Every gym has its personalities, the chill white belt who rolls like he’s made of noodles, the blue belt who thinks every round is ADCC trials, and the one guy who somehow manages to forget soap exists. Over time, you start noticing patterns, behaviors that make everyone collectively sigh and look at the coach like, “Can you handle this?” So, after years of rolling, sweating, and tapping, here’s a rundown of the biggest pet peeves in the BJJ community, the things that make even the most Zen grappler roll their eyes under the gi.
TL;DR
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Respect the roll – BJJ isn’t a street fight or a highlight reel. Control, awareness, and humility matter more than “winning.”
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Hygiene is non-negotiable – wash your gi, trim your nails, and wear your sandals. Nobody wants to grapple with bacteria.
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Community over ego – Jiu-Jitsu works because we trust each other. Train hard, stay clean, and make people want to roll with you again.
The “World Championship” White Belt
We all know this guy. It’s open mat, so you slap and bump, and before you can even change your grips, he’s already blasting through a double-leg like his next pay cheque depends on it. Intensity is fine, but going all out every round won’t help you grow better. It’s not about winning when you roll. It’s about learning, trying new things, and surviving long enough to come back tomorrow without a broken rib or an arm that won’t lift. No one wants to roll with the person who tries to act out a Gordon Ryan highlight reel every class. If you’re new, relax. The tap is not a sign of failure; it’s your friend.
The Dead Fish
The exact opposite of our previous offender, the well-known “dead fish.” You grab them, and they don’t fight back. You sweep, and they fall. You get on top of them, and they simply lie there, waiting for the round to end like it’s detention. BJJ is a talk. It’s like trying to talk to someone who simply shrugs when you ask them something. Even if you’re fatigued, give your partner something to do: move, react, or protect. If not, you’re wasting both your time and theirs.
The Skin Grabber
This one hurts in a unique way. You try to grab the collar, but instead of cloth, they pinch a bunch of skin on your arm or neck. It’s like a crab attacking you when you’re rolling. It’s a mix of not knowing what to do and being scared. But if you’ve been around long enough to recognise the difference between a sleeve and someone’s forearm, you should probably avoid treating your partner’s flesh like the gi itself. It hurts, and it leaves markings that make people look like they just lost a bar fight.
The Finger Grabber
BJJ is about controlling limbs, not breaking fingers. It might appear easy to detach grips by grabbing one finger, but it’s not. Fingers are weak, and twisting one the wrong way might stop someone’s training for weeks. If you have to break a grip, do it right. There is a way to do it. This isn’t wrestling in the backyard; it’s jiu-jitsu.
The Barefoot Wanderer
You finish a round, walk out to get some water, check your phone outside and then walk back onto the mat without footwear. Every coach in the world just dies a little bit inside there. It’s important to keep your mat clean. We roll, sweat, and sometimes bleed on those mats. Bringing in dirt or bacteria from outside will quickly lead to ringworm. Wear sandals off the mats. Always. It’s not that hard, and it keeps everyone safe.
The Clueless Spaz
We’ve all been hit by a wild elbow or a random headbutt while rolling. Sometimes things just go wrong. Sometimes it’s because someone isn’t paying attention and things go wrong, like flailing, spinning, or bursting without warning. The issue is not energy; it is consciousness. You could damage yourself or someone else if you move without thinking. It’s not about chaos in jiu-jitsu. The best grapplers are the ones who stay calm on the mat. You may have discovered a spaz if your partner appears like they’re getting ready for a fight on the sidewalk while you’re rolling.
The “Upper Belt’s Letting Me Work” Denier
If an upper belt lets you sweep, pass, or even get mount, they are letting you do it. They’re not being lazy; they’re letting you walk around and test your movement. But not everyone gets that. They act like they just won Worlds every time they get away. Then the top belt gets a little tighter, and all of a sudden they’re drowning. Honour the process. Everyone lets lower belts work sometimes because that’s how we all get better.
The Turtle That Never Attacks
You know the type. They pull guard, wait, defend every hold, and basically transform jiu-jitsu into a long-lasting game of “Who’ll make the first move?” It’s okay to be defensive especially when you’re competing, but in the gym, not getting involved stops growth. If you only hide in your shell, you won’t learn how to play offense. A solid roll goes both ways: you give and take, attack and defend. If not, you’re just getting better at being scared.
Long, Untrimmed Nails
No explanation needed. It’s not just gross, it’s dangerous. One scratch and your partner’s spending a week dabbing antiseptic on a cut that shouldn’t exist. Trim them. Before class. Always.
The Unwashed Gi
This one’s at the top of everyone’s list, the ultimate gym sin.The smell hits before the person does. You already know who it is before you even glance up. We all work hard in training. Gis are covered in sweat and germs. That’s why you have to wash it after every session, though. No one wants to hang around with someone who smells like the human embodiment of mould. Your teammates will be grateful, your skin will be grateful, and your coach won’t have to have the world’s most embarrassing hygiene discussion with you.
Wrapping It Up
Every gym has its quirks, and every practitioner has their off days. But most of these pet peeves come down to the same things; awareness, respect, and hygiene. Those are what separate good training partners from the ones everyone avoids.
At the end of the day, Jiu-Jitsu isn’t just about armbars or berimbolos, it’s about trust. You hand someone your body and assume they’ll give it back in one piece. That’s not competition; that’s community.
So, take care of it. Take care of each other. Wash the gi, trim the nails, move with purpose. We’re all just trying to get a little better without leaving a piece of ourselves behind on the mats.
Train hard. Stay humble. Respect the art, respect the people, and, yeah, please wear your goddamn sandals.
