Self Image: Jiu-jitsu vs. lifting weights

[DoogieT]

Hey, all. I'm debating returning to jiu-jitsu lessons after taking something like five years off. I stopped because my teacher left, but then I moved to a new city and there's a really good club nearby, so...

The problem is that I'm torn about lifting weights vs. taking lessons. I'm not sure that I have time to do both and I've always wanted to learn how to become a really good grappler...BUT I don't think JJ will transform my body the way the weights have been. To be honest, I always used to think that lifting weights just "didn't work" for me, but now I know it's because I didn't push myself hard enough and didn't eat properly. I wish I had known how to work out properly when I was 17 and not 37...

The other thing is that lifting weights has the potential to drastically redefine how I see myself. In the past I used to think of myself as nerd/geek (I'm still working on this) but I have pectoral muscles now. And triceps. And biceps! Like, wtf? Me? I'm the nerdy guy who took jiu-jitsu after I got put in the hospital by a psycho ex-boyfriend. So maybe if I keep lifting weights I won't *need* the jiu-jitsu? Or maybe I'd good at it now that I have some muscle to back up my technique...? And I've heard with weights come women? ("First you get the weights, then you get the muscle, then you get the..." (apologies to Scarface))

Eh, this post is kinda rambling. Does anyone have any thoughts? I suppose I'm thinking in black and white terms and that I can do both...

[Grendelsfork]

VARIETY is the spice of life. Weights and jiu-jitsu! I know, I know..you are going to say "I dont have time to do both" but you do. A quick bodyweight excercise session or 30 minutes in the gym busting out some weighted pullups, squats and deadlifts twice a week will make you much more dangerous on the mat.Focus on heavy weights but also think about doing some fast-twitch excercises as well (and for the love of God...TAKE A YOGA CLASS. Your connective tissue will thank you later) I've done weights and mantis boxing for years and though we are more of a striking art there is a lot of grabbing and um...manipulating. Weights will help that. In the end, in a real fight as well as everyday life, the more you sweat in training..the less you bleed in battle

[chairohkey]

There's no reason you can't do both.

[161803398874989]

Yes, you're right. You can do both. They'll complement eachother.

[rtalencar]

I lift every morning before work. I have to get up at 4AM in order to do this, but it's worth it for me. I do karate in the evenings and on weekends. It's all about becoming more well rounded. That, in my opinion, will do more to redefine your own self image than any one thing could.

[Luthorcrow]

You may have to modify your workout but yes, but both are necessary. Any martial art is flawed if it is not combined with solid physical conditioning and full contact sparing. That is the core reason why the average boxer can wipe the mat with the average traditional Kung Fu or karate guy.

[morethanjustamom]

Boxers lift, MMA fighters lift, baseball, football, soccer, rugby, basketball players lift...even swimmers lift weights when they hit a certain level in their training.

Weights help make the muscles you'll be using for all those cool ju-ujitsu moves stronger. Do both. 3 45 min. weight training sessions each week (focus on compound exercises, and go heavy), 3 jiu-jitsu training classes per week. Do yoga on your rest day.

[rtalencar]

You may have to modify your workout but yes, but both are necessary. Any martial art is flawed if it is not combined with solid physical conditioning and full contact sparing. That is the core reason why the average boxer can wipe the mat with the average traditional Kung Fu or karate guy.

No love for the older styles =)

[Georges]

I bet if you do both for a bit, you'll find out if you want to spend that much time on both.

As a bonus, if you don't want to put that much time in, you'll probably have a better idea of which one you want more.

[aj_rock]

A good sensei will instruct you on proper strength and conditioning outside of the dojo.

[Serenity]

I'd say look around the school. I've trained at schools that expected fitness and so people transformed their bodies through the workouts and extra training, and I've trained at schools where people were just keeping themselves busy until the next interesting thing came along. If most of the intermediate students have the body shape you want to have, that's a great place to work on both goals.

[Luthorcrow]

No love for the older styles =)

If the old school focuses primarily on teaching katas, light or no contact sparing and no regular program of conditioning, then yes. A lot of schools focus on form over conditioning and spiritualism over being fit.

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts tend to take the more practical training methods practiced in boxing and wrestling. But he didn't say what version of Jiu-jitsu he is studying.

As was said elsewhere strength training is part of every sport except for maybe table tennis.

[DoogieT]

My first karate school (that I took for a year) had katas and light (or almost no) sparring.

Then came the vicious beating where I realized what I had learned was usless.

Jiu-jitsu all the way, baby.

[Benjsec]

Funny you should post this - I've just started Jiu-jitsu and am about to start lifting weights to complement that and my BW exercises. So to add to what everyone else said - do both. Invent new hours if you need to

[Maledictus]

So maybe if I keep lifting weights I won't *need* the jiu-jitsu? Or maybe I'd good at it now that I have some muscle to back up my technique...?

Nope, number of fights I got into when I was younger precisely because some idiot wanted to fight the biggest guy in the room (except for the actual bouncers & surrounded by his mates naturally). All the muscle in the world won't necessarily help if you don't know how to use it (I know that from sort of personal experience ) . In case anyone thinks I'm bragging I'll also put in the story of my first judo grading where a royal marine lumbered onto the mat and proceeded to destroy me. Didn't even buy me dinner first . As for older styles of karate not being much use, I can personally vouch for at least kyokushin - the emphasis that puts on conditioning is crazy.

Plus if you go for heavy weight/low rep it shouldn't take all that much time?

[GoToTheGround]

You need both but you need technique more than strength in general, certainly when you're starting out.

Benjsec if you've just stared Jiu Jitsu in leicester and you're not training with Nathan Leverton you need to go check him out. One of the best in the country.

[Benjsec]

I did look at the leicester shootfighters, but it comes across as much more focused on cage fighting, and that everything is training towards that. At the moment it's just not really something that appeals, right now. I'm more in it for the fitness and flexibiltiy side, not that a bit of self-defence know how will hurt, but fighting and competing? I dunno.

Am I getting the wrong impression of it from their website?

[21katykat01]

Ok so I do taekwondo, which is different, but also the same. Do both! Learn what weights will enhance your JJ performance even better. I know there's nothing like the feeling of power and mastery that comes with progressing in a martial art, so don't deprive yourself of it, but don't deprive yourself of lifting weights either because it's fun!

[GoToTheGround]

95% of their members don't fight or compete. They are primarily a submission grappling club (one of the best in the country) but yes they also have a solid ammy MMA team also. Their dedicated fitness classes are freaking insane.

I personally wouldn't consider training with anyone else if I lived within travel distance of that gym. I can't stress that enough.

[Benjsec]

Well I guess I've got nothing to lose by going along for a free session at least!

[rtalencar]

If the old school focuses primarily on teaching katas, light or no contact sparing and no regular program of conditioning, then yes. A lot of schools focus on form over conditioning and spiritualism over being fit.

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts tend to take the more practical training methods practiced in boxing and wrestling. But he didn't say what version of Jiu-jitsu he is studying.

As was said elsewhere strength training is part of every sport except for maybe table tennis.

You're right, but I personally think that has more to do with the school than the style, per se. Maybe I've been lucky but both my Judo club and Karate dojo have been pretty intense, and I've seen a few BJJ schools in Sao Paulo that are a joke.

And fully agreed on the strength training bit =)