Yoga For BJJ: Why You Should Start Today

You’ve probably heard about the fundamental benefits of yoga such as; improving flexibility and mobility, developing strength and balance as well as encouraging relaxation. These are all great in itself but yoga has so much more to offer, especially to a BJJ practitioner. Whatever your belt or rank, incorporating a yoga routine into your training and workout schedule can have a profound impact.

I started practicing yoga at home two years ago. It appealed to me as the ideal introvert workout with a perfect combination of comfy clothes, no social pressure and the ability to control and set my own pace. This was a year before I started training BJJ, and I’ve come a long way both physically and socially. It wasn’t until I started training Jiu Jitsu in tandem with practicing yoga that I discovered interchangeable ideas and other benefits that have positively influenced both of my practices.

Mindfulness and Meditation

Jiu Jitsu is often described as a form of meditation. It’s very hard to think about something else when you have someone twice your size on top of you trying to work a submission. One of the things we first start to learn in BJJ is becoming aware of our actions and reactions.

Yoga is traditionally a way to prepare your body for meditating. The concentration and focus required to properly do so is in itself a mental exercise. Whether you practice meditation or not, training your mind to focus on the task in front of you is an incredibly valuable skill.

Injury Prevention and Recovery

Injuries to varying degrees are a consistent part of BJJ, to the point where they are almost unavoidable. Despite these risk factors, BJJ has a decent reputation within martial arts for longevity. Most often once something comes up, it never really goes away, but the effort we put into recovery can influence how we hold up in the long run. Consider yoga as a form of active recovery. By paying attention to your body and focusing on sensitive areas you can recover quicker and even prevent certain injuries.

Like most people starting anything new, I had no idea what I was getting into. There are so many different terms and styles, it was rather daunting. After some research (aka looking at infographics on Pinterest), I slowly was able to distinguish between them and I began to explore and find the styles that I like. There are several fundamental differences which define the various yoga styles, here are some of the more common ones;

The oldest form is Hatha, which most if not all other forms derive from this one. Hatha is slow paced and requires minimal movement between poses.

Iyengar yoga is similar to Ashtanga but it emphasises key differences in the poses and holds to those alignment variations rigidly. It is highly structured in favour of a strong focus on details and instruction is group based, with students taking breaks to learn from the teacher in between poses.

Bikram yoga is performed as a short sequence in a heated room with high humidity. The goal is to practice the sequence twice through over 90 minutes whilst sweating. Hot yoga is similar in that it utilises a hot humid environment, but the sequence can be more dynamic or even improvisational.

How to get started

The easiest place to start is to check out yoga classes available in your area. If you can’t find a studio dedicated to yoga check out classes at a gym or local community centres. Some BJJ clubs offer yoga classes, if yours doesn’t see if you could start something similar or even find a few friends who might like to try a class with you. Don’t be afraid to explore or try the online resources I have linked below before you commit to a place. Take your time to find something that is right for you.

If you don’t want to pay for classes on top of training, don’t have the time to go out of your way to a studio, or are a fellow introvert and prefer less social spaces there are plenty of resources available so you can practice at home.

All you need to do is find a space for your mat where you can practice with minimal distractions. If you need blocks for stability you can use books, a chair or you could be like my boyfriend who uses me to balance when he joins me on the mat. Also, instead of a strap you can use your belt to help maintain good posture while you stretch.

*If you do decide to practice at home be somewhat careful with certain positions especially if you have existing injuries. Don’t force your body into a position if it’s painful. Take your time to find where you are comfortable and slowly work from there.

Finding time to dedicate to yoga is crucial, the same with developing any habit. Setting intention into your practice is much like going to class to train rather than going to class to show up. The beauty of yoga is you can control where you start and how you progress from there. If you can wake up at five am every morning to do an hour of yoga, that’s amazing. If you only manage a quick 10 minutes before class starts, or even two minutes before you go to sleep that’s great too. Any introduction of stretching to your daily routine will have a positive effect.

While there are numerous styles and methods to practice you only need to find the one that works for you. It might take some time to find what you like, get comfortable and familiar with yoga but remember that yoga is your journey. Focus on finding something that suits you and your purpose. Keep in mind that you won’t see results overnight. Just like Jiu Jitsu and most things in life, with yoga you will get out what you put in.