Good BJJ Training Habits
It's all about longevity
I started BJJ training in 2007 when I was 17-years old. I am now 34. I want to be training and teaching BJJ into my 60’s. I have seen a lot in my years training BJJ. Many different people come and go from our beautiful sport. Some lose their passion and some due to injury.
Here’s a list of things that will help your longevity in BJJ.
Self care
BJJ training is hard. We beat our bodies up a lot. It’s important to do something for yourself to relax from the stress of training. Self care looks different for everyone but some things you might want to try: read a book, take a nap, meditate, journal, take a yoga class, book a massage (use your health benefits if you have them!), spend time outside in nature, practice gratitude, listen to your favorite music, or spending time with loved ones. It’s important to do these on a regular basis.
Knowing when to ease up
When you get injured it’s tough because you can’t train like you used to. The same can be said about getting older and BJJ training. I started BJJ when I was 17 years old and now I am 34. When I was younger I would train BJJ in the evening, then immediately go lift weights or run sprints. Sometimes I would go out and party on the weekends drinking alcohol and could still somehow have a productive training session the next day. Not anymore. Now I focus a lot more on keeping a healthy lifestyle. As I’ve got older I’ve added things to my weekly routine like yoga and I don’t roll hard every single class. Some classes I teach and don’t roll even though I may want to roll. Sometimes my body is telling me to take a break. You can always train tomorrow.
Sleep
Your probably not getting enough sleep. Most people don’t. It’s hard to change routines but you will be thankful for every hour of sleep you can get, especially the hours before 12am. I read that in a book once and it’s very true. I usually sleep from 9:30pm or 10:00pm until 4:30am. If I’m in bed before 9pm I celebrate.
Keeping a reasonable diet
You are your own test subject. I have definitely noticed myself having higher energy levels and better focus when I eat a healthier diet. Everyone falls off here and there but I try to keep 80% of my meals pretty clean. Notice I said “reasonable”. If I overeat and/or eat lots of junk food I don’t feel as good in training. Garbage in, garbage out. I can’t recommend one particular diet because everyone’s body is different. I have experimented with myself using paleo diet, low carb, intermittent fasting. At the end of the day I feel better when I avoid junk food and eat healthy meals every 3-4 hours. Lots of fruit, veggies, healthy carbs (rice, oats, whole grains) and protein.
Drink more water
You sweat a lot in BJJ. I have lost 5-10 pounds of water in a single training session, no joke. Of course that would only be for very hard training sessions. But still, staying hydrated will make you feel and move better on the mat. I drink a big glass of water first thing in the morning when I wake up, and try to drink 3-4 liters of water a day, minimum. If you don’t like regular water try flavored water.
Strength and conditioning
Adding in some resistance training will give you major benefits. You will feel stronger, and you will be able to train more over time. When you’re in the weight room or working your cardio it is like you are strengthening your suit of armor. Working with a personal trainer or at least someone who has some background knowledge in S&C is probably a good idea before you jump into a particular program. Personally I think 2 days a week of S&C is enough especially if you are training BJJ 3-4 times a week. If you only train BJJ 1-2 times a week then I would think about adding more S&C if you have time.
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