After you’ve been training BJJ for quite a while and after you’ve fallen in love with it, it can be extremely difficult when you suddenly can’t train for a long time. This can happen due to health issues, excess responsibilities outside of training, or other unexpected situations.
And that can get the worst out of everyone! You are so used to training that it feels as if you’ll lose your mind without it. So, what can you do to stay sane?

TRAIN SOMETHING ELSE

Depending on the circumstances, perhaps you could still train something else! For example, maybe you’re (still) uninjured, but you’re reading this in the time of late 2020 or early 2021… And the whole pandemic-lockdown thing is still underway in your country. Combat sports are forbidden at the moment and you can feel yourself getting increasingly more neurotic with each passing day.

These nervousness and anxiety are natural – you’re used to training! You’re used to moving around, challenging your body and mind, sweating out all of the stress that surrounds you during the day.
It’s for these reasons that you have to train SOMETHING if you can!
Do some solo drills, go for a run, swim, lift weights, or do calisthenics… Anything you can that will get your body and mind back into the groove.

WATCH YOUTUBE, TAKE NOTES AND DEVELOP BJJ GOALS

You should keep your mind occupied with other things, not just with your inability to train BJJ (as we’ll see below); but you shouldn’t completely stop thinking about it either! You still want to keep yourself tied to and invested in Jiu Jitsu, as much as you possibly can. However, this should be done in a constructive manner, one that will reap benefits when you’re back on the mats.

Therefore, you should watch videos on how to perform a move or two. Do this either via Youtube or instructionals of choice; there are plenty of both, so you’ll find what you’re looking for. However, don’t stop at merely watching stuff. Write it down, so that you’ll be able to come back to it and read when you’re back on the mats as well. That is – make notes about these techniques so that you can remember them better.

Also, make sure that you develop goals for your Jiu Jitsu. Think of the things you want to achieve when you start rolling again; don’t make them too lofty, but keep them achievable.
This way, you’ll have something forward to look for. It will help you to stay interested in BJJ, but it will also keep you away from being obsessive about it.

YOU HAVE SPARE TIME NOW – TAKE ON ANOTHER HOBBY

Yeah, it sucks that you’re far away from the mats at the moment… But let’s look at it from the bright side for a moment: now you have more time at your disposal!
All of this free time that is unexpectedly available to you can be used in other great ways, too. You could pick up a hobby that you always wanted to try out, such as learning languages. Or you could spend more time with your family – they are probably ecstatic to see you more often. Go out and see friends, read, catch up with school or work.

The thing is that you should keep thinking and stay attached to Jiu Jitsu even when away from it; but not too much. If you think about it way too excessively, it could start weighing negatively on you. And if it does, you could lose your love for the Gentle Art.

Be patient. BJJ is here to stay.