20 Signs You're A BJJ Addict

We think in most cases, it's pretty apparent if you're addicted to BJJ and everything that goes along with it. That said, we decided to put together a list of 20 signs that indicate you're a complete jiu jitsu junkie.

20. You get excited about ground work in MMA fights.

Most BJJ addicts are also MMA fans.  And most mainstream MMA fans prefer the standup action in fights over what some call “boring” ground work.  However, a BJJ addict gets more excited when the fight goes to the ground and thinks a submission is better than a knockout! 

19. You care more about the big BJJ tournament being streamed on the Internet this weekend than the big football, basketball, baseball, etc game.

Is ADCC or the World Championships your equivalent of the Super Bowl or World Series? If you have spent hours glued to your computer, phone, or tablet watching competition BJJ instead of watching mainstream sports then you’re a jiu-jitsu addict.  Don’t get us wrong, we also love other sports.  But there’s something about watching high level BJJ that gets us fired up!

18. You think about BJJ in regular every day situations.

This can happen at any time - like when a co-worker is talking to you at the water cooler and all you can think about is rear naked choking them.  Or you see someone standing and think to yourself about how easy a double leg takedown would be on him.  We’ve all had these thoughts and as long as we don’t act on them, they’re a good thing!

17. You skip out on work or school to train BJJ.

Most of us have to balance jiu-jitsu training with other responsibilities like school or work. But let's face it, we'd rather be training. When the desire to train outweighs the desire to sit in an office or classroom, BJJ addicts check out for the day and hit the mats. 

Noon classes at a BJJ academy are not just filled with those who work nights.  You get a fair share of people squeezing in the mat time during their lunch break and others that have skipped out on school or work entirely just to train.

16. BJJ is your job.

For a fortunate few, there is no need to skip out on work to train BJJ.  That's because BJJ is your job. You might be a paid instructor, academy owner, or professional competitor - or maybe all of the above.  If BJJ is your passion and you're able to make a living from it, then you're getting paid to do what you love and there are few things in life better than that.

15. Your social media profile is your academy logo.

Our friends lists are filled with them, training partners and friends that rep the academy in their profile pictures.  When jiu-jitsu is always on the mind, sometimes it makes more sense to upload the academy logo rather than posting that perfect selfie shot.

14. You train more than once a day and think that's normal.

Let's face it, most people hit the academy a few times a week and that is completely fine.  But there are others that basically live there.  They train nonstop and they train more than once a day.  You see them in the afternoon class then again in the evening.  Or maybe they hit back-to-back classes in the same night.  If you love BJJ, then you might be finding a way to regularly hit more than one class in the same day.

13. You’ve lost a boyfriend or girlfriend because BJJ came first.

Not everyone understands your passion for jiu-jitsu.  And sometimes that can cause issues when it comes to a significant other.  We all know someone who has chosen jiu-jitsu over a girlfriend or boyfriend.

12. Your commute to BJJ class is longer than the class itself and it’s completely worth it.

Depending on where you live, you might not have a jiu-jitsu academy nearby.  Many of us have to commute rather long distances just to get the training in.  It’s not easy, but if you’re committed, you make the commute anyway and we applaud you for it.  Keep training.

11. You carry extra jiu-jitsu gear in your car, just in case you find yourself somewhere you can train.

Open up your trunk and you might find multiple jiu jitsu gis, a backup belt, and some spare no gi bjj gear.  If you train a lot and hit up multiple academies, then pretty soon you’ll find yourself with a trunk full of extra jits gear just in case.

10. You go through absurd amounts of laundry detergent from washing all your BJJ gear.

BJJ is a sweaty business.  And if you’re training a lot, then that means lots of laundry and lots of showers.  Unfortunately, that also means a high water bill and more money for laundry detergent. A small price to pay for something you love.

9. Your jiu-jitsu gear or clothing says “Made for Jiu-Jitsu Addicts” on it.

Yea it’s a shameless plug for our brand.  But it’s exactly what our brand is about.  We make gear for jiu-jitsu addicts like you.

8. You have traveled out of the state (or any significant distance) just to attend a BJJ competition.

Competing is not easy. It takes a certain amount of grit to face an opponent on the mats and test yourself.  Add on to that the entry fees, the waiting around, and travel that goes along with it, and it’s easy to see why so many take a pass. Still there are some that find a way to compete at all costs even if they have to board an airplane or drive hours just to get there.

7. Your car is covered in BJJ stickers.

At Rolljunkie, we love stickers.  And we have come to realize that there are lots of you out there that love them too.  Why throw political stickers or a stickers for the local sports team on your car when BJJ stickers are way better? We love seeing BJJ stickers on the road too.

6. You ignore doctor’s orders so you can train.

Let’s start by saying that in no way do we recommend ignoring doctor’s orders.  Listen to your doctor.  Don’t risk injury by training when you shouldn’t.  That said, we know plenty of jiu-jitsu guys who have hit the mat no matter what the doctor says.

5. You don’t watch TV, you watch BJJ videos.

Why watch Netflix when you can watch heal hook instructional videos instead.  It seems pretty obvious which one is more entertaining and educational, don’t you think?

4. Your ears, fingers, and toes are permanently mangled from training.

Jiu-jitsu can be rough on your body.  Ears, fingers, and toes are common offenders to take some abuse.  Train long enough and you may find yourself taping your digits like mummy and with cauliflower ears puffing out of your head just like our Rolljunkie monkey.

3. You roll without a timer and a half hour goes by before you know it.

It can suck when that buzzer goes off at the end of a great roll that could have kept going.  Sometimes it’s better to just turn the time off and go at it.  See what happens and see how long you go.  For some, a half hour with no timer is no big deal.

2. You exhibit BJJ etiquette and instincts outside the academy.

Not every academy says “ooosss”, but if you train at one that does, then you might find yourself saying it outside of BJJ.  Or maybe you have tried to do the BJJ hand slap and fist bump instead of a handshake when meeting someone.  It’s also not uncommon to instinctively want to whizzer a loved one who puts their arm around your waist for a photo. When BJJ etiquette works its way into your every day life, you know you're a jiu-jitsu addict.

1. You wear a BJJ rash guard even when you’re not training.

Nothing says you love BJJ like wearing your rash guard as every day attire, because hey, you never know when you might start rolling. Of course, we have all heard the infamous story of John Dahnaher showing up at a wedding wearing his rash guard.  We love it.

 

Other Resources

Watch instructional BJJ videos.  
Learn white belt beginner BJJ tips.  
Want to know more about jiu jitsu belts, check out our jiu jitsu belt guide.
Read our picks for the top ten coolest rash guards.