How to Ensure a Long BJJ Career?

Among many elements, one most crucial factor affecting your BJJ career is how early you start training. If an athlete wants a prolonged career in BJJ, she/he must maintain a healthy and active lifestyle and remain cautious of any major injury.

The duration of your BJJ career depends on many factors, including age, training exercises, self-care, and others.

Though most BJJ fighters started training as young adults, there are also many older BJJ masters who still practice this martial art despite being in their late 50s and 60s. This article will discuss some tips on how to ensure a prolonged Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu career. 

If you are 40 years old or above, it is too late to get into BJJ because the majority of BJJ champions started BJJ in their early twenties. A younger athlete has more time, energy and passion to train his/her body to be physically fit and maintain extended mobility for BJJ training. Older BJJ fighters should focus on improving techniques rather than indulging in intense fights.

Many young BJJ athletes want to build up body strength as quickly as possible. However, it is not possible to get a BJJ body within only a few weeks and months. Your body must build up strength, flexibility, and stamina slowly to avoid causing any injury or muscle strain.

So be patient and do your training regularly. Take a tough training program where you work out at least two or three days per week to allow your body adequate time to rest between workouts.

BJJ is a physically engaging martial art. One of the most important factors that are going to determine the duration of your BJJ career is your active participation in BJJ competitions. The more you manage to complete the better it will be for your extended BJJ career.

By the time a BJJ practitioner reaches the age of 40, she/he should transition from actively competing to coaching. It will not only add value to the belt rank of the practitioner but also increase her/his lineage.

A good BJJ athlete knows when to keep going and when to give up. Everybody in BJJ competitions wants to win, but it should not come at the cost of your physical health. If you are pinned by your opponent or strangled in a strong submission hold and cannot escape, you should immediately tap out before you break a bone or pull a muscle. There is no shame in knowing your limits and knowing when to submit.

Getting a full night’s rest allows your body, and will definitely help you to be active and focused on your BJJ training. Sleeping is very much crucial for your body. Your body repairs itself after an intense workout. Your body is only able to fully recover during your sleep if your mind is at ease. Try to go to bed early or do breathing exercises to help you fall asleep.

You need at least seven to eight hours of sleep in 24 hours. The more training you do, the more time your body needs to repair itself. 

Before you work out, make sure to eat a healthy diet with all the essential nutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins. 

If you become seriously injured, immediately provide aid and avoid intense physical exertion. Leaving even small injuries untreated can accumulate into hindrances that could affect your strength, flexibility, and endurance.

If you are concerned that you suffered a severe injury, visit a certified doctor or physiotherapist to get it checked. Take the recovery time and get back to the mat. 

When picking a training partner, choose someone of a similar skill level and who can be trusted. Avoid potential stubborn partners with more experience, who have violent personalities.

BJJ is not all about winning and losing. This martial art is about challenging yourself, showing good sportsmanship whether you win or lose, and being willing to learn from defeat.

Whether training or fighting, keep your cool and avoid being too aggressive. During training, try to avoid burdening your body by pushing your limits beyond what can be considered safe. Do not start with the hardest and most complex techniques and submissions. Instead, start slow and gradually increase the difficulty of your training as you grow in skill and strength.

If you have good flexibility, you will be able to stretch farther and pull off more techniques of varying difficulty. Flexibility will also help reduce the risk of injuries. Make a habit to stretch and exercise consistently to improve your range of mobility.  

Almost every BJJ practitioner dreams to become a top BJJ fighter and world champion. But to stay fit and in the prime athletic physique, they need to start conditioning their bodies at an early age. Following a healthy diet, sleeping for a full night, taking precautionary measures against injuries and proper treatment of injuries, knowing when to stop, and paying attention to your body’s needs. These are the crucial factors that can prolong the duration of your BJJ career.

Photo credit: @wallpapers , @dougchurchill