Improve Your BJJ Game With These Simple Yoga Moves
If You Have Spent Any Time On The Mats You Know That Flexibility And Mobility Go A Long Way. Yoga Is A Practical Way To Improve Your BJJ, Especially On Active Recovery Days...
It is often debated amongst many Brazilian Jiu Jitsu players what the best method of cross training is to improve your grappling skills. You will get a variety of different opinions on this topic. For example, some BJJ players think that a simple kettle bell work out is great for strength and conditioning. Others will tell you that gymnastics strength training is a great way to supplement your time on the mats. Then there is cardio heavy exercises and weight lifting. Ultimately, all of these are great to add to your work out routine. But one often overlooked work out routine is yoga. Maybe you have heard this before and thought it was strange. Or maybe you thought yoga is for soccer moms to do in their spare time. Well, yoga is actually incredibly beneficial for BJJ and all grappling martial arts. The first thing, and most obvious, are the physical benefits yoga can have for your body. It is very good at increasing your flexibility, your core strengths, and your overall physical fitness.
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If there is one person who understands the benefits of yoga for BJJ it is Josh Stockman. Josh has been doing yoga for 12 years and Jiu Jitsu for 12 years. Josh Stockman is an IBJJF No Gi Worlds Gold Medalist, an Arizona State Champion, and a nine time NAGA winner. He practices Martial Arts and Hatha Yoga in Phoenix and is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt under David G. Reilly and Shawn Hammonds. Josh Stockman teaches yoga with the combat sports athlete in mind. The muscle flexibility and joint mobility that are developed through consistent yoga practice are valuable assets to all athletes - especially those competing in combat sports. This freedom of movement makes competitors faster, more maneuverable, and less prone to injury. This is not news to anyone in the know, but what many don't realize is that you can enjoy these benefits without dedicating your life to yoga (or even joining a yoga school).
Josh has a great instructional series on the effectiveness of yoga for BJJ called Grappling With Yoga available exclusively on BJJFanatics.com. If you want to increase your flexibility, feel better about your training and add years to your longevity on the mats, or relieve chronic pains, soreness, or anything that bothers you on a daily basis then this series is for you. With that in mind let’s check out some of Josh’s advice on some basic yoga moves that can really improve your game. Check out the video below!
As Josh suggests, a little bit of Yoga can go a very long way when it comes to improving your grappling. Yoga is great for balance and flexibility – both which are crucial to becoming good at martial arts. Consider for a moment how flexibility helps improve your guard. Yoga is a very difficult practice that also requires all of your concentration and attention to detail. This type of focus transfers very well when it comes to how you approach a live roll or competing in a tournament. Even if you are older, it is not too late to start incorporating yoga into your training routine. Yes, you will not be as flexible as Josh Stockman when you first start out, but just like jiu jitsu, it will come over years of practice and hard work. Remember, a good jiu jitsu student is also doing work off the mats. You should always be exploring and looking for different things to incorporate into your training. Even if yoga is not your primary goal, if you train it with the knowledge that it will improve your BJJ game, you will be likely to become very passionate about it as well.
How you balance your time on the mats depends on your level of athleticism and generally how your body feels. There are going to be days where jumping on the mats is not a good idea. If you had a session with some tough rolls, your body may need a day to bounce back before you hit it again hard. Often times, new BJJ players will think they can handle rolling daily and end up burning themselves out. Avoid chronic injuries or burning yourself out with active recovery. Yoga is a great way to actively recover should you find yourself needing a day away from the daily BJJ grind. So be sure to give yoga a try and if you liked these techniques then check out Josh Stockman’s excellent instructional series Grappling With Yoga available exclusively on BJJFanatics.com!
Grappling With Yoga is the best resource for you to have longevity in the sport of BJJ. Relieve chronic pains, soreness, and anything that bothers you on a day to day basis from training BJJ.
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