By taroStrength and Conditioning For BJJ – Five Points to Ponder
The concept of strength and conditioning is misunderstood by the majority of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu practitioners. This misunderstanding is resulting in injuries, wasted effort and jaded athletes. Below are a few points to help define the role of strength and conditioning in your quest to improve as a BJJ warrior.
POINT ONE
Strength and conditioning for Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is not bodybuilding, powerlifting, olympic lifting, gymnastics or crossfit! These are all sports that are only concerned with their distinct physical activities. Their intentions are definitely not to improve BJJ performance! A strength and conditioning program for Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is specifically designed to condition BJJ muscles and BJJ energy systems.
POINT TWO
A strength and conditioning program is not just lifting weights. A program may address several fitness components including strength, power, general endurance, muscular endurance, muscular balance and mobility. Tools used by a strength and conditioning coach include barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, bodyweight, rubber bands, gymnastic rings, resistance training machines and more. Exercise choice is based on effectiveness and is not limited to any particular discipline. Exercises associated with gymnastics, olympic lifting, calisthenics or even yoga can be part of a strength and condtitioning program provided they are relevant to the sport and athlete.
POINT THREE
Strength and conditioning is not about skill development. The primary concern of strength and conditioning is the development of the body’s energy systems (muscles and metabolism). Some exercises may resemble actual BJJ techniques but the intent is to strengthen the muscular system. Skill work is ALWAYS best addressed in actual practice under the supervision of a qualified BJJ coach! Unless a strength and conditioning coach really knows jiu-jitsu, mimicking movements in the gym may ingrain bad habits or simply be a waste of time.
POINT FOUR
BJJ training is a complete workout which improves strength and cardiovascular fitness. Serious practitioners do not need the additional burden of an extensive strength and conditioning program. Most will benefit from a program that is limited to a short list of specific needs. For example, poor grip endurance, bridging power or hip mobility may be hindering an athlete’s success. To address these needs a strength and conditioning program would only require an hour of extra work per week. Bear crawls, burpees, Tabatas and agility ladders won’t be necessary!
POINT FIVE
The intent of strength and conditioning is not to turn BJJ athletes into untechnical goons. Efficiency should always be the ultimate goal of jiu-jitsu athletes. However, having a high reserve of energy is a definite asset in practice or competition. Furthermore, consider the unpredictable realm of self- defence. Outside the dojo, battles are not controlled by weight classes and time may be limited to milliseconds. You may need a big burst of energy to compensate for imperfect conditions and imperfect technique. Going into battle, all warriors need to be as prepared as possible. Arm yourself with an astute strength and conditioning program!