Lifting Weights for BJJ 101
Authored by Diana Wang, a DPT degree holder in physical therapy, this blog post highlights the importance of weight lifting, especially for jiu-jitsu enthusiasts aiming to prevent injuries and enhance recovery. Numerous studies underline the diverse health benefits of consistent weight lifting.
We recognize that beginning a weight lifting journey might seem complex, but it doesn't have to be. For those curious about exercise names, a quick YouTube search will yield plenty of instructional videos. Feel free to explore these resources to kickstart your journey into weight lifting. We hope you enjoy and find this post helpful.
-Professor Thomaz and the Caique Jiu-Jitsu staff
You want to start lifting weights but have no idea where to start? This blog post is for you.
Step 1: GET YOUR HEART RATE UP
Find something that can get your heart rate up. That could be a bike, treadmill or a short HIIT circuit.
An example of a HIIT circuit is 3 rounds of:
- 20 jumping jacks
- 20 high knees
- 20 pogos in place
Step 2: PREP YOUR CORE & MUSCLES
The body moves more efficiently when your nervous system fires properly. The way you do this is to stimulate your muscles before lifting heavy.
An example of a core/warm-up prep is 1-2 rounds of:
- 30 second beast crawl in different directions
- 30 second side plank variations
- 5x hamstring bridges
- 10x half kneeling halos
- 10x single leg romanian deadlifts
Step 3: PICK 1 LOWER BODY COMPOUND / 1 UPPER BODY COMPOUND
The simpler the better. Every month pick 1 big lower body compound & 1 upper body compound to work on & get strong at. Start with 3-4 sets of 5-6 reps. If the weight you choose allows you to struggle at rep 5-6, you’re likely in a pretty good weight range.
An example of a combinations would be:
- Goblet squat w/ bench press
- Reverse lunge w/ overhead press
- Deadlifts w/ rows
- Single leg deadlifts w/ pull ups
Step 4: PICK 2 UPPER BODY & 2 LOWER BODY ACCESSORIES
Accessories are more of the fun bodybuilding style exercises. Pick your favorites & enjoy! Start with 2 sets of 10-15 reps. Enjoy the burn with these rep ranges.
Examples of accessories would be:
- Upper body
- Bicep curls
- Tricep push downs
- Bench dips
- Multidirectional shoulder raises
- Pec fly
- Lower body
- Knee extension
- Hamstring curls
- Calf raises
- Adductor/abductor machine
Step 5: COOL DOWN
The goal with a cool down is to get the nervous system back to a relaxed state.
Easy cool down options are 3-5 minutes of:
- Slow, controlled breathing
- Stretching
- Sauna/steam room
There you have it! A simple breakdown of how to build a workout. Of course there are millions of other exercises you can choose from, so find the ones you like & let’s get strong!!
A couple things to remember:
- Keep it simple. You don’t need to overcomplicate a program to get the benefits!
- Listen to your body when it comes to intensity. You don’t need to go hard every day.
- Sometimes a lighter, mindful day will help your progress more than you know.
- Strength training is a great way to keep your body durable for BJJ
- Make sure your off the mats/gym recovery routine is on point too! Diet, hydration, sleep are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- Have fun! Lifting should be fun. That’ll make it easier to be consistent for the long term.
One-Month Beginner’s Program Recommended Frequency - 2x a week
