The specific training of a fighter is already stressful enough and water training can complement and develop various physical qualities. In the water, you may use devices that can increase the intensity of the exercises through resistance, what works better because there are no impacts on the joints. It’s important to understand that exhausting workout routines and competition training can often overwhelm your body and change an outcome. This water training method was developed by Prof. Alvaro Romano who has for many years since the 1980s started to train athletes from various sports.

In the 1990s, Romano had the opportunity to work with the Physiotherapist Nilton Petrone, a reference in the area of physiotherapy in Brazil and many other countries, who developed a method of rehabilitation and prevention of injuries that is used and recognized by various areas of the human wellness movement. Along with the Physiotherapist, Alvaro Romano introduced the “Ginastica Natural” to the rehabilitation of several athletes with the most varied types of injuries resulting from sports. With this opportunity he could observe the importance of working in the water to the recovery of these athletes, so he incorporated and adapted the water training for the physical preparation of athletes and fighters of different modalities.

The preparation of a fighter is totally different from an American football, soccer, or tennis player. Therefore, knowledge and experience within the martial arts is very important to make this adaptation of training. This water training was created for athletes but can be used by anyone who wants to exercise, have a healthy lifestyle and stay fit, but at the same time far away from injuries.

Ideally, you should pick out an outfit that will offer resistance to your legs and arms.  For part of the training you may be using a palmar or surf gloves. You can also use something like a device that you can ” put in your hand ” like boxing gloves to increase resistance in the water.

Here is a basic water training that can be used once a week if you want to change a little bit your workout routine to recover:

Recovery exercises

1 – Walking with water at chest level, going forward, sideways, and finally flexing the knee at your chest. Then after, extending the legs forward, one leg at the time, and also stretching the back of your legs. Do these movements for approximately 10 minutes.

2 – Swimming Front Strokes for 250m

3 – With the surf glove, try to swim for 25m (or as far as you can) with your head in the water, and then come back breathing slowly. Go like this, back and forth, for 250m.

4 – Swim as far as you can under water and then swim back, Front Strokes, slowly. Do this until you complete 200m.

5 – Using resistance devices on your hands and legs (if you do not have the equipment you can do without it) reproduce the movements and sequences of punches with water up to your neck. Complete sets of 50 repetitions, then reproduce the movements of “Knee ups” alternating on average 10 times on each side.

6 – Immediately plunge and try to stay emerged under water holding your breath for as long as you can, coming back up when you feel you can’t hold it any longer. (Make sure you do this under supervision; it can be dangerous trying this alone).

7 – Repeat everything again for 3-4 rounds of 3-5 minutes total with a break of about 30 seconds to a minute between the sets.

Yoga by the sunset

With over 5,000 years of history, yoga is one of the favorite forms of exercise for active people today. A mix of movement, breathing and meditation, this ancient set of techniques can and will help you with your conditioning for a better performance on the mats. We went after yoga instructor Angela Kent and black-belt Flavio Almeida and they shared the following eight ways yoga can help your BJJ training.

1 – FLEX ACTION — Yoga poses require flexibility. During your first yoga class, you probably won’t be able to touch your toes, but if you stick with it, you’ll notice a gradual loosening, and eventually difficult poses will become possible. Open your hips, lengthen your muscles and get a bigger range of motion in every Jiu-Jitsu position.

2 – STRONG STANCE — Maintaining good posture and creating balance within you helps in many different aspects of Jiu-Jitsu. Yoga will give you good balance when you are trying to take someone down, or while passing the guard if you need to hold a position for a long time, without getting swept.

3 – RELAXED MIND — Keeping a cool and focused mind is so important for fighters. Become present within your body and mind because you are listening to the cues of your breath and staying present with each movement that you make. Holding poses for a long time challenges not only your body, but also mostly your mind. Yoga teaches you to maintain calmness in a stressful situation, which can help you reverse any bad position in Jiu-Jitsu.

4 – OXYGEN FLOW — Learn to manage the flow of oxygen that comes into your body and use breathing to manage stress and recover. Yoga stretches your muscles, moves your organs, and drains your lymph. Cutting circulation off within the body and bringing fresh circulation and oxygen into certain areas helps to heal any kind of damage or scar tissue that’s been developed over time.

Yoga at the park

5 – STRENGTH FIX — Jiu-Jitsu athletes need to be explosive but also need to be able to hold a given position for a long time. Most strength programs deliver the first but not the second. Also, when you build strength through yoga, you balance it with flexibility. If you just went to the gym and lifted weights, you might build strength at the expense of flexibility. Yoga enables you to hold a certain position and endure the pain without losing concentration – and that can help any fighter.

6 – JOINT HEALTH — Each time you practice yoga, you work on your joints taking them through their full range of motion. This keeps your joints calibrated and can help prevent injuries that are so often common in Jiu-Jitsu athletes. Without proper sustenance, neglected areas of cartilage can eventually deteriorate, exposing the underlying bone like worn-out brake pads.

7- SPINAL SUPPLY — Most yoga poses are controlled from the core, therefore delivering great relief for the back. Strengthening your core and abdominal area is essential if you want to keep your back safe during training.

8 – DIET BOOSTER — Yoga lowers cortisol levels. Because it is a stress-relieving activity and a mind and body relaxer, it can help you worry less (especially before competitions), which will control your cortisol levels. High cortisol levels have been linked to what researchers call “food-seeking behavior” (the kind that drives you to eat when you’re upset, angry or stressed). The body takes those extra calories and distributes them as fat in the abdomen, contributing to weight gain.

Por do sol em Floripa Foto: Renan Capivara

O fortíssimo calor que atinge quase todo Brasil pode atrapalhar tudo, menos os treinos de Jiu-Jitsu dos praticantes mais apaixonados.

Para driblar o maçarico e as temperaturas capazes de derreter asfalto, é preciso tomar algumas precauções, algumas sérias. O GRACIEMAG.com lista hoje cinco dicas principais para você não sofrer na academia ao treinar.

1. Hidratar-se com regularidade desde a hora de acordar até depois do treino é uma das medidas principais. Beba um copo de água de hora em hora.

2. Nada de panos quentes: procure deixar seu kimono perto do ar condicionado durante o dia. Sua armadura vai ficar geladinha na hora de vestir. Só é preciso evitar que ele se molhe, claro.

3. Durante o treino, vale lembrar de ter por perto uma toalha ou uma tira de algodão no pulso, como os jogadores de basquete costumam usar. Pode ajudar muito na hora de enxugar o suor que pinga no tatame.

4. Morador do bairro de Bangu, no Rio de Janeiro, onde a temperatura passa frequentemente dos 40ºC, o faixa-preta Fabio Andrade (Nova União) sabe das dificuldades para lidar com a canícula e manter os treininhos em alto nível: “Para mim, que trabalho em Bangu, o calor já é algo até normal. Mas há dias que passa dos limites. Nas semanas mais quentes hidratamos mais os nossos atletas. O ventilador fica circulando o dia inteiro, desde que abrimos. Nossa tática principal é aumentar a quantidade de treinos e diminuir o tempo de duração deles. Normalmente, em minha academia, são quatro treinos de duas horas cada. Em dias quentes, aumento para seis treinos de uma hora cada, dependendo do rendimento dos atletas”, explica Fabio.

5. De acordo com Fabio Andrade, é possível manter o rendimento dos lutadores: “Não tem nada de desaceleração, o treino é sempre para frente. Cabe ao professor lembrar aos alunos competidores que, enquanto muitos brincam de treinar, tem alguém treinando muito forte em algum lugar do mundo. Não há alternativa, quem faz Jiu-Jitsu tem de treinar sem moleza. A alternativa é deixar o pessoal beber água o tempo todo. Treinos curtos, muita água e um ambiente alegre compensam qualquer calorão”, ensina Fabio.

6. Na nova GRACIEMAG, a partir do dia 15 de janeiro nas bancas, a colunista Carol Gracie lista outros cinco cuidados para se proteger nos treinos durante o verão: “Evite alimentos pesados com muita gordura e de difícil digestão. Você vai se sentir mais bem disposto e leve para malhar ao optar por frutas, verduras, legumes e carnes magras”, recomenda a instrutora de Jiu-Jitsu. Garanta sua revista nas bancas para mais recomendações.

E você, amigo leitor, como evita o calor nos treinos de Jiu-Jitsu? Sua academia tem ar condicionado ou não? Comente.

Gabriel Medina won this Saturday the first ever world professional surfing championship for Brazil.

One year ago, Caroline Gracie’s Lifestyle show was talking about the relationship between Surfing and Jiu-Jitsu.

The episode interviews three-time world champion Marcus Buchecha and also US Open Surfing winner Alejo Muniz.

Muniz was decisive for Medina’s win, when he defeated Mick Fanning in the fifth stage and secured the countryman’s title.

Watch the episode and celebrate Medina’s title.

Healthy Veggie Pasta | Recipe by Carol Gracie

Learn how to make a nutritious Quinoa Fusilli Pasta with Mix Veggies and a homemade Sweet Tomato Sauce.

This is a very fulfilling meal, perfect for lunch or dinner. It is still low calorie and low fat in case you are worried about not gaining a few extra pounds and in keeping your heart healthy. It contains all natural ingredients, including the sauce. And because it is homemade does not carry any preservatives. Everything is fresh!

In this recipe, you can still use regular whole grain pasta. However, we made an option for gluten free Quinoa pasta because it is nutrient-rich and is an impressive plant-based source of protein.

Quinoa is packed with many vitamins and minerals including:

• Heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (oleic acid), and omega-3 fatty acid (a-linolenic acid)
• Antioxidant phytonutrients called flavonoids
• Essential minerals including manganese, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper, selenium
• Vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, E,
• Soluble and insoluble fiber

Ingredients:

1lb Quinoa Gluten Free Fusilli Pasta

1lb Mix Veggies:

Sliced Carrots

Broccolis Florets

Red Peppers Strips

Onions Strips

Sliced Mushrooms

Sugar Snap Peas

Baby Cut Cob Corn

Sliced Water Chestnuts

1tbls. Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Preparation:

In a large pot, bring water to boil, adding olive oil and sea salt, if desired. Add pasta and mixed veggies. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until al dente. Do not overcook. Remove pasta with veggies from heat and drain thoroughly. Then, mix it in the tomato sauce and serve. 4-5 servings.

Sweet Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

2 (14.5 ounce) sweet petite-diced tomatoes

1 (28 ounce) sweet crushed tomatoes

1 onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons dried basil, or to taste

2 cloves garlic, pressed

Preparation:

Combine diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, onion, basil, and garlic in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, 30 minutes.

Be healthy and enjoy!

consulting by nutritionist Fernanda Mello

Yoga and Jiu-Jitsu

By Carol Gracie

Yoga by definition is known as “a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation” and it is more than 5.000 years old. However in my opinion Yoga is much more than that. The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit root “yuj”, which means “to yoke” or “to unite” the spirit and physical body together.  Since I started to practice it last year I could experience many improvements physically and mentally. It is an overall well being enhancement practice.

The practice of Yoga brings so many benefits to your body and mind that it is actually hard to mention all of them or just pick a few to share here with you. Anyone can do Yoga. It is good for everybody, BJJ practitioners included. Physically, Yoga works on balance, flexibility, strength, endurance, core and breathing which will definitely help you improve your performance on the mats. Considering that Jiu-Jitsu is also a mental game of strategy, logic, intelligence and patience, it is necessary to work on strengthening your mind as well as your own body.

Mentally, the practice of Yoga will help you train your mind for Jiu-Jitsu, opening your head to new ways of thinking and cleaning your thoughts so you can have more focus and easily find the solutions to your questions and problems. You will acquire mental endurance and strength to push forward beyond your limits, and at the same time relaxes your mind to bring you more patience and calmness.

Yoga has evolved so much over thousands of years that today embrace a wide range of styles and disciplines. The Gracie Family members have been combining Yoga and Jiu-Jitsu for many years. Rickson is one of the most feverous adapts of Yoga poses, breathing techniques and meditation, and he is also one of the best Jiu-Jitsu fighters of all times. Grandmaster Carlos Gracie, my grandfather used to meditate, just like my dad does it after him, and like that it runs in the family. Nowadays, many BJJ schools have been offering Yoga classes as a complement to Jiu-Jitsu training.

On this fourth episode of LIFESTYLE with Carol Gracie, I visit a BJJ school to take a Yoga class and talk to the instructor about the benefits of the practice for fighters. Check it out!

At the famous Thousand Steps, in Laguna Beach, California, she meets with diet specialist Fernanda Mello and Jiu-Jitsu world champion Kayron Gracie for a day of climbing the steps in the direction of fitness.

Learn how the steps can help your cardio for the mats and get important tips on what to eat and how to hydrate properly before, during and after the work out.

Join the Lifestyle now!

Carol Gracie shows you a healthy breakfast recipe and a fast but powerful exercise routine that will make you start your day at full speed.

Watch, practice and join the Lifestyle.

Every week, Carol will feature one aspect of the lifestyle of those who love and live the gentle art.

Healthy eating, exercises, recovering tips, relaxation for mind and body, outdoor activities and much more will be on Carol’s Lifestyle menu, and yours too.

It all starts this September and you are all welcome!

The battle gathered Atos JJ’s JT Torres and Carlos Diego Neves (Ferreira BJJ).