Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a complex martial art that requires dedication, consistency, and effective training methods to make progress. If you're looking to maximize your BJJ training and accelerate your growth on the mats, incorporating specific strategies can be immensely beneficial. In this blog post, we'll explore the top 5 ways to optimize your BJJ training, focusing on time management, the aggregation of marginal gains, and planning accordingly.
Many students show up to class, warm up, learn a technique, roll a bit, and go home. Rinse and repeat. Pretty standard across jiu jitsu gyms all over the world. This is a consistent and standard approach to learning any martial art.
You can super charge your progress by taking at least 5-10mins after each class to write down what you learned that day. It can be as simple as the name of the technique and a few details or as advanced as typing out each movement of the technique in great detail.
"Armbar from Closed guard, 20 reps with Isaac, remember to apply to move your hips to create and angle"
Technique: Armbar
| Technique | Position | Reps | Partner | Gi / No-Gi | Notes |
| Armbar | Closed Guard | 20 Right, 20 Left | Isaac C. | Gi | Establish grips on wrist and elbow for isolation, break posture pulling grips and pulling your guard to your chest, foot on hip and lift hips, hip escape using the foot-on-hip and opposite foot lifts then clamps down on back (closest to the head), driving heel down on head creates weight so you can swing your foot-on-hip out and around head, clamp down on head to control posture while you lift your hips, FINISH |
There is not a "right" or "wrong" way to write out your notes. The main thing is to write your notes so they make sense to you! Taking notes provides a space for you to organize what's in your head and put it in front of you. You may find that over time you might elaborate more on your notes/details or you may start to find that notes are no longer needed as you start to gain experience.
Batman and Robin. Mario and Luigi. Chewie and Han Solo. Brady and Gronk. All examples successful dynamic duos in their respective arenas. 😜 Finding a partner is not hard in Jiu Jitsu. Your instructor shows the technique, takes questions, and sends the class out on to the mat to practice on each other. You look over at the sea of people and try to see whose available.
Figuring out who is a "good" partner varies from person to person. Here are my top 3 qualities of a good partner:
I've had my fair share of training partners over the years. I've noticed a staggering difference (good and bad) from white to black belt on how to properly react during technique. Your partner should not be completely limp like a noodle as you perform the movement. Why? That's just not realistic. No one is going to just fall over when your rolling live. In complete contrast, you don't want your partner to resist 1000% so that you can't do the move at all. There is a point int he middle of that scale where you feel the technique while allowing your partner to get their reps in.
You can be a good partner by playing around with the concept in your mind of a resistance scale. 0 to 100%. Zero being a limp noodle and 100% representing last-round-of-a-tournament-fighting-for-gold resistance.
Find yourself a partner that has this balance and better yet, become that person for the rest of your team. It may take some time for you and others to develop this awareness but it will pay off dividends as you'll get quality reps each time.
Coaches coach, students learn. Trying to teach the techniques to your partner right after the coach just showed it, doesn't help either of you. They miss out on the opportunity to develop the mental toughness to step outside their comfort zone and you might be correcting them on nuances of the technique that aren't correct (or in some cases, flat out wrong 🤦🏻♂️)
There is an opportunity for your partner to provide you constructive feedback during your training. Some examples I've heard and seen from a few of my great training partners are:
Providing your partner constructive ("Feels like you need to do X", "Try Y on the next rep", etc.) and positive ("That rep was smooth...", "Great rep!", etc.) maximizes your time during training.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can be one of the most rewarding and physically challenging endeavors many people take on. Accepting the reality that this path has it's ups (ex. perfecting a technique, winning a tournament) and it's downs (ex. getting injured, losing a tournament match), will help realign your expectations over the long term. Embrace and enjoy the moments when you're up. When you find yourself in a plateau or down phase, just know that it will pass as long as you keep showing up and stay consistent. Set attainable goals and adjust your expectations to keep you motivated through that downturn.
As we begin our training, we get hit with A LOT of information. Closed Guard, Half Guard, X-Guard, Mount, Lapel Guard... The list goes on and on. At some point, we each experience a phase where we start to ask, "What if..." or "What's the attack/defense to that?" 🤦🏻♂️ White belts tend to fall into this trap but I've seen upper belts slip back into this phase from time to time.
Focusing explicitly on what the class is currently covering is the best chance you have of getting better at that technique. Both, offensively and defensively. Think about it 🤔 If you learn all the nuances of attacking the armbar technique from closed guard, you know which nuances you need to accomplish when defending.
Most academies will teach their techniques in. cycle so you'll be able to catch that technique when it comes back around again. You could also ask your instructor or coach for a cliff notes version of that class you missed. You can add that to you journal or notes so you can research the technique on your own.
The physical demands of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu help us improve our health and gain self confidence along the way. This also comes with it's fair share of wear and tear on our bodies. Ensure you are intentional about taking time to rest and recover. Prioritizing sleep and nutrition are two of the most impactful adjustments you can make to your routine. Active recovery such as yoga/stretching, foam rolling, and percussion massagers will help your muscles repair faster.
Maximizing your BJJ training is a fine balance between challenging your limits and giving yourself time to recover. By incorporating these top 5 strategies, you can optimize your training sessions, make consistent progress, and enjoy a rewarding journey on the mats. Remember, BJJ is a lifelong pursuit, and consistent effort and dedication will ultimately lead to improvement and success!