How does flexibility help BJJ?

How does flexibility improve BJJ?

Because it allows a bigger range of motion in each Jiu-Jitsu position as the muscles are lengthened. 

Why do we need a bigger range of motion?



bjj stretching

 Hear me out on this…

Try putting on a long sleeved shirt and pair of pants that are too tight. Yes, three sizes too small. Jeans (not stretchy pants but jeans), and some type of button up shirt (not a stretchy cotton shirt - but a shirt with very little give). Now, go throughout your day. 


Rather restrictive isn’t it? Try squatting to pick up your wallet that you dropped, or reaching for your coffee cup in the cupboard… You can’t squat as low or reach as high. 


Get me into some different clothes. Now


The reality is over time we will become used to the tightness, or maybe even worse - we become so tight that something tears, snaps, or breaks. 


This time I’m not talking about the clothes. 


I’m talking about part of the body becoming so tight a muscle, ligament, tendon or maybe even part of a bone structure has had too much stress for too long and calls it a day. 

It gives up. Throws in the towel. Quits their job…”See ya!” 


Wait. I need you. Don’t do that. 



This process doesn’t happen overnight, it sneaks up on us slowly but consistently, and we don’t realize how tight we are becoming. As a result we still think we are ok but years down the road the flexibility continues to diminish.


I get it, we all love BJJ. But BJJ doesn’t always love us back. 

stretches for bjj


We have to respect the fact that we demand a sh** ton from our bodies when we step on those BJJ mats. In hard training sessions it isn’t uncommon to ask our body to do almost everything it can do. From moving to exploding to escaping to attacking to defending, squatting, twisting, turning, rolling…


These are not small things, and it makes sense that our muscles would become tighter as we continually put this stress on our bodies. 


But. Good news. 

We can reverse and overcome this process before it reaches the breaking point.  


Hitting the yoga mat creates balance of length and strength and has more benefits than most people realize. Not just from the muscular aspect but although through the deeper layers of ligaments, tendons, and fascia. It’s all connected. 


Not only will movement be more efficient, but range of motion will be increased. Allowing you reach higher and squat lower (as an example). 


It took time to become tight - so in the same way it’ll take time to loosen up. Just remember that a  little bit of stretching every day goes a long way. 


Let’s get you out of those clothes that are way too tight, and put you into your favourite pair of comfortable sweatpants and loose cotton shirt. 


Now. Let’s do some BJJ. 

I have for you a free 10 classes, all 10 minutes long, that can be done for 10 days.

CLICK HERE AND GET STARTED


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