🥋 5-Tech Friday: The Mental Side of BJJ

What up Flowrollers! It’s time for 5-Tech Friday…

Today’s theme is the mental side of Jiu Jitsu. I just signed up for my first tournament in a while, and I’ve been working hard on my mental gameplan to manage nerves and anxiety.

Whether you’re a competitor or a hobbyist, you’ll get something out of these tips on how to perform your best in high pressure situations.

1. Coach Zahabi has a great line, “I’ve had fighters throwing up backstage, but I have never once had a fighter in between rounds say that they are too nervous to get back in the ring.” It’s a good reminder how powerful the build up and immediate release of nervous energy is. His #1 tip is to stay moving with a solid warmup. Watch here.

2. Black belt world champion Mahamad Aly gets honest about nerves. Even elite competitors have them at every event. But by getting familiar with them, you get used to them. I loved his line “how you’re feeling doesn’t matter, the only thing that matters is what you do.” His #1 tip is to compete frequently in smaller tournaments. Watch here.

3. Chewjitsu gives some great advice on handling pre tournament anxiety. His #1 tip is to accept it. I’ve been thinking a lot how I can turn anxiety into something more positive… excitement maybe? Watch here.

4. Gustavo “The BJJ Mental Coach” Dantas’ #1 tip is to focus only on what you can control. Does your opponent look like he should be 3 weight classes beyond? Doesn’t matter, can’t control it. Obsessing over the outcome of your match? Your performance is in your control, but winning or losing is not. Watch here.

5. Judo Olympian Travis Stevens covers exactly how he prepares mentally for competition. I was very surprised how far in advanced he’s mentally planning, even for smaller events. His #1 tip is that the first match of the tournament sets the pace. He wants to start strong, while making sure his first match lasts at least a few minutes (even if he could quickly win) to get out that initial nervous energy. Watch here.

Want to go deeper? Check out Bernardo Faria’s “Champions Mindset” instructional over at BJJ Fanatics. This is by far the best mental game instructional I found (much better than Gordon Ryan’s, where he just talks about himself for 3 hours straight).

Hope you enjoyed this dive into the mental game. What’s your #1 tip on how to deal with nerves and anxiety in competition? I’d love to hear it, lord knows I need any advice I can get 🤣