Many of my posts and articles are ended with the phrase “Train Hard - Train Smart - Fightwize” and it is a statment that I really believe in. It should be obvious to most but let me explain anyway -

 Train Hard

In Combat Sports, there is no substitute for hard work when training to maximize your results in any area. It needs you to Train Hard whether you are looking to increase stamina and endurance, increase cardio fitness, gain muscle, lose fat, increase flexibility and so on.

Train Smart

Not all exercises are equal, some are far more effective than others so put some thought and research into finding the right type of exercise that is required to meet your intended goals. For example, if you are looking to burn fat and your method of exercise is to stand in front of a mirror doing a few Bicep Curls and Tricep Kick Backs - “It aint gonna happen”. However. exercises like Body Squats, Squat Jumps, Push Presses, Wall Balls and exercises that incorporate the large muscles in the body or multiple sets of muscles at the same time will use many calories and help you tu burn that unwanted fat away.

The main point is - Think about the exercises you do, find out what exercises are most effective to help acheive your intended goals safely.

Fightwize

Whatever form of Combat you are involved in, use your brain throughout your training and the actual event. The right training will help in you make intelligent actions, reactions and responses.

 Train Hard - Train Smart - Fightwize

So you want to learn Jiu-Jitsu!

There are many points to keep in mind. Firstly, skill must be attained on the mat. It’s OK to do your research by reading and watching video etc but at the end of the day you have to get on the mat.

To learn Jiu-Jitsu, You need to work with partners under the guidance on an expert Instructor, or Sensei. The word Sensei means teacher, or literally “one who has gone before”. A Sensei was once in your position and has learned the lessons you seek. The Sensei will demonstrate proper technique and be the model for you to learn from and monitor your own performance.

You also need to learn from your fellow students so be sure to train with a wide range of people. The techniques you learn in Jiu-Jitsu will very slightly depending on the person you train with. A slight variation may be required depending on the person’s stance, height, weight, strength and ability. With this information, you will learn to adapt as necessary, whether you are performing Take-Downs, Submissions, General Grappling or even striking techniques.

Practicing with new people will expose you to new ideas and encourage you to expand your skills.

The more time you spend to learn Jiu-Jitsu, the more you will begin to understand and appreciate the importance of good technique. In the early days focus on the technique without relying on strength. If you can gain the Maximum Effect from the Minimum of Effort, the resulting technique will be far more effective.

Train Smart - FightWize!

There are several essential elements of Jiu-jitsu training that require attention if you are to have any success.

Technical skills specific to your style -
Throws / Takedowns, Stand-up skills, Striking techniques, Hold-downs, submissions, joint locks / Restraints and Escorts

…and then there are the general areas that also need constant attention -
Sparring
Grappling
Stress Training
Flow drills
Stretching
Mind exercises (your mind is your most valuable tool)
Functional exercises
General conditioning which includes stength, power, speed, stamina, Cardio etc

Organize your sessions around a specific goal. For example, if you are developing submission skills then base your training around that. You will want to work on these skills towards the beginning of your session when mind and body are still fresh. Athough all areas are related, each area still requires individual attention.

Other important training elements can be worked on too, after you have accomplished your initial goal.

Over the next series of posts, I will not only cover some of these essential elements of Jiu-jitsu training but also go into detail with some specific exercises that we can all do to help with our overall goal. There is so much to Jiu-jitsu training, much more than just physical training. You are training the mind and body so they can work harmoniously together.

Since the purpose of Jiu-jitsu is to subdue an opponent, it is vital that you take a serious attitude at all times. This is for safety and to ensure you receive maximum benefit.

Train Smart - Fightwize!

If time is ever a factor for you, Train Smart and you can get a great workout in a relatively short amount of time by using multi body part workouts. These involve simple exercises with no fancy equipment required.

It makes a great deal of sense that short training sessions, involving exercises such as a combined Lunge, Curl and Press where you are combining many body parts rolled into a single exercise.

This mixed with other exercises such as Burpees, Jump Rope and push ups gives you a session involving Cardio, Strength and Stamina. The way you would design your session would be along the lines of :

5 Minute warm-up.

Lunge, Curl and Press x 20
Burpees x 20
Jump Rope (50 Double Unders)
Push Ups x 20
Rest for 30 seconds

Repeat the Set 4 times.

This type of interval training simulates some of the stresses on the body during competition, conditioning you for your chosen arena.

You can select any number of exercises to suit the requirements of your competition. For example 3 minute rounds in Boxing or 5 minute rounds for MMA. There are simply so many exercises that you can choose from that you can keep a good variety in your short training sessions to help prevent boredom setting in.

With a 5 minute warm-up and intervals like these mentioned above, you will get a great workout in about 25 minutes. You still need to work on technical skills, sparring and other aspects of Jiu-Jitsu for competition, however, through the closed season and on occasion when you are pushed for time, there is no excuse not to have a great workout through short training sessions.

Train Smart, Fightwize!