Last week after teaching a no-gi class, I overheard a white belt asking a blue belt why he always skipped gi sessions.
After some back and forth, the white belt said something that made me laugh out loud:
“Why don’t you just microdose the gi?”
You see, this particular blue belt is known for expanding his mind with certain substances—and the white belt was simply speaking his language to persuade him to show up to gi class.
While his comment was clearly a joke, it was actually brilliant advice—both for jiu-jitsu and for life.
Because when you think about it, “microdosing” the things you avoid is exactly how you build tolerance, confidence, and momentum over time.
What Is Graded Exposure?
In psychology, this concept is known as graded exposure—a core technique in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) used to treat anxiety and phobias.
The idea is simple: by exposing yourself to something you fear or avoid in small, manageable doses, you gradually reduce the nervous system’s stress response. Over time, the situation or behavior becomes less threatening, and you gain confidence and control.
The same principle is used in physical therapy.
Let’s say you hurt your lower back deadlifting and now avoid any hinging movement for fear of re-injury. A good therapist will reintroduce hinging in small doses—first with bodyweight, then with light load—teaching your nervous system that the position is safe again.
Eventually, you’re deadlifting pain-free.
You didn’t force it. You microdosed the hinge until your body adapted.
What Do You Need to Microdose?
That one offhand comment from the white belt stuck with me. It made me ask myself: what am I avoiding that I actually need more of?
A few things came to mind—foam rolling before bed, doing yoga—but it also sparked a bigger list that might help you too.
If you want to make long-term progress, start small. Here are a few habits worth microdosing:
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Mobility work — 5 minutes, 3x per week.
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Breath work — 10 deep, controlled breaths before bed.
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Conditioning — 1 short run or 5 hill sprints per week.
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Cooldowns — 5 minutes of stretching and breathing after class.
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Meditation — 5 minutes of focus on your breath, 3x per week.
By adding them in small doses, you remove the mental resistance of a big time commitment.
Five minutes of yoga is easy. An hour feels impossible.
The smaller the task, the more likely you are to repeat it—and repetition builds momentum, confidence, and eventually, a habit.
Microdosing BJJ
You can apply this concept directly on the mat too.
Hate takedowns? Stay on your feet for the first two minutes of each round.
Avoid leg locks? Start rounds in leg entanglements and tap early.
Avoid rolling with bigger or higher-ranked teammates? Do one round per week with them until it feels normal.
The point isn’t to go all-in—it’s to dose yourself with small amounts of what you resist most.
Eventually, those uncomfortable positions won’t just feel tolerable—they’ll become part of your game.
And who knows… you might even learn to like them.
Final Thoughts
This simple concept applies far beyond the mat.
When I started “microdosing” important projects I’d been avoiding—just working on them for 10 minutes a day—I started making real progress. Small efforts compounded into consistent action.
Five days of microdosing turned into a week of momentum. A month turned into measurable change.
So ask yourself:
What are you avoiding that you know you need?
What could you start microdosing today?
Because the truth is, you don’t need to overhaul your life to make progress—you just need to start with a small dose.
WHENEVER YOU’RE READY, THERE ARE 4 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU:
1. Start improving your durability with this loaded mobility program, BJJ Kettlebell Resilience.
2. Fortify your body for BJJ with this free course on BJJ Resilience.
3. Join the free weekly newsletter here.
4. Apply for online coaching here.
