The Most Overlooked Aspect of Training
If you’re anything like me - training is your life.
Honestly, I’m training more days than I’m not…
But I don’t know any other way to be.
Of course, my sessions aren’t just limited to lifting…
In a given week - I generally do about 8 sessions in the gym between lifting, cardio and sauna…
And about 4 sessions of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - not counting teaching, of course.
That’s a lot…
But not unusual for those of us that realize that movement is the key to life.
I have a question for my fellow combat athletes…
But this question can be applied to ANY kind of training - as we’re going to discuss one of the most overlooked aspects of training… well, anything.
That being said - for all my gym ? brothers - if you’re looking for something different in 2023…
You should give BJJ a try - it’s an incredible and rewarding way to exercise - and you gain skills to back up the mass you’ve acquired over the years.
Anyway, let’s get to the question…
And that question is: How many days a week are you training?
For my fellow jiujiteros - how many days are you rolling?
2 days? 3 days?
Or are you a 5 day plus practitioner?
How many times a week you train does matter…
Because the worst kept secret in our or ANY sport really is this: the more you train - the better you’ll get.
In BJJ - you don’t need the best coach in the world or even the best training partners…
The simple fact is: the more you train - the better you’ll be a BJJ.
You think grappling stars like Gordon Ryan or Tainan Dalpra got to where they are by only training a couple of times a week?
No…
They got good by training as much as their bodies would allow.
Ahhhh…
But there’s the rub, right?
As we all know - the more you train - the more punishment your body takes and the worse you feel.
It’s a Catch-22 scenario.
You want to get better… so you train more… but the more you train… the more sore you get… the more sore you get… the less you want to train…
It’s a vicious cycle.
Which leads us to the point of this article…
The most overlooked aspect of training BJJ or anything isn’t what you think it is - as it’s not rest.
As Conan once said, “Sleep? Time enough for sleep in the grave.”
If you want to break the cycle without taking too much time away from the gym or the mats…
You need to figure out how to train as much as possible - while maintaining a level of health that will allow you to hit your BJJ or fitness goals.
So…
How do you do that?
Well, one of the absolute best things you can do is make sure that you’re getting the RIGHT nutrition you need to allow your body to recover and repair.
That’s right…
The most overlooked aspect of training… is nutrition.
Getting the protein you need to repair the micro-tears that happen whenever your muscles get strained - and trust me…
They get strained during practice.
These micro-tears are the biggest reason for muscle soreness - and the best way to make that soreness disappear - is to ensure you’re getting enough protein in your diet to repair them.
Most people don’t eat enough protein…
For people that DON’T train - the minimum is about 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight…
But for people whose life revolves around sport - 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight should be the goal.
The problem?
It’s not easy - or cheap - to get enough protein into our bodies to repair the damage we’ve done through training.
So, people tend to UNDER nourish their bodies - shortchanging their recovery.
That being said…
What if I told you there was a “cheat code” to protein intake?
What if there was a way to help your muscles recover FASTER so you can avoid soreness - and maybe even injury - so you can train more, get better and maybe even get to the top of the podium?
And before you ask - no… it’s not protein powder.
Sure, protein powder is a hack in itself - but that’s not the “cheat code” I’m talking about…
No, what I’m talking about are amino acids.
Of course, like all things, not all amino acids are created equal.
For years, Branch-Chained Amino Acids (BCAA) were all the rage…
And while SOME aminos are better than NO aminos - the fact of the matter is - BCAA’s are like Tom Cruise without Renee Zelwiger - incomplete.
BCAA’s contain just three aminos - leucine, isoleucine, and valine - which is actually SIX short of the essential aminos your body actually needs for efficient protein synthesis.
You see… in order to successfully create muscle protein - your body requires nine Essential Amino Acids (EAAs).
The nine EAAs are: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
There’s a reason they’re called “essential”...
Because without all nine - your body will break down existing proteins to get the other amino acids it needs to complete protein synthesis.
This process could lead to a negative protein synthetic balance in the body…
Meaning by taking BCAA’s - you’re gumming up the works.
You’re hindering the process - instead of making it easier…
But there’s a solution: if you’ve been taking a BCAA product - switch to an EAA product.
EAA’s are superior to BCAA’s - and there’s research to back that up.
Head-to-head - EAA’s are way more efficient and generate a much stronger anabolic response than BCAA’s…
Which means you build more muscle FASTER.
However, there’s even MORE reasons to switch to EAA’s…
Lysine - one of the 9 - helps support immune system function giving you a better chance at fighting off sickness and disease.
But Lysine isn’t the only hero of the EAAs…
Tryptophan helps in boosting mood and supporting better sleep as the amino acid is used by the body to create - serotonin - or what some people call the “feel-good” hormone.
And for those who may not know - it’s when we’re in that deep non-REM sleep that our body releases growth hormone to help growth and recovery.
Yeah…
When looking at the big picture - it just makes sense to leave BCAA’s in the dust and switch over to a more complete product.
EAA’s could be your key to better performance on the mat…
As long as you’re willing to put in the work.
Keep your body healthy…
Keep your GAME healthy.
“A strong body is a good asset. A strong mind is a very good asset.” - Rickson Gracie
Editor’s Note: That’s right… while BCAA’s are good - EAA’s are BETTER. If you’re looking to take your protein synthesis to the next level so you can grow and recover FASTER - then you should snatch up a bottle of Nutrex’s EAA+Hydration - one of the most complete Amino profiles on the market.
It’s a sure-fire way to kick your gains and goals up a notch. Get COMPLETE nutrition - grab some EAA+Nutrition today.
