Me, Myself & I

We’re stuck in our homes and most are in a panic because of kids that need to be kept busy and nonstop cleaning that is going to rule our lives for the next few weeks. But for BJJ students all we can think about is the mat time we’re losing and how long we need to wait to cuddle with our friends again.

You don’t have a mat or a training buddy at home to practice your signature move on, your Toypom won’t cooperate while you’re trying to execute a Rear Naked Choke and your spouse is tired of you fighting for Underhooks and going for a Hip Throw when all they wanted was a hug.

Doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at home is not always possible, but there are other areas you can focus on to use this time productively without needing any equipment. Yes it is important to constantly add to your knowledge so educational videos and your BJJ journals will prove invaluable in times like these. But don’t forget that a strong body and mind is just as important when striving to be a skilled martial artist.

Using only your body you can work on strength, cardio and flexibility, all of which are very important for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Bodyweight training is often underestimated and this is the perfect time to learn how effective this type of training can be.

Everyone will have their own preference when it comes to training, but the best way to keep things interesting is to do a combination of exercises in a circuit and change it up for each session. The best part about training in the comfort of your home is that you can choose what to train and how long to train, moving at your own pace. If you haven’t been training for a while then you can start off with as many rounds as you can manage and increase it gradually as your strength and fitness improves.

Here are some examples of circuits you can do that combines cardio and bodyweight training. You can create a circuit focusing on an overall body workout or even just focusing on a specific body part such as legs. Do each exercise in the circuit straight after each other and only rest for one to two minutes after the circuit is complete before starting the round again. If you are getting through the circuit easily then increase your reps, add exercises to the circuit or increase the number of rounds you are doing.

Circuit One (full body):

•Jumping Jacks x 30

•Push ups x 10

•Russian Twists x 20

•Squats x 10

•Curtsy Lunges x 20

•Mountain climbers x 20

Circuit Two (legs):

•Burpees x 10

•Squats x 20

•Jumping lunges x 20

•High knee toe taps x 20

•Curtsy lunges x 20

•Wall sit x 1 min

The combinations are endless and you can tailor each circuit to suit what you want to focus on and improve.

To add to your workout you can have a look around your house and use what is available. For instance, you could find a wall, strong tree or steady bar to do pull ups. You could use a step to do box jumps, decline push ups or tricep dips. If you have a long driveway or space in your estate you could do sprints, or even better if you could find a hill. Raid your party cupboard and use paper plates for a variety of core and ab exercises. In a push up position, place the paper plates under your toes and slide your feet up until your knees reach your elbows, then slide back and repeat.

Strengthen your grips by grouping a bunch of elastics around your fingers. Keep your fingers straight, supporting the elastic then do an opening and closing action with your fingers. Strengthen your feet and ankles by finding small objects around the house such as marbles, placing them in a bunch and using your toes to pick them up and place them in a bowl. Improve your flexibility in your feet and ankles by rolling a tennis ball back and forth and sideways underneath your foot.

At the end of the day, you can use just about anything to train as long as you are creating resistance and getting your heart rate up. Use this time to improve your condition instead of taking a few steps backwards and having to start all over once we are back on the mats.

Don’t forget to keep record of your training so that you can track your progress and edit your workouts as your strength and fitness improves.

Stay strong! Stay focused! Don’t choke your dog!