Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art that has gained worldwide popularity due to its effective grappling techniques. Originally from Japan, it has become a sought-after activity globally that requires excellent resilience, agility, and stamina despite its demanding nature. Similar to wrestling, boxing, and judo, it’s a weight-class sport, with nine weight classes for men and eight for women. To excel in Jiu Jitsu, a balanced diet is key. For BJJ athletes, training and conditioning are essential for success on the mat, and proper fueling before a competition can help to boost energy levels, improve endurance, and increase mental focus. Proper nutrition is crucial for maximizing performance and ensuring success in a BJJ competition.
The Importance of Nutrition for BJJ Athletes
Top athletes must prioritize their recovery to be ready to train hard day after day. In fact, many professional sports teams, like the Cleveland Browns, the Seattle Seahawks, the Carolina Panthers, the San Antonio Spurs, the Houston Rockets, the Brooklyn Nets, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Calgary Flames, work with nutrition specialists to ensure their athletes are properly fueled; even individual athletes such as US Open Winner Sloane Stephens and UFC all-time-great Georges St-Pierre prioritize nutrition. A well-balanced diet provides the fuel that your body needs to perform at its best, and can help to improve your overall health and well-being.
As Leticia Ribeiro, a 4th-degree black belt and 9-time world champion, says: “In my career, my performance at competitions and at training changed completely after I started a focused dieting program. I dropped one weight class."
The Jiu Jitsu diet plan goes beyond weight management. Dialing in how you eat before, during, and after training can help you:
- Have more energy during workouts
- Improve focus and reaction time
- Speed up recovery from workouts
- Gain and maintain muscle mass
- Stay hydrated
Macronutrient Balance for Optimal Performance
As a JiuJitsu athlete, you should focus on consuming three essential macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Jiu Jitsu practitioners should follow a diet of 50-60% carbs, 20-30% proteins, and 30-40% fats to achieve optimal performance.
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Carbohydrates: The Primary Energy Source
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for your body. Therefore, most of your diet should be composed of complex carbs containing starch in whole grains. These could be fruits and vegetables that give long-lasting energy, which is essential for endurance. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and starchy vegetables, provide sustained energy for long periods.
Proteins: Building and Repairing Muscle
Proteins are necessary components for muscle development, healing, and maintenance. Protein will help build and preserve muscle mass during training, as well as support your recovery between sessions.
Fats: Essential for Hormone Production and Energy
Fats aid vital activities such as hormone production, nutrient absorption, and generating energy. Healthy fats are crucial for overall health and performance.
Micronutrients: The Unsung Heroes
It is easy to forget the importance of micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants since macronutrients take center stage. The good news is that you can get plenty of these vital nutrients from everyday foods. These could be sweet fruits, vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower), nuts (walnut), seeds, and acidic fruits or bananas for recovery. For optimal performance, include many colorful foods in your daily nutrition plan. They will supply vitamins and boost antioxidant levels, reducing inflammation and thus aiding faster wound repairs.
Pre-Training Nutrition: Fueling Your Body for Success
A good pre-training meal would be high in carbs and moderate in protein and fats, like a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread or oatmeal with some fruit and nuts. For an extra energy boost closer to the session, snacks like fruits, protein bars, or trail mix can do wonders!
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1-3 Hours Before Training:
- Higher carb (~0.25g/lb bodyweight)
- Moderate protein (~25-40 grams)
- Try to limit fat & fiber
- Fluids and electrolytes (if you sweat a lot)
- If you eat a bigger meal - try to give yourself more time before going to class
Carbs will help provide energy for training, especially high-intensity sparring. Examples include rice, potatoes, bagels, bread, pasta, and fruit. Protein will help build and preserve muscle mass during training, as well as support your recovery between sessions. Examples include chicken, lean beef, eggs, turkey, and shrimp.
Food Ideas Before Jiu-Jitsu:
- Chicken + rice
- Lean steak + potatoes
- Ground turkey or beef + pasta
- Greek yogurt, oatmeal, fruit, honey
- Fruit smoothie with protein powder
- Sandwich or bagel with deli meat
- Protein shake + cereal or granola
- Protein bar + any fruit
Intra-Training Nutrition: Sustaining Energy and Hydration
It’s crucial to stay hydrated while training or competing. Keep yourself refreshed by drinking water and electrolyte-rich beverages. During training, focus on lots of fluids and electrolytes. For sessions over 90 minutes, you could eat easy-to-digest carbs and some protein for a quick energy boost
- Water + Electrolytes: 15-20oz per hour of training with 250-1000mg sodium to replace lost electrolytes.
- Carbs: as needed, but I recommend 25-45g per hour. Ex: applesauce, fruit squeeze packs, fresh fruit, crackers, cereal, cereal bars, rice cakes, gummy candy, or carb powders like dextrose or cyclic dextrin.
- Protein: 10-15g per hour of training over 90 minutes. Ex: protein powder mixed with water, pre-made protein shakes, protein bars.
Post-Training Nutrition: Replenishing and Recovering
When training or competition is over, it’s essential to refuel your body. A meal or snack with carbs and protein helps you recover faster and replenish glycogen stores. After training, it's important to consume enough calories over the course of the day.
Vegetarian and Vegan Considerations
Don’t fret if you’re a vegetarian or vegan practicing JiuJitsu! A well-planned diet can still help you achieve maximum performance and recovery. Protein requirements can be easily fulfilled by including beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, nuts, and seeds in your plant-based diet. Vitamins B12 and D - mainly found in animal-based diets - may require supplements if they are present sufficiently on their vegan or vegetarian Jiu Jitsu menu.
The Gracie Diet: A Historical Perspective
The Gracie family, known for contributing to Jiu Jitsu, created the Gracie Diet. This diet focuses on eating natural, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins while limiting sugar intake. It’s important to eat smaller meals throughout the day and listen to your body’s hunger signals. This way, you can avoid overeating and satisfy yourself with enough food. There has been limited scientific research about this food plan, yet many athletes who practice Jiu Jitsu have reported improved energy levels along with better digestion.
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The diet provides all essential nutrients required for optimal muscle recovery after sessions of rigorous training and is easy to follow while emphasizing natural whole-food choices. The Gracie Diet may not have been created for weight loss, but it can certainly help with weight management. However, it’s essential to know that the Gracie Diet isn’t a quick-fix solution for losing weight. Its principles should be adapted to a sustainable lifestyle change rather than just short-term dieting. But before following a specific nutrition plan like the “Gracie Diet,” it’s wise to consider speaking with a registered dietician.
Common Myths and Misconceptions
Jiu Jitsu diets have been subjected to several common myths and misconceptions in the fitness industry. Carbs are essential energy sources during training or competition. While the Gracie Diet has its benefits, which should be considered while creating JiuJitsu-specific meal plans, it’s not necessary that every Jiu Jitsu or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) athlete follow exactly the same nutrition plan.
Pre-Competition Nutrition: Preparing for Battle
As a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) athlete, you know that training and conditioning are essential for success on the mat. But have you ever considered the role that nutrition plays in your performance? First and foremost, it is important to understand that proper pre-competition nutrition is vital in being prepared and controlling what you can control come competition day.
Eat a balanced meal with a mix of complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats about 2-3 hours before a competition. Avoid heavy or fatty foods, and stay hydrated. And avoid making drastic changes to your diet in the days leading up to a competition.
Some examples of balanced meals that incorporate these nutrient-rich foods include a whole grain pasta or rice dish with grilled chicken or fish and vegetables, a turkey and avocado sandwich on whole wheat bread, or a quinoa and vegetable stir fry. Avoid heavy or fatty foods that may cause bloating or discomfort during training.
In addition to eating a balanced meal, it's also important to avoid making any drastic changes to your diet in the days leading up to a competition. This means avoiding crash diets or extreme weight-cutting methods, as they can lead to decreased performance and increased risk of injury. Extreme weight-cutting methods, such as dehydration or drastic caloric restriction, can be dangerous and lead to serious health consequences. In addition, they can seriously affect your performance on the mat. Dehydration can lead to decreased endurance, strength, and mental focus, which are essential for success in BJJ.
Instead of cutting weight in a short time, focus on making gradual changes to your diet and training routine throughout your training cycle. This will not only help you make weight safely, but it will also improve your overall performance.
If your first match is on time and you feel comfortable, eating just before your match shouldn't be necessary. However, if there are long breaks between matches or you have to wait a while before your first match, it can be helpful to have a small snack to hold you over. It's important not to overdo it, though, as you don't want to feel too full or sluggish on the mat. Ultimately, it's all about finding what works best for you. Experiment with different meal options and see what gives you the best energy and focus leading up to a competition. And remember, proper nutrition is just one piece of the puzzle. Training and conditioning are also essential for success in BJJ.