I had a great session today with a BJJ training partner, client and teammate Phil.
Phil and I are not getting any younger but we still want to get the most out of our bodies and we want to get the most out of our training on and off the BJJ mats. Sound familiar?
Phil & Lil' Royce
I introduced this warm-up to Phil simply because it’s one of my favorites and I feel that it’s a very complete.Phil & Lil’ Royce
Here’s how you can use this warm-up:
- This is not a BJJ specific warm-up but you can definitely use it before your BJJ training and skill work. You should feel energized and ready to go after a few rounds. Not too tired, just ready to go after some harder training.
- As a warm-up to any of your strength and conditioning work. This warm-up covers everything, hip extensors and flexors, t-spine and shoulder mobility.
- As an active-recovery workout. When I’m feeling very beat-up some days I’ll just run through several rounds of this warm-up and I feel amazing and I’m sure you will too. The aches and pains are gone and my energy levels have increased.
The warm-up consists of:
Jump Rope x 1 minute
Bodyweight Squats x 12
Bootstrappers x 12
Bootstrappers with rotation- 6 reps per side
Spider Lunge with rotation- 6 reps per side
Up-dog/down-dog with spinal wave.
To make this warm-up harder:
- Increase the length of you jump rope time or increase jump density
- Increase the number or reps per each exercise
- Move quicker
- Move much, much slower increasing time under tension and testing your endurance and mental state
To make this warm-up easier:
- Decrease the length of you jump rope time or decrease jump density
- Decrease the number or reps per each exercise
- Improve your leverage by going to your knees during your push-ups and up-dogs/down-dogs etc..
Give this a try and please let me know what you think in the comment section below. Don’t make Lil’ Royce come looking for you.
Hi, I'm Jason C. Brown. I'm a coach and athlete obsessed with human movement, martial arts and walking the path of mastery. I help BJJ players move better, play better and enjoy their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu more.
Nice,never seen the bootstrappers
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Oh, to be 37 again! =D Thanks, Jason; this warm-up will definitely be de rigueur for my workouts from now on. Just a word on the aging phenomenon: Your recent interview with Steve Maxwell was both a revelation and an inspiration. Having reached 64, it’s always edifying to see an older athlete demonstrate and personify what is possible through life-long training and proper nutrition–and especially the rejuvenating potential of kettlebells. Those cannon balls with handles have, I feel, literally saved my bacon. After several intense years of heavy weights and HIT, my joints were pretty much trashed–sloppy, with tendonitis virtually everywhere you can have tendonitis. About three of years ago, I discovered kettlebells, and what they have done for my joints as well as my overall fitness is very nearly magical. You are fortunate, Jason, that you have stumbled early onto an approach that will serve you well as you move into your middle and later years. Semper Fi.
Acie,
Thanks for writing! Bootstrappers are a mainstay of many of our warm-ups. They do a body good.
James,
Thanks for writing! I appreciate your input. I am very fortunate to have trained under Steve and he lives exactly what he teaches.
I can only hope to keep it up as long as you and Steve have.
Your story is a great one and I’m glad you found something that’s working for you so well.
Just one follow-up comment. One of the most insidious effects of advancing years is loss of flexibility in the thoracic spine. You’ll see it evidenced in the septuagenarian who, when looking from side to side, will actually sort of duck his head and pivot at the waist. And it’s such a subtle change, one will scarcely notice it until called upon to make a movement that requires flexibility in that area. So you younger guys who still have it? Don’t neglect it!!! And you’ll see that Jason constantly emphasizes movements guaranteed to preserve and enhance what flexibility you already have.
Hey Jason,
Great stuff, thanks for sharing. When is the next KB Certification? I know I keep asking but want to come see you guys. Peace.
Doug
Thanks again James for your input.
I can tell you that at 37 I’m already seeing my t-spine mobility going away.
I have devoted more of my training to maintaining/improving t-spine mobility.
What else have you found beneficial?
Hey Doug,
You have an open invitation. When ever you visit Philly then that’s the next cert. Deal?
That sounds great!!! Shoot me over an email to doug@mbpeakperformance.com with your number and we can set something up. It will be at least me and Samantha.
Great movements and stretches. Gonna give it a try.
[...] my last video post of my favorite BJJ Warm-up on and off the mat there were sets and reps as well as set time intervals for the jump rope [...]
Hey Jason. There’s something I’ve been using that I stole from Steve Cotter’s site
When you’re doing your full squats during warm up, use either a bar if you still have pretty good flexibility, or a resistance band if your flexibility is already compromised. Extend the bar–or band–overhead with both hands during the entire squatting movement. Start with a fairly wide grip and wide stance (as your spinal and shoulder flexibility require). As your flexibility improves, you simply narrow the grip, move your feet closer together and rotate your knees inward–which of course makes the movement increasingly difficult. 3 set of 15 reps or so is, I think, what he recommends. Just like an overhead squat with a kettlebell, it just forces you to open up the chest. Good stuff.
oops…there’s something I forgot that I’ve personally added to the exercise that feels great: when you’re in the erect position after completing the squat and your arms are still fully extended, add a rotational element by pivoting 90 degrees or so to either side along the axis of your spine. This gives a torsional twist to your whole spine, but you can really feel in in the t-spine because that’s where you generally have the least flexibility.
Hey James,
Yep, I’m a big believer in Overhead Squats. And I feel they’re great for almost everything. If you only have time for one exercise I would choose overhead squats.
Only problem is that many people lack the stability and mobility to even attempt them without a solid build-up.
I’m no yogi but that’s a pretty good looking down dog. Nice warm up.
Thank you!