1. The “Death Grip”

The Behavior: You grab your opponent’s collar or sleeve with such intensity that your knuckles turn white and your forearms burn within 30 seconds. You hold on for dear life, even when the grip is serving no purpose. Why It Happens: It’s a natural panic response. You feel unstable, so you grab the nearest thing to feel safe. ** The Fix:** Relax your hands. In Jiu-Jitsu, a grip is only useful if it is helping you control your opponent or advance your position. If your forearms are rock hard after one round, you are squeezing too hard.

2. Holding Your Breath

The Behavior: You are in the middle of a sparring session, your face is turning purple, and you feel like you are about to pass out. Suddenly, you realize you haven’t exhaled in 45 seconds. Why It Happens: Concentration and exertion often make us instinctively hold our breath, especially when we are under pressure (like being under side control). The Fix: Make breathing a conscious part of your technique. Focus on long exhales. If you can control your breath, you can control your anxiety.

3. The “White Belt Professor”

The Behavior: You have been training for three weeks. You are paired with someone who has been training for one week. Suddenly, you find yourself stopping the roll to explain the intricacies of the armbar—even though you just learned it 10 minutes ago. Why It Happens: You are excited about what you are learning and want to share it. The Fix: Leave the teaching to the instructors. It’s great to help a partner, but focusing on your own reps is more important right now. Plus, you might accidentally teach them bad habits!

4. Spazzing (The Wild Movement)

The Behavior: You don’t know the technique to escape, so you try everything all at once. You thrash, bridge explosively without direction, and accidentally elbow your partner in the nose. Why It Happens: This is the fight-or-flight response kicking in. You are using athleticism and panic instead of technique. The Fix: Slow down. If you don’t know what to do, doing “something” harder and faster usually makes it worse. Pause, breathe, and try to remember the technical escape.

5. Apologizing for Everything

The Behavior: “Sorry for being heavy.” “Sorry for sweating on you.” “Sorry I didn’t get the tap.” “Sorry I’m clumsy.” Why It Happens: You are conscious of your lack of experience and don’t want to be a burden. The Fix: BJJ is a contact sport. You are supposed to be heavy; you are supposed to sweat. Unless you actually hurt someone, you don’t need to apologize. Replace “Sorry” with “Thank you for the training.”

6. Buying All the Gear Immediately

The Behavior: You have attended two classes, but you already own three top-tier Gis, a specialized mouthguard, rashguards in every color, and finger tape. Why It Happens: You are fully committed (which is great!) and you want to look the part. The Fix: Actually, there is nothing wrong with this one! Looking good is the first step to feeling good on the mats. Just make sure your skills catch up to your wardrobe eventually.