Avoid Common Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Mistakes for Beginners

Posted on February 18th, 2026.

Starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can be exciting, but those first months are also where many beginners pick up habits that slow their progress.

It is easy to step on the mat, feel overwhelmed by everything happening at once, and unintentionally lean on the wrong ideas: chasing flashy submissions, gripping too hard, or training only when it is convenient. These patterns might feel harmless in the moment, but over time they can hold you back from becoming the calm, technical grappler you want to be.

Most early mistakes in BJJ fall into a few clear categories. New students often rush past the basics, rely on strength instead of leverage, or train inconsistently and wonder why nothing is “clicking.” Others avoid asking questions, push through fatigue instead of tapping and learning, or treat every roll like a competition.

The good news is that once you recognize these tendencies, you can start correcting them quickly. This blog post focuses on those common Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu mistakes for beginners and how to avoid them. 

Embrace the Basics: The Foundation of Your BJJ Journey

One of the most common Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu mistakes for beginners is trying to skip the basics. New students often fixate on slick submissions or unusual guards they see online, then feel frustrated when those moves fall apart during live training. Without a stable base, even the most advanced technique becomes hard to apply against a resisting partner. The basics are not a separate phase you “finish”; they are the framework that supports your entire game.

Start by giving core movements the respect they deserve. Drills like shrimping, bridging, technical stand-ups, and simple guard passes teach you how to move your hips, control distance, and stay balanced. Fundamental positions such as closed guard, mount, and side control are more than names; they are systems that help you survive, escape, and control. When you revisit these positions often, you start to recognize patterns instead of random chaos during sparring.

It helps to think of each basic technique as a template that will eventually connect to countless variations. A simple armbar from guard introduces core ideas such as breaking posture, controlling the elbow, and using your hips to finish. Those same principles show up in more complex submissions later. The more precise you are with the simple version, the more naturally new options will click into place.

You can make your basic training more intentional by building small habits like:

• Starting every class with a few minutes of movement drills such as shrimping and bridging
• Choosing one basic position per week to focus on during drilling and sparring rounds
• Asking a coach to correct your details on a single core technique instead of chasing several at once

Watching higher belts can also change how you view fundamentals. When you see a black belt escaping tough spots or finishing clean submissions, you are usually seeing refined basics, not secret techniques. Their timing, weight distribution, and grips are sharp because they have repeated those same patterns thousands of times. That repetition is what makes their movement look effortless.

Be patient with yourself while you build the same foundation. Instead of judging your progress by how many moves you know, measure how comfortable you feel in the main positions and how often you can apply one simple escape or pass during live rounds. Over time, those “simple” skills become your most reliable tools and give you confidence to explore more complex parts of the art.

Don't Muscle It: Strategy Over Strength

Another big beginner Jiu-Jitsu mistake is trying to force every technique with strength. When you are new, it is natural to tense up, grip harder, and push or pull as if you are in a raw strength contest. The problem is that this approach burns energy quickly, makes your movements stiff, and hides the real mechanics of each technique. BJJ is built on efficiency, not on who can squeeze the hardest.

Shifting from strength-based grappling to strategy starts with slowing down. When you move at full speed all the time, you miss the small openings that make your techniques work. Practicing at a calmer pace helps you feel where your partner’s weight is going, how their frame changes, and what angles are available. That awareness lets you work with their movement instead of fighting against it.

Leverage and positioning are the real engines of BJJ. If your hips are in the right place, your grips are structured well, and your posture is strong, you need far less muscle to finish a sweep or hold a dominant position. When something feels impossibly heavy or awkward, it usually means a detail is off, not that you just need to strain more. Asking a coach to check your angle, grip, or timing is often more useful than trying to “power through.”

To build a more technical style, you can:

• Roll at a controlled pace, using about 50–70% effort to focus on clean movement
• Set rounds where your personal rule is “no squeezing as hard as possible,” only adjusting positions
• Choose one technique and practice it using minimal strength, refining angle and timing first

Managing your energy is also a key part of strategy. You do not have to fight at maximum intensity every second of every round. Learning when to relax, when to hold steady, and when to explode into a transition will keep you safer and more effective. Over time, you will notice that you finish rounds less exhausted and more aware of what actually happened during the roll.

As your technique improves, your confidence grows in a different way. You begin to trust that you can handle bigger or stronger partners because you are relying on structure, timing, and leverage rather than pure effort. That mindset is at the heart of BJJ: using smart strategy to solve physical problems. 

Consistency is Key: The Role of Regular Training

Even with solid basics and a good strategy, progress stalls if you are not consistent. Training Jiu-Jitsu once in a while is like learning key phrases in a new language but never speaking full sentences. You might remember a few techniques, but under pressure they will vanish. Regular practice is what turns scattered knowledge into a real, functional skill set you can rely on.

Think of each class as a deposit into your “training account.” The more often you show up, the more those deposits add up in the form of timing, sensitivity, and comfort with live resistance. Missing long stretches of training does the opposite: your timing fades, your confidence dips, and returning can feel harder than starting. Consistency does not mean training every day; it means picking a realistic schedule and sticking to it.

Life will always compete with your mat time, so it helps to be intentional. Setting specific training days makes Jiu-Jitsu a regular part of your week instead of an optional extra. Planning ahead for busy periods, travel, or work deadlines keeps you from disappearing from the gym when things get hectic. Even during tough weeks, one solid session is better than none and helps you stay connected to the learning curve.

You can support consistent training with simple systems such as:

• Choosing fixed training days and treating them like important appointments
• Letting a training partner or coach know your weekly plan so they can help keep you accountable
• Keeping a brief training journal to note what you worked on and what you want to improve next

Tracking your progress, even in small ways, keeps motivation alive. Noticing that you escaped side control a little more often this month or held mount a bit longer is meaningful growth, even if you are not winning every round. Over time, these small gains add up to big changes in how you move, think, and respond under pressure.

Most importantly, give yourself time. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a long-term practice, and plateaus are normal. When you show up regularly, focus on improving one or two details at a time, and stay open to coaching, you are already doing what most people are not willing to do. That steady presence on the mats is what eventually turns early confusion into real, lasting skill.

Related: Boost Your Game: Begin Tournament Prep Early in the Year

Build Confidence With Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offers a rare kind of confidence. With consistent training and attention to detail, you learn to stay composed in uncomfortable positions, breathe through pressure, and choose smart responses instead of panicked reactions.

At MMA Barn, we believe that Jiu-Jitsu is for everyone, regardless of experience level. Our instructors emphasize adaptability, patience, and personalized growth so every student feels equipped to thrive. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned grappler, our classes focus on cultivating awareness, technique, and respect for the art.

Join our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes! 

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us at (860) 655-2269 or via email at [email protected].