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Thread: Intermediate programming and BJJ

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Nashville. TN
    Posts
    5

    Default Intermediate programming and BJJ

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    Hello all,

    I have always wanted to try Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and I finally am in a financial position to start that journey. I also happen to be about to tackle my nlp starting Monday, and I have read extensively about doing the NLP and BJJ simultaneously. The consensus seems to be: don't. Thus I am going to focus 100% on my nlp, and once I transition to intermediate programming, I will pick up BJJ.

    I had always planned on the texas method for after starting strength, but reading practical programming it seems like doing the texas method and much of anything else will wreck you.

    Can anyone give me any advice on how to program my training once I pick up Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

    Thanks,
    Brandon

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    418

    Default

    If I were you I wouldn’t wait to start, live your life don’t let your nlp control your life. Just do what you can, you’re gonna slow down quicker, then do hlm for lower body and I’ve been doing fine following nicks intermediate pressing program for the press and bench press, which is a compressed Texas method. Bjj is gonna slow you down a bit, but it’s a hell of a good time and you’ll still get strong, just gotta make sure you eat and use the right programming.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Posts
    5

    Default

    I have done both Starting Strength and BJJ. It is in my opinion unwise to do both a lifting program where the assumption is for you to make regular progression on near max weights as well as a BJJ class. I was however doing strength training while training BJJ 4 to 5 times a week (my BJJ gym also had a great weight room). I just focused on the big lifts (okay, also arms because I am still a red blooded man) and a couple of BJJ specific movements. I would make sure that my strength training would never exceed more than an hour (often more like 40 to 50 minutes) and I would do them before my BJJ classes or on days I didn't train BJJ at all.

    My strength training was 3 times a week and divided into Push/Pull/Legs

    Push:
    Bench press 3 sets of 5 reps
    Standard Military Press 3 sets of 5 reps
    Dips 4 sets of 8 reps
    Curls 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps

    Pull:
    Power clean 5 sets of 3 reps
    Chin ups 4 sets of 8 reps
    Triceps extension 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
    Neck exercises (BJJ specific)

    Legs:
    Squats 3 sets of 5 reps
    Deadlift 1 set of 5 reps
    Hip Thrust 3 sets of 20 reps (BJJ specific)
    Walking lunges 4 sets of 8 reps (BJJ specific)

    If I had to drop anything due to time constraints or being tired it would be the BJJ specific exercises. A lot of gyms do neck bridges and other exercises, so drop the neck exercises in that case. I kept it short because I also made time to stretch regularly. Flexibility will keep you injury free in BJJ and allow you to be more effective on the mat. All in all if you do BJJ 3 times a week you will spend 6/7 hours on the mats, 2/3 hours in the gym and maybe 2 hours of stretching a week. That's quite a time commitment to sports.

    For BJJ it is not necessary to have huge numbers on your lifts. A large man would be 200-220 lbs. If you can bench 220 lbs long enough to shrimp out from under him or squat 220 lbs when powering through a double leg, you are golden already. With proper technique you can throw around men way larger than yourself. Since you have done SS you know that 3 times a week squats are absolutely grueling, especially if they are near max efforts. BJJ and powerlifting are both very injury prone sports so overdoing it will definitely get you injured. I always wanted to make the most of my time on the mat which to me meant going hard in the training and even do some rolling after class just for the fun of it.

    My strength training's purpose was to 1. Keep the strength I had and maybe improve a bit but it was not my main focus in life at the time, 2. Keep healthy and injury free so I could spend more time on the mat, 3. Still look sexy (BJJ will definitely help you lose weight but it won't build nor maintain muscle) and 4. Just feel the iron in my hands.

    So that's how I did it and it worked fine for me. I had a lot of strength for my size on the mat and I kept injury free my entire time doing BJJ. It's a lot of fun so definitely don't wait with doing something you really want to do.

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