The Beginner's Mind: Testing Resilience at Grappling Industries (September 2025)
Throughout 2025, I dedicated more of my free time to training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). While Krav Maga is built on raw stopping power and neutralizing severe threats instantly, BJJ offers a profound study in technical, methodical control. But beyond the physical benefits, I pursued BJJ for a psychological reason: I wanted to force myself back into the role of a beginner. True growth requires the humility to regularly step off the pedestal of the "expert" and embrace the "beginner's mind."
To truly test this, I registered for my first tournament hosted by Grappling Industries in Berlin. I wanted to expose myself to the raw intensity of a competition environment, as these high-pressure moments often reveal the most about our internal operating systems.
Interestingly, on the day of the tournament, I was far more stressed about the logistics - weigh-ins and timing - than the actual fighting. This became obvious when my first match was suddenly called 16 minutes ahead of schedule. Caught slightly off guard and facing a noticeably larger opponent, we essentially neutralized each other. He managed a quick positional change that earned him two points, which he held until the end, resulting in a 2:0 loss for me.
With the initial adrenaline spike out of the way, I found my absolute focus. In my second match, I quickly secured a dominant position on the ground. At that moment, I vividly remembered my coach's advice: "When you secure the position, hold it. Let your opponent completely exhaust himself trying to escape. Once he is done, you finish it." I executed exactly that, ending the match early via an Arm Triangle Choke submission. In my third match, my opponent proved difficult to submit but posed no real threat, allowing me to control the pace entirely and win decisively with a 27:0 point lead, ultimately taking home the Silver medal.
At the next training session, my BJJ coach asked me how I handled the "competition toughness." I had to laugh. I told him that I am used to high-stakes exams where multiple attackers rush me with knives and sticks. By comparison, a controlled 1-on-1 sports match with rules and a referee felt entirely manageable.
It was a profound internal observation: I felt the exciting adrenaline of competition, but zero fear or anxiety. When you constantly train for worst-case survival scenarios, everyday competition loses its intimidation factor. It is all a matter of perspective. While I don't plan on pursuing a dedicated BJJ career, the camaraderie, respect, and technical pressure of the tournament were incredible. It definitely won't be my last time stepping onto the competition mats.
