Not sure if this is the right forum, but here goes. . .
I’ve currently got a couple of months off before I start med. school in the fall. I want to devote a lot of that time to BJJ training, maybe going 5-6 times a week. Problem is, I also have the goal of adding some size and strength during that time as well (a lot of this would be simply recovering former strength levels, diminished after a couple of months off).
Anyway, I know that these goals are at least a little opposed, to say the least: BJJ training, according to what I’ve read by Waterbury (10x3 Article), would cause the conversion of type I fibers to type II, halting or slowing hypertrophy and strength gains. On the other hand, I’ve also read that this type of training might actually be beneficial to hypertrophy/strength development. I think I read something along those lines in 100 reps to bigger muscles, about people using muscles constantly in a low-load, aerobic sense experiencing a lot of size.
Anyway, I was just wondering what those of you who participate in both strength training and BJJ have experienced. Thanks in advance for any help and advice.
I havent started to hit the weights yet but BJJ training alone put muscle on me and made me stronger.
BJJ is totally brutal. Wrestle hard and choose big guys to wrestle with and trust me, you will get stronger. Hard rolling is highly aerobic and anarobic. This is not a low or moderate intensity sport by any means at all. If it is, go to a tougher school
My only concern would be over training. BJJ 4-5 times a week alone is a lot of working out. Make sure you get enough rest.
Also, rolling with big opponents can get you injured fast and often.
Check out the thread “Westside for Football”, member Xen Nova posted an awesome looking routine that could serve to help if you are trying to lift and do BJJ.
If you are looking for only 3 days per week of lifting, in order to maximize recovery then maybe try the tier system or even just do a 3 day per week westside splits where MWF would be ME, ME, DE then the next week would be DE,ME,ME etc.
I’ve been lifting for a decade and a half and have done BJJ on and off (mostly off, unfortunately) for a couple of years.
I still have yet to find the perfect balance between weights and rolling. TBT-type of training combined with, of course, proper nutrition and sleep is what works best I found so far. Specifically, TBT 3 x a week, and rolling 2-3 times worked best for me.
Where are you going to school and where do you roll?
One good workout you and at least one training partner could do would be to take a mat and one thing for odd implement lifting (an old beer keg filled with water works well) outside. Alternating rolling bjj and lifting or carrying the keg.
