BJJ WEIGHT LOSS
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is well known for its highly energetic combat systems. Training in BJJ is more than learning how to become a fighter, or even learning self defense, it is about becoming a healthier and fitter version of yourself. Joining a BJJ academy is the first step toward a much healthier life, as students will rigorously train in strategic combat, functional fitness, and core strengthening exercises. New students will commonly ask will bjj get you in shape, and this is a no brainer, as the art of BJJ will turn the unhealthy into healthy, the overweight into trim, and the athlete into a world champion. All a new student has to do is believe in the process, put in consistency on the mats, and work hard to achieve their goals.
What this article covers:
- How to Lose Weight in BJJ
- The Importance of Burning Calories
- Maintaining a Healthy Weight
- Can You Turn Fat Into Muscle
A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy is extremely understanding, and inspiring, as all instructors, and training partners will encourage students to stay on the path. Unlike training in other gyms, where a student will have to go in to find their own motivation, and then keep up with a rigorous training regime, which can often lead to poor functionality, and cheating themselves. Walking into a BJJ academy is a no excuses way to train, as all training partners are highly encouraging, and usually have the same goals in mind. Losing weight is a non negotiable in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as a student that comes and trains regularly will basically watch their fat strip away. There have been many amazing stories of people that have lost 100 kilos or more, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as the average person will lose anywhere from 10 to 20 kilograms within their first year of training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
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HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT IN BJJ
Losing weight in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a very easy concept, as most training sessions are specifically designed to push a student beyond their limitations. The makeup of a training session will incorporate rigorous warm up drills that are all unique to the technical application of BJJ. Most prospective students will ask is bjj good cardio, and after feeling the grind of high intensity rolling, the question is definitively answered. Rolling in BJJ activates every muscle in a student's body, which will not only help them lose weight, and get fitter, but it will comprehensively do it in a much more functional way. Most students that start Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will often struggle to get through one 5 minute round, but after consistent training, and dedication to the process of BJJ, overweight people will become healthier, stronger, and able to withstand longer periods of rolling within their academy.
Training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu definitely kickstarts a student's weight loss program. If BJJ training is all they do, then they would need to commit to at least three sessions per week in order to really make inroads into their weight loss goals. Students should also commit to the warm up process, as this extensive series of exercises will be the catalyst for an overweight person to start feeling capable of keeping up in Jiu Jitsu. What commonly seems to happen when students start training to lose weight, is they will become addicted to rolling in the academy, and therefore realise they need to increase their overall strength. This can result in a person doing extra curricular strength training, which in turn can only benefit an overweight athlete, and help them become fitter, stronger, and more capable of training in all aspects of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Losing weight is about more than just pumping up a student's muscles, it is about doing the right things in order to lose fat cells. There are many good tips that can help students lose weight like eating a balanced diet, which should be full of nutritious foods. Reducing or even completely eliminating worthless calories like sugary foods, or heavily processed foods. Avoid undereating, because the loss of too many calories can result in rapid loss of muscle tone, which will leave a student's body in a bad way, especially when they are trying to compete in Jiu Jitsu tournaments. It is important to set realistic goals for weight loss, and not expect to lose a mountain of kilograms in one day. Setting a goal to lose a couple of kilograms per week is enough, and it's achievable, and if a goal does not get met then it is important to stay positive, and keep on the right track. Regular exercise is a non negotiable, and this does not mean to incorporate extensive BJJ workouts every day, instead a simple walk through the park can help to burn those extra calories.
Another good way to help with weight loss is to work with a personal trainer. This is a good way to get professional help, and have someone to keep a student motivated to lose weight. This can also be personal lessons in BJJ, as long as it is more than just techniques, and the instructor takes the student through a rigorous workout routine. Working with a nutritionist will also help to know if the student has the right eating plan. Sometimes working out will not lose enough weight for some people, so a nutritionist will know how to tweak certain aspects so the weight loss process can work properly. It is also extremely important to have diversity in training, and this means to change up the exercises a student will do, as this can help to keep the training more exciting. A student can always consult a doctor if they feel like their system just isn't working, but in most cases a student just needs perseverance, motivation, and guidance.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BURNING CALORIES
It is extremely important for students to take in the right amount of calories, and this is because training in Jiu Jitsu will burn anywhere from 1000 to 2000 calories per training session. The human body needs energy to work, and energy is derived from different foods that people will eat. Even simple daily functions like breathing, cell regeneration, and the movement of blood uses calories, so it is vital to eat well just for basic functioning. Combat athletes have an even greater need for calorie intake, as they have a higher energy output, and therefore need to eat more calories. Knowing how many calories does bjj burn in one day, will make the importance of eating good food exponential. A combat athlete can burn anywhere from 3000 to 5000 calories per day, which means they don't have time for processed foods.
FINDING THE RIGHT NUTRITION
Eating proper foods that carry protein, fats, vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals, and electrolytes are increasingly important so an athlete can have a balanced nutritional intake. The best diet for bjj consists of lean meats, fruits, vegetables, musli, and nuts. There are always foods that have a better fuel content than others, as important foods like fish, chicken, broccoli, spinach, and kale are highly beneficial for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu athletes. What can be just as important as what to eat, is how much to eat. Smaller portions of food are far more easily digested, which will leave more resources in the body for healing from training sessions. Eating heavy foods like beef, lamb, potato, or rice can take a long time to digest, especially if eaten before a training session, it can be problematic.
When a student is in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for weight loss, then it becomes even more important to be careful what to eat. Some people think if they don't eat much at all it will help them lose weight. This is untrue, as all it will do is make the student feel weak, and tired. To lose weight a student needs to eat calories, in order to have energy to workout, which is how they will burn enough calories to lose weight. It is a demanding process, where sometimes it feels like a student is not achieving their goals, but it is a clear case of persistence, and students need to persevere through the weight loss process. Intermittent fasting can be helpful to a BJJ athlete, and this is where they will only eat between certain hours of the day. With this type of dieting, they must make sure to eat enough protein, because Brazilian Jiu Jitsu requires this source of energy so the athlete can keep up with the intensity of the training.
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MAINTAINING A HEALTHY WEIGHT
Losing weight from training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is only half the battle. Most athletes will train hard, and eat well, which results in a good weight ratio. The main problem is maintaining this healthy weight, as it can be quite easy to slip back into old habits. Overweight people have usually suffered from weight gain due to their eating habits, and once they get down to their desired weight, they think they can eat what they want. This couldn't be further from the truth, because maintaining a healthy lifestyle is never ending. Sacrifices need to be made if a student wants to keep their weight off, and sticking to a healthy diet, and maintaining exercise has to be consistent. Some students may get lazy, and start to fall away from their regular training regimes, and this is commonly how a student will start to gain weight again.
Injuries can be a massive cause of rapid weight gain, because a student that loses the ability to train will struggle to keep the weight off. This problem is only made worse by depression, as an injured student may often fall into a spiral of misery, which can lead to unhealthy eating. It is important to stay motivated, and keep on training, so the student does not fall into any old habits that may have once consumed them. Even with an injury there is usually some form of exercise that can be done to help maintain a healthy weight. Swimming is low resistance on the body, so even with an injury, keeping up with this kind of fitness will help considerably in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Ultimately if a student cannot exercise for whatever reason, then it becomes extremely crucial to eat healthy, and stay away from fatty foods.
CAN YOU TURN FAT INTO MUSCLE
Turning fat into muscle is one of the most ridiculous myths in the world. It is actually physiologically impossible to turn fat into muscle, and this is because muscle and fat are made up from completely different cells. The muscles that cover the body consist of muscle fibers called myofibrils, and these fibers contain even smaller fibers, which consist of chains of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks to protein, and contain rare nitrogen signatures in its chemical makeup. Body fat is completely different, and is known as adipose tissue, which contains triglycerides, which consist of glycerol and other fatty acid chains. Even though there are different types of body fat, most body fat is made from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Both the muscle, and the fat cells are completely different, and cannot be converted into the other component.
In order to lose weight, and gain muscle, the process must start from weight loss. Although weight can be lost due to muscle loss, and glycogen stores, the bulk must come from fat loss. To effectively lose fat, a student must eat less calories than their body needs to burn, or increase their physical output to burn more calories. The problem with weight loss is if a student loses too many calories then that can lead to significant muscle loss, which is not good for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Once there are no calories to burn the body will naturally tap into its muscle source as its only fuel. Students need to lose weight consistently by only eating 500 calories less than they burn, as this will ensure the correct ratio of weight loss. Once a student has begun the process of being in a calorie deficit, they can look at building up their muscles. Students should engage in at least two or three strength training exercises per week, and this is to preserve their muscle mass during a weight loss period. This can be filtered down a little, especially if the student is training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, because the grappling combat has components of strength, and fitness training incorporated into its training sessions.
If you enjoyed this piece, consider checking:
- Cardio for BJJ
- BJJ AB Workout
- Going Back to BJJ After a Long Break
- BJJ Workout
- How Often to Train BJJ
- BJJ Kettlebell Workout
- Is Jiu-Jitsu a Good Workout
- Balancing BJJ and Weight Training
- Pre-Workout Before BJJ
- Does Jiu Jitsu Build Muscle
- BJJ and Weightlifting
- How to Get Better at Jiu Jitsu at Home
- Can You Practice Jiu Jitsu Alone
- BJJ for Beginners
- Mental Benefits of Jiu-Jitsu
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