How to Overcome Fear of BJJ Rolling & Boxing Sparring

What's up guys,
Today we've got a question from a young fan who has been doing Boxing & Jiu-Jitsu for about a year and he says that sparring makes him panic.
He's anxious about the various potential injuries and asked me if I had any ideas on how he can overcome these feelings because he wants to be a successful martial artist.
He thinks overcoming this fear of injury will help him outside of martial arts with various things and so he sends the message above...
What this young man is going through is normal & natural.
Many people who train in Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, or any other Martial Art have this sinking feeling of anxiety, this pit feeling in their stomach, because of potential injuries.
In this video, I'll discuss my own experience and how I think you can start overcoming it.
Thanks for watching the video.
- Chewy
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Intro/Outtro Music : bknapp.bandcam...
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[@domdadomdom_2733]

“We suffer more in imagination than we do in reality”

[@jamesbyrd5175]

Not really, Boxing is really brutal and bad for your brain. He completely glosses over that part.

[@domdadomdom_2733]

@@jamesbyrd5175 there’s always one guy who knows better……… The point of this is we often build things up in our minds to be worse than they turn out to be, it’s obviously not a blanket statement

[@argonunya8197]

Seneca

[@JP-zl9ge]

Just tossing this out there for someone that needs it. 41 years old. Father, husband, soccer coach, own my own multi million dollar business.. diagnosed anxiety disorder.. I’ve been training bjj for 5 months. I get anxiety and nervous before EVERY open mat. I get pummeled by 20 year olds and 50 year olds alike. I’m terrible at bjj, but I keep coming back. I even try to make excuses of why I can’t train.. but I suck it up and go. The anxiety tends to fade away once I start rolling. I always feel good afterwards. So.. I guess I need to take my own advice of, just show up. Show up with no ego and focus on just learning. I’m getting better at it and so will you.

[@muysantos2859]

I recall training for three months as a hobbyist and as a white belt. I didn't care who I rolled with-whether they were friends I'd known for a long time, partners I'd just met, or practitioners of various belt levels (blue, purple, brown, or black), even if they were younger students or my coach. And let me tell you, I've been smashed by all of them. It didn't matter if they were lawyers, soccer moms, teens, or full-time athletes-I still feel the pit my stomach. But what I've learned is not to fear rolling with anyone. I've learned to prioritize safety and adapt to every situation. Respect is a two way street.

[@Smarrrrrt]

I am 41 years young and been practicing muay thai for several years and bjj for 1,5 years. Although my grappling skills are far inferior compared to striking, I still get nervous before muay thai sparring sessions whereas I feel more comfortable and calm whilst rolling. Frankly speaking, I fear sparring with new inexperienced guys as you never know what sucker punch they might throw out whereas it is more technical and light with experienced guys. Basically, being nervous is natural but nevertheless I prefer to minimize the risks and be more cautious when choosing a sparring partner. Wish everyone to enjoy your sparring & rolling sessions!

[@tigercrush2253]

It's incredibly normal, my friend. When I first started striking, it was me and one other guy who were interested in actually sparring, so the instructor would hang out after class on Tuesdays and let the two of us spar. Every Tuesday, I watched the door just PRAYING that my sparring partner wouldn't show up because then I could avoid sparring without having to wuss out. Yesterday, I just finished being the primary sparring partner for a professional kickboxer's fight camp. Chewie's spot-on. Keep doing the hard thing. Accept that your feelings are real and normal, and go forth.

[@learnkeys357]

As a hobbyist bjj middle aged guy (3 years in) i still get that pit in my stomach about rolling

[@michaelsingJiuJitsu]

I'm 47 and have been training 6 years. I just realized recently that it wasn't happening to me anymore. Not sure when it flipped I just know it did.

[@Ghostface__x_]

I used to get nervous stomach before mma sparring but what helped me realize its just sparring my teammates arent going to there kill me we are all learning together

[@josiahbholahillaire3574]

I haven’t sparred in years when it comes to boxing and every time I used to spar, I used to be afraid (still am), but my partner is there to help me

[@DK-gg7ik]

Awesome advice I am 5 years in Bjj, 51 years young Have a torn left knee meniscus Right knee bruised Broken rib I still love and enjoy jjcu Injured shoulder in the past Try to relax while rolling it will help prevent injuries

[@tamamalosi]

Is your mat nickname "Lucky"?

[@FR-ty5vn]

Great 👍🏼 video - you helped a lot of people with that answer…

[@ShingoSAP]

Great question !!

[@connorperrett9559]

I've never felt this for rolling but I definitely have in striking arts and in Judo. The "low and slow" discomfort of rolling I can deal with just fine but the sudden impacts of a cross to the face or an ippon are less pleasant.

[@sanjuansteve]

It's all about conquering our fears. Most people think it's morbid, but I visualize worst case scenarios so many times that I accept them as a potential outcome, freeing myself from that fear. I imagine dying in an earthquake, being bitten by a shark while peacefully floating in the ocean alone during sunset, breaking a leg in training or a fight, losing an eye, etc, etc, etc. There's great freedom in accepting the fact that we cannot control the future and that any of us could die at any moment. I choose freedom. #FreeLikeThat

[@tamamalosi]

How to overcome it? Keep doing it.

[@Nearthy]

This really helped me!

[@Peterski]

can't say the same, unfortunately ;-)

[@jamestk656]

The only thing I'm really scared of on a jiu jitsu mat is contracting a staph infection lol However, as someone older with chronic injuries, I wish not every class required you to spar so I can gladly take multiple back to back classes just to learn more setups or drill reaction techniques. Sparring too much just provides me with diminishing returns especially with injuries that end up keeping me away from classes entirely.

[@Yaxye.]

Hmm. I never considered anticipation anxiety for sparring because I understand I'm in a safe space , usually, free from malicious intents. I understand it in a street fight and competition tho but even then, you only need a moment of courage and you'll be fine.

[@mitchellourada5397]

Damn when you told me to look you up I didn’t expect 400k! Good talking to you on the shuttle

[@TheYouTubeMechanic]

I look forward to rolling but I get nervous watching the striking on the other side of the gym.

[@Rifforecordz]

I just started BJJ always look forward to rolling. Been striking for 20 years always feel a tickle of uncomfortableness before sparring

[@YoniGraber]

The end of the video is the point. You just deal with it, it's always there.

[@Peterski]

Yeah, I'm having a similar problem. I've been training for some 4.5 months, haven't dared to spar yet, even though I'm not normally a timid person. Just a total mental block, mind going blank and basically I don't know anything, struggle to remember even a stupid armbar setup. Zero confidence and generally feeling embarassed... And yeah, injury fear is a big factor too, at 45+, so recovery takes time, even from minor injuries I got previously in training... I'm playing BJJ casually, absolutely no interest in competition and such, but it always feels like everybody else around is approaching sparring like it's a fight for survival... So... Still unable to overcome this fear even though I'm very much aware it's preventing me from making any meaningful progress...

[@briansunderman9170]

Just roll light and tell your training partner to flow roll slower.

[@paulg3397]

I’m a brown belt and I still get nervous for training sessions and not sure why. I’ve been injured plenty of times. I think it’s just knowing it’s going to be hard and I have a little bit of a standard I have to uphold. That’s probably more of my ego but I think just knowing I’m gonna have to do something hard and try hard lol

[@jb66young]

I love both of them❤❤❤

[@yo2stix]

I just keep thinking…have fun.

[@bujindork]

I have panic disorder so If I get to overheated I start hyperventilating so I can only go so hard before I have to dial it back and that gets me submitted alot. I used to get really nervous becasue of this buy it's gotten better.

[@jamesbyrd5175]

I don't know a lot of that is tropes. Many succesfull people never played sports, some did. I don' think that will save or break you. I also don't know about that boxing advice lol, thats a whole nother level from casual Bjj. You won't just be okay. The goal in boxing is to hurt other people. The human brain isn't designed to get shaken around, we are not big horn sheep or musk oxen. If you train boxing for 24 years like you grappled. your brain could be mush by the end of it and have fun being disabled. And a lot of people never get comfortable with getting hit. The pro boxer Golota hated getting hit and he was fighting guys like Tyson and Bowe.

[@determinedlyunmotivated4300]

Maybe for the first month

[@shaun374]

I’m somewhat deep into my brown belt. In my 40s. I’m still nervous 50% of the time before sparring. Mostly I’m afraid I’m going to look like an absolute idiot and/or get injured.

[@durtydeedsREI]

"Say bro again" - Samuel L. Jackson (Probably)

[@kailuamazon_3523]

Chewy are you still in a partnership with Charlotte’s Web CBD? I tried using your code the other day and it didn’t work.

[@blondequijote]

I need to know this too. Couple channels I follow have different codes to different places and I know I'll use them all eventually.

[@OrionPreparedness]

I’m 52 and I getted banged up almost every time I roll. I’ve gotten used to it.

[@naturalianoss]

if this is happening maybe you should do something else or dig enough within yourself to find answers and be able to change.

[@damanOts]

The title of this video is the equivalent of saying “how to overcome fear of going to birthday parties and knife fights”

[@twinsunsurvivor8564]

oooh chewwyyy !! You start to gewt those white hair and me too , time flly ,

[@sunnymoon8161]

Hiw do I spar with someone who is injured? (Kimura trauma)

[@chinothedreamgiver1629]

Rust out or wear out

[@vaughane.560]

“You can only be brave when you are afraid.” - Ned Stark, Game of Thrones

[@Mdi456]

Wow so deep...

[@blondequijote]

The whole house Stark could have fared much better if they overcame their fear of entering conflict before the wheel game of thrones kicked off. They let the other guys land the first hits and then some.