Unlimited energy from an attacking guard

[JuijitsuMan]

Who wants mass building? Not I. I am fine tuning myself to have unlimited energy from the guard. Constantly submission hunting, no lay and pray. Lots of flows and combinations to keep the attacks coming.

What kind of training protocol outside of practicing the guard can help this?

Exercises, sets ,reps, endurance work , and flexibility?

I figure excess Bodyweight is a huge disadvantage. One needs to be light o.w their weight is a crutch in every movement from the bottom as they resist gravity.


Suggestions on training program please.

JJM

[JuijitsuMan]

I also want to point out that this new program should be for the grappler who is not necessarily doing 5 minute round competitions, but rather someone who grapples in class for 20-30 minutes 3x week.

While 30 minutes doesn't sound hard, moving your body for 30 minutes non stop when on your back with all your weight against you seems like torture.

Anyone here train to kick butt against classmates instead of competition? Us older guys don't have time or energy to peak for events anymore, with other life responsibilities.

You're feedback on this thread is greatly appreciated.

JJM

[Tom Yum]

Originally Posted by JuijitsuMan

Suggestions on training program please.

www.crossfit.com

Matt Furey's Combat Conditioning
Matt Furey - Combat Conditioning fitness coaching

Ross Training
RossTraining - Bridging The Gap Between Ordinary and Extraordinary

[GQchris]

go Spar somebody from the Cobra Kai dojo

[Filero]

Big thumbs-up to Ross or Crossfit. Ross's stuff may be more amenable to customization, if you want to work specific attributes.

Go for a well-rounded game. Why center your entire workout on the assumption you'll be working off your back? Why not also work an explosive shot for takedowns, a sprawl that drops like a wall, etc.?

[JuijitsuMan]

Hey guys,

Couple of points. Crossfit I've heard of, Ross I know nothing about -- I will research. And Filero I'm mainly interested in playing guard. Most fighting at our school is ground grappling, I'm also an old man now (well not really just yet), and have given up on my days of being the ultimate fighter :-). BEsides the guard at high levels of skill is a pure chess game in itself, and mesmorizes me.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't combat conditioning mostly for wrestling? I mean squats, hindu pushups, bridges, uphill buddy carries, sounds a lot like wrestling to me. Won't these exercises develop thick torso and and legs (great for wrestlers, bad for guard players). These exercises may be good for top game players in bjj or wrestling or judo. But what about guard?

JJM

[blitz]

Originally Posted by JuijitsuMan

Hey guys,

Couple of points. Crossfit I've heard of, Ross I know nothing about -- I will research. And Filero I'm mainly interested in playing guard. Most fighting at our school is ground grappling, I'm also an old man now (well not really just yet), and have given up on my days of being the ultimate fighter :-). BEsides the guard at high levels of skill is a pure chess game in itself, and mesmorizes me.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't combat conditioning mostly for wrestling? I mean squats, hindu pushups, bridges, uphill buddy carries, sounds a lot like wrestling to me. Won't these exercises develop thick torso and and legs (great for wrestlers, bad for guard players). These exercises may be good for top game players in bjj or wrestling or judo. But what about guard?

JJM

You're giving yourself too much credit if you think your legs and torso will be too big to have a good guard game. You might gain a little size, but don't think it will limit your game at all, it will help it. Many BJJ clubs follow the crossfit workout, they also lift weights and trust me, their guard game doesn't become weaker. Now go do the Crossfit or ross's workouts.

A stronger body will help you in all aspects whether its top or bottom game. I hope you know there are many heavyweights who have a crazy guard game, despite being huge. And by huge I don't mean Body Builder huge, I mean compared to your average joe, and that's who I assume you're talking about.

[JuijitsuMan]

Blitz,

Are you sure these heavyweights are not tall people? If you're short and a heavyweight thick legs can be a curse. I know because I have these traits. For BJJ guard short thick legs plain suck.

For wrestling its great.


JJM

[Filero]

Originally Posted by JuijitsuMan

Hey guys,

Couple of points. Crossfit I've heard of, Ross I know nothing about -- I will research. And Filero I'm mainly interested in playing guard. Most fighting at our school is ground grappling, I'm also an old man now (well not really just yet), and have given up on my days of being the ultimate fighter :-). BEsides the guard at high levels of skill is a pure chess game in itself, and mesmorizes me.

Fair enough. IF that's what you love, go for it.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't combat conditioning mostly for wrestling? I mean squats, hindu pushups, bridges, uphill buddy carries, sounds a lot like wrestling to me. Won't these exercises develop thick torso and and legs (great for wrestlers, bad for guard players). These exercises may be good for top game players in bjj or wrestling or judo. But what about guard?

I'd stay away from Furey's stuff regardless, nowhere near the level of Crossfit or Ross's IMO, and just on the basis of Furey selling such bullshit to anyone gullible enough to pay him the $$$ he asks for, I'd even avoid his more solid stuff.

If you're interested, any of Ross's material, particularly Infinite Intensity and Never Gymless, will teach you about the attributes fighters need to develop (max strength, explosive power, speed, muscular endurance, aerobic and anaerobic cardio) and how to develop those attributes. He will also teach you how to do all these things without muscling up -- he's particularly careful to make sure you understand this, because he doesn't want you lifting yourself into the next weight class. It sounds like Ross's stuff would be very valuable to you, probably answer a lot of your questions about what to develop, and how to develop it, without getting big. Unfortunately, unlike Furey, who every few months declares he has a new secret "and it's not hard work", Ross will tell you that you have to work hard and there's no shortcuts. Bummer. If you're interested, here they are: RossTraining - Products

[treelizard]

I love all that stuff but in reality you get conditioned to grapple by grappling.

Originally Posted by JuijitsuMan

While 30 minutes doesn't sound hard, moving your body for 30 minutes non stop when on your back with all your weight against you seems like torture.

Stop pulling guard... Work on escapes from guard. If they put all their weight on you one thing you can do is just to pull them down, using your legs, then pull on the head, keep 'em down, and when they posture up you use one foot to push off and stand. Bam you're out of guard.

If they are using all their weight against you then you need to work on your guard game. Practice ALL the escapes regularly with progressive resistance.

This is good: Closed Guard Tips for BJJ and submission grappling

[JuijitsuMan]

Filero

What an awesome post! You really are getting me inquisitive on Ross Training. I figure for $85 its not too expensive. Does his cardio cover aerobics, anaerobics, sprints, and how to perform periodization for competiton?

Right now I've come up with my own plan.

For the next 6 months I want to drop weight (I'm now 185). In fact I'm taking a break off MA to do this. I want to drop 40 pounds (say 30 fat, 5, muscle, 5 water). I figure its impossible to just drop fat alone. I'll do this by doing a lot of cardio and 1 session of weights a week. That's down to 145.

Then after I get to my goal weight, I'll add in 2 sessions of weights a week to put on strength and maybe 10 lbs of muscle (bringing me to 155)

After this I'll spend the next 2 months doing anaerobic training while maintaining my new strength.

Two months after this I'll be working sprints 2x week while maintaining my anaerobic training, strength and aerobics.

Finally weighing 155 10 months from now I'll be ready for class again. This time doing only 1 workout for weights, 1 workout for aerobics, 1 workout for anaerbics, 1 workout for sprints, and 2 bjj classes a week. Although I'm doing less fat burning exercise I figure the volume of exercise will keep my weight in check.

I learned this all from "grapplearts" website, their strength and conditioning articles.

Myself i can't wait. I'm in no rush to get back to bjj. 10 months is a layoff but its ok. I'll come back a new fighting machine and find grappling students half my age in class much easier!

I'll look into Ross training too as another means to get this job done!
JJM

[treelizard]

Originally Posted by JuijitsuMan

Myself i can't wait. I'm in no rush to get back to bjj. 10 months is a layoff but its ok. I'll come back a new fighting machine and find grappling students half my age in class much easier!

No offense, but that sounds really silly. You're not going to bet better at grappling without grappling.

[JuijitsuMan]

Treelizard

If you read my post you'll notice in the last phase I add in 2 bjj classes a week.
Right now I'm not interested in grappling. I'm interested in getting my ass in shape and that means losing weight. I'm technically too out of shape to hang with the students in my class, its always the limiting factor. Even the warm ups are too much for me to handle. So I figure scrap bjj for NOW, and get in shape. I'll get to the bjj phase 10 months from now when I'm a lot healthier.

Sure in the interim this won't improve my bjj, but I'm willing to sacrifice that for the long run.

JJM

[treelizard]

I just think it doesn't take ten months to get conditioned but do whatever you feel like you need to do.

[Tom Yum]

Originally Posted by JuijitsuMan

Treelizard

I'm interested in getting my ass in shape and that means losing weight. I'm technically too out of shape to hang with the students in my class, its always the limiting factor. Even the warm ups are too much for me to handle. So I figure scrap bjj for NOW, and get in shape. I'll get to the bjj phase 10 months from now when I'm a lot healthier.

Sure in the interim this won't improve my bjj, but I'm willing to sacrifice that for the long run.

JJM

Have you tried the crossfit WOD yet?

You could probably alternate one day of BJJ training with a day of crossfit or another combat-conditioning program and kill two birds with one stone.