Question for Experienced BJJ Competitors

[Fearless Ukemi]

Where I train, leg/ankle locks are allowed but not encouraged. If I were to enter a tournament, would I be allowed to use these techniques? I did a search and could not find a definitive answer.

[Anna Kovacs]

Dedpends on the tournament, in most straight BJJ tournaments, no, you probably wont have many leg lock options, there are other grappling tournaments, such as NAGA, that allow the gamut of leg submissions at all skill levels, at least in the no-gi division.

[Yrkoon9]

CBJJ rules are very clear and extremely restrictive. Read up on them if you are at all confused.

That being said, some tournaments use either a modified form of them or disregard them altogether.

No-gi competitions are much more liberal in their use. And as others have said, NAGA allows everything whereas GQ would only allow heelhooks in the advanced division.

Be more specific on your belt level and the kind of competition you are looking to enter and I can give a much more definitive answer. More than likely you are a white belt looking to go into a Gracie event. In that case, you are probably not going to be allowed to do any leglocks - and at BEST be able to use the straight footlock.

[Fearless Ukemi]

Be more specific on your belt level and the kind of competition you are looking to enter and I can give a much more definitive answer. More than likely you are a white belt looking to go into a Gracie event. In that case, you are probably not going to be allowed to do any leglocks - and at BEST be able to use the straight footlock.

Bingo.

Thanks all for the replies.

[Shinobi187]

I'm considering starting BJJ myself. I'm 32, are there competitors my age should I choose to attend a tournament?

[Yrkoon9]

I'm 34.

A lot of tournaments have a masters bracket that starts at 30 or 35 so you don't have to try and hand with the 20 year olds.

[Mjelva]

I hate that stupid shit about banned submissions.
I mean, what the fuck? What's the point?
It's not like an armbar will hurt me any less than a leglock if I don't tap.

[Darkpaladin]

I'm 34.

A lot of tournaments have a masters bracket that starts at 30 or 35 so you don't have to try and hand with the 20 year olds.

"As one approaches middle age, there is a tendency toward bruising, my son..."

I hate that stupid shit about banned submissions.
I mean, what the fuck? What's the point?
It's not like an armbar will hurt me any less than a leglock if I don't tap.

But a cervical lock or heel hook can do permanent damage by the time it hurts enough to make someone tap.

[G8]

I'm considering starting BJJ myself. I'm 32, are there competitors my age should I choose to attend a tournament?

At that age, you're fine. When you hit your 40s, it gets to be a problem--though by the time you're in your 40s, it probably won't be any more.

[Fearless Ukemi]

I hate that stupid shit about banned submissions.
I mean, what the fuck? What's the point?
It's not like an armbar will hurt me any less than a leglock if I don't tap.

I'm not liking it either. I'll have to hold off on competition until I gain some more experience since the only way I have been able to tap anyone in my class is by using leg/ankle locks. On the other hand, everyone in my class has much greater experience than I do.

[Darkpaladin]

I'm not liking it either. I'll have to hold off on competition until I gain some more experience since the only way I have been able to tap anyone in my class is by using leg/ankle locks. On the other hand, everyone in my class has much greater experience than I do.

I suggest you don't use leg or ankle locks for about 6 months...sink or swim.

[jnp]

At that age, you're fine. When you hit your 40s, it gets to be a problem--though by the time you're in your 40s, it probably won't be any more.

I'm 37, competed in '03, '04 and '05 and am planning on doing so again this year. I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.

You got something to say to me whippersnapper?

[Cassius]

I suggest you don't use leg or ankle locks for about 6 months...sink or swim.

I agree with Paladin. Learn the basics, then revisit leg locks after you've got some experience under your belt.

Leg locks are great, but they do not make a good substitute for learning how to pass the guard, sweep, or do a takedown. That position before submission silliness is good stuff.

[Yrkoon9]

One of the main reasons footlocks aren't taught to beginers is because they never learn to pass the guard if they catch a blue/purple with a footlock. They think - OHHH MAN! YES! THIS IS THE KEY!

Yeah. You caught someone. Great. Now you will continually go for the leglock no matter where you are and what you are doing. And this will retard your entire game. You will never learn to pass the guard, and possibly find the magical wonder of sidecontrol. You will never understand poster or balance. It will always be - OMG shit! I better go for the footlock! Arrghh swept again! Is there is a way I can go for a footlock while being mounted? Arrggh I went for the footlock from under the mount and got WTFPWNED! Dammit! What am I doing wrong?

Nothing wrong with footlocks and leglocks - other than the fact that newbies have a tendency to go hail mary and crank everything in hopes for a tap - And once you learn a general game that includes all the basics than footlocks/leglocks are a great addition.

Now the question might come up: Why can't I use neck cranks at competition with my vast 3months of training??? Well mr wizard - the chance of newbies injurying themselves is pretty high. They do enough dumb shit on accident as it is. When you start putting submissions that can SERIOUSLY injure you PERMANENTLY you are taking unneccessary risks. Lets be real here. With less than 6mo of experience you don't know shit. And I mean that with the utmost respect and sympathy. You don't know shit. You THINK you do. But you don't. Leave it to the guys who know what they are doing and have the experience.

If you want a key to success in the white belt division I will give it to you. It does not lie in teh f00tlock.

It lies in the 2pt takedown. Because chances are the newbs are going to lock their legs so damn tight that the rest of the match will be decided there. Once the takedown is complete, most submissions by whitebelts are: Armbar and Triangle. Learn to use them and learn to defend against them.

[G8]

I'm 37, competed in '03, '04 and '05 and am planning on doing so again this year. I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.

You got something to say to me whippersnapper?

umm ... I'm 44? and you'd probably kick my ass?

I don't plan on stopping either ... but he asked if it's hard to find opponents. At my last comp, I was paired with a 30 year old & a 31 year old because there weren't any guys my age. It happens. In another 10 years, it won't be a problem.

Whippersnapper.