Brazilian Jujitsu is a labor of love. You have to put the time in. You have to strengthen your body continuously. You have to analyze your mistakes. On top of this, you have to cope with the stress of everyday life. Jobs, relationships, families, etc.
Can you feel yourself tensing up just from reading this? If so, you might benefit from a few reminders of healthy habits you forgot about as a result of stress. These four habits will not only make you feel better but also improve your endurance for BJJ, so take them seriously!
1. Sleep
It shouldn’t be surprising that lack of sleep can make you feel non-optimized in all aspects of life, including fitness, strength training, alertness, and endurance. Life is stressful, and insomnia is a condition that anyone can suffer from. However, those involved in BJJ are particularly prone to stress-filled nights because there’s a lot of pressure to meet specific goals fast.
But have you ever watched a fighter get into a ring and thought, ‘They have huge bags under their eyes, they’re going to kill this bout’? No, of course, you haven’t. And they didn’t. Pro fighters understand the importance of sleep and feeling energized. Stressing yourself out because you’re not getting where you want is a brilliant way to lose sleep and see your performance suffer as a result.
2. Stretching
You know all those times you hear of an athlete being ‘out for 6-8 weeks due to injury? It’s common for athletes to throw out a muscle because they hadn’t stretched and warmed up properly.
Never underestimate the importance of stretching. It’s easy to take for granted and seems like the least of your worries when you’re stressed and just want to cut to the chase. To some, it’s just an annoying prelude to the real show, but stretching prepares your muscles to endure pressure and force. If you skip it, you risk suffering major consequences that could put you behind in your training.
3. Socializing
Some people focus so much on strength building that they forget to develop a strong support team and learn from other players. But if you’ve got nobody to fight, you’ll never get the experience needed to improve. If you’ve got nobody to analyze your mistakes, you’ll keep making them. And if you don’t feel like there are enough people in your corner, you may never feel the motivation you need to push towards your goals.
Practice partners. Coaches. Students. Friends. There’s no splendid isolation in BJJ. Find the people you trust and keep them by your side. Talk to them about the stress of your life. Consult with them about your progress as a BJJ martial artist. Learn from them, and you will feel the benefits ofreduced stress that come with a strong support team.
4. Studying
What’s something an amateur chess player has in common with a beginner BJJ artist? They’re super-confident in their attack and forget that the opposition gets the chance to do the same. When you’re stressed, you want to go on the offensive. But, unfortunately, BJJ doesn’t always work like that.
You can get checkmated in 3 turns in chess. You can get dropped in one move in BJJ if you’re not ready for what’s coming your way. So don’t just practice your moves. Learn what to expect. Understand caution and devise an appropriate response. Be flexible.
It’s a great idea to watch videos and analyze the blocks rather than the strikes. Then, try to understand how someone saw that lightning-fast move coming.
Conclusion
A sense of calm that rests in the looseness of our muscles. A feeling of suppleness and strength — and total focus. That’s what we feel on our best days as BJJ martial artists.
Remember that stress is a mental and physical inhibition. We can’t avoid it fully, but we can refuse to let it rule our lives. So, sleep, stretch, socialize, and study to be ready for your next match.
