We all love this sport and for some of us, it’s the most important thing in our lives.

But like all great loves, there are things that can really grind your gears.

Doesn’t mean we don’t still love BJJ, but sometimes we miss the days when we were young and single.

Here are the top five pet peeves for BJJ practitioners.

“SPAZZY” WHITE BELTS

It may not be a politically correct term, but everyone knows what a spaz white belt is.

If you don’t know, then you might be one.

White belts are new to this game, and as such, what they lack in technique, they naturally try to make up for in aggression.

White belts tend to go too hard during training, which is at best annoying for whoever they’re rolling with and at worst dangerous for themselves and their training partner.

Unfortunately, there’s not much to be done with over aggressive newbies other than explain to them not every roll is life or death.

White belts will grow out of it eventually, but in the meantime it’s definitely one of the top complaints in the sport.

THE ARROGANT ..*COUGH*

One of, if not the best thing about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is how it makes people humble.

No matter how long you’ve been rolling and no matter what colour your belt, there will always be someone who can tap you. It’s just the nature of the game.

This brings with it a humbleness and respect for others which is a big part of BJJ culture.

Unfortunately, as with everything in life, there’s always an arsehole.

They are few and far between in BJJ, but if you’re unlucky you’ll come across one at some point.

Many times they come from another martial art – kickboxing or MMA – and think they know everything there is to know already.

Usually getting tapped 10 times in 5 minutes will be enough to bring them crashing back down to earth, but sometimes they just can’t get rid of that arrogance and carry it through to the next belt, smashing newcomers and strutting around like Apollo Creed.

But don’t worry, it’s only a matter of time before they meet their Ivan Drago.

ROLLING WITH SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T WASH THEIR GI

We’ve talked before about how good hygiene is important, so for those who ignore the golden rule of washing your gi, we’ve got news for you – everyone hates you.

This sport is sweaty enough without the smell of a thousand dead camels filling your nostrils, so if your gi stinks, no one will want to roll with you. And to make matters worse, people will probably be too polite to tell you that you stink, so the cycle continues.

Even if you wash your gi regularly, you need to give it time to dry properly. There’s nothing worse than the smell of damp and it’s in these wet, humid conditions that bacteria and fungus thrive.

If you train more than once a week, then you should ideally have two gis, one to use and one in the wash.

PEOPLE WHO DON’T TAP AND GET INJURED

At the end of the day, this is a martial art.

It’s a violent, contact sport, so it’s easy for people to get injured by accident.

But getting injured because you didn’t tap isn’t an accident, it’s incompetence.

We get it, you don’t want to tap, and there can be many reasons why.

Maybe you thought you could get out, or maybe you didn’t realise you were in danger in the first place. Or maybe you just didn’t like the guy you were rolling with and hated the thought of tapping against them.

But you should’ve tapped.

It’s a lesson learned the hard way, and for those who injure you, there can be guilt which makes them hold back next time.

GETTING INJURED BEFORE A TOURNAMENT

Perhaps the biggest annoyance for people in the sport is getting injured before a competition.

And it should be.

After weeks, perhaps even months of preparation, it all goes out the window because you ducked when you should’ve dived.

Or maybe it was a spazzy white belt’s fault.

It’s a tough call to pull out of a competition due to injury; is it something you can fight through, or will you only make things worse, perhaps resulting in life-long injury?

If you train a lot, you’ve probably already got aches and pains – if you don’t then you’re not training hard enough – but knowing the difference between a stiff muscle and a torn muscle is essential for your overall wellbeing.

It’s disappointing and frustrating to pull out of a tournament, but there’s always one around the corner, so always put your health first.

WHAT ARE YOUR PET PEEVES IN BJJ?

What frustrates and annoys you in the sport? Did it make our list?

Let us know on our Facebook page what you would’ve added, or what you would take out.

If you’d like to join us and start your Jiu-Jitsu journey, then don’t hesitate to contact us via email, or check out our free 2-week trial.