As we get more involved in our jiu-jitsu training, our
desire to improve grows. With every belt level, new challenges arise improving
the timing of old techniques, learning the mechanics of new techniques, or even
improving overall conditioning. All of this not only requires more time from
you but also more effort and physical stamina. The harder you push, the more
it will drain you. And the more it drains you, the better your nutrition and
resting periods need to be. This is where the boundaries of professional
training and recreational training are created.
The general outlook is that the only real difference between
a professional and a recreationalist is the amount of time and effort you
dedicate to something. A recreationalist can train once a week or once a month.
They can train as often or as little as they’d like because they do it for fun
as a hobby or passion.
On the other hand, professionals must train as often as
possible to achieve their goals of winning. Because in jiu-jitsu, if you don’t
win, you don’t make any coin – it’s as simple as that. Being a professional has
its perks. When you dedicate yourself one hundred percent to something, you are
able to manage every aspect properly, such as conditioning and nutrition. This
type of full-time management makes it much less likely for full-time athletes
to over-train. Of course, it still happens, but they are able to gauge their
abilities much easier than the recreational enthusiast. The “part-timer” has a
much higher chance of overtraining - something that can have quite dire
consequences.
For the recreationalist, jiu-jitsu is not the only thing
they have on their plate. They most likely have to work a separate job for a
living, study in school, deal with family, and whatever else they may have
going on in their lives. They don’t have that much time to dedicate to
training, let alone the maintenance that’s required for it. The more you train,
the more maintenance you will need. Some recreationalists who have the time may
train just as much as professionals but lack the time or knowledge to really
focus on the maintenance. This can easily lead to overtraining.
Overtraining is when you’ve pushed your body to the limit,
and you can feel serious fatigue afterward. This can linger for some time. If
you don’t properly rest and recover, not only will you feel significantly
weaker in the next training session, your immune system can also become
compromised. That’s why many trainers recommend taking a day off after a
strenuous session. You have to listen to your body - professionals do the same
thing.
To help yourself recover, there are many things you can do:
napping during the day and/or going to bed early, eating proper foods, staying
completely hydrated, and taking the proper supplements. Proper
supplements do not mean steroids. Although it should be
common knowledge, it is worth mentioning again that steroids have serious side
effects and consequences in the future. Not to mention it is ethically wrong –
it’s cheating.
All levels of practitioners should be mindful of the amount of time they train and how much energy is expended. Train smart and listen to your body.
