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Writer's pictureKing Calisthenics

How Fit Should I Be To Start With BJJ?

Although BJJ is an activity that requires a mix of skill, strength, flexibility, and overall fitness to excel, it is also very open to overweight people.


To begin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you don’t have to be physically fit. Don’t let your lack of fitness keep you from practising jiu-jitsu.

 

Without being in great physical condition, you could do well in competitions and develop just as much talent. In truth, being heavier has some benefits in terms of training.


So, to assist you in making your decision, let’s take a look at some of the elements that come into play when starting jiu-jitsu training while you’re not very fit.


In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Does Size And Weight Matter?


In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, size and weight certainly matter, yet there isn’t a finer martial art for dealing with size and weight disparities.


Although size does matter, which is why weight classes are used in competitions, smaller men can still win absolutes.


A bigger, heavier martial artist will have a huge edge in an equivalent skill match-up.


Many grappling advantages come from having more weight since you can produce more power and momentum when practising your techniques.


Is It Necessary For Me To Be Physically Fit Before I Begin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?


It is not necessary to be in good shape to begin jiu-jitsu training. This is a common reason why many put off beginning BJJ training.


Fit people, on the other hand, suffer in the early phases of training. In addition, starting exercising will improve your fitness in any case.


When you’re not in fantastic shape, it’s normal to be hesitant to begin what is effectively fighting since you don’t want to “lose” every practice and be unable to catch pace with your teammates.


What most folks on the outside don’t realise is that no matter how fit, strong, or heavy you are, you are extremely likely to gas out in your fights and lose the majority of them.


While good characteristics can assist, the gameplay is more level than you might think.


If you have an excessive body fat percentage, BJJ can assist you in losing some of it. The majority of lessons are designed in such a way that overweight people can benefit from them.


Also, just because you’re larger than you’d like doesn’t mean you won’t be able to locate a jiu-jitsu training partner of similar size and weight.


Another aspect is that higher-ranking training partners can help to balance out the size discrepancy and promote effective mutually beneficial training.


Anyone thinking about reducing weight before starting jiu-jitsu might consider incorporating it into their fat loss objectives as a mix of cardio and high-intensity interval training.


How To Practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu When You’re Out Of Shape

 

If you’re overweight or have a low fitness level, there are several modifications you may do to make jiu-jitsu training easier and more successful.


If you are overweight, managing your power and focusing on establishing solid frames while remaining calm will make training easier.


Make Changes To Your Game Plan If You’re Going To Roll


When rolling, concentrate on developing skills that do not require severe cardio for the majority of your training, as this will aid in your development as your rolling stamina could be improved.


Building strong frames and practising grip fighting involve little time and effort, but they are extremely beneficial when grappling.


Reduce The Amount Of Force And Pressure You Use


Concentrating on quality movement rather than excessive strength and pressure will help you get the most out of your workouts in general.


Because you won’t require as much energy to move your partner, you’ll be able to concentrate more on the technical aspects of your motions.


Improve Your Transitions From One Position To The Next


Create more fluid transitions and try switching postures as much as feasible. This will assist in obtaining more reps in the transitional area between postures, which everyone might benefit from.


When black belts speak about being able to capture specific things in transition, it’s easy to see how delving into this area can only help you.


Play A New Jiu-Jitsu Game


If you play a game other than your major game, you have a fantastic opportunity to improve your technique sets.


Because the training partners are smaller, field-testing new tactics with them allows you to master new abilities more quickly.


Not only will you be able to incorporate these new methods into your main jiu-jitsu game in the future, but you’ll also be able to create a much more enjoyable level playing field because you’ll be trialling out your second or third moves while they’ll probably be using their main game, effectively neutralising the weight advantage.


Match Their Energy And Speed


You can start running a small-guy jiu-jitsu match as a bigger person when you can concentrate on emulating the speed and enthusiasm of your smaller club mates.


When you’re the smaller training partner, this can pay off because you’ll be able to outrun your larger training companions.


Copying their power and speed will be a fantastic workout for you if you are overweight or unfit.


Conclusion


Starting jiu-jitsu training while you’re overweight or unfit isn’t a big concern because you’ll almost certainly end up being a fitter, healthier person as a result of your participation.


There are numerous accounts on the web of people who began Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu when severely overweight and lost weight while doing so.


Excess body fat should be addressed for health reasons, but don’t allow it to deter you from learning jiu-jitsu because those things will not prevent you from developing essential skills and getting something out of the instruction.

 


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