Endurance: Add exercises like running, cycling, or jump rope to raise your heart rate and improve cardiovascular endurance.
- Strength: Perform resistance exercises like deadlifts, squats, and bench presses to build muscle strength, endurance, and explosiveness.
- Mobility: Spend time daily stretching and using recovery tools like foam rollers.
Ideally, you should spend four to twelve weeks working on your strength and conditioning to prepare your body for your first martial arts tournament.
5) You’ve Learned The Rules And Scoring System
Consider the rules of each competition—like the 10-point must system in boxing, ADCC or IBJJF rulesets in BJJ, and even specific scoring criteria in MMA.
Nothing ruins your competition debut like losing points or getting disqualified because you didn’t follow the event rules. Understanding what’s allowed or not allows you to come up with effective game plans against opponents.
6) You’ve Gone Through A Mock Competition
Mock competitions help ease nerves and prep you for the real thing—practice weight cuts, wear your gear, and go full intensity.
Many martial arts schools hold mock competitions to prepare students for tournaments. Simulating the experience helps to reduce anxiety leading up to the event. Some of the ways to get the most out of these in-house tournaments include:
- Make a practice weight cut if you’ll be cutting weight for your tournament.
- Train in the same gear you’ll be competing in.
- Compete with full intensity.
7) You’ve Prepared Your Mind
Any martial artist can wilt under pressure, especially when you’re not mentally focused. Prepare your mind for combat by:
- Visualize your matches. Picture yourself performing your go-to techniques, overcoming adversity, and emerging victorious.
- Develop a game plan. Figure out your most effective skills and how to use them to your advantage within the event’s rules.
- Perform breathing drills you can use during competition to calm your nerves.
8) You’ve Gotten Your Coach’s Blessing
“When you’ve gotten your coach’s blessing to compete, it means they believe you’re ready—so trust the process, stay focused, and give it your all.
It’s crucial to get your instructor’s blessing before signing up for a competition since they’re best positioned to assess your readiness. Your instructors have prepared many fighters before you, so heed their recommendations.
If your instructor doesn’t think you’re ready, you probably aren’t. No one wants you to compete and excel more than your instructors. Every win you score makes them look good.
9) You’ve Sorted Logistics And Gear
Prep your gear before competing—make sure everything is in good working condition and ready to go. You don’t want your wraps to tear or your pads to fall apart when it matters most.
Don’t let paperwork or your gear stress you out on competition day. Sign up early, weigh what you should for your weight class, and ensure all your gear meets regulations.
Book your hotel room and transportation in advance if you’re traveling far away from home.
10) You’ve Planned Your Nutrition, Hydration, And Weight Cut
Lose weight gradually if you need to make weight and avoid drastic weight cuts that leave you physically drained. Drink lots of fluids and electrolytes to ensure you’re ready to go on competition day.
Consume essential nutrients like complex and simple carbs, healthy fats, and protein to give your body the fuel it needs to compete optimally on fight day.
Conclusion
Competing in martial arts isn’t just about physical skill—it’s a test of your consistency, mindset, and preparation. If you’ve put in the hours, sharpened your fundamentals, and have your coach’s blessing, you might be more ready than you think. Remember, the goal of your first competition isn’t perfection—it’s experience. Step in with confidence, learn from the process, and let your training do the talking.
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