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.
It’s been a while since we have given you guys an outstanding blog post and for that we are sorry but we must tell you about the amazing changes that have been happening with Balanced Bodies over the past 2 months.
We (Thomas & Shelby) recently found, leased, and are opening a new location for Balanced Bodies! Located in the center of Tulsa on 46th Pl. and Memorial, you will now have Yoga, Massage, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under one roof! We are excited to share our new space with you guys!
Thanks to popular demand, you can now purchase gift cards online! Click the link below and buy full hour and half hour massages for everyone in your family. With a choice between Swedish massage and Deep Tissue massage, you'll find a great match for all the people on your gift list.
Buy a gift card now!Continued from Part 1
Like a Rubik’s cube that can break your arm if you twist it wrong. For every submission, there are several escapes. For every escape, there are countless counters. People compare BJJ to chess, but everything gets compared to chess. Really, this comparison is pretty apt though. You try to look into the future, learning to try predict the movements of your opponent so you can counter, throwing out a sacrifice and making them think you are over extended, but really you drew them into a trap. It’s a fantastic game, and since you learn new techniques regularly, it is vastly different every time even with the same training partner.
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’m so glad to be a member of the Balanced Bodies team, and I just wanted to start off with a bit of an introduction. Who am I and what do I do!? My name is Katy (sometimes Farmer Katy, usually Yoga Katy), I teach Yoga, I am training in Massage, and I am learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I am loving all of these directions, but Yoga came first for me. I remember when I first tried yoga with my mom in the nineties. Picture the big curly hair, the floral prints (clothes and couches), huge plastic glasses (wait those are back in?) and that soft glow that seems to be inseparable from that time. Just for fun I wanted to share the trailer I found for that old video.
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.
First rule for a boy scout, Great tip for a massage client.
I tell my clients all the time “This massage can only be as good as you allow it to be.” Typically I am referring to having open communication with them but I have noticed there are several things that can make or break a massage.
There are several reasons to learn jiu jitsu. While almost any reason is a good one, here are Thomas’ top 3 reasons:
Because Dr. OZ said to, duh. But seriously though. I recently read an article written for Dr. OZ’s blog that raved about the benefits of coconut oil. The article has a lot to say about the health benefits of ingesting coconut oil, from lowering cholesterol to freeing the body of yeast and even weight loss. It barely skims the surface of how amazing it to use on your hair, skin, nails, and even for sexual health too! Yeah, we are going there.
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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
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