Hi. I am an over 50 female blue belt.
Does anyone have suggestions of competitions and tournaments where I may be able to find other older newbies in the tri-state area? I live in the Mid-Hudson Valley in NY.
Keep an eye out, not just for female BJJ black belts, in your age bracket, who might be able to give you some tips, but also female Judoka your age, who might be able to give you some tips.
Not many active female competitors your age, compared to how many very qualified female coaches your age, who might have all kinds of insights, competition and otherwise.
Other than that, if you call the promotions, even if they don't have a division for you, you might be able to make your own matches, if you find a few competition mates.
Or, they might be able to rustle you up some competitors, you find acceptable.
Having watched my wife face the same challenge I hope you have better luck than she did. The best advice I can offer other than what has already been stated it to go to bigger tournaments. My wife never competed in her own division until she went to Master Worlds. Prior to that it was always up one or two weight classes or down one or two age groups or all of the above.
"Having watched my wife face the same challenge I hope you have better luck than she did. The best advice I can offer other than what has already been stated it to go to bigger tournaments. My wife never competed in her own division until she went to Master Worlds. Prior to that it was always up one or two weight classes or down one or two age groups or all of the above."
That's a very good tip, I had not thought to mention about the bigger tournaments.
I recommend that long tail demographic competitors seriously confirm their competitors and matches, before buying the plane tickets, though.
As, we have all flown to a tournament, only to find our athletes matches or divisions had no competitors, for them.
Which does result in some funny people still taking podium pictures, wearing their medals, won from no matches.
Even funnier, the coaches who use those devices as marketing tools.
:)
"I recommend that long tail demographic competitors seriously confirm their competitors and matches, before buying the plane tickets, though.
As, we have all flown to a tournament, only to find our athletes matches or divisions had no competitors, for them.
Which does result in some funny people still taking podium pictures, wearing their medals, won from no matches."
The IBJJF tournaments...er...ahem... "championships" are the only ones, at least to my knowledge, that will throw you a medal without competing.
Coincidentally, they're probably the only ones who will have an opponent who is actually her age and level.
My advice would be to just get as many matches as possible, against whoever, and use those as training/conditioning for a bigger tournament like Pans, where you're guaranteed to have women your age, weight and belt level.
"Hi. I am an over 50 female blue belt. Does anyone have suggestions of competitions and tournaments where I may be able to find other older newbies in the tri-state area? I live in the Mid-Hudson Valley in NY."
I cannot help you with the actual question but...Over 50 doesn’t qualify as ‘older’, that’s just the age where your joints make more noise than your opponents.
