Why Yoga May Be the Best Form of Cross Training?
There are few activities that can completely impact your body physical like training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. BJJ impacts your muscular strength, your cardio and endurance, as well as your flexibility. In an attempt to improve these physical attributes, many people cross train to try to impact these areas to make themselves better grapplers or improve their overall fitness.
Yoga is an activity that is extremely complimentary to the study of BJJ and in many cases, can help rejuvenate and restore damaged joints and muscles and undo any damage that could be caused through hard grappling sessions.
In the video below, Josh Stockman of Attitude First BJJ in Arizona, shares a few key moves that can have a positive impact on your BJJ. The first is a push up variation that will have you building strength and also replicates some of the arm positioning used in BJJ.
The second technique is a variation of the hurdler's stretch which will methodically and efficiently increase the flexiblity in your hips and hamstrings, having you touching your toes in no time. And lastly, there is the Crow, a position that helps build balance and strength and utilizes similar arm positioning as the yoga push up which will strengthen your ability to frame and base off of your opponent.
For Josh, there are a number of reasons one should train Yoga to supplement their BJJ. By learning and practicing the movements, it forces us to stay in alignment and keep our bodies properly balance to prevent injuries from misalignment.
Training Yoga also encourages blood flow and the break up of scar tissue in joints that can develop over time. Finally, for Josh, doing Yoga allows you to take an active roll in your restoration and recovery when you are injured. This proactive approach can speed your recovery.
In the quest to improve and stay on the mats, yoga can keep your on the mats and accentuate all of your development and go a long way to heal and restore you while its improving your fitness and your flexibility.
Look for upcoming Yoga resources applicable for BJJ training from Josh and BJJ Fanatics in the future. In the meantime, keep yourself safe by checking out Tom DeBlass' newest release "Submission Escapes" available in 4 volumes here from BJJ Fanatics!
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