Walking into a martial arts gym for the first time can feel a bit overwhelming. You step into a room full of strangers in uniforms, and the instructors use words you don’t quite understand, like ‘shrimping.’ Meanwhile, some of your new training partners are already doing big throws and moves that seem advanced.
Every martial arts beginner feels overwhelmed, off-balanced, and clueless when they first start training. A part of you wonders if you’ll ever be able to perform any of the techniques most of your teammates seem to be able to execute effortlessly. That being said, if you’re new to BJJ, let this article be a reminder and encouragement, offering key tips to help you navigate the early stages of your journey.
The White Belt Experience
Stepping on the mat for the first time often feels like taking a cold bath in the winter. You find yourself learning new terminologies, like gi, guard, and clinch. You perform unfamiliar drills, like shrimping, get-ups, and sit-outs, while you constantly critique your performance.
The information overload white belts experience is called cognitive load, and it’s part of the skill acquisition process. Your brain ends up holding too many “chunks” of information that aren’t part of your muscle memory yet.
The Four Stages Of Learning: From “No Clue” To “No Problem”
The Four Stages of Competence model states that every learner passes through these four distinct stages:
- Unconscious Incompetence: You don’t know what you don’t know.
- Conscious Incompetence: You realize how much you don’t know.
- Conscious Competence: You can execute techniques if you think hard about what you’re doing.
- Unconscious Competence: You can perform techniques fluidly without conscious thought. This is where you want to be.
People who have never trained in martial arts exhibit unconscious incompetence, but you graduate to the second stage the moment you walk into a dojo. It’s part of what makes the first training session overwhelming. You quickly start to realize how little you know about fighting.
Your Brain Starts Rewiring Itself
Through sessions with different training partners, you begin to pick up various techniques, transitions, and timing cues that sharpen your overall game.
When you start training martial arts regularly, your brain starts creating new pathways in the motor cortex. Over time, techniques that once felt impossible to master become second nature to you.
Balanced Discomfort Drives Progress
In BJJ—and in life—discomfort is often a sign that you’re growing.
Coaches often urge you to step outside your comfort zone because learning is optimized when you push boundaries. This phenomenon is called the “optimal challenge point” in psychology. If a task is too easy, you won’t adapt. If it’s too hard, you’ll shut down. Feeling a bit lost means you’re in the sweet spot for maximum learning. Just like with learning any new skill, always strive to find that balance—because without it, you won’t grow, and you might burn out trying.
Embracing The Blank Slate
Martial arts isn’t restricted to just learning fighting techniques; you also learn why values like humility, respect, and patience are essential. Feeling lost as you start your martial arts journey teaches you to:
- Respect The Process: You learn to trust that slow, steady progress beats overnight miracles. Instructors typically only break down two or three techniques during each class, so you aren’t overwhelmed. Attend four classes a week for a month, and you’ve learned how to perform 48 techniques in just one month!
- Stay Humble: You quickly realize you don’t know as much as you thought, but you find comfort in the knowledge that every black belt was once a white belt.
- Lean On Others: Your classmates and instructors were once where you are now, and they’ll be there to help you along the way. You’ll do the same for other newbies who aren’t as skilled as you are.
These values are the glue that turns beginners into lifelong practitioners. You’ll find yourself becoming a better person as your skills improve.
How To Navigate Your First Few Weeks
Some little things that will make your white belt experience a lot smoother include:
- Ask “Why?”: Ask your instructors about why little details regarding techniques matter, instead of simply imitating them. Understanding how techniques work accelerates your learning.
- Focus On Tiny Goals: Focus on setting and reaching specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals, like mastering two guard passes in the next month, rather than setting vague goals like mastering BJJ.
- Keep A Training Journal: Write down brief notes after each class, highlighting what you learned and the most important details. Read your journal regularly.
- Drill The Fundamentals Often: Always drill fundamental techniques like your basic strikes, since these are often the most effective moves.
- Use Visualization: Visualize yourself performing drills. Studies show mental rehearsal can be just as effective as physical practice, so play out some training scenarios during your downtime.
Everyone Has Been There Before
Don’t downplay the little victories, whether it’s a successful guard pass, submission, or takedown. Each one is a step forward in your growth and a sign of progress on the mats.
Don’t get discouraged if your first guard pass feels clumsy or your initial submission attempts fall flat. Everyone looks awkward at first—it’s a natural part of learning. These early missteps are the foundation of progress. Keep a “wins section” in your training journal and note every victory, no matter how small—your first clean guard recovery, escaping side control, or even holding your own with a higher-ranked partner. These small wins add up and serve as powerful reminders of how far you’ve come.
When Feeling Lost Is Your Superpower
Feeling lost as a beginner isn’t failure—it’s your brain learning, growing, and building the resilience that serves you on and off the mat.
Don’t look at your struggles as a beginner as a sign you’re terrible at it. Feeling lost means your brain is being challenged as you push your abilities to their limits and rewire your brain. It’s proof you’re learning.
Welcome the discomfort and adopt a martial arts mindset. Curiosity, perseverance, and resilience are all you need to excel at any martial art. These qualities will also help you to grow outside the dojo. The confidence that comes with pushing through the initial discomfort you feel as a white bet will come in handy when you run into any obstacles at work or school.
Conclusion
Feeling lost at the start of your martial arts journey isn’t a weakness—it’s a sign you’re exactly where you need to be. Embrace the discomfort, trust the process, and remember: every black belt once felt just as unsure as you do now. Keep showing up, and you’ll be amazed at who you become—on and off the mat.
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