What is BJJ with ADHD?

Doing sports with ADHD has been pretty well documented.

The basic issue with ADHD, or at least ADHD-i (inattentive) is that we have problems with executive function.

In particular, those of us with ADHD have problems breaking things down into tasks and we often have poor working memory.

So when you go to BJJ class and the instructor goes over a 17 step sequence to take you from half guard all the way to an arm-bar, those of us with BJJ often go… WTF did he just say?

This is totally normal and really common

This is nothing wrong with the instruction. BJJ is overwhelmingly taught this way and BJJ has become incredibly popular and successful. But I feel like those of us with ADHD are under-serviced by this.

Current statistics say that ADHD is present in 8.7% of the population. This is on par with left-handedness. In other words pretty common.

However, my anecdotal observation is that the percentage among those of us who stick with BJJ over time is much higher. (If you say to yourself “I’m constantly forgetting names, I’m constantly diving into new things and then I get tried of them, I love to travel and have new experiences”… shocker, you may have ADHD)

We often have poor working memory and the magic number 7 plus or mins 2 is really more of a stretch goal for us. My working memory at BJJ class is often 3. I can only remember 3 steps. Beyond that I get lost. And I know that even if I remember today what the steps were… tomorrow, or at latest next class, I will completely forget the steps. Or rather, I’ll be sitting underneath someone trying to choke me thinking “wait, didn’t I have the perfect sweep to this oh shit he got me” as I completely fail to remember it in any useful timeframe.

BJJ with ADHD means….

• accepting that you won’t remember individual moves well
• realizing that you’re really good at focusing on the big picture.

If this sounds like you, read on…

It took me nearly 18 years of Jiu Jitsu to realize that my ADHD means I don’t have to feel guilty for spacing out 10 seconds into the move of the day. It’s just the way I’m wired.

It also means that I have a different perspective. I think those of us with ADHD are hard wired to be really good at focusing on the big picture and letting unimportant stuff slide.

In this site I’ll be exploring tips and techniques for being successful doing BJJ with ADHD.

I think there are a lot of us and I hope this can be a dialog about how to do BJJ with ADHD, both as a student as an instructor.

Focus on Broad Strokes & Experience

• focus on goals instead of steps. e.g. “get past their legs and flatten them” instead of “put your hand here, then here, then here.”
• recognize common positions and strategies. e.g. “if I am on bottom, I want to be on top. If I win and maintain a grip fight, sooner or later I will be on top.”
• think through positions. e.g. “ok, I have you in side control. What is my goal? How am I going to do it? What can you do to stop it?” or “I’m in bottom side. what do they want to do to me? how can I stop it?”

• Bjj
• Adhd