Succeeding in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Becca Borawski

CrossFit Journal Article Reprint. First Published in CrossFit Journal Issue 69 - May 2008

Felicia Oh at the No-Gi Mundials, December 2007.

The final leg of the journey of studying Brazilian jiu-jitsu involves the tools it takes, mentally and physically, to succeed in the long run. Earning a purple, brown, or black belt in BJJ is a long-term commitment, one that can take years of consistent training and dedication to the art. As with any worthwhile goal, there will be obstacles along the path and opportunities you can take that will aid in your success. Once again, I have assembled our panel of experts to discuss the issues of how and how often to train, how to avoid and cope with injury and burnout, and the necessity of competition.

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This month’s panel of experts you train twice a week, you maintain what you know but don’t progress. Any more than that will help you • Jimmy Tang has been training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, improve. Some people train every day. I personally lived both with and without the traditional gi, for six and at a BJJ academy for about six months and trained twice a half years. A frequent tournament competitor, a day. I don’t train quite that much anymore, but I still do Jimmy earned his brown belt from Jean Jacques average about four or five days per week of training.” Machado in 2006. Supplemental conditioning work outside of jiu-jitsu is • Felicia Oh earned her black belt from Jean Jacques also essential. Valerie trains CrossFit at Petranek Fitness Machado in four and a half years and has been on a regular basis. “I credit it with improving my cardio training for seven. She teaches BJJ and is a certified and my strength immeasurably,” she says. The intensity CrossFit trainer at Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate of CrossFit workouts also helps with competition Training Academy in California. In 2007 she was preparation on a mental level. As Tait Fletcher says, it the FILA World Grappling Champion and Pan-Am “really teaches you to surpass what you thought your Champion in both gi and no-gi divisions. limits were.” • Kenny Florian is a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, Jimmy also does CrossFit workouts and adds that Ultimate Fighter contestant, and top contender in strength and conditioning training aids in injury the 155-pound weight division in the UFC. He has prevention. “Staying in shape helps you from getting been training BJJ for approximately eleven years injured,” he says. “A lot of times injuries happen when and earned his black belt in five and a half years, you’re going too hard.” from Roberta Maia of Gracie Barra. • Valerie Worthington has been training for nine years. Injuries She earned her purple belt from Carlson Gracie Brazilian jiu-jitsu, regardless of how carefully you train, and Carlson Gracie, Jr. Currently she trains under is a combat sport, and injuries are part of the package. Johnny Ramirez and John Ouano at New Breed They can be minimized by proper supplemental training Academy. In 2007 she won the gold in her weight and intelligent sparring in class, but they are at some division at the World Grappling Games in Antalya, point inevitable. The question then becomes how to Turkey. deal with an injury and persevere in your training. • Tait Fletcher trains MMA with Greg Jackson in Kenny Florian’s advice is simple. “Injury is part of all New Mexico and is a veteran of the Ultimate sports. Listen to your body and train smart.” Jimmy Fighter television show. He has been training for agrees that paying attention to what’s happening in your approximately eight years, earning his brown belt body is essential. “If your ribs are sore,” he says, “it from Eddie Bravo.

Training frequency and supplemental training One of the popular topics in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, as in CrossFit, is the frequency of training sessions. How many sessions per week are necessary to keep making steady improvement, and does going more often make a marked difference? Can you train too much? The consensus amongst the entire panel was that a minimum of two to three times a week is necessary to progress in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. “In my opinion,” says Jimmy Tang, “two times a week is maintenance. Three times or more a week will help you progress.”

Valerie Worthington agrees: “I have heard that if Valerie Worthington on top at the World Team Trials, July 2007.

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® CrossFit is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc. Subscription info at http://store.crossfit.com © 2008 All rights reserved. Feedback to [email protected] Succeeding in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (continued...) might be a good time to take a few days off. You can drill “I quit for a year, actually,” admits Valerie. “I had trained on the side with someone who wants to drill and not very intently for about five years and I got to the point train. You don’t need to train like every roll is for the where I felt grappling was a chore. I never wanted to world championship. Some days you’ll train very lightly, hate BJJ, so I decided to take the time off. I didn’t know others hard. Choose sparring partners you know you whether I was ever going back. Eventually I did, and now can trust on days you feel ‘off.’” Varying the intensity I look back on that time as an important part of my makes sense both for improving your fitness and for training, believe it or not. I needed the time away to get minimizing the chance of injury. to the point where I did BJJ for my own reasons and on my own terms.” Sometimes training through an injury is the right answer, and other times allowing yourself to take a break and Competition heal is the better option. “When you feel pain that you can’t chalk up to stiffness, or weariness that is more One way to keep things interesting, as in CrossFit, is to than just the effects of a long work day, don’t train,” says find goals to set for yourself in your training. An outlet Valerie. “It can be challenging to take breaks, but that for this in Brazilian jiu-jitsu is competition. Having a is as important a part of training as the training itself. It tournament to train for gives you something to work is when you don’t take breaks that your body will force toward and directs your training toward concrete you to, either by getting objectives. While all the experts on the panel feel that injured or by getting sick. It competition is not absolutely is far better to take off a day necessary, they also all agreed than to be forced to take of a that it would expedite the week, a month, or more.” Of The intensity of CrossFit learning process. course, this applies outside workouts also helps with “Competition helps you jiu-jitsu as well. For a lot competition preparation on a improve,” says Felicia. “You of CrossFitters, going hard usually train with the same comes naturally. Knowing mental level. As Tait Fletcher says, partners day after day. Going when to back off temporarily it “really teaches you to surpass with someone you don’t know and how to switch things from another school gives up is part of smart training, what you thought your limits were.” you important information whatever the endeavor. that can help you adjust and improve.” Burnout Sometimes the weary part of the body is actually “In my opinion, competing the mind. Getting burned out on training happens to can help people improve faster, for a variety of reasons,” everybody at some point. Training can begin to feel adds Valerie. “First, you learn to use technique under monotonous and the proverbial spark seems to have duress, in high pressure situations; it’s when instinct dimmed. These are the moments that can separate and muscle memory kick in. Second, when people are those who succeed in achieving higher belts and those preparing for a competition, they usually train more who cease to train altogether. intensely, focus on strengthening their weaknesses, think about techniques in their spare time, condition, “Take a break from training or do something different,” eat better, etc. All of these things can contribute to advises Kenny. “Don’t fall into the same training routines quicker progress.” all the time. Keep it fun and new, and always know that there are millions of moves out there to be learned and If a student truly does not possess the desire to discovered.” The advice of taking a break was repeated compete, it is still possible to succeed and achieve the by more than one of the panel members. It is important higher belts in jiu-jitsu. “Competitions can definitely to know there is a right time to sit out, rather than push speed up your learning,” says Kenny, “but it isn’t the only through and have training become a negative thing or way to learn faster. Get rid of the mental limitations you something you dread doing. “Acknowledge that you are put on yourself and know that you can be your worst burned out and need a break,” advises Felicia. opponent.”

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“Plenty of people have made it to black belt without competing,” agrees Valerie. “Learning BJJ is a marathon, not a sprint; after eight to nine years of serious focused training, I believe I now know a thimbleful of the ocean. Many black belts I know say that it was when they earned the black belt that they felt like they could finally start to learn.” Succeeding in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the long run bears much resemblance to successful growth in CrossFit itself. A willingness to acknowledge and work on weaknesses, a sense of competition, letting go of the ego, perseverance and consistency, and gaining the ability to truly listen to your body are all essential tools for success. In the end, getting Jimmy Tang at the No-Gi Mundials, December 2007. in the gym week after week is the most important Photos courtesy of AliciaPhotos.com part of building up to expertise. Advises Tait, “Don’t stop showing up. Ever. Keep showing up.”

Becca Borawski teaches and trains at Petranek Fitness/CrossFit Los Angeles in Santa Monica. She has a master’s degree in film from the University of Southern California and a background in martial arts training. She has blended these skills together to produce DVDs and build websites for professional fighters. Her main job is as the music editor on the TV show Scrubs and she currently trains jiu-jitsu under Eddie Bravo at 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu in Hollywood.

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