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“ Should I lift weights ? “The most controversially asked question!
6 year(s) ago • 605 views • 20 replies
MCBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
I’m 140 pounds 37 years old I’m a bricklayer, I cannot even benchpress my own way that I can climb 50 feet in the air. Stand on the 24 inch platform and pull up 80 pound buckets all day long. I have functional strength and I find that it helps my Jiu Jitsu more than just random weightlifting. However there are times where I just feel like having more strength would just be adequate in certain situations. For example as a brown belt when I roll with a 240 pound black belt or a 240 pound for the purple belt. They both can exert their will on me. I might escape with the purple belt but most the times it’s the exact same result as if I’m rolling with the black belt. So to the extent that Jiu Jitsu works and size doesn’t matter. I would contend you do have to have a certain amount of competitive strength to keep up with the bigger guys. So I’m just opening up this topic because I haven’t seen it on here what are your guys opinions on weightlifting?
RDBlack belt 4th degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I’m 140 pounds 37 years old I’m a bricklayer, I cannot even benchpress my own way that I can climb 50 feet in the air. Stand on the 24 inch platform and pull up 80 pound buckets all day long. I have functional strength and I find that it helps my Jiu Jitsu more than just random weightlifting. However there are times where I just feel like having more strength would just be adequate in certain situations. For example as a brown belt when I roll with a 240 pound black belt or a 240 pound for the purple belt. They both can exert their will on me. I might escape with the purple belt but most the times it’s the exact same result as if I’m rolling with the black belt. So to the extent that Jiu Jitsu works and size doesn’t matter. I would contend you do have to have a certain amount of competitive strength to keep up with the bigger guys. So I’m just opening up this topic because I haven’t seen it on here what are your guys opinions on weightlifting?
I started lifting weights to supplement my training just in the last few months. I am 51yrs old and 150lbs soaking wet. I know what you are talking about for sure. I feel like the lifting has helped me maintain my stamina and great for preventing injuries. I use low weights and lots of rep. Plus battle ropes, treadmill and jumping rope too. I work construction (concrete forming) but not so much in the field anymore thank god. I find it helps especially since I had the back surgery. Makes a noticeable difference in my opinion.
TPBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
There's a good earlier discussion on the subject:
https://beltchecker.com/f[...]e1bbdf3f10
https://beltchecker.com/f[...]e1bbdf3f10
Edited 6 year(s) ago
CBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Deadlifts, squats and overhead press. That's all you need. A few pull-up sets afterwards and you're golden. That will keep your body strong for grappling and you only need to do it 1-2 times per week. As a coach/PT, I get this question often. It's always the same answer. And mostly it's also the same program I give out to everybody. Keeping it simple. Of course there are many variables and everybody's starting points are a bit different with mobility, past injuries, past lifting experience etc.
You can search for 5/3/1 strength on the interwebs and you'll find a great base program that will keep you going forever. Just leave the ego in the locker room and train smart. Just like for grappling. ;)
You can search for 5/3/1 strength on the interwebs and you'll find a great base program that will keep you going forever. Just leave the ego in the locker room and train smart. Just like for grappling. ;)
TPBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
Deadlifts, squats and overhead press. That's all you need. A few pull-up sets afterwards and you're golden. That will keep your body strong for grappling and you only need to do it 1-2 times per week. As a coach/PT, I get this question often. It's always the same answer. And mostly it's also the same program I give out to everybody. Keeping it simple. Of course there are many variables and everybody's starting points are a bit different with mobility, past injuries, past lifting experience etc.
This is seriously the best advice you're gonna get on the subject from anybody. (Even the detail that it features overhead press instead of bench press!)
I used to do this for ages but it eventually got boring after like 6 years (because I reached the potential gainz I was able to get out of it while remaining within my weight class, yet it still kept me in shape) so I decided to mix it up recently... but still it's pretty much the core of my regimen, and doesn't take too much time to run thru once a week.
I used to do this for ages but it eventually got boring after like 6 years (because I reached the potential gainz I was able to get out of it while remaining within my weight class, yet it still kept me in shape) so I decided to mix it up recently... but still it's pretty much the core of my regimen, and doesn't take too much time to run thru once a week.
Edited 6 year(s) ago
JMBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
You can search for 5/3/1 strength on the interwebs and you'll find a great base program that will keep you going forever.
Don't you think 5/3/1 is too powerlifting oriented? Too much volume to do 3+ hard grappling sessions with them a week? Wouldn't a more bodybuilderish routine with sets of ~8-12 be safer and more functional?
ARBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
Yes you should! Lifting heavy shit (relatively speaking), is fun as heck! Satisfying too. :)
KBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I’ve found simple core lifts a few times per week have help me prevent injuries.
I am 46 and have been rolling roughly 4-5 days a week for over 25 years (wrestled before that) and credit a basic core lifting routine and functional warm ups as the key to staying relatively injury free.
I am 46 and have been rolling roughly 4-5 days a week for over 25 years (wrestled before that) and credit a basic core lifting routine and functional warm ups as the key to staying relatively injury free.
TPBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
Don't you think 5/3/1 is too powerlifting oriented? Too much volume to do 3+ hard grappling sessions with them a week? Wouldn't a more bodybuilderish routine with sets of ~8-12 be safer and more functional?
I haven't been following the actual 5/3/1 but doesn't it mean that the max volume a session is 3x5 per lift..?
Miikka says "1-2 times per week" so that would be maximally 2x3x5 per lift per week on the 5/3/1. Doesn't sound like too much volume to me. (Although personally I've done DLs only once a week ever.)
Miikka says "1-2 times per week" so that would be maximally 2x3x5 per lift per week on the 5/3/1. Doesn't sound like too much volume to me. (Although personally I've done DLs only once a week ever.)
JMBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Yes you should! Lifting heavy shit (relatively speaking), is fun as heck! Satisfying too. :)
Lucky you. I find it rather boring and therefore don't do as much of it as I should :(
TPBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
Lucky you. I find it rather boring and therefore don't do as much of it as I should :(
Same. Most of the times I have to exercise my discipline muscle just to drag my ass to the weightroom twice a week routinely. Grappling is the satisfying workout.
ARBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
Same. Most of the times I have to exercise my discipline muscle just to drag my ass to the weightroom twice a week routinely. Grappling is the satisfying workout.
I have to force myself to take a day off. I'll consistently lift 10-15 days in a row. I feel like a piece of shit if I skip.
CBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Don't you think 5/3/1 is too powerlifting oriented? Too much volume to do 3+ hard grappling sessions with them a week? Wouldn't a more bodybuilderish routine with sets of ~8-12 be safer and more functional?
If you're a grappler, don't do more than 5 reps with 80% or heavier load. Bodybuilding programs are garbage. They will just make you sore and slow. A low-rep, high-set program will give you the most benefit. It will be tough on the cns of course, but you will recover if you stick to the program and rest enough, which you should be doing anyway, no matter the program or sport.
5/3/1 never goes above 90% of you actual max. Take the squat for example:
Your max is 140kg. 140 x 0.9 = 126. Your percentages are counted from 126kg. That's peanuts.
Example squat day on a heavy week would go like this:
- back extension/hip extension Xx6-10x3
- squat 5x40% 5x50% 5x60% 3x75% 2x85% 1x95% (95% of 126kg = 119.7kg)
- lunges with light weight 3x6-8 per leg
- dips 3-4x6-8
- pull ups 3-4x6-12
That's with some accessory lifts and some bonus upper body hypertrophy added. Takes about an hour if you take your time and chat with friends. You could also do another compound lift (preferably upper body) on the same day and it would still be quite easy on volume. All my clients have told me they recovered just fine. You'll get muscle soreness for the first month, but the body will adapt and that will end quick.
But whatever you choose to do for strength and conditioning make sure you get enough rest and food. No programming will work if the basics are not there. 1st is rest, 2nd is food and 3rd is the workout.
5/3/1 never goes above 90% of you actual max. Take the squat for example:
Your max is 140kg. 140 x 0.9 = 126. Your percentages are counted from 126kg. That's peanuts.
Example squat day on a heavy week would go like this:
- back extension/hip extension Xx6-10x3
- squat 5x40% 5x50% 5x60% 3x75% 2x85% 1x95% (95% of 126kg = 119.7kg)
- lunges with light weight 3x6-8 per leg
- dips 3-4x6-8
- pull ups 3-4x6-12
That's with some accessory lifts and some bonus upper body hypertrophy added. Takes about an hour if you take your time and chat with friends. You could also do another compound lift (preferably upper body) on the same day and it would still be quite easy on volume. All my clients have told me they recovered just fine. You'll get muscle soreness for the first month, but the body will adapt and that will end quick.
But whatever you choose to do for strength and conditioning make sure you get enough rest and food. No programming will work if the basics are not there. 1st is rest, 2nd is food and 3rd is the workout.
Edited 6 year(s) ago
CBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I have to force myself to take a day off. I'll consistently lift 10-15 days in a row. I feel like a piece of shit if I skip.
You'll become a weight training purple belt once you realise that you need to have a light day and a complete rest day once a week. :D
CBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Same. Most of the times I have to exercise my discipline muscle just to drag my ass to the weightroom twice a week routinely. Grappling is the satisfying workout.
Been there myself. That's why I started to mess around with kettlebells + functional training. That turned out to be too taxing (I was going too hard) and I stumbled upon olympic lifting. That was the perfect match for me. It's all about the combination of technique, mobility and strength. Always learning something new, always new things to work on. Just like grappling.
PDBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I love lifting weights but focus on functional strength I find it helps a lot I am 220-225 and compete Ultra Heavy a lot at tourneys and 205 at pro shows.. Not only does the added strength help but it compensates for the erosion of other attributes
ARBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
You'll become a weight training purple belt once you realise that you need to have a light day and a complete rest day once a week. :D
Meh...
JMBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Miikka, but if you're going below reps of 5 (or general low volume, low TUT) aren't you maximizing your strength based on NS efficiency and that's highly movement-specific meaning carryover to other sport/movements is less?
Not my field of expertise but IMO a best supplementing GPP program for grappling would balance between
1) rehab (movement, physio, mobility),
2) pure slow aerobic training for better recovery (you'll get plenty of specific "sprints" or "intervals" if you grapple right)
3) plyos for explosiveness
4) safe linear progression in compound movements with 3-5 sets of an exercise with reps ranging from 6 to 15 - full body or push/pull split
Not my field of expertise but IMO a best supplementing GPP program for grappling would balance between
1) rehab (movement, physio, mobility),
2) pure slow aerobic training for better recovery (you'll get plenty of specific "sprints" or "intervals" if you grapple right)
3) plyos for explosiveness
4) safe linear progression in compound movements with 3-5 sets of an exercise with reps ranging from 6 to 15 - full body or push/pull split
CBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
You get plenty of TUT in the negative phase of the lift. You should descend slow, explode up. That's when you'll be firing on all cylinders, so to speak. And as I wrote on another thread, the carryover is an overrated aspect. You should always train to improve your physical attributes, no matter the sport. Even sprinters don't do just sprints and explosiveness and even cross country skiers or marathon runners do strength training. There is no carryover to their sport, but there doesn't have to be.
I agree on movement, mobility, physio. Should be the foundation to every warm up. I also agree on aerobic training, just walking 40 minutes a day is plenty. Plyos are a good accessory. You don't really need them in any sport, but it's a good addition for any. Focus on them should be minimal though. I partly agree on the linear progression too. But I would not recommend going past 6 reps on compound lifts. You can't explode with quality with more than 5 reps.
Bottom line is, the best way to build strength and explosiveness for any sport is to do quality explosive reps with light weight. To get the most quality reps, you need to stack up the reps with multiple sets.
Of course, any strength training for a grappler is better than none. :)
I agree on movement, mobility, physio. Should be the foundation to every warm up. I also agree on aerobic training, just walking 40 minutes a day is plenty. Plyos are a good accessory. You don't really need them in any sport, but it's a good addition for any. Focus on them should be minimal though. I partly agree on the linear progression too. But I would not recommend going past 6 reps on compound lifts. You can't explode with quality with more than 5 reps.
Bottom line is, the best way to build strength and explosiveness for any sport is to do quality explosive reps with light weight. To get the most quality reps, you need to stack up the reps with multiple sets.
Of course, any strength training for a grappler is better than none. :)
AWBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
the question is not whether or not to lift weights. the issue is lifting weights correctly. I went to college for nutrition and exercise physiology and have worked as a strength and conditioning coach as well as martial arts instructor for a long time.
I see a lot of jiujitsu instructors trying to incorporate conditioning into their students training with great intention but with absolutely no formal knowledge and no real understanding behind the programming. I am not in any way trying to sell myself but if you are looking to increase your performance you could do a some sessions with a legit strength coach.
look for someone with the credentials CSCS. it stands for Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). You need a degree in one of a few recognized fields and the test is very in depth. you do not pass that without some serious background on the subject. another great credential is Exercise Physiologist - Certified by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). after college I got both of those certifications.
a couple months with someone like that can really get you going and you can probably continue to train yourself from there.
Another approach would be just to get the CSCS text book and read it cover to cover. you can probably just train yourself! The name of the book is Essentials of Strength training and Conditioning 4th Ed.
https://www.amazon.com/Es[...]149250162X
I see a lot of jiujitsu instructors trying to incorporate conditioning into their students training with great intention but with absolutely no formal knowledge and no real understanding behind the programming. I am not in any way trying to sell myself but if you are looking to increase your performance you could do a some sessions with a legit strength coach.
look for someone with the credentials CSCS. it stands for Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). You need a degree in one of a few recognized fields and the test is very in depth. you do not pass that without some serious background on the subject. another great credential is Exercise Physiologist - Certified by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). after college I got both of those certifications.
a couple months with someone like that can really get you going and you can probably continue to train yourself from there.
Another approach would be just to get the CSCS text book and read it cover to cover. you can probably just train yourself! The name of the book is Essentials of Strength training and Conditioning 4th Ed.
https://www.amazon.com/Es[...]149250162X
CBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
And if you can't be bothered and want to take the easier, a bit more expensive way and have somebody figure it out for you... hire a coach. Some of us aren't that expensive either. :D
