How to Deal with Jiu-Jitsu Burnout

If you’ve been training jiu-jitsu long enough, you’ve been there: burnout. It’s a scary feeling. For some, it’s a heavy lethargy that weighs you down as you try to convince yourself to go train after a long day. For others, it’s a realization that you’ve come to dread stepping on the mat. For all, it’s the loss of that initial joy for the gentle art that motivated you go, rain or shine.

It's real, and it happens to everyone. Multiple times, even. I’ve experienced it at least once or twice every belt level, to some degree or another. You can’t avoid it. The good news, however, is that there are ways to manage it. And here’s how:

Listen to Your Body

Jiu-jitsu burnout is not some sudden affliction. It doesn’t just suddenly hit you. Burnout accumulates gradually over time, sometimes over the course of several months.

It always has a mental component, but it may begin as a physical burnout. Maybe you’re not allowing yourself enough recovery time in between training sessions. Maybe you’re over-training when you do train… possibly to make up for not being able to train as often as you’d like. Maybe you’ve experienced injury after injury, compounded by failing to take off enough time to allow yourself to fully heal before you rejoin the mat, resulting in more or exacerbated injuries. Whatever the case, prolonged inability to physically perform like you want will cause frustration and feelings of defeat. Left unaddressed, this will lead to burnout.

It is critical to listen to your body as a jiu-jitsu practitioner – and as an athlete in general. Whether you’re a competitor or not, your top priority should always be longevity. The key to longevity is simple: enough rest and recovery.

Avoid Comparison and FOMO

Sometimes burnout is entirely mental or emotional. More often than not, this kind of burnout is caused by unfair comparison and unrealistic expectations.

It’s a natural human tendency to compare yourself with others. We all do it. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, in and of itself. Comparison can fuel drive; if you see someone that has achieved a level of expertise that you’d love to reach yourself, it can inspire you to work harder or mirror the habits that has allowed that person to succeed. However, if managed poorly, comparison can create unrealistic expectations, setting yourself up for failure and disappointment. If you’re a 42-year-old father with a family and a full-time job, you simply cannot compare your journey to that of a 22-year-old full-time athlete with no obligations besides feeding himself and getting to the gym.

First and foremost, you need to recognize that everyone’s jiu-jitsu journey will be unique. Your journey will be your own, and it will be shaped by your time on the mat, as well as your time off the mat. Secondly, recognize when unfair comparisons and unrealistic expectations of your progress have started to infiltrate your thoughts. Then take a mental break from the mat. This will be hard, because you’ll get some serious FOMO (fear of missing out). Only by taking a step away from the mat, will you be able to see just how much you’ve accomplished and just how silly your comparisons are.

If you recognize this early enough, and catch your mental burnout before it really takes root, you’ll be able to take action to prevent a permanent burnout. 

Have Other Passions

The absolute best way to prevent jiu-jitsu burnout from happening in the first place is not to let jiu-jitsu from being the single most important thing in your life. This is especially important for those whom jiu-jitsu becomes their career. The most successful full-time athletes and gym owners have other passions.

Have other hobbies and interests that you’re passionate about, even if it’s not to the same degree to which you’re passionate about jiu-jitsu. At its very basic, this allows for naturally-occurring physical and mental breaks from your compulsive obsession with jiu-jitsu. You can’t train seven days a week if you also want to make time – and energy – for yoga, hiking, hunting, fishing, gaming, bowling, pottery, etc. When you do something else a couple times a week, you allow your body to rest while your mind is occupied with this other thing that you find fun and/or engaging. Your “hobby” can even help your jiu-jitsu. Take yoga or strength-training for example. Those interests will translate to improved flexibility, strength and explosiveness on the mat, which will allow you to perform better and maybe even avoid the very injuries that can lead to burnout. 

Whether you’ve already experienced jiu-jitsu burnout or not, hopefully these tips will help you manage their effects and keep you on your path to black belt and beyond.