Here is some feedback and some more pull-up variations that drifted in from the ether since I released the 19 Pullup Variations video... … [Read more...]
Conditioning
19 Pull-up Variations for BJJ & Submission Grappling
In previously newsletters I've sung the praises of the pull-up. Grappling is much more about pulling than it is about pushing - using your arms to maintain the over and under grip in rearmount, tightening up the rear naked choke, bodylocking an opponent … [Read more...]
Some Housekeeping (Conditioning Q&A)
Today I want to tackle a bit of newsletter housekeeping. A series of recent newsletters on conditioning have generated a lot of feedback, and more than a few questions. … [Read more...]
Balancing Mat Time with Conditioning
Forget the work-life balance! Let's talk about something much more important: the balance between mat time and conditioning. I bring this up because one of the questions I get asked most frequently is about how to structure one's training and conditioning for maximum benefit … [Read more...]
A Sneak Peek Into a Fighter’s Conditioning Routine
Most of my text message communications to my friends are pretty short and mundane. Recently, however, I had a very interesting conversation with MMA fighter Denis Kang, partially over the phone but mostly using text messages. … [Read more...]
Train Hard, Recover Smart
Quick: what's the most important meal of the day? If you said "breakfast" then you're wrong, at least if you're a hard-training combat athlete. According to Martin Rooney, author of 'Training For Warriors, the Team Renzo Gracie Workout', the two most important meals of the day are your pre and post-workout meals. … [Read more...]
Jiu-jitsu and Physical Attributes
Physical attributes are things like balance, neck strength, limb length, explosiveness, leg flexibility, and percent body fat. Your physical attributes are the foundation of what you can do with your body, and are influenced by genetics, training, age and injuries. Some instructors teach as if everyone, regardless of age, build and flexibility, can use the same techniques. Well I'm here to tell … [Read more...]
I Can’t Run: The Excuse List
If you are a longtime reader of this newsletter you know that I think very highly of running as a conditioning method. Long runs, sprints, hill runs - as you can see from the following articles I think that they are all great. … [Read more...]
Keeping the Will to Fight
As is so often the case, Mark Twain said it best: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." This applies to dogs, grapplers, MMA fighters and jiu-jitsu players alike. … [Read more...]
Monitoring Morning Heart Rate
Longtime readers will recall that I’ve written about overtraining, under-recovering and exercise-induced illness before (e.g. Don't Get Sick and Overtraining in MMA). It sucks to have a streak of hard training sessions interrupted by the flu, and being overtrained makes catching that flu almost inevitable. … [Read more...]
A “Hard” Bodyweight Workout
Someone asked me recently "if the bodyweight conditioning routine on your website is an easy workout, then what does your BJJ coach, Marcus Soares, consider a hard workout"? … [Read more...]
How to Stand in the Guard
Last week I discussed the differences between standing and kneeling guard passes. One thing I pointed out was that some schools tend use only kneeling guard passes whereas other schools tend to mix up their guard passing and use both standing and kneeling passes. … [Read more...]
Grappling/MMA Circuit Training Videos
When people think of conditioning they often imagine people doing cardio and strength training separately. In this paradigm you might run in the morning and then lift weights in the afternoon … [Read more...]
Hard Come, Easy Go
In a previous tip I talked about how one often makes the fastest progress by working on one's weakest area. An unfortunate fact is that when you have a break from training, intentional or otherwise, your weakest areas also regress and erode the fastest. … [Read more...]
More Non-Compressive Neck Training
I've received lots of feedback about a previous tip discussing how some methods of neck conditioning can be problematical for some people. Grapplearts newsletter reader Kevin shared his favorite method of neck training with us: … [Read more...]
Homemade Grappling Dummies
A reader writes: Q: I would like to own a grappling dummy but all the ones I have looked at are very expensive. Do you have any suggestions? A: There are many commercially available throwing and grappling dummies available on the market … [Read more...]
There Can Be Only One! The Best Exercise for Grappling Cardio…
A Grapplearts reader writes: Q: "If you only had time for one cardio excercise which would you choose: swimming or running?" A: Swimming and running are both awesome exercises, and both have their pros and cons. … [Read more...]
Anaerobic Ideas
A reader writes: Q: I was wondering if you had any tips/techniques/ideas/routines for anaerobic conditioning drills? A: Yes I have some suggestions for you... … [Read more...]
Stair Torture
I have a love-hate relationship with running stairs. Today it hurts to sit down and it hurts to stand up. I limp around slowly, but still feel a bit smug about having had a great workout three days ago. … [Read more...]
My Numbers
Whenever I read an interview with a fighter there is usually a question that goes something like "what do you do for conditioning?" Too often the fighter says something like: "I run, I swim, and I lift weights" … [Read more...]