How can Cardio Improve your BJJ?

We all know bjj can be one of the most tiring exercises in the world.  We have all been in the position where we are on our last round and can barely even attack our opponent, or when we go with the class competitors and can’t upkeep the high intensity pace.  Jiu Jitsu is commonly seen as a martial art but lest face the reality that bjj is also 100% a sport.  

Since bjj is a sport that means that we have high level athletes participating and it is very cardio intensive.  We all know that rolling is extremely tiring and can push many of us past our limits.  Since we are not all athletes and competitors it may be wise to incorporate cardio intensive work outs into your bjj regimen.  Cardio can accelerate your bjj leaps and bounds.  Having good cardio will teach you how to keep a tenacious pace, and allow you to be more explosive while being able to do more rounds.

Cardio for tenacity and Pace

In bjj it is always beneficial to be tenacious;you want to be relentless with your attacks because a good offense is the best defense.  It is always wise to dictate the pace of your rolls that way your opponent is always defending your attacks. You want them to play your game, not theirs.  This is much easier said than done.  Technique aside, you need to have good cardio to dictate the pace and play a relentlessly aggressive game.  

Training cardio intensive work outs as part of your bjj regimen will help you build this tenacity and have the confidence to implement your game without the fear of getting exhausted.  Once you are exhausted you may not be able to play your game.  So much about bjj is having chain attacks, for instance, you want to have one sweep followed by another, and another, etc.  Same with passing, you want to try the leg drag, than knee slide, than X-pass, etc.  Doing all this requires tremendous cardio. Check out our article “The Best Way to Improve your BJJ,” where we elaborate on exercise for bjj.  Also, check out this clip with 5x Black Belt World Champion, Bernardo Faria on the best ways to improve your cardio for bjj.

Cardio for Explosiveness and doing more Rounds

Having good cardio can also assist you in having explosiveness.  Explosiveness is one of the most paramount details to becoming good at bjj.  You want to be able to capitalize on moments that may only last a second;this requires abrupt and explosive movements.  For instance, if your opponent’s arm is extended, you want to be able to catch it fast and be explosive.

Building your cardio will also allow you to train more;you won’t get as tired and may fo from doing 3-4 round to 9-10 rounds.  This will help you tremendously in the long run.  We learn so much while rolling so being able to do more rounds is imperative.  Check out our article “Is This The Only Exercise You Need For Bjj?” It has a simple and effective exercise that will assist you in building your cardio for bjj.  Also, check out this clip from the number one bjj fitness instructional the Diamond Protocol to learn some simple workouts.

If you want to incorporate more cardio intensive workouts into your bjj than check out the #1 bjj fitness DVD Set, “The Diamond Protocol” by Ethan Benda. This DVD set includes plenty of bjj cardio and strength training work outs and also has diet plans that will assist you.