Jiu Jitsu / Weight Training Schedule

[Gary Peters]

Hi all,

A little background on myself before I begin. I'm 23 years old, have been weight training for about 2 years and have been training Jiu-Jitsu for 2 months at my academy. If you include in-home training via books and videos then 6 months but I do not. I've tried searching but couldn't find the exact answer I was looking for. Although I can clearly see technique and endurance are imo the most important elements in jiu-jitsu I would still like to gain additional strength, power, etc. I'm wondering if some of the vets can let me know whether my workout plan will succeed in the long run or if I will need to do some modifications to my schedule. Keep in mind my training is in prep for Jiu-Jitsu Tournaments and neither my academy or gym are open on Sunday. (Also I work from 8:30 - 5:00pm M-F)

Monday - Thursday:
Jiu-Jitsu
1 Hour Day Technique/Stretching
1 Hour Day Rolling
2 Hour total training per day

Friday:
Gym: Chest/Triceps/Shoulders/Abs
Flat Bench
Close Grip
Decline Bench
Skull Crushers
Dumbell Fly
Cable Extensions (Tricep)
Over Head Press
Side Lateral Raises
Situps/Crunches
Leg Raises

Saturday:
Back/Biceps/Legs
Pullups
Pulldowns
Standing Curls
Bent Over Rows
Preacher Curls
Seated Rows
Leg Press
Leg Extensions
Leg Curls
Seated Calf Raises

Sunday:
Rest/Go for a run depending on how im feeling.

How does this schedule look? Should I fit more running in for cardio or is rolling 4x a week enough cardio? Any advice would help. I entered my first tournament this past Sunday and finished 1st in my weight class no-gi. This Sunday I have my first Gi tournament. I just want to make sure im on the right track to prepare for future tournaments, I love this sport.

EDIT: Spelling

 

[Waxwingslain]

It looks shit to be honest.

Too much volume, lots of machines, no squats or deadlifts, workout days are back to back.

 

[Mumrik]

Looks to me like your weight training should be destributed all over the week instead of two days back-to-back. Also, from what I've heard you should do a lot of compound exercises, like dips etc..

Don't take my word for it though, there's a whole subforum for strength and power....

 

[Gary Peters]

It looks shit to be honest.

Too much volume, lots of machines, no squats or deadlifts, workout days are back to back.

Thanks for the reply but im looking for advice. I need to know which exercises to replace and on which days. Should I cut jiu-jitsu to 3 days a week and gym 3 days, keep it 4/2, etc.

 

[JFG]

Thanks for the reply but im looking for advice. I need to know which exercises to replace and on which days. Should I cut jiu-jitsu to 3 days a week and gym 3 days, keep it 4/2, etc.

Forget lifts that isolate muscles. Don't use machines either.

Compound lifts are exercises that work a bunch of muscles at the same time. Deadlifts, squats, cleans, clean and jerks, bent over rows etc.

Here is an EXCELLENT weight routine for grappling/mma. It is designed by Justin Garcia, a very talented grappler himself. And he's pretty available through email.

http://www.bjjfighter.com/Conditioning/chimchim.html

Check that out.

 

[Gary Peters]

Forget lifts that isolate muscles. Don't use machines either.

Compound lifts are exercises that work a bunch of muscles at the same time. Deadlifts, squats, cleans, clean and jerks, bent over rows etc.

Here is an EXCELLENT weight routine for grappling/mma. It is designed by Justin Garcia, a very talented grappler himself. And he's pretty available through email.

http://www.bjjfighter.com/Conditioning/chimchim.html

Check that out.

Thank you very much for the tips/link.

I've been reading every possible thread I can find with grappling strength/endurance routines. One thing ive learned is that I absolutely need to do Squats and Deadlifts. I only have 2 days free to goto the gym per week so im trying to put together a nice routine to compliment my grappling. If anyone can post a 2 day routine or if needed 3 day routine I would GREATLY appriciate it. I'm only in the beginning stages of my BJJ so I want to get it right from the start.

Should I eliminate iso exercises all together? (ex: curls, leg extensions, tri extensions)

Can I do a Push day and a Pull day and hit everything I need in 2 days per week? Too much on the body back to back days?

 

[shagy]

at a glance, your wight routine has WAYY TOO MUCH upperbody work and WAYY TOO LITTLE lower body work. never use a machine unless its the cable pulldowns

Hi all,

A little background on myself before I begin. I'm 23 years old, have been weight training for about 2 years and have been training Jiu-Jitsu for 2 months at my academy. If you include in-home training via books and videos then 6 months but I do not. I've tried searching but couldn't find the exact answer I was looking for. Although I can clearly see technique and endurance are imo the most important elements in jiu-jitsu I would still like to gain additional strength, power, etc. I'm wondering if some of the vets can let me know whether my workout plan will succeed in the long run or if I will need to do some modifications to my schedule. Keep in mind my training is in prep for Jiu-Jitsu Tournaments and neither my academy or gym are open on Sunday. (Also I work from 8:30 - 5:00pm M-F)

Monday - Thursday:
Jiu-Jitsu
1 Hour Day Technique/Stretching
1 Hour Day Rolling
2 Hour total training per day

Friday:
Gym: Chest/Triceps/Shoulders/Abs
Flat Bench
Close Grip
Decline Bench
Skull Crushers
Dumbell Fly
Cable Extensions (Tricep)
Over Head Press
Side Lateral Raises
Situps/Crunches
Leg Raises

Saturday:
Back/Biceps/Legs
Pullups
Pulldowns
Standing Curls
Bent Over Rows
Preacher Curls
Seated Rows
Leg Press
Leg Extensions
Leg Curls
Seated Calf Raises

Sunday:
Rest/Go for a run depending on how im feeling.

How does this schedule look? Should I fit more running in for cardio or is rolling 4x a week enough cardio? Any advice would help. I entered my first tournament this past Sunday and finished 1st in my weight class no-gi. This Sunday I have my first Gi tournament. I just want to make sure im on the right track to prepare for future tournaments, I love this sport.

EDIT: Spelling

IMO:
Monday - Thursday:
Jiu-Jitsu
1 Hour Day Technique/Stretching
1 Hour Day Rolling
2 Hour total training per day

Friday or Saturday:

Skull Crushers
Dumbell Fly OR bench press
Over Head Press OR shrugs
Side Lateral Raises OR russian twists (SP?)
Situps/Crunches(get boring) try other core exercises
Leg Raises
Pullups OR Pulldowns
Bent Over Rows OR Seated Rows
Squat OR Deadlift
push press
good morning OR a lower back exercise
add some sort of neck exercise, it doesnt have to be w/ weights, do bridges

run more often if you feel the rolling isn't doing enough cardio


----------------


you just need to listen to your body, and try to do exercises that improve your BJJ game. i listed some decent exercises that cover your whole body (mostly). this isn't a strict guide to follow but a starting point for you to pick and choose from. IMO bodyweight exercises are the best, and i can work most required muscles without weights. if you really like weights try starting your session by doing a bunch of bodyweight exercises to muscle failure (pullups pushups situps etc) and then start your weight routine, of course you can't lift as much as you would fresh, that's the whole point.

i'm hungry and it's hard for me to concentrate ....

 

[Gary Peters]

Wow, thank you very much Shagy. One thing though. You say "Friday OR Saturday" are you saying only lift 1x per week or still lift 2x per week but divide the exercises up between ones you've listed?

Can any other members give me some advice or routines? Also, can someone express the importance of Squats and Deadlifts and whether I should include leg machine exercises in with them? I would just like to get as much advice as possible to see what most people agree on.

Thanks.

 

[jericksen5]

building muscle is good, but for jits you need to work your abs out every day. the most important muscles in bjj is your core muscles.

 

[Gary Peters]

building muscle is good, but for jits you need to work your abs out every day. the most important muscles in bjj is your core muscles.

Hmm usually i will a few times per week, even if it means at home or before bjj class. Wouldn't everyday be overkill?

 

[jericksen5]

Hmm usually i will a few times per week, even if it means at home or before bjj class. Wouldn't everyday be overkill?

no, its not overkill. your abs and your calves are the only muscle groups that it is ok to train everyday. this is due to thier fast recovery time. Work your core everyday, unless its really really sore, then let it rest. as much as possible, everything you do in bjj comes from your core muscles.

 

[JFG]

Another thing to keep in mind... if your goal is to progress in your jiu jitsu... don't sacrafice a jiu jitsu class for lifting weights or some other exercise. In the beginning, rolling as often as you can is key.

 

[Gary Peters]

Another thing to keep in mind... if your goal is to progress in your jiu jitsu... don't sacrafice a jiu jitsu class for lifting weights or some other exercise. In the beginning, rolling as often as you can is key.

Definitely, that's why im going to keep it 4 nights a week. Can either of you helpful guys give me a 2 day workout to follow for my Fridays and Saturdays? Id really appriciate it and would make my life 100x easier.

I'm also going to begin several exercises at home to help strengthen my wrist/thumb and fingers.

Thanks in advance.

 

[krellik]

Easy.

Day 1. Squat, Military press, bent over row, heavy core movement

Day 2. Deadlift, bench press variation (dumbell bench for instance), chins, heavy core movement

...That have your whole body covered, its so far from the workouts in the bodybuilding mags that its not even funny but its a whole other kind of mentality behind this type of training.
If you do it do it heavy with lower reps, proper form and intensity. Avoid fo-fo training, that bullshit could be spent on the mat instead.
And remember this kind of workout is designed to increase raw power, get your conditioning on the mat and if your body can handle it throw in some anaerobic (sprint/intervall) running.

And when in doubt = grapple!

 

[Gary Peters]

Easy.

Day 1. Squat, Military press, bent over row, heavy core movement

Day 2. Deadlift, bench press variation (dumbell bench for instance), chins, heavy core movement

...That have your whole body covered, its so far from the workouts in the bodybuilding mags that its not even funny but its a whole other kind of mentality behind this type of training.
If you do it do it heavy with lower reps, proper form and intensity. Avoid fo-fo training, that bullshit could be spent on the mat instead.
And remember this kind of workout is designed to increase raw power, get your conditioning on the mat and if your body can handle it throw in some anaerobic (sprint/intervall) running.

And when in doubt = grapple!

Thanks a ton, can you give me some good choices to use as heavy core movements? Im heading out now sorry if its something simple to search and find. (maybe a rep/set range too)

 

[krellik]

Good core movements: Abwheel (yes those weels) start from knees, when your superman do them standing from feet and all the way out. Watch the vids in www.rosstraining.com articles for some monster roolouts.

Hanging legraises/kneeraises, knee raises are the less advanced variation, leg raises with the leg straigh all the way up to the bar is on the other end of the spectrum.

Google: Suitcase deadlift, turkish getups

There are toons more, many that would fall in more under conditioning, to begin with it wouldnt be wrong at all to focus on the abwheel.. And yeah dont buy any weel product that makes it easier with any bands or shit, just a weel and some handles.

About reps im not a guru, start a bit less heavy and do slightly more reps, 8-12 ish, then over a period of time work up to heavier poundages and lower reps, just make sure your technique is good before you start to throw on the iron. And dont be to anal with repranges either, if it can be measured it can be increased so to speak and some variation is always good, but eventually try and have a bulk of heavy training...

...And yeah if your serious with your lifting visit the forum strength and power below this, just read the stickies before you start posting (or your head will be on a pike), the stickys are solid and its a solid bunch of posters there.

 

[Q mystic]

When a comp isn't close, do hi tech and lottsa weights if you like. When comp comes close, do more drills and fighting with your fave tech and less weights.

 

[Waxwingslain]

Thanks for the reply but im looking for advice. I need to know which exercises to replace and on which days. Should I cut jiu-jitsu to 3 days a week and gym 3 days, keep it 4/2, etc.

Alright, start by listening to Krellik. Then go and visit Strength and Power. Look in the training logs. Once you have some knowledge you will be able to decide your routine for youself. Then you could even start a training log yourself.

Your schedule will depend on your recovery time which depends on you. You will likely overtrain if you only take one day off a week but I'm not you so I can't say for sure how much recovery time you need. Certainly, doing heavy weights on back to back days is a bad idea - feel free to try it for yourself though.

BTW, you can work out on Sunday if you can find a park with a jungle gym/monkey bars or whatever for pull ups, chins, dips, pistols etc. You can also do grip work or running on your recovery days if you feel like it.

 

[shagy]

Day 1. Squat, Military press, bent over row, heavy core movement

Day 2. Deadlift, bench press variation (dumbell bench for instance), chins, heavy core movement

this is a much better routine than what i listed, i was just trying to give you possibilities so you could pick and choose your own exercises

about friday OR saturday: if you can workout two consecutive days, go for it, some people aren't at that level.

about some easy core exercises: lay on your back, keeping your legs totally straight, raise your feet a couple inches off the ground and hold it as long as you can, when you can't hold it anymore then turn to one side hold them legs off the ground as long as you can, then switch to the other side, once your muscles want to fail, hold another sec then roll onto your stomach and keep your legs off the ground and chest/shoulders off the ground, you can do reps or just hold it (this part is a bit uncomfortable on my package, so i can't hold it too long).

/\/\ these are one of my favorites because i can do it when i wake up, before bed, whenever, i use a 10 lb. medicine ball and incorporate upper body (mainly shoudler and chest) movements while im doing the above core work, this combo really kills me.

 

[mmacheesedhead]

stick with exercises that will help technique. For example, when I do tricep pushdowns, I push down as if I am shrimping. I also am careful about how much I work my legs. I am a bigger guy and my legs have got more flexible since starting bjj so I mostly stick to running for them. since I stopped doing squats, etc, it's easier to get the triangle. that depends on body type though