Blog Post #3: Why Quarantine Isn’t The End of The World for Someone Who Trains BJJ
These are crazy times when businesses and gyms are closing.
If you’re lucky, you get to work from home; if you are unlucky, then you might find that you are out of a job for the time being. It is easy to be pessimistic, and if you’re not careful, you can blame the world and fall into the trap of binge-watching your favorite show or losing hours each day to video games.
While we appreciate that tuning out every once in a while is a great way to relax, these passive activities make good slaves, but they are poor masters. It is imperative that we continue to keep our bodies active in these chaotic times.
What can BJJ athletes do to supplement their training at a time like this?
While BJJ is a highly tactical and strategic sport that relies heavily on technical execution, we must look at the mechanics and physicality of the sport.
Sure, it is wonderful to have access to a full strength and conditioning facility with weights, chains, bands, turf, conditioning equipment, mats etc. and if you do have mats at home, even better. However, if you don’t have access this kind of facility and you are considering continuing your training at home, you can benefit from what we are about to discuss.
The sport of BJJ is, at its core, a sport that involves large amounts of constant tension with snapshots of explosive repositioning and weight shifting. In order to simulate or train ourselves with these methods, we need look no further than heavy use of tempo and isometrics.
To elaborate:
Tempo – The speed at which you do an exercise. How slowly does the muscle contract, lengthen, hold at tension, or stretch at maximal distance? Let’s use the example of eccentric bicep curls. You can either go very slowly on the way down (focusing on eccentric tension), hold with your elbow at 90 degrees (isometric), or curl up slowly (focusing on concentric tension).
Isometrics – Holding positions while the muscle is either fully contracted or partially contracted. Think of a split squat hold, a plank, or a hip lift that is held at the top. All of these are examples of isometrics.
For the BJJ athlete … or anyone training at home, we must start to look at everyday tools as more than what they are. For example, chairs, steps, and step-stools can be used for step-ups, goblet squats, or elevation for one’s training. A broom or mop handle can take the place of a dowel for overhead squatting, shoulder mobility work, or cuing during exercises. Bands and carpet sliders can be more beneficial than you ever imagined, but even if you don’t have those, body weight can be the most challenging to control and learn to move.
Between the limitless possibilities and positions you can come up with for training and the content we will be posting in the coming weeks, there is no reason not to get after it and continue with your training in these difficult times.
Best wishes and health from the team at Franz Fitness.