The Importance of Rest for Jiu Jitsu Athletes.
Staying consistently trained in jiu jitsu is crucial for accelerating skill development. However, rest also plays an important role in the pursuit of success. This article discusses how taking adequate rest allows athletes to perform at higher levels and maintain motivation long-term in the sport.
The human body and mind constantly require rest to renew energy and strength so an individual can train effectively each subsequent day. Life presents many demands on time between work, education, family and training commitments. While it is possible to maintain a rigorous training schedule for a period, the body will eventually show signs of needing recovery to continue progressing without injury.
If the body were a machine capable of indefinite high-performance without rest, overtraining would not be as much of a concern. However, humans are biological systems that periodically require rest, even if only briefly, to return in an even stronger state. Signs the body needs rest include increased irritability, degraded sleep quality, more frequent injuries and workouts ceasing to produce benefits no matter the effort given.
Khabib Nurmagomedov says that sleep is the body’s number 1 PED. It is what allows him to train 3x a day:
Experienced jiu jitsu athletes understand overtraining is not always the optimal approach.
External life stresses from occupations, daily responsibilities and family can all compound physiological fatigue alongside martial arts training. Therefore, rest should not be taken for granted. Missing one or two days of training will not significantly hinder an athlete’s development or technique as long as their skills remain sharp. In fact, recovery renews both the body and mind, allowing for continued improvement long-term in the sport.
