April 2026 | Episode #24
There’s a different energy in the room when competition gets close.
With a large group of our team preparing for the Nebraska Jiu-Jitsu Championship, you can feel it in the way the rounds sharpen, the pace picks up, and the focus tightens. For some, that also means the nerves start to creep in. It’s easy to think you need to feel completely ready before stepping out there, but that’s rarely how it works. More often, it comes down to trusting your preparation and having the willingness to go anyway. That idea of being prepared, not perfect, shows up in a lot of ways. In how we approach competition, in the small details that matter on tournament day, and even in the structure behind something like our stand-up blueprint, where clarity and control matter more than chaos.
Preparation, Not Perfection.
A good friend of mine called me recently. He’s a seasoned purple belt, someone who has been training and competing for well over a decade, and the kind of person who is a problem for just about anyone in his division. He told me he had been thinking about signing up for a local tournament.
Then he paused for a moment and admitted something that caught me a little off guard.
“I don’t know why,” he said, “but I’m really nervous about it. I wish I could just show up and grapple that day.”
It was an honest statement, and probably a more common feeling than most people are willing to admit. For someone with his level of experience, the anxiety wasn’t coming from the act of grappling itself. That part is familiar. It was everything surrounding it, the lead-up, the commitment, the expectations, and the uncertainty of how things might play out.
So instead of trying to remove the nerves entirely, we took a different approach. We started by simplifying the situation. What would it look like if you really could just show up and grapple?
Your name gets called, you step onto the mat, and you engage. No added meaning, no pressure to prove anything, just the act of moving and competing.
From there, we narrowed the focus even further. Rather than thinking about the outcome of the match or trying to visualize a finish, we shifted his attention to something much more immediate. I told him to focus on the first three moves.
In chess, this is often referred to as the opening salvo. You are not trying to win the game in the first exchange, but you are trying to establish position, control, and direction. The same idea applies here. You cannot predict what your opponent is going to do, and you certainly cannot control how the entire match will unfold, but you can take ownership of how you start.
That means your stance, your grips, your initial connection. Winning those small battles early and putting yourself in a position where your training can take over.
At that point, the conversation shifted away from anxiety and toward preparation. Not in the sense of trying to account for every possible scenario, but in trusting what has already been built in the practice room. The rounds with your training partners, the details your coaches have emphasized, the habits you have reinforced over time.
That is what preparation really looks like. It gives you something stable to rely on when everything else feels uncertain.
The difficult part, for most people, is not the match itself. It is the decision to put yourself out there. When we start chasing perfection, that step begins to feel heavier than it actually is, and the pressure builds before anything has even happened.
But competition is not about being perfect. It is about testing yourself, stepping into something that carries a little bit of discomfort, and seeing what holds up when it matters.
If you’re competing this weekend (or in the near future), keep reading for a few day-before and day-of tips.
Pictured: Jake Novak works his pin escapes with Max Wold.
Day Before: A Simple Tournament Preparation Framework
1. Get light, intentional rounds in
This is not the day to “win practice.” Move, break a sweat, and feel your timing. A few good exchanges will do more for your confidence than sitting around thinking about the match.
2. Be certain about your weight
No guessing, no last-minute surprises. Know exactly where you are and what, if anything, needs to be done. How much will you sleep off? How much can you eat? Peace of mind here removes a huge layer of unnecessary stress.
3. Be decisive on how you’re starting
Know your first grip sequences, your stance, and your initial movement. You don’t need a full game plan, just a confident opening you can rely on.
4. Don’t fixate on what could happen
There’s a million + one things that could happen - the last thing you need is watching another Fanatics instructional or flashy IG reels. Be confident in your game.
5. Know the ruleset
How will you get your first 5 points? What happens if there’s a tie? The rules meeting can help, but be sure to read the rules and go in prepared.
Pictured: Hayden Buck attempts to pass Uncle Matt’s guard.
Tournament Weekend Reminders
NO CLASSES, Saturday April 11th - go support your team!
Youth t-shirts and crew necks will be available starting Wednesday, April 8th
Need merch? There’s still time to get our discounted items! Visit our SHOP before it’s too late!
“Awesome gym with even better people! Whether you’re looking for a new hobby, a place to make friends, or just want to get in shape, this is the spot. The atmosphere feels like family while still being extremely professional. If I could give a higher rating, I absolutely would!
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The Stand-up Blueprint
For a lot of people, the stand-up exchange feels chaotic. There’s hesitation, overthinking, and a sense that anything could happen at any moment. What I’ve found is that when you introduce a clear process, that chaos starts to settle. When you know how to engage, how to create connection, and what you’re looking for next, you move with more confidence and intent.
We started with handfighting through a simple framework: CONNECTION, ANGLE, ADVANCE, and FINISH. From there, we built around the underhook as a primary checkpoint for control, before working to a snap down into the quadpod to finish. That was a big focus of our time at Square One Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, a great room with a welcoming culture and a group that was eager to learn and apply the material. The biggest shift wasn’t just technical, it was how quickly clarity changed the way people approached the stand-up.
Special thanks to Professor Josh Smith and his team for organizing this event - I’ll look forward to Round 2 later this year!
Fun Fact: Lee’s Summit is the highest point between Kansas City and St.Louis - although probably not high enough to go skiing…
What’s Coming Next for Team LŌKAHI???
End of April
New No Gi kit
June 6th
Summer Promotions
December 5th
Winter Promotions & Holiday Party
Upcoming Local Tournaments
*April 11th - Nebraska Jiu-jitsu Spring Open
Lincoln, NE
April 25th - Fuji BJJ Spring Championships
Omaha, NE
May 9th - Submission Challenge
Lincoln, NE
May 9th - Sub Spectrum May Day
Des Moines, IA
May 16th - Grappling Industries
Omaha, NE
June 6th - Nebraska Jiu-jitsu Championship Elite Series
Lincoln, NE
Collective Member Shout Outs
Congratulations to CHRISTIAN and CAITLIN ANDERSON on the birth of their daughter CHARLI!
Congratulations to SEBASTIAN VILLAGOMEZ for passing his medical school boards!
Cheers to BRADY KNOTT for pulling off a spectacular rashguard prank in Tuesday’s class.
(This is not the new design previously mentioned)
APRIL Birthdays
Wishing all of our Collective Members a very happy birthday!
4/1 Matt Hansen
4/3 Kelci Wray
4/10 Andrew Griess
4/13 Spencer Pruner
4/19 Bowen Bents
4/20 Isabelle Locklear
4/20 Cole Johnston
4/23 Ben Wasson
4/27 Katie Mullins
*Don’t see your birthday? Update your profile on the app or speak with someone at the front desk!
Pictured: Quintin Black and Brandon Mizner battle for grips during a first-point game.
“Came to town to work at the tattoo convention and stopped to do a 6am class. there class and group of high level guys was amazing and very welcoming and would recommend this place to anyone traveling would definitely come back again thank you all at lokahi jiujitsu for the welcoming and rolling sessions OSS! To you all..
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