Wojcik's Law

Don’t spend more time studying than actually training.

You've heard about overtraining, right? That's definitely a thing in jiu-jitsu. But what about overstudying?

ADCC standout Chris Wojcik says that yes, overstudying is possible... and it's not a great use of your time. Here's what he told me:

“You should never be spending more time studying jiu-jitsu than training jiu-jitsu. It should always be: training first, and study supports training, but it does not take over training.”
—Chris Wojcik

Wojcik's rule is important because it addresses one of the most common mental game problems in jiu-jitsu: overthinking. Excessive study can be a symptom of that.

The median jiu-jitsu practitioner is a neurodivergent 40-year-old hobbyist introvert with love of the sport and a mild case of impostor syndrome. Don't even bother lying about it; you know I'm talking directly to you.

In the real world, we can often think our way into success and out of problems. But in a sport like jiu-jitsu, the rules are different, and we need to be honest about that. Overthinking leads to analysis paralysis and wasted time. Chris says:

“Because we're very nerd-friendly in jiu-jitsu, we romanticize the problem-solving aspect, and forget the sheer physical challenge of the sport.”
—Chris Wojcik

Studying also has diminishing returns: as you invest more and more time into the process, the benefits start to taper off. That's partly due to the limits of human cognition. Studying for one hour might be valuable... but the longer you study in a single session, the less value you get.

Besides, the study value of most jiu-jitsu content is overrated. As Chris said:

“I can't tell you how many thousands of jiu-jitsu videos I've watched over the years, and how few have actually stuck in my mind longer than an afternoon training session.”
—Chris Wojcik

We also need to address another, often-ignored, problem caused by overstudying: burnout and impostor syndrome. When you constantly expose yourself to jiu-jitsu instructionals, you're seeing athletes at their best: in curated videos designed to present them in the smartest and most capable light possible.

Too much of this exposure makes it easy to feel overwhelmed and underskilled, because you're constantly seeing impressive performances that you can't yet duplicate. This can make you feel inferior and unworthy by comparison, and that can kill your self-esteem and motivation... especially if your studying isn't yielding visible results.

But awareness of the problem might help. Chris says:

“Things like burnout, things like not feeling like we’re learning fast enough… these are universal experiences in the sport. Sometimes, just telling people that can be valuable enough to help people get themselves out of that rut.”
—Chris Wojcik

So follow “Wojcik's law”: don’t spend more time studying than actually training. In a physical activity like jiu-jitsu, time on the mat will almost always prove more valuable than time on your phone.

On the podcast:

• The Grappler's Audio Diary, feat. Chris Wojcik (requires BJJMM Premium)
• Ep. 365, Analog Versus Digital, feat. Chris Wojcik

Further study:

• Analysis Paralysis
• Diminishing Returns
• Impostor Syndrome