Andrew Lewis: Train BJJ By Getting Strong

[Johnsonville]

It’s always the mid upper level belts who bitch about strength. Multiple striped blue belts and purples who get subbed by a strong white belt with a few months of training. If they spent less time doing hundreds of sit-ups and did some fucking deadlifts every once in a while they wouldn’t have such a hard time with strong guys.

[Nick Delgadillo]

I always have people tell me they’re trying to “not use strength.” I like to ask them what aspect of athleticism is it okay to use? Are you allowed to use speed? Flexibility? Coordination? Timing? Why is strength the thing that we should limit? I tell them that when the fast guys stop using their speed, they can stop using their strength. And when the bendy guys stop using their flexibility, they can stop using their strength.

[Johnsonville]

I always have people tell me they’re trying to “not use strength.” I like to ask them what aspect of athleticism is it okay to use? Are you allowed to use speed? Flexibility? Coordination? Timing? Why is strength the thing that we should limit? I tell them that when the fast guys stop using their speed, they can stop using their strength. And when the bendy guys stop using their flexibility, they can stop using their strength.

THIS! There’s a 270lb carpenter at my gym who’s a white belt and is terrified of being heavy and using any kind of grips because he wants to “work technique”. Pressure is technique. Small fast guys don’t slow down. I get muscling out of shit in training being kind of stupid, but people who don’t strength train at least attempt to muscle out of shit too. Strength training and being a spazzy asshole who always try’s to curl out of armbars don’t necessarily go hand in hand.

[NorWester]

Pressure IS a skill but a 270 lb white belt doesn't have it. A white belt at any weight doesn't have it for that matter. Learn the game like you're a small weak guy first then you'll know how to properly apply that strength and pressure.

[Johnsonville]

Pressure IS a skill but a 270 lb white belt doesn't have it. A white belt at any weight doesn't have it for that matter. Learn the game like you're a small weak guy first then you'll know how to properly apply that strength and pressure.

You don’t think small weak guys don’t have pressure? My 150lb coach feels heavier on top than pretty much anyone else in the class. The guy is afraid to take his knees off the mat, turn his hips when passing, etc. The reason small weak guys can even play top game is because their pressure is perfect, but I know you know that from your comment. We’re probably arguing semantics more than anything.

[NorWester]

I wrote, learn the game like you're a small weak guy first . Being small and weak isn't indicative of technical efficiency any more than being strong is or even flexible. However it does offer a somewhat interesting situation. A small weak guy gets better in this game because his technique and sensitivity MUST be virtually flawless or it simply will not work. Strong guys in the early stages of development have a handicap in that they will be able to do things that result in a positive outcome by way of strength that may not be technically sound.
This is why, when all said and done, being strong is such a valuable trait as so much ground can be made up, so to speak, where and when technical superiority is not present. However one can plainly see this may hinder progress at some point.

The reason your coach feels heavier on top than pretty much everyone else is because he has acquired/learned the skills to do so and has nothing to do with him being 150 lbs.
As to your final statement you are likely correct.

[AndrewLewis]

Pressure IS a skill but a 270 lb white belt doesn't have it. A white belt at any weight doesn't have it for that matter. Learn the game like you're a small weak guy first then you'll know how to properly apply that strength and pressure.

"Jiujitsu pressure" is specifically balance. Balancing over a specific point requires sensitivity to where that balance point needs to be. This requires the understanding of the effect moving that balance point will have. But balance is also a function of strength and weight - a jiujitsu practitioner who is too weak to do a plank obviously will be incapable of moving the balance point away from their own center of mass onto the center of mass of the opponent, thereby increasing the downward force on the opponent.

Therefore, phenomenal pressure will come from the intellectual understanding (which we've called "technique" here) and the strength and weight of the jiujitsu practitioner.

Why is strength the thing that we should limit? I tell them that when the fast guys stop using their speed, they can stop using their strength. And when the bendy guys stop using their flexibility, they can stop using their strength.

The limitation of physical capability allows for higher sensitivity to error.
You could make the same argument for speed and flexibility just as you could for strength, so I don't know why they think strength is the devil but speed is fine.

Everyone doing jiujitsu should spend a portion of their time rolling trying to observe tiny errors in technique, but they should also spend time training without limiting any physical capability.

[NorWester]

"Jiujitsu pressure" is specifically balance. Balancing over a specific point requires sensitivity to where that balance point needs to be. This requires the understanding of the effect moving that balance point will have. But balance is also a function of strength and weight - a jiujitsu practitioner who is too weak to do a plank obviously will be incapable of moving the balance point away from their own center of mass onto the center of mass of the opponent, thereby increasing the downward force on the opponent.

Therefore, phenomenal pressure will come from the intellectual understanding (which we've called "technique" here) and the strength and weight of the jiujitsu practitioner.



The limitation of physical capability allows for higher sensitivity to error.
You could make the same argument for speed and flexibility just as you could for strength, so I don't know why they think strength is the devil but speed is fine.

Everyone doing jiujitsu should spend a portion of their time rolling trying to observe tiny errors in technique, but they should also spend time training without limiting any physical capability.

That sounds about right.

[Johnsonville]

I wrote, learn the game like you're a small weak guy first . Being small and weak isn't indicative of technical efficiency any more than being strong is or even flexible. However it does offer a somewhat interesting situation. A small weak guy gets better in this game because his technique and sensitivity MUST be virtually flawless or it simply will not work. Strong guys in the early stages of development have a handicap in that they will be able to do things that result in a positive outcome by way of strength that may not be technically sound.
This is why, when all said and done, being strong is such a valuable trait as so much ground can be made up, so to speak, where and when technical superiority is not present. However one can plainly see this may hinder progress at some point.

The reason your coach feels heavier on top than pretty much everyone else is because he has acquired/learned the skills to do so and has nothing to do with him being 150 lbs.
As to your final statement you are likely correct.

Agreed with both you and Andrew.

[Mark E. Hurling]

This, perhaps, is another reason for the allergy so many in BJJ seem to have with regard to strength training.

SR : Save your energy! Work on the foundation of your body, stretching, breathing. In the real rules of Jiu-Jitsu, there is no time limit, if you run out first, you will lose. Physical preparations today will allow you to do well during short bouts of upcoming competitions, but will not help you in the long run. Work the body and therefore the technique.

As I say in my book:

“If you think, you are late. If you are late, you use strength. If you use strength you get tired. And if you get tired, you die! ” Saulo Ribeiro: 'We Should Drop The 'Brazilian' in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu'

Which seems a bit odd, given these remarks from the same guy a little earlier in the article.

Schools nowadays teach Jiu-Jitsu with the competition in mind. They should go back to basics and the true values ​​of our sport. The original philosophy is being lost. BJJ is primarily an art of self-defense, where the discipline, which is improved self-esteem, which is progressing at the physical, mental as well as the human level we learn.