Just got back from a NAGA tournament and I'm not happy. My performance was way below where I should be and I lost matches that I shouldn't have. However I did learn a few things.
- If I am going to compete I must fully commit. I put in the hours at the gym, but I didn't train to compete. I stuck with areas I was already comfortable with and did not challenge myself enough.
- Don't rely too heavily on one thing. My bottom half guard lock down is very good - at stalling. I can hold people in it pretty well, try for the kimura, then failing that, a sweep to top. But when I couldn't get these to work, I was afraid to move to something else because I had built my strategy on those evolutions.
- Make the right weight. I have several years of power lifting under my belt which makes me strong, but trying to out muscle bigger guys is a terrible strategy. I was feeling weak and afraid that I wouldn't make the cut, so I abandoned it in the last week to try to be as strong as possible. 155lbs is where I need to be.
