Bulletproof For BJJ Podcast
Discussions on improving your BJJ, navigating mat-politics and all aspects of the jiu jitsu lifestyle. Multiple weekly episodes for grapplers of any level. Hosted by JT and Joey - Australian jiu jitsu black belts, strength coaches, and creators of Bulletproof For BJJ App. Based out of Sydney, Australia
Bulletproof For BJJ Podcast
When Less Becomes More: Smart Training for Aging Grapplers
Couple of banger questions on today's QNA episode. We dive in on finding your golden ratio, some nonstandard methods of taking care of cramps, and eye pokes in training.
----------------------
BULLETPROOF SHIRTS: https://www.fanwear.com.au/products/core-bullet-proof-for-bjj-classic-tee
----------------------
Leave us a question for the next QNA episode:
https://bulletproofforbjj.com/podcast
---------------------
Increase athleticism, reduce injuries and build a grapplers physique with the Bulletproof for BJJ App. Start your FREE 14 Day Trial today:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bulletproof-for-bjj/id6444311790
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bulletproofforbjj&utm_source=na_Med
Stay Hydrated with Sodii the tastiest electrolytes in the Game! Get 15% OFF: BULLETPROOF15 https://sodii.com.au/bulletproof
A good martial artist does not become tense but ready. Essentially, at this point the fight is over, so you pretty much flow with the goal.
Speaker 2:Who is worthy to be trusted with the secret to limitless power.
Speaker 3:I'm ready.
Speaker 4:Welcome to the Bulletproof for BJJ podcast. Today is our Q&A episode. Jt and I are going to answer the questions from y'all. We haven't done one of these for a couple of recordings, no, so apologies if you sent this through, you know you thought we'd forgotten about you. We haven't here we are. By the way, if you want to record a question for us to be featured on a future episode, go to bulletproofforbjjcom, hit the podcast tab and big red button. Record us a voicemail. We love hearing you guys. We love to hear where you're from. It's great to know who our listeners are. So, please, it's a little treat, and no doubt you've got something on your mind that probably a bunch of other grapplers out there are also thinking, so it really helps the community. First one here, anonymous. Let's see what we've got.
Speaker 5:Hey guys, this is Dan. I'm a Purple Belt in the States, 44 years old Shout out Dan In Missouri. You guys responded to a question I had. Thank you so much. I wanted to give you a quick update.
Speaker 5:So mine was about, you know, getting older on the mats and dealing with that and, you know, kind of slowing down a little bit. But I wanted to let you know that, um, your advice on maybe a little less frequency, situational drilling and, um, really being purposeful about when I go hard, uh, those things have made a huge difference and I'm really motivated now. So I've been doing your standards program for two months and I've started focusing a little more on that and only going to jujitsu three to four days a week as opposed to five or six. As a result of all these things combined, A, I feel like I have more energy and, B, I've been able to tap into this explosiveness that wasn't there before. Um, in the milliseconds before someone puts me in a dominant position, right, so someone passes my guard and it's about to make my life hell.
Speaker 5:I'm able to get out a little quicker than I was before because I've got a little more to like tap into, I think, Um, and I'm not tired all the time. So thank you so much. Um, I also wanted to let you know that, um, reserving those days when I do go hard also a really big help and really motivating. I might only do it once a week, but when I do it it feels so much stronger and it's it's a real mood boost. So I just wanted to say thank you guys so much. Keep doing what you're doing.
Speaker 1:Fuck, how cool is that? Yeah, amazing. Thanks bro. We appreciate the feedback and it's great to hear someone check back in Because you know, like people send a question and then it's like what happened to that guy? Yeah, and so it's great to know that and it's fantastic to hear that that's working for you. And so it's great to know that and it's fantastic to hear that that's working for you.
Speaker 1:And, look, I'll be honest, like I am a poor, harder kind of guy, in general, I tend to do stuff to the nth degree, for better or worse, but for sure, in the same way you're experiencing with your gains with jujitsu and in the gym. I experienced that when I started approaching my own lifting differently, not maxing every session, but just over time, finding moments of opportunity for intensity and then finding that there is benefit in doing days that are not maximal. That was over 10 years ago. Subsequently, I keep that and that has enabled me to now. I'm 42 years old, still getting stronger, and I think that's the thing. You do have to change your approach as you age and you've got to find what works for you, and it sounds like it's working for you.
Speaker 4:Yeah, man, that's so cool. I've actually got it written on my hat here. Quality over quantity Quality over quantity 100% and it's, yeah, like finding that balance and giving yourself that rest. I mean, Dan actually said it. He said I have more energy and that's kind of everything, because I think, like when you're really in the fire, grappling a bunch and working and doing all that often fatigue is the thing you feel. You're just fucking tired.
Speaker 1:All the time.
Speaker 4:And so being able to be in the gym doing your strength work, doing your flexibility, training jits and getting better and having energy is like. You found the secret there, brother. Well done, amen. Next question coming in from Doug.
Speaker 2:Hey, what's up? Joey and JT my name's Doug reaching out from Ogden, utah. Second time I've called in. I'm reaching out because I've been really struggling with cramps lately. I'm reaching out because I've been really struggling with cramps lately and, as you guys suggested, I got something similar to Sodi, a different brand but some electrolyte powder, and, man, I've been drinking this stuff like someone bet me I couldn't, but I still keep cramping.
Speaker 2:So I guess I just wanted to know if it's like just a casualty of the sport, something that's going to happen, no matter what, if I should be taking more of these. I've been having two or three of these packets a day and drinking around a gallon of water, eating pretty clean, following the program, working out, and I still get these cramps all the time and it affects me being able to finish up triangles, even just hip escaping sometimes, when my foot's cramping is nearly impossible. So just any suggestions that you have as far as like dosage of different electrolytes and like what specifically I want to focused on when I'm looking at supplements. I know you'll probably say I just need to buy sodium, I might, but anyway, that's what I wanted to know. Thank you so much, guys. Love the podcast. Hope to hear my question again. Thanks, bye, awesome.
Speaker 4:Fucking hell. He's just set us up for the sodium drop. No, no, no sodium drop.
Speaker 1:I mean, look, no, it's enough electrolytes. No, no, no, I'm sure you're doing enough of the electrolytes. I would recommend two things which can help here, because a good friend of mine used to suffer really bad leg cramps Not a jujitsu person, just someone who suffered a lot of calf foot and lower limb cramps. Two things which will help One is massage and using a lacrosse ball or a roller of some sort to really work through to what we talk about like muscle quality. So this person was pretty flexible. So I couldn't understand how are you getting cramps? It wasn't like they were a tight person, they weren't restricted in their movement, but they went and started seeing a myotherapist regularly and the person they would like give them a little, just that and they'd be like, ah, so much pain because the actual muscle quality was low and so they weren't actually getting the blood circulating to the muscle the way they thought they were. So this person sat down for their job and once they started getting consistent massages and then they started doing a bit of massage with a ball and a roller, this helped improve their circulation. So it helped relax their muscles as well, like reduce nervous tension.
Speaker 1:And then the next thing on. That was magnesium. Now, this person didn't just take magnesium as a supplement, um, they used magnesium spray. So people who get really bad cramps. It's often referred to as magnesium oil, even though it's not oil. It just has an oily texture. You can get it from a like a health food store or something like that. It's pretty cheap, it's like 10 15 bucks. You just spray it on and you massage it into the area and it helps reduce muscular tension. So massage is one thing, oral magnesium, but then magnesium spray on the crampy areas will help.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I was just thinking through the whole piece there. Magnesium for sure. Yeah, topical is really good. I second the sprays. You can also do epsom salt baths, which which is, you know, magnesium salts, um, and so you know, if you like doing bars I'm a big fan of baths just get yourself a big fucking container of epsom salt and put a solid. You got to make sure you put a big dose into the bath but soak in there for 10, 15 minutes. Try that a couple times a week. And then also, yeah, obviously supplementation, which is probably the most expensive of the lot.
Speaker 1:It is.
Speaker 4:There's many different grades of magnesium. I'm not actually going to tell you which ones are good, because I actually find it quite confusing, but you know it is one of those things you do, of course, get magnesium in your electrolyte supplement but you don't get the dosage that you're going to get from like an oral or a topical application. We're talking like, say, with sodium. I think you're getting. What do you get? Like 90, 100? I think it's 200. 200 milligrams.
Speaker 1:But you know, if you're going for your, it's pretty good, but if you are having more of a stock standard electrolyte it may not have any magnesium.
Speaker 4:No, that's right it might just be sodium and potassium right, yeah.
Speaker 1:So having like an exclusive one you have before bed can help yeah yeah, just a note on magnesium.
Speaker 4:I'm one of the people and I've heard this is a thing. Most forms of magnesium will settle people down and it's often used as like a pre-bedtime supplement because it helps you sleep. I used as like a pre-bedtime supplement because it helps you sleep. I go the opposite with it. I have magnesium in it but it keeps me up. Yeah, even when I have the fucking sleepy nighttime ones, it keeps me up. It's fucked. So I only supplement with magnesium before lunch and if I forget about it, then you know, wait till the next day. But yeah, I'd get on that and yeah, I think the soft tissue work is a big winner.
Speaker 1:Yeah, look, typically, I found myself like muscle cramps are related to nervous system activation, right? So it doesn't matter if you're rolling or not. If you're someone who suffers cramps, it's an indication that these fibers are like firing up, even maybe when you don't want them to. So your ability to stretch and get your nervous system to chill out is another thing which will help reduce cramping. So, yeah, that's just something to consider. There it is. Hopefully that helps, man. Thanks, doug.
Speaker 4:Next question. This is, guys, big, fucking big moment here. This is question number 200. God dang For the Q&A episode. Phew, it's a few, eh, it's a fucking lot. It doesn lot. I mean, I always think we've just been doing this thing for a few months but, you're like hey, bro, it's five years now. I'm just having so much fun talking to you. See how I've aged. Yeah, I'm like Obama with the time lapse Just great.
Speaker 1:Still got the res though Always the number one thing you can do to improve your BJJ training is develop a strength and mobility routine, and we have the routine for you the Bulletproof for BJJ app. Myself and Joey have put this together with our over 30 years of experience in the health and fitness industry, as well as over 30 years of BJJ training. It is the culmination of everything we know to help you unlock your athleticism for BJJ the perfect mix of strength and mobility training, as well as the perfect amount of advice to keep you on track, minimize your injuries and have you performing like a weapon. Take the 14-day free trial. Just go to the App Store or the Play Store, download the app and you can get in there, use it, benefit and also join our community where you can get advice, get coaching and get your training better. Today Go to the App Store, download the app and we'll see you on the inside.
Speaker 4:Anonymous. Last question for today. Let's go.
Speaker 3:Hi, this is lisa from switzerland. I've been training bjj for about two and a half years now and I absolutely love it, but it's already the third time someone has accidentally poked me in the eye during training and scratched my cornea. I'm usually by far the lightest and smallest person in class, but the rules when it happened weren't even rough also, and my eye healed really well each time, but it's extremely painful and I don't want to risk my vision for jujitsu, of course. Do you guys have any tips on how to better protect my eyes?
Speaker 4:Damn Louisa, that fucking sucks. Eye gouge, Eye gouge. I copped a really bad one last year, Right Fucking like I got skull fucked by this dude. Jesus, yeah, and I was like, oh my God, bro, I was taking some photos of it. It looked all gross.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4:For a while, but I had to put antibiotic drops in there in the end.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 4:But, yeah, these are a real hazard. Um, I do just want to say that fucking awesome to hear someone from switzerland. Yeah, shout out, yeah, shout out, fucking europe, fam. Um, I, you know, all I can think of is I saw this a lot in brazil people that wear the the sports prescription goggles. Yeah, like the. Um, you used to see it in the nba, right, yeah, yeah horace grant horace grant that's right, and you always, and as a kid, you always like what the fuck?
Speaker 4:why is he wearing those goggles? Yeah, needed glasses, but something like that, I think, is going to be the only practical solution for this. If you, if you don't, if you want to rule it out.
Speaker 1:Agreed. I think that that is about. That's about as certain as I guess I'd just ask the question was it the same person? What Should I do it again? I just don't know. Because, don't get me wrong, anything can happen in rolling and definitely guys do get desperate if you're putting it on them. If you're doing well and you're a smaller, lighter woman, they're like I got to get out of this triangle. I gouge, I gouge, like look for it to have happened a third time. If it's not the same person, well, things happen. But yeah, you're right in saying you know you don't want to put your eyesight on the line. Definitely agree with Joe.
Speaker 1:Maybe the option for you is to be wearing some kind of sports eyewear. I guess the difficulty is I'm not sure how your hair arrangement is for that to stay on while you're rolling. It's hard enough to keep your general jujitsu clothing on while you're rolling, let alone some eyewear. Look, I think it's even worth having a chat to your training partner to let them know like, hey, can you not squeeze my face off? I don't think it's an unreasonable ask to just communicate with your partner and say, hey, I've got a sensitivity or I've got something I have to be careful of. Can you be aware of that? I think just putting that out there will help you with the prevention piece. But obviously a bit of protection will help.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think you're getting at something good there. Like is there some kind of precursor scenario or situation that is leading to you being in this position? Like because it's happened a few times, which is odd, right, you haven't been training for a long time. If it's not the same person, then times which is odd, right, you haven't been training for a long time. If it's not the same person, then yeah, and so you know. Yeah, like reviewing, when did it happen? What's going on in my roles, as jt mentioned kind of in jest.
Speaker 4:Uh, it is a real thing whereby when a a a woman, but also a smaller person is giving a hard time to a man, or someone of a high guys do stupid, fucking shit because their ego doesn't want to lose and um, and that is often where maybe reckless things like this can happen.
Speaker 4:So that is not to say any of that is your fault but if you're like, if you're like fuck, maybe that is kind of the thing, then Okay, well, perhaps is there a way to talk with your training partner or choose your training partners differently so that there's less risk of that happening? You know, yeah, and I think if you're training with better people, people that understand the, the dilemmas that face women and smaller people on the mats more commonly, then that puts you in the best position to have, you know, like a safe training experience.
Speaker 1:But also in general, if you get the opportunity, training with higher like training partners who have a high level of skill, they're less likely to injure you because they are focused on the skill. Yeah Right, so they're not. They're not worried about like awkward silly things, they're just going to do what is efficient, and gouging you in the eyes is not, is not that? So yeah, if you get the chance, try to roll with some more skillful people and that might also help.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, I can say I don't think I've eye gouged anyone over the years, but but I definitely would have been a risk in my first year or two where I was just reckless.
Speaker 1:Just throwing the arms around, just trying to fucking win at whatever cost.
Speaker 4:Yeah so you're right, like, people that are more experienced, that are better controlled, are always going to be a good choice if you have that option.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 4:Hey, solid questions today. Love to hear from you guys. If you have a question for us about your jujitsu journey or your work in the gym or some BJJ political bullshit, go to the webpage bulletproofforbjjcom, hit the podcast page, record us a voicemail and we'll feature you on a future episode. Love you guys. See you on the next one.
