What to put in your bag on competition day
You will spend far more hours in that sports hall than you will on the mat. Pack the bag for the waiting, not for the five minutes of matches.
BJJ Square · Updated on 08/11/2026
The list that follows comes from a simple observation: at a competition you fight for a few minutes and wait for hours. Almost everything you need, you need for the waiting — and the two things that genuinely ruin the day are forgetting your ID and running out of food.
The things without which you do not compete
- A photo ID. It gets checked, and without it you do not step onto the mat.
- Your registration confirmation, on your phone or printed.
- A legal kimono, in a colour permitted by that competition's rulebook. If you are also competing no-gi, a compliant rash guard and shorts.
- The right belt, which seems obvious until somebody forgets it.
- Your medical certificate or membership card, if the organisation asks for them at the door.
Note If you own one kimono and it rains, you arrive with a wet kimono. A second, dry kimono — or at least a waterproof bag — is the thing people most regret not packing.
The things that save the day
- Food you would actually eat. Not bars you have never tried: the morning of a competition is not the moment for experiments.
- Water, more than you think. Sports halls are hot and the machines run out.
- Flip-flops. You move about barefoot and the floors off the mat are what they are.
- A hoodie and something to sit on. You will warm up twice and cool down in between.
- Sports tape, for your fingers.
- A charger. Your phone is what tells you when your division is called.
Before you leave the house
- Cut your nails, hands and feet: it is a check that does get made and it can rule you out.
- Take out earrings and piercings.
- Weigh yourself with the kimono on, one last time and with no surprises.
- Pack everything the night before. On the morning of a competition you always forget something.
What to leave at home
Supplements you have never tried, a change of strategy decided the night before, and expectations about the result. A first competition is there to find out how you react when somebody you do not know tries to pass your guard in front of a full sports hall: when it makes sense to do it.
The upcoming competitionsFrequently asked questions
- What do you need to bring to a BJJ competition?
- A photo ID, your registration confirmation, a kimono that complies with the rulebook, your belt, and any membership card or medical certificate required. Then food, water, flip-flops and something to keep warm during the wait.
- Do you need a second kimono?
- It is not compulsory, but it is the thing most often missing: if it rains, or if you compete in two divisions, you find yourself going back onto the mat in a wet kimono.
- Do they check your nails before matches?
- Yes, it is a standard check alongside the one on your kit: long nails can rule you out of the match.
- Can you eat before competing?
- Yes, and you should: turning up fasted for fear of the weigh-in is a common mistake that you pay for from the second match onwards. Better food you have already tested than something tried for the first time that day.
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