Top 7 BJJ Recovery Tips: Pre, During, And Post Training

Training for BJJ makes your body sore, leaving you thinking about the top BJJ recovery tips. Perhaps, you landed up with an injury and wish to get back to training as soon as possible.

According to research, about 59% of trainers got a BJJ-related injury after 6 months of training. The same study also finds the knee as the most commonly injured body part, about 20.8%.

The good news is, there are some excellent ways you can recover from these injuries. This post is a compilation of the best recovery tips from following precautionary measures before, during, and after BJJ training.

How To Prepare Your Body For A Training Session?

If you prepare your body well before a training session, consider half your recovery work done. Checking your nutrition, hydration, warm-up, and sleep levels will prepare you to give your best while training. Besides, it will help mitigate the chances of BJJ soreness and injuries.

The Right Nutrition: You can have a large, well-balanced meal about 4-6 hours before training. It will keep your energy levels in check. However, if you wish to boost these levels, eat a carb-rich snack 40-60 minutes before training. Some excellent options are toast and banana or a cereal bar.
Hydrate: Keeping your body well-hydrated before training is one of the quintessential factors. Drink water regularly, throughout the day, as well as right before training. You may also add electrolytes to your drink to increase your hydration.
Stretching and Mobility: BJJ athletes tend to place their bodies in strange positions repeatedly. As a result, it causes asymmetry and may lead to injury. You can foam roll your spine, hamstrings, and quadriceps before your training session.
Get Enough Sleep: If you are not rested well, you cannot perform up to your potential on the BJJ floor. According to a study, poor sleep quality in BJJ athletes leads to negative performance.

How To Minimise Injury During A Class

Injuries like ankle twists and straining lower back muscles, neck and knee ligaments are common occurrences in BJJ. However, you can always take preventive measures to avoid such injuries.

Warm-up is vital to increase the blood flow and prepare your body for training
Get a foam roller for stretching before a class
Use enough control during all your BJJ sessions
If you train for 90 minutes or longer, consume 30-50 carbohydrates every hour
Choose a partner wisely – someone who matches your experience level
Do not ignore even a minor injury
Focus on exercises that improve flexibility
Use a good quality BJJ Gi to minimize injury as it protects your entire body

Note: According to research, athletes who wear BJJ Gi > 50% of the time while training can sustain an ankle injury more easily.

Stretching Tips To Prevent BJJ Soreness

Stretching before and after class is one of the best ways to prevent BJJ soreness. It makes your muscles ready for training and helps them relax post-training.

Stretching

Though it is a highly debated topic in the fitness arena, BJJ athletes particularly endorse stretching. It helps reduce the chances of soreness and also boosts recovery. Check out these tips to stretch before training.

Stretch each of your body parts, including shoulders, neck, hips, and neck
Continue stretching each part for at least 5-10 minutes
Stretch right before (and after) your class for the best results

Yoga

Did you know yoga for BJJ is an excellent way to stretch? Not only that, it aids muscle endurance, mental strength, and maintaining balance. That’s like hitting multiple targets with one stone!

Practicing yoga regularly will make your muscles relatively flexible, preventing soreness.

You can practice yoga to stretch your hips, legs, shoulders, neck, arms, and any other muscle group you may wish to target. Besides, it helps enhance your spiritual levels, focus, breathing, and overall body control, which is vital for BJJ training.

Should I Train When Sore?

Whether you’re a BJJ beginner or not, one prime question you’ll come across is should I train when sore?

It depends on the level of soreness and your ability to continue training. Though you can continue training, make sure to ease up the level. Additionally, you must consider age, training level, and experience to determine if you should train when sore.

Age: If you are 30 years or older, the level of soreness will be relatively higher. You must either take a day or two to rest up or continue moderate training. Doing an intense workout when sore will only worsen your condition.
Training Stage: You will experience body soreness right from the initial days when you are a beginner. In such a case, you need to ensure a regular training schedule. This will allow your body to get used to the training. Avoid sparring during your initial training, as it can get hard on your body.

How Sore Is Too Sore To Train?

Though muscle soreness is painful, it is actually a sign of your muscles getting stronger. However, if you are experiencing severe muscle soreness, you need to rest up or lower your activity level.

You must not train if,

You cannot conduct the daily chores due to severe muscle pain
Extreme pain lasts for over 72 hours
The pain began during or immediately after the training session

Pro Tip: Do not quit your BJJ training if you are experiencing mild to moderate discomfort. Your muscles will thank you after a few days of training as the pain improves and you see results.

7 Best BJJ Recovery Tips

Even though body soreness may last a few days, think of it like the sweet pain that will give you positive outcomes. Nevertheless, do follow these top 7 recovery tips to prevent your injuries from worsening.

1. Stay Hydrated Pre, During, and Post Training

Did you know even a small drop in your water levels can lessen endurance and slacken the recovery process? Muscle content comprises 76% water. As a result, dehydration can significantly hamper muscle strength. To ensure muscle growth, stay hydrated pre, during, and post BJJ training.

Pro tip: Weigh yourself before and after training to measure the exact fluid weight loss. Drink 750 ml of water for every pound of weight lost.

2. Drink the Ultimate Post-workout Energy Formula

Eating or drinking a healthy snack within 30 minutes of training will help boost the recovery process. However, make sure to follow the formula of 3:1 or 2:1 of carbohydrates to protein. While protein helps rebuild muscle, carbohydrates enable your body to use the protein.

Pro tip: Opt for a ratio of 2:1 if you wish to lose weight. Otherwise, follow the 3:1 formula.

3. Use Compression Therapy

Are you aware of the benefits of compression therapy in BJJ recovery? Compression boots, socks, pants, and bandages reduce muscle damage while training and enhance recovery post-training. The therapy works by minimizing swelling, increasing blood circulation, and metabolic waste removal.

4. Take a Cold Shower

Studies show that a cold shower can substantially aid muscular micro-tears recovery. As your body heats up after working out, it causes inflammation in the nerves. Taking a cold shower helps lower your body temperature, reducing muscle soreness.

5. A Healthy Diet

Though you may already know this, consuming a healthy diet daily is essential for training and muscle recovery.

Nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans
Lean meat like skinless chicken and turkey
Greens like broccoli, asparagus, beans, and spinach
Fruits, especially bananas
Other excellent food options include egg whites, avocadoes, peanut butter, oats, etc.

Pro tip: Avoid sugary food, and try to opt for 3 large meals along with multiple snacks.

6. Sleep is the Best Healer

While a lack of sleep will increase stress and anxiety levels, extra sleep can enhance recovery. When you sleep, your body secretes growth hormone that aids muscle growth and repairs damage.

7. Massage

If you administer message about 2-6 hours after training, it can help improve muscle recovery. It aids in alleviating muscle tension and ensures flexibility. Moreover, massage helps reduce muscle inflammation.

Pro tip: A massage right after training may not give any benefit at all. Wait at least 2 hours after training.

Wrap up

BJJ training requires consistent efforts in learning the techniques. However, you need to train smart by taking the necessary pre, during, and post-recovery measures.

These include ensuring a healthy diet, staying high on water and nutrients, getting enough sleep, compression therapy, and stretching. Though it sounds easy, these small steps can keep you on the right track and help muscle recovery.

For effective results, embrace the sweet pain of soreness. However, make sure not to let it get too high by following the BJJ recovery tips.

F.A.Q

1. What muscles does BJJ training target?

BJJ training primarily stimulates your core and hip muscles. Additionally, it works up your biceps, triceps, and shoulders.

2. Does your body get sore after BJJ training?

Yes, your body is bound to get sore in the initial days of BJJ training. Plus, your muscles may inflate after hardcore training or sparring. However, after a few days of regular sessions, your body will get used to the workout.

3. Does BJJ training damage your body?

No, following a healthy BJJ training schedule does not damage your body. Whether you train daily or thrice a week, make sure to take preventive measures to avoid muscle damage. These include consuming a healthy diet, compression therapy, regular stretching, adequate hydration, and enough sleep.