Few other activities require us to interact as closely with other people (often strangers) and place trust that our necks and limbs are safe in precarious positions as Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
There are some obvious things like personal hygiene and using dangerous techniques or spazzing that most of us understand without having it pointed out to them.
Here are 5 things that annoy your training partners that we have all witnessed on the jiu-jitsu mats.
1) “Let’s just go light”
And then they leap on a guillotine grunting and panting like they smell blood.
These guys go 100% as soon as they are in a dominant position and often tap out due to exhaustion once they are reversed.
If you want to go easy,..then GO LIGHT like you asked.
Don’t change the rules as soon as you sniff a submission.
2) Don’t try to give unsolicited advice to those of the same experience
Many gyms have self appointed coaches that want to correct their same level partners (often mid roll) on their technique.
Why is this annoying?
Many times the giver of advice themselves is not able to competently execute the technique.
Now you CAN learn from other students, but if you are a beginner yourself, are you SURE you are communicating the correct information?
3) Leg locks
Many academies abide by the IBJJF rules that prohibit leg locks for white belts.
And in comes a no-gi specialist who immediately and enthusiastically dives on the ankle of a new student with one month training.
Or… with upper belts is going for hard and fast heel hooks.
You are not going to make many friends rolling that way!
* If you want to train leg locks – abide by the academy rules and agree with your training partner first
4) Talking while trying to roll
If I just want to get my rolling in, please don’t constantly stop to discuss the moves or ask a question.
Let’s do that after.
Let’s keep rolling until the time is up and THEN we can talk about some positions.
I don’t want to discuss how long it took another student to get their blue belt while I am trying to drill my reps.
I want to get my training in too!
5) Not being aware of your surroundings
When the roll gets intense and you are chasing that submission, you can develop tunnel vision and lose awareness of the surroundings.
But do you feel your foot kicking something soft and gi covered?
Do you feel it?!?
That is another person!
Don’t kick someone in the face because you are oblivious to the other pairs rolling and bent of getting your submission.
Stop, and restart in a clear area of the mat.
on Jiu-jitsu Times: 3 Tips for White Belts to Roll More Effectively
