Over the years I've coached a number of students — including kids — and some of them decide to test their skills in a tournament setting. Personally, I have a favorable perspective on competing, because I believe there is a lot to learn from the experience. That said, there are a few things that veterans of the sport tend to leave out when newcomers ask about tournaments, especially new BJJ parents.

So let me share an uncomfortable truth about your kid's first tournament: it is a greedy, time-devouring monster.

It doesn't care about your dinner plans. It doesn't care that you thought a three-hour window between drop-off and your kid's first scheduled match would be plenty of time to make it to that birthday party. A tournament day requires a full-day commitment. You may be fortunate enough that your event runs on FlowComp — efficient software that keeps start times within 15 to 30 minutes of posted schedules — but in the not-so-distant past, match times could shift by an hour or more in either direction.

Here's how it usually goes.

Your child's bracket begins. You're excited to see their name up first, and it's only a five-minute match — so what's the big deal? About seven minutes later, your child has won. They're in a bracket of eight kids, which means three more matches before their next fight. You think you have plenty of time. Then the next two matches end in submissions inside two minutes each, and you think, wow, that was fast — maybe we get out of here early. Then the fourth match goes the full time. The tournament organizers make a few bracket adjustments. The kids fight again. The next four matches all push past four minutes before a winner is decided — and your child has made the medal rounds.

If you're keeping track, that's 30 to 40 minutes gone, just like that.

But the time monster is seductive. Especially when teammates are competing, or when your kid spots a friend from another academy still on the mat. "Hey, can we stay and watch Johnny fight? He's up after this group." You love the camaraderie. You love that your kid is invested in the sport and cheering for a teammate. So you think — what's another 15 minutes? Besides, your kid medaled, and you need to hang around for the ceremony anyway.

Forty minutes later, Johnny's bracket is over.

You've been watching kids' BJJ matches for over two hours. Everything went smoothly, but all the little moments added up — waiting for Johnny's bracket, waiting to be called for medals, arriving an hour early just in case (which, for the record, is absolutely the right call), plus travel time to the venue. You look at your phone and realize you've invested six hours of your day. And you think: I didn't think it would take this long. Next time I'll be ready.

And that's if you're only there as a parent. If your family trains together and you're competing too — an entirely different article.

The point is simple: respect the commitment that is a BJJ tournament. Clear the day. Tell your people you'll see them tomorrow. And bring snacks.

The story is usually the same.

You've been rolling for a month, maybe two. You've sparred a few rounds with upper belts and done some specific training. Then a teenager — or someone half your size — who happens to be a blue belt completely humbles you. They stayed calm on the bottom, stayed patient, worked small movements, and then suddenly you got swept and found yourself staring at the ceiling.

You start noticing things. Blue belts watch the Professor demonstrate a technique and can repeat it within a few tries. They ask deeper questions about execution and setup. They just get it in a way you don't yet.

Blue belt, you think, must be the magical spot where Jiu Jitsu finally makes sense. (You'd be wrong — but I remember thinking the exact same thing.)

So you start asking everyone: "How long does it take to get a blue belt?"

You ask white belts, but their answers make no sense. You ask blue belts and get personal answers — "it took me..." You go to the purple and brown belts and get one of two responses: "it depends" or "don't chase belts." Finally you ask the Professor. He chuckles and says, "Well, it depends how often you come to class — but most of our students average about a year and a half to two years. Enjoy being a white belt."

You walk away half scoffing. Who enjoys being smashed? (Truth is, most of us look back and wish we had.) And you think: Two years?! That's forever. But Super Steve said it took him nine months.

You leave the conversation confused and frustrated, feeling like nobody is telling you the truth.

Here's the thing — they aren't. But not because they want to lie. It's because most people have never really thought about how much time it actually takes the average person to absorb, understand, and apply new information under pressure.

The ugly truth is this.

Unless you train at an academy with a highly regimented system — a set number of required classes and a defined curriculum — it takes most average people somewhere between 500 and 900 hours of:

That number starts to make a lot more sense when you think about it like a college math course.

A typical college class meets three to four hours a week over about 18 weeks — roughly 56 hours of classroom instruction. On top of that, students are generally advised to study six to nine hours per week outside of class. Add it together and you're looking at somewhere between 335 and 504 hours invested — and that doesn't make you a mathematician. It just prepares you to pass the final exam for that one course.

Then you take the next math class, which builds on everything from the first. By the time you've completed both, you've invested somewhere between 670 and 1,000 hours — and now you have a foundational understanding of college-level math.

BJJ works the same way.

You can become a more efficient student, and that will absolutely cut the time down. How you collect those hours is up to you — two hours a day, five hours a day, one week on and one week off. But in the end, the honest median for most people lands somewhere between 500 and 900 hours.

The real question isn't how long it takes.

The real question is — do you think it's worth it?

Keep showing up, keep training — and as always, roll happy!

P.S.

Look for our Grip and Rip CLUB coming soon and be part of the club. Till next time, Oss!