HIIT is a particular form of exercise that stands for high-intensity interval training. This is one of the most popular forms of exercising to date. BJJ, on the other hand, is a martial art and a sport that will teach you to submit people and protect yourself from being submitted.
Even though the technique is the most important thing that you could learn in BJJ – many people are still confused as to the importance of strength for BJJ. Well, a person with a better technique has the edge over a stronger person. However, the person with great technique and solid strength has a much bigger edge over the person that’s strong but doesn’t have the technical knowledge. That being said, below you will find some more information on how to implement HIIT for improving your BJJ gains.
Benefits of HIIT for BJJ
HIIT is known and popular for how brutal it is on the body. That being said, there are many misconceptions about the true nature of HIIT. There are people that think that they can get by with doing exercises at 60-70% of their capacity and then resting.
Well, the reality of HIIT is much more brutal than that. HIIT is all about draining your body until you can’t take it any longer. So, it’s not about doing exercises in the 60-70% range of capacity. It’s about doing exercises in the 90-100% range of capacity.
If you don’t know how this will help you for BJJ – then we suggest that you try some of the HIIT programs out. You will get exhausted – this is certain. And this will especially be the case in the first few HIIT sessions until you acclimatize your body to the increased demands.
But you will see an interesting phenomenon happening at BJJ class after this. You will be able to train and roll like you have never done before. All the sudden rolling will get a lot easier for you and you will be able to go on rolling for prolonged periods of time. This will mean that you will be able to tire out your opponents much more easily because of your HIIT workouts.
But HIIT is not only great for your cardiovascular endurance. It’s also one of the best ways to improve your strength. With each consecutive HIIT workout session where you give your best, you will improve and increase your strength and you will decrease your future risks of injury. And this is one of the best things that you could do when it comes to preparing yourself for BJJ.
Drawbacks of HIIT for BJJ
However, not everything is rosy in the land of HIIT. There are still a few things that you need to be aware of. First all, HIIT is definitely not for everybody. You need to have a strong base in weightlifting or calisthenics with proper technique before you try and hit the HIIT. The reason for this is that HIIT will absolutely drain you for what you have.
And many people simply won’t be able to get to the level that HIIT requires. Many people make the mistake of training at sub-par range and thinking that they have done a HIIT session when they have only done a regular training session.
Again, you need to go with 90-100% of your strength and endurance for 20 seconds or so. This is for how long your body is able to perform while at the top range. After this, you will need to rest for a bit – take as long as you need. You’ll need to fully recover until you’re able to do a full 20-second spurt of vigorous HIIT exercise.
And finally, if you overdo HIIT and you go and train BJJ soon thereafter, you will risk getting injured. Your body is capable of doing only so much and you risk injuring it if you get overtrained. So, keep this in mind while creating your HIIT workout as a supplement to your BJJ training.
An example of a HIIT workout
The best thing about high-intensity interval training is that you can do a lot of variations when it comes to the exercises that you perform. Burpees are one of the most frequent exercises that people use for HIIT. However, you will also be able to incorporate cycling and sprinting. Even fast push-ups are a great addition to a HIIT workout.
The most important thing is that you give it your all. You will need to feel “dead” after a workout if you want to do proper HIIT. Here’s an example of a HIIT workout specifically tailored to MMA:
In conclusion
HIIT is a great addition to your BJJ training. It can make you stronger and looser – and it can also dramatically improve your cardio. However, it’s definitely not for everyone – it’s a brutal form of exercise that can drain you. Only do it if you’re fit and healthy. You will begin to feel the benefits right after the first workout session.
Check also:
- Powerlifting for BJJ: Benefits and Workout program
- Calisthenics for BJJ : Benefits and Workout Example
- Strеtсhing techniques in BJJ & the importance of flexibility
