We all love to train BJJ. Some of us are even considered addicts and train 6-7 days a week. I personally train almost 7 days a week. I simply love Jiu Jitsu. Its my fitness, my therapy, my mental exercise and my social outlet. I remember hearing one of my previous professors say to our class more than once “you should be careful not to over train” and never knew what this was.
I thought that he was talking about competition or for an MMA fight. What he meant was simple, RECOVERY IS IMPORTANT! So out of blue (very recently) I guess I experienced what I can call a “burn out” or “plateau” after about 2 years straight of training almost every day. I would show up every day and when people mentioned my daily BJJ routine I would tell people its not that hard and “I keep it mellow and play guard mostly” or “I’m on a defensive journey” however I have recently come to realize the extreme benefit of taking breaks. As a mid level practitioner I do not have to use as much strength or cardio because of my technical ability. [FACT] A white belt or blue belt does rely on strength and cardio a bit more to make up for its lack of experience and technical knowledge. Sometimes you do sacrifice cardio and strength in Jiu Jitsu as you become more technically proficient.
Lets gain some perspective about over training….
Are you training every day?? Is this good? Can this hurt our progress? And is there a way you can train more and not see the signs of overtraining or plateau? Everybody is different and lives a different lifestyle. There is no “one size fits all” answer to these questions. You must learn to do what is best for your growth in BJJ as well as what is best for your health, mind and body.
Overtraining is a real risk when participating in any type of physical activity, but it is especially important to be aware of the physical and mental “signs” in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as the intensity of training can be very high depending on your belt rank, experience and physical shape.
Overtraining can compromise the quality of learning in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. You don’t want to get good at BJJ by overtraining and missing out on the technical details nor do you want to plateau which is another discussion and in my opinion can be a non obvious way you are actually getting better (another article).
A small percentage of the BJJ community will experience what is known as “over-training syndrome.” The over-training syndrome is a condition characterized by a set of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that result from BJJ training that is too frequent, too intense, or both.
Too much BJJ training can lead to physical problems such as:
-Chronic injuries
-Joint pain
-Muscle soreness
-Fatigue
Mental and emotional problems associated with overtraining syndrome include:
-Anxiety
-Depression
-Irritability
-Loss of motivation
-Insomnia
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to take a step back and re-evaluate your training program. You may need to reduce the frequency or intensity of your training, or take a complete break from BJJ altogether. I am going to touch on this in another article called “when to take breaks from training bjj”.
Don’t let your love for BJJ turn into an obsession that has negative consequences on your physical and mental health. Train smart, and listen to your body.
What to do when you train every day and cannot take a break from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
There are a few things you can do to help prevent overtraining syndrome if you train BJJ every day.
-Make sure to warm up properly before each training session. A proper warm-up will increase your heart rate and blood flow, and prepare your muscles for the upcoming physical activity. (unless your a purple belt because you are required to miss warm ups)
-Cool down after each training session. A cool-down helps your body to recover from the BJJ training session and reduce the risk of injury.
-Eat a balanced diet. Eating a healthy diet will help your body to recover from BJJ training and reduce the risk of overtraining syndrome.
-Get enough sleep. Sleep is essential for recovery from BJJ training. Make sure to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
-Listen to your body. If you are feeling any of the symptoms of overtraining syndrome, take a step back and re-evaluate your training program.
Overtraining is a real risk when participating in Brazilian Jiu jitsu, but there are ways to prevent it. By following the tips above, you can train BJJ every day without the risk of overtraining syndrome. Be aware of the signs of overtraining and take steps to avoid it in order to stay healthy and keep training for years to come.
Train often and train safe!!!
Matthew Tropp – BJJ Report
