“This is a BJJ Workouts guest post from BJJ and Judo addict Lex Fridman“
When I’m trying to lose a few extra pounds, by far my favorite type of exercise is just plain old rolling (aka training) in BJJ or any kind of grappling (including judo). It’s fun, so I can do it for a long time, and that’s the key to any good cardio program. It has to be fun. That’s why I love kettlebell training for BJJ as well. They are so much more fun than regular weights!
However, if I want to get to that 170-180 bpm heart rate that’s an indication that you are truly working hard, I can always count on the treadmill. The nice thing about the treadmill is that it does all the “intellectual” work for you. All you have to do is run fast enough not to fall off.
So my favorite program is run at 12 mph for a minute and then jog at 4-6 mph for a minute. Do that back and forth for 15 to 20 sets until I have to puke or I’m so thoroughly soaked in sweat that the people running on treadmills next to me start to look concerned.
Here’s a video a friend of mine shot today of me running at 12 mph. This is the first time I’ve ever seen myself run, and 12 mph looks a lot slower and a lot easier than it feels.
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.
