BJJ first thing in the morning

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mweaver123

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Okay, guys...here's my dilemma...

I used to train BJJ at night forever. This meant that I would have the entire day beforehand to drink water and eat before my workout. Now, because of family issues, I need to start training in the morning. I've had one session so far and it completely whooped my ass.

How do you guys handle your pre-workout nutrition when you workout in the morning? Prepare the night before? Chugging a bunch of water 20 minutes before class and eating a breakfast bar did not sit well on my stomach today. In fact, I totally tossed my cookies at the end of class...I'll admit it. :(

I appreciate all advice and thank you in advance! :icon_conf
 
I work nights. I usually sleep until I get up to go to train in the evenings. If I wake up two hours before training I will try to get a meal in. If it's about an hour I will just grab a granola bar or something light. I don't chug a bunch of water or eat anything if I have less than an hour before class. Give it some time your body will adjust.
 
I usually just drink water and eat something real light like a cup of oatmeal or yogurt. I wake up at around 8 am....eat....shit....go to bjj at 10am.
 
You really have to pay attention to your digestion. depending on the amount, water takes about 10-20 minutes to pass through your stomach. If you drink water and eat at the same time, or drink water after you eat and before digestion is finished (2-4 hours) it completely stifles digestion and will leave you with a stomach full of watered down acid and chunks of granola. This means your body cant digest the granola and you don't get any nutrients until it can separate the water and start producing more acid to start the digestive process all over again. Its like dousing water on a fire.

Also, remember that digestion is a major physiological process that requires a good deal of energy, which is why you want to wait at least an hour after eating to do physical activity.

My advice would be to drink water on an empty stomach, wait 20 minutes, then eat all you want. Then wait an hour after eating to do bjj. If this doesn't fit your schedule then just skip the food and go for some orange juice or something to give you energy. Your body can use the sugar much more quickly along with stored energy from your prior meals. Eating a granola bar right before training is not very helpful because it will take your body a long time to digest and be able to use those nutrients. you will just waste energy digesting and not gain anything from it.
 
Awesome...sounds like a good plan. Yeah, I am waking up at 5:30 am to train at 6:30 am, so my window of "digestion time" is not that great. Maybe I'll just stick to the liquids until after I train. Thanks!
 
Wake an hour before the session and make what the pros call the VITAMINA. It's a regular smoothie. Just put some fruits in a blender, if you want add some milk, and enjoy. It's a good way to make yourself full and eat fruit.
 
When I train mornings I make sure to wake up at least 2-2.5 hours before class. I usually have a decent sized bowl of cereal and right before training drink a little gatorade. That's usually all I need to get a good training session.
 
All good advice up there. I'm sure your body will also need time to adjust to exercising at a different time than you're used to. Look on the bright side, with diminished physical capabilities, it's gonna force your technique (under stress) to improve real fast :icon_chee
 
Would you recommend eating a meal right before going to sleep?

I have a similar issue. I'm still training in the evenings, but I want to add morning sessions into my training.

I've done it once, and I was tired as hell, and I was pretty much non functional for the rest of the day.
 
Bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar or maple syrup 2.5 to 2 hours before with a big glass of water. Cup of coffee 45 mins before class. This is my morning bjj routine that work best for me
 
i live in annapolis and work out at 7 in rockville which means i need to get up around 5:45 to beat rush hour and nab a bite. i pack two protein bars and eat them on the way up and drink a glass of water before i get in the car. i also just pour some milk in a blender ball and take it in a small cooler with me so when im done i can mix some protein in it (that i just leave in my car) after i'm done.

i know it's tough doing this man but i freaking love getting my first work out done by 9.

the only downfall is some people may argue that drinking protein shakes works best when eating food.....and i normally don't drink one before i work out just because for me personally, it makes me feel a big sick if i do it right before i have an intense work out.

good luck man!
 
bjornvil said:
Would you recommend eating a meal right before going to sleep?

I have a similar issue. I'm still training in the evenings, but I want to add morning sessions into my training.

I've done it once, and I was tired as hell, and I was pretty much non functional for the rest of the day.
Click to expand...

errr...i am no expert but i've been told that your body does not always metabolize food well when you eat it right before you go to bed.

someone may very well disagree and i may be wrong. it's just what i hear. i eat a lot of oats right before. so instead of having lets say a 9 AM work out and having to wake up by 7 just to prepare a hearty meal and have time to digest....i wake up at like 8 to eat two small oat/protein bars and some water that I know will carry me through a tough work out but not get me sick.

just my experience with having 7 AM classes. but then im all of 5'9 and not nearly as big as some of you other guys.
 
2 hours before class?? ugh.

i guess it would depend on your schedule, but my morning class starts at 6:30, and after evening classes i'm not home until past 9pm so there's no way i'd get up at 4:30..

i'm up at 5:45, drink two glasses of water and then go to class. in the beginning morning classes were terrible, but after a month or two my body's adjusted to it.

i've tried eating breakfast before class as well as going in without eating/drinking anything. to be honest i haven't noticed any difference, but that's just me. what usually affects me the most is the amount of sleep i get
 
I would just skip breakfast and drink water, but make sure to eat a nice, big meal before going to bed.

Of course, my current diet has me eating two meals a day, so I'm used to fasting for extended periods.
 
mweaver123 said:
Okay, guys...here's my dilemma...

I used to train BJJ at night forever. This meant that I would have the entire day beforehand to drink water and eat before my workout. Now, because of family issues, I need to start training in the morning. I've had one session so far and it completely whooped my ass.

How do you guys handle your pre-workout nutrition when you workout in the morning? Prepare the night before? Chugging a bunch of water 20 minutes before class and eating a breakfast bar did not sit well on my stomach today. In fact, I totally tossed my cookies at the end of class...I'll admit it. :(

I appreciate all advice and thank you in advance! :icon_conf
Click to expand...

Dude, where do you train in Dallas?? I am at Machado's.
 
ProdigyOfZen said:
Dude, where do you train in Dallas?? I am at Machado's.
Click to expand...

I'm at JD Shelley's school now (NDBJJ). I used to train at Machado's (fairly recently, in fact), but I live in Frisco now and the drive was just killing me. Plus, I had to switch to training in the morning or at lunch...wifey put the smack down on the night training. :eek:
 
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