Guest post by Sam Dupont, a strength coach to CFS BJJ Brighton, and also to Black Belt Belt Gold British Medalist Yousuf Nabi.
Sam has worked with many other athletes from other fields too from olympic level riders, professional snowboarders, top level Gaelic Football stars and national level skydivers. Sam has produced some of the most popular fitness apps on the App store and Android market. Check out Sam DuPont’s website: Submissionstrength.eu .

1- If you don’t know how to lift then get a good conditioning coach to show you the ropes.

Osteopaths and chiro’s rooms are littered with those that use bad form.
Lifting is complex- it’s not as easy as moving the weight from point A- B you need to know which muscles to activate and when, and so much other information- that’s why it is a job in itself!

2- a phase of anatomical adaptation is essential if you haven’t lifted before.

This entails lifting for submaximal reps and sets over basic exercises to promote capillarisation within the tissues. If you jump straight into heavy dips, chins and squats not only are you likely to be injured but you won’t get the gains you could have if you jump this step.

3-Don’t use excessive volume. You are not a strength athlete.

You are first and foremost a BJJ practitioner. Excess volume will just wear you down and lead you to O.T.S – over training syndrome. You need to correctly periodise your lifting – this is an article in itself which will be coming soon.

4- don’t neglect core work and also unilateral training.

These two are essential if you want to really maximize your gains with your heavy bilateral work.
It will also injury proof your spine and knees- two crucial areas if you want to keep grappling into old age. Unless you can stabilize correctly through the glutes, hips and core your knees will suffer. It’s like creating a really powerful car without the correct chassis- the power and instability will eventually shake the crap framework to bits.

5-Listen to your body.

If it is hurting while lifting stop and reassess. You’re form is either poor or there may be something deeper on a structural level going on that you haven’t addressed. Pain while lifting should never ever be ignored. Pain as strength coach Boyle has said is a smoke signal, don’t ignore it or your house will eventually burn down!
If close chins are hurting check your form, get a pro to check your form, if you still can’t discover what the root problem is then experiment with different hand positions – normally different grips and stances can be more appropriate for certain structural balances and body types.

Why are SUPERSETS the key to Nicky Rod’s “pump”?

• ADCC silver medalist Nicky Rod’s unique and simple workout tweaks will take you to BEAST MODE in no time!
• You don’t have to be a high level wrestler to get a high level GAS TANK!