So now I have been practicing Jiu-jitsu every day for over two weeks. What have I learned?
I now know that my approach to Jiu-jitsu should be the same as when I played other sports in the past. Whether it was basketball, cross country, tennis, football or other martial arts, constant and consistent practice made me a better and dare I say more dominant player (depending on the sport). I wouldn’t have dreamed of becoming better at any of these sports if I only practiced twice a week.
Yet, that was my approach to Jiu-jitsu. However, these past two weeks I have realized how much doing drills on my own could advance my game. I have witnessed a minor increase in flexibility; added more offensive and defensive techniques and have begun to understand the finer aspects of techniques such as the butterfly guard, triangle, mount escapes and rear naked chokes.
Each day, along with stretches and Jiu-jitsu related calisthenics, I have performed at least 10 reps of certain techniques for a total of 30 reps. I know that I would have never received this much practice on specific techniques just by going to class.
I am trying to imagine the implications of training every day for at least a year. I admire those guys (in class and on videos) that are able to teach techniques. I also want to be a terror on the mat when I go to a competition. I believe this project will place me on that path…
Filed under: Butterfly Guard, Flexibility, Grappling, Jiu-Jitsu, Training Log, mount escapes
You may have already posted this somewhere and I missed it, but I was wondering, what is your usual solo routine at the moment?
Not that I plan to do the train every day thing, but I have been thinking I’d like to do something: the mobility ball idea (basically getting a ball and trying to keep your weight on it while rolling it around the room) appealed to me, as my weight placement still sucks arse (meaning that in turn my top game sucks arse too).
Slideyfoot,
As you know my goal is to do this for 365 days, so I am trying to make sure that I do not get bored, ‘burned out’ or strain my body.
I warm up using grappling specific exercises such as “judo-pushups,” Hindu squats, bridging exercises, rolls and light stretching.
My usual two sessions at the academy are my hardest sessions. So when I am at home I must at least do 30 reps in total (ten each) of three different exercises. I use instructional videos and go through the movements alone.
For instance, I if I want to work on my butterfly guard I may choose two different versions of the guard and do each one ten times. Then I chooses a third technique such as the mount escape and work on that 10 times.
At the end I will stretch to improve my flexibility.
My goal is to treat this as a marathon and not a sprint.
By the 15th of this month, I will have performed over 900 repetitions of Jiu-jitsu techniques. The previous month, only doing it twice a week, I probably performed only 160, if that. Even though I don’t have a partner with these drills I have been able to retain the pointers in the video and can quickly adjust to a live opponent. I have also noticed I am able to learn techniques more quickly in class.
It has been good all around….