Questions about BJJ

[aRCHIDAMOS]

well, in a month from now, when those #$%@ exams at university finish, I am starting training in BJJ. There are some things I would like to ask, if you have any good answers, your help would be greatly appreciated:
1) How does BJJ transform your body? Can you actually gain lean muscle by training (yes, I would really like that...)? Or the aerobic part of training consumes all your muscle size?
2) Do you have to weight-train with a specialized program, to support your grappling game?
3) How often can you get injured? Is there something I have to pay special atteintion to (apart from tapping out in time, of course)?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[b0b]

1. Both. I have seen my core strength increase. If nothing else, the warmups will get you in shape. We do laps around the mat, stretching, situps, pushups.
2. Not really. Strength always helps, but it is not necessary. If you want to, do things like deadlift, benchpress, squats, and bodyweight exercises.
3. It depends on circumstance. I hurt my ribs because someone took my back weird. I have hurt my knee just by standing up wrong. You will be really sore and bruise a lot. I take glucosamine to help my joints, and it seems to help a lot.

 

[Resident A-hole]

1- You will definitely gain functional strength from training BJJ, maybe a little muscle size. Mostly you will gain cardio & muscular endurance. If you are already lifting, BJJ will not make any noticeable change in strength or size. I was already pretty myuscular when I started BJJ, & I expected to lose some muscle from all the cardio work. My physique now appears a little longer & leaner, but my weight is exactly the same.

2- No, you do not have to weight train, but it certainly will help you in BJJ or any sport.

3- You can get injured at any time, but it can be avoided. There will be an adjustment period for about 2 months where you will always get sore & come home with minor aches. Just start slow like 2x/ week & make sure you recover between training days. Then gradually increase training as you adjust. Always stretch & warm-up & you should be fine. Also make sure you tap as soon as you are caught, before something could get seriously hurt.

 

[aircal]

1) How does BJJ transform your body? Can you actually gain lean muscle by training (yes, I would really like that...)? Or the aerobic part of training consumes all your muscle size?

I havent gained any noticable weight from JJ but i do not gain weight easily at all. What i have noticed is that my core is alot stronger than beofre - abs, hips shoulders, neck.
It has helped my conditioning a HUGE amount. When i first started i would have a tough time by the time i was rolling the third person at the end of class, now there have been times ive done nothing but rolling for over 2 hrs with barely any breaks and i feel fine.

2) Do you have to weight-train with a specialized program, to support your grappling game

I dont weight lift so i cant help you out.

3) How often can you get injured? Is there something I have to pay special atteintion to (apart from tapping out in time, of course)?

Youll always have little aches and pains but never anything enoguh to keep you from training. Take supplements,(I take glucosamine, fish oil, calcium, multi and a protein powder)
and dont be a toughguy - tapout when you know your caught or else you will beseriously hurt.

Thanks in advance for your help.[/QUOTE]

 

[mmagic]

2. Not really. Strength always helps, but it is not necessary. If you want to, do things like deadlift, benchpress, squats, and bodyweight exercises.

While these exercises probably yield the largest benefits per time spent, you will never be a strong athlete by only performing this limited set of exercises. See the strength forum.

 

[triggertap79]

It certainly wouldn't hurt your grappling game to strength train. As for injuries, it takes a little while for your body to get used to the rigors of grappling. Other than that, injuries can occur as in any other contact sport.

 

[GracieStudent]

1- You will definitely gain functional strength from training BJJ, maybe a little muscle size. Mostly you will gain cardio & muscular endurance. If you are already lifting, BJJ will not make any noticeable change in strength or size. I was already pretty myuscular when I started BJJ, & I expected to lose some muscle from all the cardio work. My physique now appears a little longer & leaner, but my weight is exactly the same.

2- No, you do not have to weight train, but it certainly will help you in BJJ or any sport.

3- You can get injured at any time, but it can be avoided. There will be an adjustment period for about 2 months where you will always get sore & come home with minor aches. Just start slow like 2x/ week & make sure you recover between training days. Then gradually increase training as you adjust. Always stretch & warm-up & you should be fine. Also make sure you tap as soon as you are caught, before something could get seriously hurt.

i second this. some other things:

- you will have minor injuries and i myself always have scrapes, like red burn, pinch or grind marks on me.
- watch out for people who seem unco-ordinated
- take it easy at first although this rule will be hard to follow
- when practicing the techniques, do them slow
- you will get stronger BUT your appetite will DEFINITELY sky-rocket

 

[El Tiburon]

After 5 months here is my take on Gracie JJ.

Transform the body- Hell Yeah. You will become way more flexible and your core strenght will increase.

Weight train- Not necessary. However, more reps and less weight may help.

Injuries- You will get injured. Usually the injuries are minor but here is a list of my injuries in 5 months. Aside from the daily bruising I have had a Dislocated thumb, Lip laceration (4 stiches), broken tooth, and fractured rib.

I am just a whitebelt but here are some things I have observed.
1) Buy a good mouth guard. Not the cheap boil and bite kind but one that covers the top and bottom teeth.

2) Strech before you take to the mat for the early warmups.

3) Tap as soon as you feel your arm extending. Better safe than sorry.

4) Avoid spastic white belts.

5) Take congroitin and glucostamine sulfate for tissue repair and recovery.

 

[Deus_Nova]

1. Tap when you get caught, no need to be a hero.
2. Injuries happen but in my experience if you take Jiu Jitsu seriously and keep coming to class it's alot harder to get hurt than if you come once or twice a week.
3. Relax and have fun. You'll meet alot of cool dudes.

 

[ARIS]

1) Your Back and neck are getting bigger, if you train 1-2 years you will see deferences on your body espesialy upper body. You don't get extra weight easily but the shape becomes more solid and wide.

2) Depends on what do you want??? Do you want to be a regular guy going in the Dojo to train learn some moves exercise a litle... Or you want to be the guy that goes to competitions and want's to win??? If you are the first guy, no need for extra stuff... if you are the second, you need to make a cardio Programme, including some weights.

3) You may never get injured, you may get injured every time...

 

[Ouch That Hurt]

The weight training can be good or hurt you. People tend to get the idea the more weight the better and keep pushing their body until it finally breaks. Which if you are going for a look, you'll probably do this. Lifting weights is by far one of the most ego driven things Ive ever seen. I tend to use plyometrics, resistance band, and body weight training mostly. Here and there some light weights.

When I first started BJJ like 3rd or 4th month I got a knee injury from over use. What I did Im not sure as I never went to the doctors but it took a solid month for it to heel. It was from my body not use to the demand as I did BJJ for about 7 hours that day before it happened. And I just shifted on it in the guard.

 

[Zankou]

You'll get stronger and more wiry, but not likely to add bulk. Basically you will get a sort of moderate endurance type influence on your body.

You will also get bruised and injured. I have learned to tap early whenever I'm caught -- I've never regretted tapping, but I have several times regretted not tapping.

 

[FStep]

1) you will get cut as hell but not bigger basically you should have no fat left after 4 months along with a six pack but you will almost definitely loose some weight and muscle build
2) yes you need to lift to strengthen your joints this will help avoid injury and regardless of what anyone tells you strength helps a lot in bjj
3) first 3 months you'll see a lot of bruising, etc but that will go away. you'll get muscle strains and other minor injuries like that as well until your body gets used to it also takes around 3 months well it did for me at least. as far as serious injuries go yes you have to tap on time and be careful in practice like if you catch some huge guy in a triangle and they decide to stack you you you need to know when to let go, don't do wwf type throws in training, etc just ask your instructor if you're not sure about something with that said i've been training for over a year now and the longest i've been out was like 8 or 9 days so if you're careful/not stupid you can avoid serious injury

 

[Gsoares2***]

1. yes youll get stronger - real strength that can be applied to everything in life.
2. No you dont need to do any strength training, but it wont hurt..
3. You will almost always have injurys.. They happen even when your rolling smart. If your training 5x a week you will have something wrong with you almost every day. The injurys just rotate around your body. You learn how to roll smarter and keep injurys at a min. But they are a part of BJJ..

 

[GracieStudent]

1) you will get cut as hell but not bigger basically you should have no fat left after 4 months along with a six pack but you will almost definitely loose some weight and muscle build
2) yes you need to lift to strengthen your joints this will help avoid injury and regardless of what anyone tells you strength helps a lot in bjj
3) first 3 months you'll see a lot of bruising, etc but that will go away. you'll get muscle strains and other minor injuries like that as well until your body gets used to it also takes around 3 months well it did for me at least. as far as serious injuries go yes you have to tap on time and be careful in practice like if you catch some huge guy in a triangle and they decide to stack you you you need to know when to let go, don't do wwf type throws in training, etc just ask your instructor if you're not sure about something with that said i've been training for over a year now and the longest i've been out was like 8 or 9 days so if you're careful/not stupid you can avoid serious injury

i think u made a good point of staying with some weight lifting for the joints. very good point because weight will give your joints strength at the root so to speak as opposed to just rolling.

 

[wOg]

I think the strength training is most helpful in warding off injury. This might be a big deal when you're starting out because if you're like me, you'll use too much upper body and not enough technique. After my last tournament (I've been training for five months and have competed twice locally), my biceps were on fire because I'm still using entirely too much strength to win/survive fights. My shoulder has been messed up for over a month for the same reason (funny, it hurts to put on a jacket or coat, but it doesn't really effect my jiu jitsu training).

As the saying goes, you'll like the way you look. Bodyfat will likely drop dramatically after several weeks.

Cardio training is my big thing right now. The more energy I have, the easier it is to focus when I'm dead-tired during specific sparring (i.e., King of the Guard, King of the Mount type drills) and regular sparring. If you had to do one or the other, I'd emphasize the cardio.

 

[ATTfighter]

1. it will get you cut but not big

2. yes it helps if you work out your lower back and legs

3. i get hurt at least once a month.. hasnt been anything serious.. tweaked shoulder, bruised knee, ive sprained my knee twice and my hand kinda hurts right now... but nothing you cant shake off.

Its definatly worth it i wouldnt trake BJJ for anything good luck