Murphy’s Law of Combat for Jiu-Jitsu. Pt 1:

Though written for the battlefield, they provide principles that guide us when plans collapse, when fatigue sets in, when instinct takes over.

1. You are not Superman.

The first truth is humility.

No one escapes physics, fatigue, or time. Even the most skilled practitioner has limits, with your job being to understand your constraints and work within them.

Power doesn’t come from pretending to be invincible; it comes from being honest about your vulnerabilities.

2. If it’s stupid but works, it isn’t stupid.

Something doesn’t need to be clever to be right.

A weird grip can break balance, a clunky transition can maintain control, and a clumsy movement can find the finish.

Every unorthodox path and unconventional solution that leads to success expands the mental map of what is possible.

3. Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you are.

Bravery without control is chaos, and rolling with someone reckless doesn’t make you tougher; it makes you reactive.

Your choice of partners and the intensity of training define your evolution, and to reach your full potential, you must train with people who build you, not break you.

4. No plan survives the first contact.

Every roll is a dialogue with uncertainty, and every strategy is a framework, not a script.

Even a great plan can collapse upon contact, and this is precisely where to let go of rigidity, trust in your understanding, and adapt.

5. If your attack is going really well, it’s an ambush.

Dominance often blinds us, and so, when things seem too easy, we are likely walking into a trap.

Your opponent’s stillness may not be surrender — it may be an invitation, the illusion of advantage.

You must learn to feel the energy and maintain awareness. Never losing respect for the danger that exists in every exchange.

6. The important things are always simple.

Connection. Base. Balance. Leverage.

Complexity is not sophistication — simplicity is. And the great ones do the simple things better than everyone else.

7. The simple things are always hard.

Because simplicity demands precision.

It is easy to hide behind complexity. It is hard to execute a cross-collar choke that works on everyone, every time.