A Final Look: Five Ways P90X Will Benefit Your BJJ

5 Aug 2010

Posted by Utah Martial Arts Feeds

A Final Look: Five Ways P90X Will Benefit Your BJJ

This Article comes from Arcanum Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Blog
To see the full original article click here

Now That I’m a Graduate…
Several months ago, I wrote a post evaluating P90X and the benefits it offers Brazilian jiu-jitsu players. You can read the post here.

Back then, my conclusion was that P90X was an excellent way to get in shape and build endurance, and therefore intrinsically beneficial to BJJ…just as it would be beneficial to any other sport (or martial art). However, serious BJJ competitors and coaches would probably want to focus on sport-specific routines over P90X if it came down to the wire.

Well, I’ve since completed the P90X training. That’s right folks, for a while there I actually had a six-pack! Actually, it’s been two months since I finished, so I’ve had plenty of time to form my opinion. Which I did while washing away my six-pack with a twelve-pack of coca-cola vanilla.

In retrospect, P90X deserves more credit than I originally gave it. I do not think it is the be-all end-all of all crossover training regimes, and time being a factor I STILL think that sport-specific exercises would offer more focused results; but as a solo routine that can help you to tone and solidify your body and increase endurance and stamina, I’d give it a 9 out of 10. (Please note that I am not a personal trainer so this is not a professional opinion.)

As a program you can do in your own home and without a partner, P90X offers a challenging, goal-oriented system to building strength, endurance, balance and coordination. All are important attributes in the world of grappling. Finish it, and you’ll be in some of the best shape of your life. Finish it prior to a competition training camp, and you’ll be noticeably ahead of your teammates when it comes to physical conditioning.

Five Benefits P90X Can Offer BJJ Players

I have tried to break down the reasons I think P90X can be a valuable asset to BJJ practitioners. There are definitely other great training programs out there so don’t take this as an exclusive endorsement, but here’s what I observed:

P90X makes heavy use of body weight exercises that develop balance, strength and explosiveness. BJJ is based on balance, leverage and coordination, so body weight exercises are always a good way to go.
P90X is a home-based training program. That makes it a great solution to the “how can I train by myself” question that us BJJ addicts are always asking. Sure, you’re not directly working on improving your mount, but you are developing your body into a more reliable tool for those times when you are training with a partner.
The routines in P90X are varied and adaptable. Don’t want to bulk up and look like Arnold? Rather focus on agility, flexibility and lean muscle mass? No problem! Not only are there multiple fitness pathways offered, the P90X system includes yoga, plyometrics and stretching. And trust me, these routines are no walk in the park – I’d venture to say the Yoga routine was one of the most difficult in the entire program. Yoga’s crossover application to BJJ was recently a topic of a Fightworks Podcast article and episode. Plyometrics helps with explosiveness and agility, and the stretching exercises can help those struggling with triangles or rubber-guard. You could even adapt P90X to be more BJJ-specific by swapping out the Kenpo X day with a day of Ginastica Natural (I considered doing this but never got around to buying a G.N. DVD).
It’s all about mental toughness and self-control. P90X allows you to push yourself beyond what you thought possible. Pushing yourself through the end of the 1-hour routine is much, much more difficult than any single technique. Even after week 8, when I started feeling comfortable and a little complacent, I found that by adapting and improving my form and increasing my goals I was able to once again challenge myself beyond my perceived capabilities. In BJJ, the mental toughness is crucial when you are exhausted in the middle of a match and feel that you just can’t give any more. P90X teaches you that you can extend beyond your comfort level.

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Finish reading A Final Look: Five Ways P90X Will Benefit Your BJJ.

Post tags: cross-training, P90X, workout