Youth v.s. Experience

**Charles Brown** · Posted On: 10/12/2012 12:54pm

That seems kind of screwy. I've only ever been in one tournament and it was a NAGA. I was able to compete as an old man and a novice. I didn't have to choose.

**TEA** · Posted On: 10/14/2012 5:40pm

FWIW, my instructor is advising I register for the Senior Novice. He scoped out some of the competition for me at a tournament in College Station (our team won first place in both Junior and Senior divisions - I couldn't go, though) to see if I should cut weight for Dallas. I'm walking around at 165lbs right now, which puts me in a weight bracket that goes up to 178.5lbs, and the next lower weight bracket is 160.9lbs.

**Judo Terrier** · Posted On: 10/15/2012 8:26am

Pros and cons either way. If you go in Seniors you'll almost certainly get more competition and have a better chance of winning. OTOH--the young guys do tend to play harder, and weird things that result in injury are more likely to happen with novice ranks. I agree you're less likely to get injured in the Masters division.

Personally, if it weren't a matter of lose two matches and you're done, I would be perfectly happy to play Masters and go in with the goal of lasting as long as I could--and maybe I might get lucky. That said, I'm female and 42, and I pretty much have to play in seniors or don't play. (Don't get to the big national tournaments.) And there's no such thing as the luxury of a novice division. When there are exactly three women in your weight division ranging from yellow to black belt, that's what you deal with. Enjoy being able to choose!

Erika

**Ming Loyalist** · Posted On: 10/15/2012 11:36am

i face this issue all the time (OP, you're a supporting member, you should read my last few blog entries for direct insight to this issue.

i'm a 41 year old nikyu, and i walk around at 150, used to walk around at 155-160, but decided to get leaner to be able to make the 145 weight class. i usually have to choose between the following:

a) masters division where brown and black belts are mixed together, and there are no weight classes, they group the people they get as fairly as possible (i.e. in my case, not even remotely fairly.)

b) seniors division where most guys at 145 are 20 years old (so roughly 20+ years younger than me)

i almost always choose seniors over masters, just because i don't like giving up 15+ pounds (usually 20-30 actually) but i have done both in the same tournament as well. the last tournament, i fought seniors and sprained my MCL 15 seconds into my first match. the guy wasn't reckless, it was just bad luck, my previously injured knee from many years back decided to buckle under strain.

when i last played masters, i had only on opponent (at 165lbs) and he told me in between our two matches that he didn't care who won, as long as neither of us got hurt. that attitude is more common in masters, so there is that going for it.

in the end, you're not so light that you should avoid masters all together, but i do suggest losing the 5 lbs to get to 160. it should be easy to do with diet, over a couple of weeks, and then if needed you can sweat out a pound or two before weigh in.

**BKR** · Posted On: 10/16/2012 4:42pm

You consulted with you coach, that's good, that was going to be my first suggestion. As Ming Loyalist suggested, I also think you should lose the 5 lbs and get into the -73 kg division especially if you want to fight in senior men novice.

If you are in decent condition and not injured, prone to injury, I think the senior novice would be your best bet. Your chance of injury is greater with larger opponents, although if they are yudansha the higher skill level would probably mitigate that.

When I was your age (9 years ago) I had no problems fighting senior men, other than at say Senior Nationals, where I fought at masters, but then I was a sandan at 41 so it's apples and oranges.

If your coach thinks you are fit enough and sufficient skill to go with the senior novice, have at it. You'll get more matches, too.

Ben