Crossfit for BJJ

[Slatersan]

I came across this strength and conditioning routine designed for bjj that has been super helpful for my grappling. This isn't what typical crossfit is so don't get turned off by the name on the video. The strength portion has helped me keep my strength up without tearing my up my joints. The conditioning part has made 5 minute rolls on the mat feel easier since they consist of 12-20 minutes of nonstop work. Hope y'all enjoy.

 

[Rdude92]

Thank you. Ill add this in my training

 

[Kirra]

Yeah, let's add two insanely injury prone activities together. That'll work out fine.


Crossfit is retarded OP, pls don't do it.

 

[Foppa21]

I can't watch the video at work. Can someone please cliff notes the exercises from the video?

 

[kenetics]

No thanks. Most crossfit facilities don't have competent trainers. You will end up hurting yourself.

 

[selfcritical]

Yeah, let's add two insanely injury prone activities together. That'll work out fine.


Crossfit is retarded OP, pls don't do it.

I'm not a fan of crossfit as a general S&C plan, but unless you go insane with the intensity, the injury rates are mostly in line with other weightlifting sports. More dangerous than bodybuilding/powerlifting, less dangerous than Strongman, and all of them are less dangerous than EVERY SINGLE CONTACT SPORT. Of which BJJ is one.

 

[Foppa21]

Yeah, let's add two insanely injury prone activities together. That'll work out fine.


Crossfit is retarded OP, pls don't do it.

I think you're simplifying it too much. Crossfit (I prefer good old circuit training) does have its merits. From what I've seen, where it falls to pieces is the ethos adopted by some Crossfitters that they finish a WOD, in the quickest possible time by any means necessary. This leads to poor form on exercises and injuries.

If a BJJ can ignore the short term noise and keep a eye on the big picture, ie "I'm doing this to make my BJJ better not competing with the rest of the room" I'm sure they will benefit from the S&C work out.

On the injury prevention, a athlete will have to manage their workload and make sure they rest as required

 

[Kirra]

I'm not a fan of crossfit as a general S&C plan, but unless you go insane with the intensity, the injury rates are mostly in line with other weightlifting sports. More dangerous than bodybuilding/powerlifting, less dangerous than Strongman, and all of them are less dangerous than EVERY SINGLE CONTACT SPORT. Of which BJJ is one.

Totally depends on where you train. This is the major problem with crossfit, it ranges from pretty decent to totally retarded because there is absolutely no quality control. Here is one of my favorites from the "totally retarded" end of the spectrum:



But per definition, if you go to a crossfit gym that actually teaches you how to make a decent program and periodize your training, but are no longer doing crossfit, because crossfit is supposed to be random.

I think you're simplifying it too much. Crossfit (I prefer good old circuit training) does have its merits. From what I've seen, where it falls to pieces is the ethos adopted by some Crossfitters that they finish a WOD, in the quickest possible time by any means necessary. This leads to poor form on exercises and injuries.

If a BJJ can ignore the short term noise and keep a eye on the big picture, ie "I'm doing this to make my BJJ better not competing with the rest of the room" I'm sure they will benefit from the S&C work out.

On the injury prevention, a athlete will have to manage their workload and make sure they rest as required

Circuit training has its merits. Crossfit on the other hand does more harm than good.

 

[Dirty Holt]

the guy is recommending a strength lift followed by a muscular endurance circuit. Its good advice to improve your BJJ conditioning. Not much Crossfit about it minus he called it Crossfit and he called the circuit training an AMRAP. He even suggested the circuit be determined by yourself and use BJJ like movements.

 

[Slatersan]

The workout he lays out is three days a week. Only one weight lifting movement (squat, deadlift, press) for 5 sets of 5 reps. After the weightlifting movement you do a AMRAP (circuit) of bodyweight exercises for 12-20 minutes. It’s hardly what is being confused with crossfit and what they do at the gyms. Its low volume and can be done at your own pace so there shouldn’t be any reason this causes injury in any way.

Here’s an example of what i do in the gym that is based off this:

Deadlift 5 sets 5 reps
Then a 20 minute circuit of
Pull ups 5
Push ups 10
Squats 15

 

[Foppa21]

/snip

Circuit training has its merits. Crossfit on the other hand does more harm than good.

I consider Crossfit to be circuit training. Crossfit (rather its participants) don't do themselves many favours though.

If you Crossfit but stay stringent in your form and the exercises and don't care that the guy next to you is twice as fast as you but 4x as likely to throw their spine out, you'll benefit, IMO

 

[selfcritical]

The workout he lays out is three days a week. Only one weight lifting movement (squat, deadlift, press) for 5 sets of 5 reps. After the weightlifting movement you do a AMRAP (circuit) of bodyweight exercises for 12-20 minutes. It’s hardly what is being confused with crossfit and what they do at the gyms. Its low volume and can be done at your own pace so there shouldn’t be any reason this causes injury in any way.

Here’s an example of what i do in the gym that is based off this:

Deadlift 5 sets 5 reps
Then a 20 minute circuit of
Pull ups 5
Push ups 10
Squats 15

Skill warm-up, then strength movement, then a circuit of some sort is pretty typical programming for a lot of CF gyms from what i've seen. Obviously that's not HQ programming, because Glassman has the IQ of a childhood lobotomy patient, but there's so little regulation that a lot of places have moved toward a more easily standardized format just because it's easier to organize classes that way.

 

[Slatersan]

Skill warm-up, then strength movement, then a circuit of some sort is pretty typical programming for a lot of CF gyms from what i've seen. Obviously that's not HQ programming, because Glassman has the IQ of a childhood lobotomy patient, but there's so little regulation that a lot of places have moved toward a more easily standardized format just because it's easier to organize classes that way.

Im not talking about or defending crossfit classes lol. Im just talking about doing a strength movement then bodyweight circuit being helpful to my jiu jitsu game.

 

[maximus__]

It's not crossfit. It is Strength and Conditioning. Hey look it's even in the same order to the workout

Crossfit is the sport of fitness. It is about competing in the gym to win. The highest level guys get to go to a comp and compete to win at gym workouts.

I am glad that you have found a strength and conditioning approach that benefits your BJJ. Keep at it because that will be the minimum effective dose you need to improve and also train long term.
One tip I might add is to add in 10-15 min of mobility work before your strength stuff. Then you can do mobility, strength and conditioning all in one session.
You can even give it a name and sell the idea if you like

 

[Gandhi]

Simple and good bang for the buck I like it.

 

[tekkenfan]

arnt circuits known to be a waste of time when doing conditioning?

 

[Dogstarman]

I used to do CrossFit. I actually quit bjj for three years to do it. I was never as injured or fatigued in my life the 3 years I did that shit. I mean don’t get me wrong. I have breaks, sprains, and other injuries in BJJ but the pain and the time I took off work during those three years is way more than what I have taken off in 9 years of jiu jitsu.

I can’t even imagine doing both. I just imagine my rotator cuff or knees exploding from the intensity.

 

[Slatersan]

Lol i shouldve just named this thread “nice strength and conditioning routine for bjj” because this has just become a crossfit discussion thread. The workout in the video is a simple strength and conditioning workout that is low volume so it works with how hard bjj is on the body. Nothing about the work out is the race against the clock and teammates, bad form olympic lifts that keep being talked about.

 

[Cappy Goodtime]

I liked the ideas from the video. It's easier to talk crap on CrossFit than watch the video though, so a lot of people went that route instead.

 

[Foppa21]

I used to do CrossFit. I actually quit bjj for three years to do it. I was never as injured or fatigued in my life the 3 years I did that shit. I mean don’t get me wrong. I have breaks, sprains, and other injuries in BJJ but the pain and the time I took off work during those three years is way more than what I have taken off in 9 years of jiu jitsu.

I can’t even imagine doing both. I just imagine my rotator cuff or knees exploding from the intensity.

I've never dived in headfirst into Crossfit so help me out a bit. Was the reason for it the out and out intensity or the environment pretty much encouraging bad form as a means to an end for a good score/time?