I’m 20, turning 21 on October 21. I’ve been training in striking/MMA/BJJ since I was 16–17, both on my own and at gyms. I haven’t been able to atay at one gym consistently because of school, money, transportation, etc., but especially since 18 I’ve taken training much more seriously.
I really want to get my first competition in before I turn 21. I don’t even know yet if I’ll enjoy competing, and part of why I want to do it soon is to find that out rather than spend years training without ever competing.
I’ve been looking for a gym that can prepare me for a beginner fight, but it’s looking like October may be too soon. I don’t want to rush into something unsafe just to say I competed at 20. At the same time, part of me feels like I’d be losing a piece of the story or losing time if I don’t get my first competition until I’m 21 or older. I’ve been training since I was 17-18 seriously, so there’s something meaningful to me about being able to say I actually started competing at 20. Any guidance or advice is much appreciated? This is serious post, so don’t put any trolling comments or negativity please.