Here are the 20 most common beginner mistakes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) as outlined in the document:
Giving Up Easy Underhooks: Beginners often fail to prevent underhooks by not keeping their elbows tight to their bodies, leading to sweeps, passes, pins, and submissions.
Giving Up Head Control: Allowing the opponent to control your head restricts your body movement, making it easier for them to dominate.
Not Controlling Feet When Passing: To effectively pass the guard, control your opponent’s feet, as they determine the type of guard.
Allowing Grips to Pass the Center Line: When in the guard, keeping grips past the center line makes you vulnerable to sweeps and submissions.
Not Framing in Bad Positions: In bad positions, like the mount, frames are essential for creating space and escaping.
Loose Turtle Position: Turtle position can be useful, but it requires tightness to prevent back takes.
Open/Loose Elbows: Open elbows give opponents easy grips for control and attacks.
Non-Adjusting Base: Failing to adjust your base, such as switching from knees to feet, can lead to sweeps.
Holding Onto Submissions That Aren’t There: Persisting with unsuccessful submissions instead of transitioning can lead to vulnerabilities.
Butt in the Air: Having your butt far from your heels weakens your base, making you susceptible to sweeps.
Not Controlling Posture in Closed Guard: Both top and bottom players need to control posture to prevent sweeps and submissions.
Opening Closed Guard for No Reason: Opening the guard without a purpose allows opponents to pass.
Pulling Guard Without Connection: Proper guard pulling requires establishing grips with both hands and feet.
Reaching Back in Closed Guard: Reaching back risks being caught in a triangle choke.
Sweeping Yourself: Beginners often fall into bad positions, essentially sweeping themselves.
Not Finishing or Fighting Off Sweeps: Completing a sweep involves securing top position and controlling the legs.
Not Fighting the Hands When Your Back is Taken: To prevent chokes, prioritize fighting your opponent's hands.
Grabbing Headlocks: Headlocks can lead to back takes and are generally risky for beginners.
Riding Too High on the Back: Being too high on the back increases the risk of being shaken off.
Lack of Connection: Failing to maintain connection with hands and feet reduces control over the opponent.
These mistakes highlight the importance of maintaining proper posture, control, and awareness to effectively defend and attack in BJJ