Why do so many people in bjj not lift weights

shortlefthook

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Never understood this mindset. In wrestling everybody lifted heavy, but in bjj most people I talk too, don't lift weights, which blows my mind.
many respected teachers lift weights and it seems that most people I roll with (white belt to black belt) it was like a 3:1 ratio of guys who don't lift vs do lift.

There's obviously nothing like grappling with stronger heavier guys to develop that functional strength, however you can't do that all the time if you're trying to actually improve technically.
If you go from benching 135 to 275 1rp max you would have to be delusional to not think that strength is going to transfer over, I know for a fact my whole body is allot more robust from lifting heavy since hs wrestling, many people in bjj are under some sort of false belief, it's like some hispter bjj shit
/Rant
 
Maybe they don't have time? They don't feel like it? BJJ is a hobby and not everyone cares about optimizing their performance?

Or a million other perfectly reasonable explanations.

Comparing it to wrestling is also pretty dumb - a team sport where everyone is competing vs a hobby that people already count as their workout?

Plus, for the vast majority of those training, more time on the mat should take priority to any sort of strength or conditioning routine.
 
How many of the guys you train BJJ with are Hobbyists that work / have family? I don't lift weights, because I prioritise BJJ & Judo, work and family above weights.
 
Mosy people train because it's fun and interesting. Lifting is pretty boring.
 
How many of the guys you train BJJ with are Hobbyists that work / have family? I don't lift weights, because I prioritise BJJ & Judo, work and family above weights.
Lol I have a family, work full time 50-60hrs 5 days week, lift and grapple 3x a week.
I don't care if you have excuses my point is there's allot of people who BELIEVE there is zero benefit to lifting that's a common misconception found in the bjj community.
Maybe they don't have time? They don't feel like it? BJJ is a hobby and not everyone cares about optimizing their performance?

Or a million other perfectly reasonable explanations.

Comparing it to wrestling is also pretty dumb - a team sport where everyone is competing vs a hobby that people already count as their workout?

Plus, for the vast majority of those training, more time on the mat should take priority to any sort of strength or conditioning routine.
I'm talking about the bjj hipsters that show up on their Longboard smelling like some skunky weed claiming lifting holds no benefit to bjj... it's like bjj hispters
 
Because we cannot use leverage against barbells and bars.
 
my point is there's allot of people who BELIEVE there is zero benefit to lifting that's a common misconception found in the bjj community.

I've never met anyone in BJJ that has straight up said there is no value in being the stronger person in a competitive scenario. I think most people simply don't care because they are not entering any serious competition.
 
Because we cannot use leverage against barbells and bars.
If you add 50-100 pounds to any major compound lift you will indirectly make your body a stronger version of it's former self that couldn't handle/lift that 100lbs more.
It makes you stronger overall
 
Never understood this mindset. In wrestling everybody lifted heavy, but in bjj most people I talk too, don't lift weights, which blows my mind.
many respected teachers lift weights and it seems that most people I roll with (white belt to black belt) it was like a 3:1 ratio of guys who don't lift vs do lift.

There's obviously nothing like grappling with stronger heavier guys to develop that functional strength, however you can't do that all the time if you're trying to actually improve technically.
If you go from benching 135 to 275 1rp max you would have to be delusional to not think that strength is going to transfer over, I know for a fact my whole body is allot more robust from lifting heavy since hs wrestling, many people in bjj are under some sort of false belief, it's like some hispter bjj shit
/Rant

Me personally, I don't lift because I'm fu@kin lazy. That being said I really should lift though.

That's the superficial difference between wrestling and martial arts. Wrestling atleast in the U.S. is a sport so for guys who wrestle they need to lift because wrestling culture is also about being muscular and strong. In other words a 'jock'.

In martial arts, in this case BJJ, if you lift great, if you don't lift, that's great too. We really don't care. They leave it up to you to determine how to get yourself good.
 
Lol I have a family, work full time 50-60hrs 5 days week, lift and grapple 3x a week.
And if you want to grapple 6 times per week, do you still have the time for lifting? I do not and I would rather roll 6 times than lift 3 and roll 3.
 
And if you want to grapple 6 times per week, do you still have the time for lifting? I do not and I would rather roll 6 times than lift 3 and roll 3.
Lol no way I'm grappling 6 days a week if I had all the time in the world.
Im not judging your choice as long as you admit that lifting and being strong indirectly makes you harder to control and stronger ontop once you learn how and when to apply that strength and not Burn yourself out.
Obviously someone who just lifts is going to be tough to deal with for about 30 seconds but someone who knows how to properly grapple and has high numbers on their compound lifts Is going to be tough to deal with, not weight Wise strength wise.
 
Lol no way I'm grappling 6 days a week if I had all the time in the world.
Im not judging your choice as long as you admit that lifting and being strong indirectly makes you harder to control and stronger ontop once you learn how and when to apply that strength and not Burn yourself out.
Obviously someone who just lifts is going to be tough to deal with for about 30 seconds but someone who knows how to properly grapple and has high numbers on their compound lifts Is going to be tough to deal with, not weight Wise strength wise.

I bet a guy who trains 6x a week will be much better at bjj than the guy who trains 3x and lifts 3x if similar size athletic abilities. The longer it goes on for the bigger the gap will get.
 
If you go from benching 135 to 275 1rp max you would have to be delusional to not think that strength is going to transfer over
You are delusional if you think other way around, too.

I train judo 5 days/week and I gained ~20lb in the past 3 years from that. I see huge difference in core muscles, forearms, deltoids, and not as much in chest and biceps. If I benched I'd gain more in the muscles I do not need. That would make me slower and less efficient, with risk of burnout.

I do however, train with rubber band drilling forward throws pull. This improves both strength and coordination.

Crossfit training seem to be more applicable to BJJ and Judo than lifting like bodybuilders do.
 
For me personally it's both a time issue and lack of interest.

Lost count of how many times I joined a gym to weight lift but got so bored.

Right now with a full time job and two kids just making it to BJJ class every day is a challenge. Any more than that and my wife will divorce me. No joke.
 
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Its a martial arts thing . Then there's the fact alot shames you for taking strength training seriously.

You see this stuff on social media all the time. Pic of MM with a caption "this 125lb male (not really true) will beat a bodybuilder looking guy".
1st of all, the folks posting it will never ever be like mighty mouse. 2nd is when a stronger guy will similar skill comes in, they duck him like the butonic plague.

Alot of the bro science in the combat sports community for strength work is ridiculous. There's also the fact that majority of people in this field don't know much about it. The idea of periodization is lost with them. They confuse strength for technique when they are two different areas.

Aisde from strength, lifting provides the attribute that most practitioners need: addressing muscle imbalances. So many of my teammates and others in this community have complained about muscle related injuries and its because the techniques done most of the time addresses the front instead if posterior. Come stress time, front wears out and the rear has to shoulder the burden, but its underdeveloped and they get injured.
 
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You are delusional if you think other way around, too.

I train judo 5 days/week and I gained ~20lb in the past 3 years from that. I see huge difference in core muscles, forearms, deltoids, and not as much in chest and biceps. If I benched I'd gain more in the muscles I do not need. That would make me slower and less efficient, with risk of burnout.

I do however, train with rubber band drilling forward throws pull. This improves both strength and coordination.

Crossfit training seem to be more applicable to BJJ and Judo than lifting like bodybuilders do.
The bench done properly will translates very well to bjj chest muscles are important and I'm talking mainly strength gains not weight, my weight barely changes because I focus on strength.
There's countless times you will be pushing and stabilizing heavy weights.
If you can't lift a 235 barbell and stabilize it, a 235lb man could easily injure you, there's a direct benefit to shocking you cns with heavy ass loads, changes bone density, equips more fast twitch fibers it's good shit.

Bench is a tool for any combat athlete not a staple
 
Lol no way I'm grappling 6 days a week if I had all the time in the world.
Im not judging your choice as long as you admit that lifting and being strong indirectly makes you harder to control and stronger ontop once you learn how and when to apply that strength and not Burn yourself out.
Obviously someone who just lifts is going to be tough to deal with for about 30 seconds but someone who knows how to properly grapple and has high numbers on their compound lifts Is going to be tough to deal with, not weight Wise strength wise.

If you trained 6x a week instead of 3/3 you would be harder to control and stronger on top.

There are plenty of huge benefits to lifting, and everyone that trains would benefit. But again, if your priority is to get better at grappling more time spent grappling is the shortest path.
 
I know that some guys that were big, with pecs and big arms, were saying that they got better when they tone down the bodybuilding part a bit. They were more flexible and still pretty strong anyway. But that's maybe an extreme case.

Personnaly I don't lift, I do some bodyweight and low weight exercices for my shoulders and pecs. I do a lot of abs and a lot of stretching. I've been injured a lot, nothing really bad, but I seemed to always have some discomforts. With that ''program'' I seem to not injure myself that much, so I'm in a ''don't change anything'' kind of mind.


I'm 5'11 190 LBS and I'm rarely overpowered by anybody. The bigger, stronger guys are not the toughest roll for me, I'm usually more technical, I have more cardio and I'm quicker than they are so a slight strenght disadvantage isn't a big deal for me.
 
If you trained 6x a week instead of 3/3 you would be harder to control and stronger on top.

There are plenty of huge benefits to lifting, and everyone that trains would benefit. But again, if your priority is to get better at grappling more time spent grappling is the shortest path.
That's debatable I know for a fact I been lifting for 5 years that had I not lifted I would get my ass kicked by my current self.
It all depends on your style If your a lanky guy and just like to throw triangles up from guard then I can see why lifting may not appeal to you, but for my personal style strength is a staple and it transfers over to a fight better vs just a training session where you're not trying to jerk around and just be smooth and technical.
 
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