Competition Day Checklist: Nothing Left to Chance

August 5, 2023•By Marcus Thompson, ADCC Medalist

You've trained for months. Your technique is sharp. Your conditioning is there.

Then you show up to the tournament and realize your gi is still wet from yesterday's training.

Competition day has a thousand details. Miss one, derail your performance.

Here's the checklist that prevents unforced errors.

The Night Before

Sleep Optimization (Set yourself up for success)

[ ] Room temperature 65-68°F (proven optimal for sleep quality)
[ ] Phone on airplane mode or in another room
[ ] Primary alarm + backup alarm set
[ ] Gi/gear packed, laid out, verified (check it twice)
[ ] Competition check-in confirmation screenshot saved offline

Nutrition (Nothing experimental)

[ ] Dinner: Familiar foods only (not the time to try that new restaurant)
[ ] Moderate complex carbs + lean protein
[ ] Zero alcohol (dehydrates, disrupts sleep, inflames airways)
[ ] Hydration: 16-20oz water before bed (but not right before—you'll wake up to pee)
[ ] Nothing heavy after 7 PM (digestive comfort matters)

Mental Preparation (Brief, focused)

[ ] Review bracket if available (5 minutes max, don't obsess)
[ ] Visualize first exchange going well (not the whole match, just the start)
[ ] Write down 2-3 technical priorities for tomorrow
[ ] Set phone reminders for weigh-in and estimated first match time

No deep strategy sessions. No film study. No social media. Calm confidence, not anxious preparation.

Morning Of

6-8 Hours Before First Match

[ ] Light breakfast: Easy-digest carbs + protein (e.g., oatmeal, banana, eggs)
[ ] Coffee if it's part of your routine (do NOT change anything on competition day)
[ ] 16oz water
[ ] Light dynamic stretching or easy movement (don't sit static)

Gear Check (Do This Twice—Once Now, Once Before Leaving)

Competition uniform:

[ ] Gi (pants + jacket, correct color) OR no-gi gear (rashguard + shorts)
[ ] Belt (IBJJF rules: within your rank, correct color)
[ ] Mouthguard (verify fit)
[ ] Backup rashguard (in case of gi rip or blood)
[ ] Post-competition clothes
[ ] Sandals/slides for walking around venue

Performance equipment:

[ ] CombatStrips (enough for all estimated matches + 2 extras)
[ ] Athletic tape
[ ] Small scissors or tape cutter

Tournament bag essentials:

[ ] Water bottle (filled, plus backup)
[ ] Electrolyte drink or packets
[ ] Easy-digest snacks: banana, energy bars, honey packets
[ ] Phone charger + cable
[ ] Cash (for parking, food trucks, emergency gi purchase from vendor)
[ ] Basic first aid: band-aids, ibuprofen, athletic tape
[ ] Foam roller or lacrosse ball (muscle maintenance between matches)
[ ] Registration confirmation (printed or screenshot)

At The Venue

First 30 Minutes (Recon and setup)

[ ] Check in at registration desk, confirm bracket
[ ] Verify estimated match time (brackets run late—stay flexible)
[ ] Scout warm-up area (know where you'll prepare)
[ ] Locate bathrooms, water fountains, food options
[ ] Set up base camp (claim a spot for your gear)
[ ] Watch 2-3 matches to gauge referee tendencies for this tournament

90 Minutes Before First Match (Structured warm-up begins)

[ ] Light movement: 10 minutes easy calisthenics, get heart rate up gently
[ ] Technical drilling with partner: Review your A-game setups
[ ] Gradual intensity increase over 20-30 minutes
[ ] NO hard sparring (save your energy for actual matches)

30 Minutes Before (Final preparation)

[ ] Apply CombatStrips (give adhesive time to fully bond)
[ ] Put in mouthguard briefly to verify fit, then remove
[ ] Final bathroom break
[ ] Sip water (don't chug—you don't want to be bloated)
[ ] Mental visualization: First exchange, your gameplan opening

10 Minutes Before (Priming phase)

[ ] Dynamic stretching (movement-based, not static holds)
[ ] Light cardio to elevate heart rate (prep your cardiovascular system)
[ ] Shake out residual tension
[ ] Review one technical detail to focus on (not ten things, one thing)
[ ] Controlled breathing: 4-count in, 6-count out (3-5 rounds)

Final 60 Seconds (You're ready)

[ ] CombatStrips on, mouthguard in
[ ] Three deep breaths
[ ] Performance cue (your personal phrase)
[ ] Step on the mat

Between Matches

Immediately Post-Match (First 5 minutes)

[ ] Hydrate: 8-12oz water (sip, don't chug)
[ ] Quick carbs if next match is 60+ minutes away (banana, honey)
[ ] Keep moving (walking, light stretching—don't sit and stiffen)
[ ] Mental note: One thing that worked, one thing to adjust

Recovery Period (5-30 minutes between matches)

[ ] 10-15 minutes active recovery (walking pace, gentle movement)
[ ] Watch next opponent's match if possible (brief scouting)
[ ] Stay warm (hoodie on if venue is cold)
[ ] Mental reset: Let go of previous match entirely
[ ] Box breathing if heart rate is still elevated

Pre-Next-Match (30+ minute gap)

Repeat abbreviated warm-up protocol:

[ ] Light movement
[ ] Technical reminders
[ ] Apply fresh CombatStrips if needed (if sweaty, wipe nose dry first)
[ ] Mental focus re-established

Nutrition Timing (Critical detail most people get wrong)

2+ hours before match: Normal meal (carbs + protein)

1-2 hours before: Light snack only (banana, rice cakes, energy bar)

30-60 minutes before: Quick carbs if needed (honey packet, energy gel)

<30 minutes before: Water only, small sips

During tournament (between matches 60+ min apart): Easy-digest carbs (banana, rice, honey)

Do NOT eat a heavy meal between matches. You'll feel sluggish and potentially nauseous.

Critical Details Most People Miss

Equipment Failure Backup Plan

Bring backup of EVERYTHING that can fail:

Backup gi (or know where vendor booth is)
Backup belt (IBJJF is strict about this)
Backup mouthguard
Extra CombatStrips
Safety pins (for emergency gi repairs)
Extra athletic tape

Energy Management (Don't blow up in warm-up)

Your warm-up should elevate readiness, not exhaust you.

If you're drenched in sweat and breathing hard before your first match even starts, you've overdone it.

Save 100% efforts for the actual competition.

Long Tournament Days (4+ hours between first and last match)

If you have 4+ hours between matches, leave the venue:

Find quiet space to rest (car, nearby cafe)
Light meal
Mental reset
Return 90 minutes before next match

Sitting in a loud tournament venue for 6 hours drains you mentally even if you're not moving.

The Mental Trap of Brackets

Don't obsess over who you might face in later rounds.

Focus on match 1. That's it. Win match 1, then think about match 2.

Planning your finals strategy before you've won your first match is a distraction.

My Pre-Match Ritual (Example, not prescription)

What I do in the final 5 minutes before stepping on the mat:

Apply CombatStrips → immediate breathing improvement
Three deep, controlled breaths → calm nervous system
Remind myself of one technique I'm hunting for → focused gameplan
Shake out arms and legs → release residual tension
Step on the mat with confidence

That's it. Simple. Repeatable. Automatic.

Your ritual might look different. Build it through training tournaments, test it, refine it. Then execute without thinking on the big day.

What Not to Do

Don't: Radically change your routine on competition day

Don't: Try new foods or supplements you haven't tested in training

Don't: Obsessively watch every match in your division (mental fatigue)

Don't: Engage in drama or politics at the venue (save energy for competing)

Don't: Skip your warm-up because you "feel good" (cold muscles get injured)

Don't: Forget to hydrate between matches (dehydration kills performance)

The Point of a Checklist

Preparation creates calm. Calm creates confidence. Confidence enables performance.

Your checklist removes decision-making on competition day. Everything is automatic because you've done it before.

The goal: Step on the mat with zero logistical concerns, only technical focus.

Build your checklist. Test it at small tournaments. Refine based on what works for YOU. Then execute it perfectly when it matters most.

See you on the podium.