The shift from BJJ 'Practitioner' to BJJ 'Athlete'...

In our last article, Owen spoke about how supplementary training has not only become accepted to improve sporting performance in BJJ, it is now a necessity. Don't jump in the car and head to the gym just yet. It's important to understand the metabolic demands of your sport before creating your training program. Below is a basic breakdown of what we think are the dominant fitness parameters in BJJ.

Competitors are categorized in weight-classes and matches go for anywhere between 6 and 10minutes. Because there are weight restrictions, being the strongest in your weight-class is advantageous (Relative Strength). However, this isn't enough. Strength means nothing if you can't maintain your output - Muscular Endurance is essential. The goal is to be as strong in the last minute as you are in the first. There is more to the equation - you also need to make sure you are anaerobically fit. The pace of combat sports is high, so it is important you train above your anaerobic threshold (>80% of your MHR). The traditional approach of going for a 45-minute run to improve your cardio is losing its credibility - fighting is intermittent, chaotic with every movement performed with maximal intensity. Long-distance running does not match this tempo!

Gi and No-Gi are a little bit different. Gi tends to place a bigger emphasis on muscular endurance. If you have ever competed in a Gi tournament you will have probably experienced this first hand, when your forearms feel like they have doubled in size because you have been gripping so hard. Because there are less grips in No-Gi, you can move around a little easier and subsequently the match pace has the potential to be a lot faster. No-Gi requires a greater emphasis on anaerobic-cardiovascular endurance.

Time to dig a little deeper. We also believe that the importance of certain fitness parameters varies according to weight-class. Heavyweights are expected to be strong. With competitors in lighter divisions like Bantamweight, Featherweight and Lightweight, the expectation to be strong is lower. The percentage of 'strong' competitors in these divisions is less than the heavyweight division. By focusing on fitness parameters that your fellow competitors haven't refined puts you at an advantage. But, don't forget about what everyone else is good at! If you are in the lightweight division and you have neglected your cardiovascular endurance because you thought strength was the weight-class weakness, you may be in for a surprise. First, make sure you have adequately developed the fitness parameters competitors in your weight-class are expected to possess, then focus on weight-class weaknesses!