The BJJ Competition Guide

You weigh in shortly before your first match, in your gi, with one attempt. There is no recovery window, so a cut is paid for on the mat.

Who it is for

• A competitor weighing in shortly before the first match, in the gi, with one attempt.
• Anyone deciding between two divisions and unsure whether the kit arithmetic makes the lower one possible.
• Someone competing gi and no-gi across the same weekend.

Who it is not for

• A fighter with a day-before weigh-in and a recovery window. That is a different job.
• Anyone after a fat-loss plan.
• An athlete under 18 looking for a way down a division.

Before you buy

Two complete documents are free to read on the samples page, and the reasoning behind this guide is on the site at no cost. If the free pages answer your question, you do not need it.

Common questions

Does it include a uniform weight table?

Yes, by weave and size, because in this format the gi is part of the number on the scale.

Can I cut for a BJJ competition?

The guide sets out why a cut has no upside when you weigh in minutes before you compete, and what to do instead.

Does it cover two divisions in one day?

Yes, along with what to do when the venue scale reads marginal.

Is there a plan for the gaps between matches?

Yes, as a three-band structure in millilitres and grams.

Which rules does it follow?

The formats used by the main federations are compared. Confirm the current rules with the organiser of your event.

Free reading on the same problem

The guide is the protocol. These articles are the reasoning behind it, and they cost nothing.

• BJJ Weight Cutting: Why It Cannot Work. Under IBJJF rules you weigh in shortly before your first match, in your gi, with one attempt. No recovery window, so a cut is paid for on the mat.
• BJJ Weight Classes: IBJJF and ADCC, Gi and No-Gi. IBJJF gi and no-gi limits and the ADCC sets, plus the two rules that make jiu jitsu different: the gi counts, and you weigh in minutes before you compete.
• Best Supplements for BJJ: What Works With No Recovery Window. The supplements with evidence for BJJ, USADA testing at IBJJF majors, and why a weigh-in in the gi right before the match changes everything.
• What to Eat Between Matches at a Tournament. Twenty minutes between bouts or 2 hours. The structure that works for both, and the weigh-in that comes back tomorrow morning.
• Weigh-In Rules by Sport: The Reference Table. Every combat sport weigh-in rule in one place: when you weigh, what is checked, what tolerance exists, and what happens if you miss. Sourced and dated.
• Your First Weigh-In: Read This Before You Cut. For a first competition, the answer is almost always to compete at what you weigh. No data on yourself yet, and the first event is where you get it.

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