This was a great video, the algorithm brought me back in time today. It really is true that despite a lot of people say they need better cardio for grappling, they tend to have pretty good cardio fitness. They just don't train the sport frequently enough and they skip rounds at the end for example. Shintaro Higashi who is a US judoka, coral belt, his dad being a Japanese red belt, talked about the exact same thing recently (2024). Shintaro wrestled in school, competed internationally in judo and always lifted a lot, he's been doing judo youtube for like a decade now. One of those people who learn about stuff all the time applying it and perhaps casually getting some sort of trainer degree on the side as well. He gave an example of a guy who was relatively experienced casual judoka, who didn't train every opportunity in the week and who said he was too gassed out and skipped a randori round and said he needed more cardio training (he probably wasn't going running in his free time despite saying that). Higashi said he wouldn't prescribe running or other cardio training but not skipping that round. If you tell your partner you're gassed out, especially if the partner is more experienced, you two can lower the intensity and still train effectively and keep the cardiosystem working to improve. There's a similar effect when people don't participate in the warmup and when they start standing around instead of training when they start getting out of breath. They don't keep practicing and lower intensity (and they can't keep going with their capacity because they didn't take the warmup seriously, didn't get the system ready to work). I used to be one of those guys as well. Then I had a change of mentality, just thought to try out what would happen if I always participated and tried to push it a bit even if I felt getting exhausted. Turned out I had more capacity left and that in some weeks it no longer was as exhausting. My technique had improved from reps and I had learned to become more efficient in gripping and moving, I no longer wrestled against the new guy who was a powerlifter. I let him go at it full strength if he wanted to and tried to focus on playing well myself, keeping the light practice light etc. But ground work is so so exhausting. Especially in judo you get this effect where you become hasty and wrestle hard instead of using technique and doing smart things, because it takes 10 second pin for half a point and 20 second pin for victory. You just start pushing hard when pinned and you're out of business for a good while. Which is where the reps come into play, knowing what you're doing. And in practice you don't lose so be light and think about it. My instructor would always throw jabs at me for trying to do something weird twitching and strength stuff when he intentionally left an easy escape open if I was just aware and knew my stuff. And the pins are so terrorizing. I'm a 80 kg guy and my instructor is and 80 kg guy. He puts his chest on my chest and suddenly it feels like there's 100 kg on my chest. You literally can't bench press your opponent off your chest in a casual pin. They don't even have to hold you if that's your goal. That's a lot of personal stories, but I suppose it lines up greatly with what Owen and Fitz said. Took a peek at the comments and loved seeing the classic myth of "the best competitors must be professionals at every sector relevant to their sport, you're not allowed to analyse or criticise them because they're perfect in everything for being the champ". And the other myth that bjj players are somehow unique humans that don't work in the terms and conditions of tried and true, well established sports science and training methods. The spectators are the best. It's funny how judo being an olympic sport, even if some competitors are taking PEDs, they still train judo a lot, but also take gym strength training very seriously. Like it's not a question to them, everyone does it and you can tell why. Because if you watch the international tournaments, you don't see anybody who hasn't trained their ass off. Those people don't make it to those games and if they did, they wouldn't stand much of a chance against someone who is a phenomenal judoka but also has double your strength in the same weightclass. They'll pick you up and put you on your back if they want to at that point.
The lads are now making videos based on people’s questions and suggestions?? Surely not! Eion and Fitz, just blink 3 times if someone is holding you hostage, and forcing you to listen to us normies.
He used to PT at the first gym I ever trained at with my dad, and we both agreed he was a tool. He would spend more time flirting with his clients or on his phone than training clients
@@MrLazyPhD not surprised. He trains gen pop on how to lose weight which is literally calorie deficit. He has absolutely no place in the strength and conditioning field.
Marcelo Garcia says the same thing. As do a lot of high level practitioners. I’ve been grappling since 2007. I don’t completely disagree. At least up until purple belt. If you start Jiu Jitsu with a baseline of fitness then actually rolling, learning where to expend energy, learning technique rather than using athleticism and learning to control breathing and heart rate is far more valuable than getting a S+C coach. It’s building a baseline of knowledge and understanding. Once that’s in place then sure, build in a S+C routine to add value to an existing skill set.
When is the sanctioned bjj match between Zack and Sika? 😂 I'd pay to see that
Giraffe vs The Fridge
This was a great video, the algorithm brought me back in time today. It really is true that despite a lot of people say they need better cardio for grappling, they tend to have pretty good cardio fitness. They just don't train the sport frequently enough and they skip rounds at the end for example.
Shintaro Higashi who is a US judoka, coral belt, his dad being a Japanese red belt, talked about the exact same thing recently (2024). Shintaro wrestled in school, competed internationally in judo and always lifted a lot, he's been doing judo youtube for like a decade now. One of those people who learn about stuff all the time applying it and perhaps casually getting some sort of trainer degree on the side as well. He gave an example of a guy who was relatively experienced casual judoka, who didn't train every opportunity in the week and who said he was too gassed out and skipped a randori round and said he needed more cardio training (he probably wasn't going running in his free time despite saying that). Higashi said he wouldn't prescribe running or other cardio training but not skipping that round. If you tell your partner you're gassed out, especially if the partner is more experienced, you two can lower the intensity and still train effectively and keep the cardiosystem working to improve.
There's a similar effect when people don't participate in the warmup and when they start standing around instead of training when they start getting out of breath. They don't keep practicing and lower intensity (and they can't keep going with their capacity because they didn't take the warmup seriously, didn't get the system ready to work). I used to be one of those guys as well. Then I had a change of mentality, just thought to try out what would happen if I always participated and tried to push it a bit even if I felt getting exhausted. Turned out I had more capacity left and that in some weeks it no longer was as exhausting. My technique had improved from reps and I had learned to become more efficient in gripping and moving, I no longer wrestled against the new guy who was a powerlifter. I let him go at it full strength if he wanted to and tried to focus on playing well myself, keeping the light practice light etc.
But ground work is so so exhausting. Especially in judo you get this effect where you become hasty and wrestle hard instead of using technique and doing smart things, because it takes 10 second pin for half a point and 20 second pin for victory. You just start pushing hard when pinned and you're out of business for a good while. Which is where the reps come into play, knowing what you're doing. And in practice you don't lose so be light and think about it. My instructor would always throw jabs at me for trying to do something weird twitching and strength stuff when he intentionally left an easy escape open if I was just aware and knew my stuff. And the pins are so terrorizing. I'm a 80 kg guy and my instructor is and 80 kg guy. He puts his chest on my chest and suddenly it feels like there's 100 kg on my chest. You literally can't bench press your opponent off your chest in a casual pin. They don't even have to hold you if that's your goal.
That's a lot of personal stories, but I suppose it lines up greatly with what Owen and Fitz said.
Took a peek at the comments and loved seeing the classic myth of "the best competitors must be professionals at every sector relevant to their sport, you're not allowed to analyse or criticise them because they're perfect in everything for being the champ". And the other myth that bjj players are somehow unique humans that don't work in the terms and conditions of tried and true, well established sports science and training methods. The spectators are the best. It's funny how judo being an olympic sport, even if some competitors are taking PEDs, they still train judo a lot, but also take gym strength training very seriously. Like it's not a question to them, everyone does it and you can tell why. Because if you watch the international tournaments, you don't see anybody who hasn't trained their ass off. Those people don't make it to those games and if they did, they wouldn't stand much of a chance against someone who is a phenomenal judoka but also has double your strength in the same weightclass. They'll pick you up and put you on your back if they want to at that point.
Chaels conditioning is part of why he's undefeated and undisputed.
That ATM illustration was a beautiful thing.
Love the breakdown and analogies for energy expenditure systems. You guys tossing in nuggets like this deserves so much more attention.
Phenomenal video. Covering everything in an understandable way. I’m 8 years in and realize progress is hampered by conditioning also. Cheers.
Wow my Q&A question gets a full video. Thanks lads.
The lads are now making videos based on people’s questions and suggestions?? Surely not! Eion and Fitz, just blink 3 times if someone is holding you hostage, and forcing you to listen to us normies.
Seems really simple but thinking about a goal in terms of effort on the mat/in the gym is very helpful. Thanks a million!
Please do this for more sports... starting with boxing ;)
Quality video - thanks gents
Enjoying your content. Thanks.
Tabata my Sensei from Japan
Awesome video.
Would you consider doing a conditioning for combat sports program to go along with the combats sports program?
Can you detail the combat athlete program? (x/wk, exercise selection, equipment needed, etc.) Maybe go over a sample week
Will you provide a video for kickboxing and Muay Thai?
Adress plyometrics for bjj and combat sports
“Yeah but, James Smith said that just doing BJJ gives you all the strength and aerobic work you need.”
James smith is a helmet
He used to PT at the first gym I ever trained at with my dad, and we both agreed he was a tool. He would spend more time flirting with his clients or on his phone than training clients
@@MrLazyPhD not surprised.
He trains gen pop on how to lose weight which is literally calorie deficit.
He has absolutely no place in the strength and conditioning field.
@@HenchPig the fanboy arse kissing in his insta comment section, always makes for amusing reading.
Marcelo Garcia says the same thing. As do a lot of high level practitioners.
I’ve been grappling since 2007.
I don’t completely disagree. At least up until purple belt.
If you start Jiu Jitsu with a baseline of fitness then actually rolling, learning where to expend energy, learning technique rather than using athleticism and learning to control breathing and heart rate is far more valuable than getting a S+C coach.
It’s building a baseline of knowledge and understanding.
Once that’s in place then sure, build in a S+C routine to add value to an existing skill set.
Did you hit any of the judo throws you were drilling in the competition?
I went from amateur boxing to bjj and didn't find it hard at all the fitness side.
TLDR: two white belts who haven’t been training a year tell world class BJJ guys they’re doing it all wrong.
*Two world class strength and conditioning coaches comment on strength and conditioning