Getting fit for BJJ

[bigstu31s]

Some advice needed
I haven’t done any MA training since I got injured doing Judo a few years back. I’ve recently had some back problems but have had some Osteopath sessions and he has given me the all clear to start some exercise again. I have a gym at my work so I can get in a good hour a day of various free weights along with some Cardio like running, cycling, rowing etc.

I really want to do some BJJ and have seen a few clubs near to where I live and have narrowed it down to either http://novagen-uk.blogspot.com/ or http://www.novaforca.com/index.html.
Any recommendations here would be grateful.
I was thinking of maybe doing Judo again but, and I may be wrong here, I think with the throws I would have more chance of being seriously injured doing this than say BJJ. Would you guys agree?

Now back to the topic of my post, can anyone suggest what type of training I should do in my work Gym to best proper me for BJJ.
The equipment they have is as follows

Two Bench’s
Lots of dumbbells but only up to 40kg
Various machine’s like Lat pull down, bench press, shoulder press etc.
Rowers, Bikes, Treadmills, crosstrainers.
They also have those swiss balls and have yoga classes twice a week.

BTW I’m 37 years old and have had various back, shoulder and chest injuries over the years but apart from not training for the last month I usually work out 5 times a week and run 4 miles once a week. (I may be doing the London Marathon next year so that will greatly increase)

Thanks for any advice

[mrgoshthereturn]

The best way of getting fit for bjj is do bjj. Other than that anything is good, but focus on your core muscles as they'll get tested to hell. As a bjj noob i find rowing is good and stephen Kesting's website (A bjj blackbelt who offers a free training ebook well worth a look) reccomends a kettlebell workout.

BTW if your in london one place i'd kill to train is http://www.rogergracie.com/

if you do like bjj, it would be worth a look

[PointyShinyBurn]

The best way of getting fit for bjj is do bjj.

^^^ Truth

Don't procrastinate 'getting fit' for BJJ, whatever you do you'll be tired as hell at first anyway.

[bigstu31s]

The best way of getting fit for bjj is do bjj. Other than that anything is good, but focus on your core muscles as they'll get tested to hell. As a bjj noob i find rowing is good and stephen Kesting's website (A bjj blackbelt who offers a free training ebook well worth a look) reccomends a kettlebell workout.

BTW if your in london one place i'd kill to train is http://www.rogergracie.com/

if you do like bjj, it would be worth a look

There is a Roger Gracie trained instructor here http://www.andyrobertsbjj.com/ which isn't too far but London is a little bit too far for me.

[bigstu31s]

^^^ Truth

Don't procrastinate 'getting fit' for BJJ, whatever you do you'll be tired as hell at first anyway.

Yeah i've heard this before, I guess I don't want to walk in there and be totally gassed before the free sparring starts.
Do you drill throws much in BJJ as you do in Judo?

[MMAMickey]

Do you drill throws much in BJJ as you do in Judo?

I only occasionally train in 'pure' bjj, and even then we use no gi. but all we usually do in terms of takedowns is shooting in and occasional technical throws.. nothing as physical as in the mixed grappling and judo classes

EDIT: oh and freeweight circuits are key to functional muscle fitness. http://buildingbodies.ca/exercise/ra...-conditioning/ .. a great circuit to start with for grapplers.

[PointyShinyBurn]

Yeah i've heard this before, I guess I don't want to walk in there and be totally gassed before the free sparring starts.

Why not? You'll definitely be gassing like a bastard as soon as you start free sparring anyway.

Do you drill throws much in BJJ as you do in Judo?

Generally speaking: much, much less.

[bigstu31s]

Why not? You'll definitely be gassing like a bastard as soon as you start free sparring anyway.

Generally speaking: much, much less.

That sounds good then as I do want to do BJJ but don;t want to get injured. I know with any proper MA that Injury is always possible but at least it rules out the nasty injury's where you are thrown and land badly on an outstretched arm

BTW this is a workout I was doing prior to my back injury.
All the excercises are done without pause and for about 10 reps unless otherwise stated. I would normally do this twice again without rest and this would take me 30 minutes. I increase the weight and eventually would up it to 1 hour without rest but haven't got their yet. I've chosen these excercises as I am restricted by equipment in my Gym
Any good?

Pressups 30 reps
Shrugs
Alternate Dumbell Curls
Squats
Kickbacks
Incline Dumbell Press
Bent over Laterals
Concentrations Curls
Leg Extensions
Tricep Pull downs
One Arm Rows
Dumbell Flys
Leg Curls
Lat Pulldowns
Machine Press
Crunches 30reps

[PointyShinyBurn]

at at least it rules out the nasty injury's where you are thrown and land badly on an outstretched arm

Be aware that this does still happen, just probably not as often. I saw a really nasty one a tournament the other weekend where it was his forearm that broke rather than the elbow.

[bigstu31s]

Be aware that this does still happen, just probably not as often. I saw a really nasty one a tournament the other weekend where it was his forearm that broke rather than the elbow.

Ouch.
At my age I may not even bother with tournaments as I would just like to learn the moves and get as excited as Joe Rogan does when he see's a nice transition or guard pass in the UFC.

I did take 1 BJJ class about 6 years ago and the instructor was a Purple Belt. When I got the chance to spar with him I thought I would just try what I had seen Royce Gracie do in those early UFC's. This Purple belt just played with me and choked me at will. It was a big wake up call and I loved it. Now finally I wanna learn some of that stuff. Watch out Anderson Silva, lol.