We know, you're an experienced grappler and you like to roll a lot. You think warm ups are stupid because instead of running around the mat you would rather be drilling live or rolling, right?
Wrong. Muscle activation is a real thing, that helps in many ways to strengthen and correct muscular imbalances. But wait, you want to roll forever right? Longevity is as much of an art as the pajama scramble, and it only comes to those who take the extra time to ensure it.
Back injuries are the most common problem in our sport, caused by poor posture during the day, and the absence of the proper muscles doing their share of the work. Our posture in jiu jitsu can compound this problem, especially if your dominantly a guard player or love the berimbolo or rubber guard or just get stacked a lot.
Jiu jitsu creates a vehicle for success through personal ownership and a growth mindset. To achieve skill in jiu jitsu, one must stop making the same mistakes and instead grow to create new answers for problems that had once been impossible. This concept of self-reflection, followed by redirection and the will to do better, will carry over easily from inside to outside the dojo.
1. Get your damn phone out of your face.
2. Don't sit with your back to the room.
3. If a situation feels potentially dangerous, leave.
Lunch should be simple and effective, just like a well-executed grappling technique. I use a few key ingredients that have a lot of variety and versatility. I don’t want to get bored, but I still need to receive the same cornerstone nutrients no matter the organization of the meal.
My favorite meal to make for lunch is a salad. Now I know what you’re thinking; salads are for chicks and vegans, right? Well that’s true, but as performance athletes we need them too. The salads I make are are tasty, versatile, and full of all the nutrients I need.
The ability to defend oneself is everyone’s right. The problem is that not all of us are born with the same abilities or strengths. Luckily for us, information is the great equalizer. jiu jitsu is an excellent tool to utilize for self-defense because it’s as much science as it is an art.
There are thousands of self-defense styles, and I’m sure many of them are effective and useful in their own right. However, jiu jitsu answers the questions of “What if I’m smaller than my attacker?” or “What if I get knocked to the ground?" and "what do I do if the attacker gets on top of me?” These are the worst case scenarios that have been tested through jiu jitsu and have the track record to honor its merit.
I’m writing this to give insight to what my diet is like and how it improves my Jiu JItsu experience and why it’s necessary. I have been a performance athlete since I can remember, and I wish I’d known then what I know now. When I began my Jiu Jitsu journey my diet wasn’t terrible compared to the average household, but it was nowhere near what I needed and didn’t change until I was a few years into college.
At this time I was training Jiu Jitsu every day, and like most, completely addicted. My teammates were a mix of hobbyist and pro- fighters, with a handful of guys like me. It was a breeding ground for competition, and everybody was interested in what the others were eating and what supplements they were taking. This was my first experience in which nutrition sounded like it mattered. Coincidently I was writing a paper for school about the food industry; the information I was exposed to influenced and inspired me to look at my own diet and see where I could make improvements. The diet I have now, 10 years later, has worked well to supply me with the necessary fuel to improve and then maintain my performance level. Not only that, but helps secure my place on the mat for years to come.
Let’s be honest, jiu jitsu is challenging, sometimes frustrating, but that’s probably why you’re attracted to it. The guard pass is the most dynamic movement we practice, with the greatest number of variables of reactions and outcomes. It sucks when you've been working for a guard pass over and over until you finally clear the legs, then try to secure side control only to have your opponent shrimp out and pop a knee in between the two of you. Damn, back to square one.
How can you stop it? Here’s a few things I do that I’ve learned over the years:
I know I’m not the most flexible guy in the gym, but I used to be much worse. I usually shied from rubber guard, and when I didn’t I’d have to compensate space for lack of flexibility. I would always cringe at the idea of being stacked, and when it happened, I was at a loss for whatever submission I had been attempting. Not only was it limiting my jiu jitsu performance but it was also injuring me. Then I met a yoga instructor (who is now my wife). I had no idea how important the mobility aspect was or how much more enjoyable doing yoga would make BJJ for me.
The best thing I took away from it was when I hurt my lower back. My hips, like those of many other jiu jitsu practitioners, are overworked. Because of this my back went out and I bulged a disc. To fix it, I followed a series of stretches for the hips and my back healed right up. I still use those stretches to maintain hip flexibility and increase mobility. If it wasn’t for those stretches, I doubt I would have been able to continue with BJJ. I highly recommend a good yoga program. The type I take is called Hatha yoga and its focus is restorative. Because I already do jiu jitsu, which is very fast and athletic, I don’t want a yoga style that mirrors this. Yoga being so different from a combat art it gives me a very satisfying sense of balance.
There are several reasons to learn jiu jitsu. While almost any reason is a good one, here are Thomas’ top 3 reasons:
Check out this short video and see how our new conditioning class can help you restore mobility in your shoulders after tough practices.
BBOK-Instagram
We now have yoga EVERY Friday at 11 at our South studio inside Maynard Family Chiropractic Clinic! This is a functional yoga class to encourage us to find a way to bring yoga into everyday living. From easy stretches to simple strengthening exercises, no
We're here!!!
Last class with these babies at our memorial building! Cant wait for kids class in the new building! Cherry St. Here we come! #kidsbjj #balancedbodieskids #byebyebye #movingonup #movingtocherrystreet #balancedbodies #balancedbodiesbjj @balancedbodiesbjj
EVERYONE loves to be Judy chopped. Everyone. #judychop #massageskills #chairmassage #massageatwork #patientappreciationday #weappreciateyou #willfamilychiropractic #balancedbodiestulsa #balancedbodiesmassage
Thank you guys and girls for making our last yoga classes here so fun and amazing. You guys stuck with us in a car lot and you will be the OGs in our fancy shmancy new building! Thank you for everything! Tonight... last Jiu Jitsu Class! ??? #lastclass #bi
Annnnd we're out. Thanks dudes who could make it! Sorry if you missed, we will see you on Cherry Street, next week. Pushing for Wednesday, we will give you a definite answer next week! Hugs, love, and chokes!! #byeyall #movingonup #movingtocherrystreet #l
Tonight at 630 ladies and gents ??#Repost @balancedbodiesbjj with @repostapp・・・Tuesday! Yoga at 5:30pm, then Jiu jitsu at 6:30 followed by Another Yoga at 8:00. #balancedbodies #jiujitsu #grappling #martialarts #mma #tulsamsrtialarts #tulsabjj #jiujitsutu
Yoga outside is my favorite kind of yoga. However, I am so excited to see your faces for yoga inside this week! You have 7 chances to see me. Tuesday & Thursday at 10 am, 530 pm, & 8 pm, Friday at South at 11! If you guys are good, I'll take you outside T
#Repost @drcalahan with @repostapp・・・The experts of @balancedbodiesok will be kicking off their first regularly scheduled yoga class @maynard_family_chiropractic tomorrow, Friday Oct. 21 at 11am. They are offering this class FREE of charge for tomorrow on
Thank you for your inspiration on and off the mat @renatotavares1
I am so glad @balancedbodiesbjj was able to attend your seminar at @tjtomlin academy! See you in December sir! #America #blackbelts #bjj #jiujitsu #bjjseminar #renatotavaresbjj #balancedbod
By subscribing to our mailing list you will always be updated with the latest news from us. We never spam.