By Mykola Avenirov, Founder of MedievalExtreme
There’s nothing quite like stepping onto the list for the first time.
Adrenaline pumping, armor rattling, surrounded by your team. You feel like a medieval tank — until something breaks, falls off, or goes wrong, and suddenly you’re just a confused tin can on the ground.
That’s the beginner experience.
But if you’re reading this, you’re already smarter than most.
Let’s look at the top 5 mistakes new fighters make and how to avoid them before they cost you fights… or fingers.
1. Prioritizing Looks Over Function
This one gets a lot of first-timers. You’ve watched the highlight videos, scrolled past the armored heroes on Instagram, and now you want to look cool.
But cool doesn’t keep you safe.
Here’s what really matters:
- Fingered gauntlets? They’re a fast track to injury. Buhurt means heavy hits. Go with mitten-style gauntlets that actually protect your hands.
- Proper padding is essential. Your gambeson needs to fit snugly and comfortably. Loose armor shifts or opens the gaps.
- Don’t skip the groin cup. Trust me. You won’t think it’s important — until it is.
- Use proper helmet strapping — I’ve seen guys with cracked skulls and split chins. Always check your chin strap, as well as a “Simon strap” (the one that links the back of your brigandine to your helmet). This reduces the risk of someone yanking it off during a grapple.
If you’re using borrowed gear, don’t skip this guide:
👉 What to Check Before Using Loaner Gear
And if you’re still building your kit:
👉 How to Start Buhurt on a Budget
2. Trying to Train Like a Knight Every Day 24/7
Some fighters get armor and think it’s time to go full medieval—every session, every drill, every hour in full kit. The excitement is real, but the burnout and injuries are even more real.
Here’s what works:
- Most training should be done without armor. You need cardio, strength, and movement skills that armor can’t teach.
- Reserve full-kit sessions for sparring and movement drills, no more than 1–2 times a month, or every other week. Enough to stay sharp, but not break your body.
And the opposite mistake?
Never wearing armor until the tournament. That’s just setting yourself up for heatstroke and a panic attack.
Balance is key.
3. Breaking Rules (Because You Never Read Them)
Rules exist for a reason — and not knowing them won’t save you.
Some rookie examples:
- Dropped your weapon? You can’t keep fighting barehanded. You cannot punch. You cannot grapple. You must respawn or recover your weapon properly.
- Touched the ground with a third point of contact (knee, hand, butt)? You’re out.
- Think you’ll be a hero by standing back up and rushing back in? You’ll be remembered — just not how you’d like.
Understand your format, respect the rules, and don’t be that guy.
Also — use the right weapons for the right formats. A dueling longsword isn’t going to survive in mass battle for too long. Don’t make your weapon smith cry by using a light dueling blade to block a polearm.
👉 Read: Beginner’s Guide to Buhurt Weapons
4. Forgetting It’s a Team Sport
Strength is great. Skill is better. But buhurt is about synergy.
Beginners often make the mistake of focusing only on their own fight — forgetting the bigger picture.
Here’s the hard truth:
- Don’t rush in alone — that’s how you get surrounded and dropped.
- Trying to pull someone to fall together might seem like a smart move, but 90% of the time it backfires. You fall, they don’t — and now you’re out.
- It’s usually smarter to save your teammate, support them, and keep fighting together. Winning in the long game matters more than last-second desperation dives.
Support. Communicate. Learn.
That’s how you earn respect.
5. Showing Up Unprepared
Tournaments are stressful enough. Showing up with half your kit is an unnecessary handicap.
Common rookie sins:
- No groin cup
- No team tabard
- No under-armor
- One gauntlet
- Tools forgotten
- Asking “does anyone have a spare…” five minutes before gear check
Be better than that.
Here’s a simple solution:
👉 Tournament Preparation Checklist
👉 How to Pack Your Buhurt Armor After a Tournament
And when you borrow gear, return it better than you got it.
No rust or dirt. No broken straps.
Respect the kit, and the community will respect you.
Final Words
Buhurt is hard. It’s chaotic. It will test your body, your patience, and your gear.
But it’s also one of the most rewarding things you can do.
Every mistake is a chance to learn.
And the sooner you learn the basics, the sooner you’ll stop just surviving in the list — and you will start to enjoy it.
— Mykola Avenirov
Founder, MedievalExtreme