Mikey Musumeci, a prominent figure in the world of jiu-jitsu, has carved a unique path to success, not only through his exceptional grappling skills but also through his unconventional diet and training methods. Often referred to as "Darth Rigatoni," Musumeci's approach challenges traditional norms and offers a fresh perspective on athletic performance and well-being. This article delves into the details of Musumeci's distinctive lifestyle, exploring his training regimen, dietary habits, and the philosophy that underpins his achievements.
From Garage Drills to World Championships: The Evolution of a Grappling Star
Mikey Musumeci's journey in Brazilian jiu-jitsu began at the young age of 4, training under Fernando Cabeca in Fatjos Martial Arts in New Jersey. By the age of 10, he had already set his sights on becoming a BJJ world champion, dedicating himself to rigorous training.
Musumeci's commitment was evident even in his early years. He and his sister, Tammi Musumeci, also a world-class jiu-jitsu competitor, would wake up at 4:30 or 5:00 AM to drill techniques in their garage before heading to high school. "Basically, it was me and my sister. We would drill for hours on our own, and we would just focus on our own training," Musumeci recalls. This early dedication laid the foundation for his future success.
He reflects, "I’ve basically been my coach since 15-years old." This self-reliance and analytical approach have been crucial to his development.
A Typical Training Day: Immersion in Jiu-Jitsu
Musumeci's training schedule is nothing short of intense, reflecting his deep passion for jiu-jitsu. He approaches Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a math problem. Every action has a different set of reactions. He goes into every training session trying to solve a particular position. A typical day involves multiple training sessions, studying videos, and physical conditioning.
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"A typical training day for me would be, I’d probably get up at 9am. I’d roll for an hour and then drill for another hour. Then what I would do is I would rest, probably an hour studying jiu-jitsu that hour," Musumeci explains. He films his training sessions and analyzes them, taking notes and identifying areas for improvement. "I like analysing a lot of my rolls or just ideas of what I should be fixing. Probably an hour or two. I’m doing that after the two hours of training."
In addition to mat work, Musumeci incorporates climbing and cardio into his routine. "Then I climb. Like another hour of climbing, then I’ll do another hour of conditioning, like cardio, like running, aerodynamics. Then I’ll do another hour of training at night and then another hour of drilling. And then another four hours of studying videos."
This rigorous schedule highlights Musumeci's dedication to his craft and his belief in continuous learning and improvement. He trains BJJ every day for 10-12 hours per day. If he’s studying a particular move or position, and he wants to find an answer for it, he’ll spend all day studying that move. For example, if he’s practicing a sweep, he thinks of his opponent’s reactions as a decision tree. If he’s attempting a sweep and his opponent’s base changes, what will he do?
The "Darth Rigatoni" Diet: Carbs, Convenience, and Consistency
Perhaps the most talked-about aspect of Mikey Musumeci's lifestyle is his unconventional diet. In stark contrast to the strict, often restrictive diets of many athletes, Musumeci consumes a large quantity of pizza and pasta in a single meal each day. This approach, which he adopted after years of struggling with unhealthy eating habits, has proven to be both sustainable and effective for him.
"So, how this started was, I have been cutting weight and dieting my whole life. And you almost evolve an eating disorder from always dieting and cutting weight for so many years of your life. It just naturally happens. So I would binge eat, I would starve, it was very unhealthy… All that time just messes up your brain, where you never feel like you’re satisfied and you’re never full," Musumeci explains.
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To combat these issues, he adopted intermittent fasting, abstaining from food during the day and indulging in his favorite Italian dishes at night. "What I started doing was intermittent fasting. So I would just not eat during the day… I started just eating the foods I love. I’m Italian so I grew up just eating pizza and pasta, so I make pizza and pasta every night… For dessert I eat a pint of acai. And my weight would be lighter doing this diet than eating no carbs and all these things. So in my mind I was like, wait, I can eat all the foods I love if I eat once a day at night. It was a no-brainer for me."
He eats so much during this one meal at night, he feels as though he has a ton of energy the next morning when it’s time to train. And interestingly enough, Mikey finds it easy to make weight on this diet. He even finds that he performs at his best (winning black belt world championships) by following this diet. The key to Mikey Musumeci’s diet is sustainability. If he couldn’t eat what he loves, he would be miserable. If he’s miserable, he can’t train 10-12 hours a day. And if he can’t train as much as he wants, he won’t have the same success in competition. The diet keeps him sane and happy.
While this diet may seem unusual, Musumeci emphasizes that it works for him because it allows him to enjoy his meals and maintain a healthy weight. He also points out that his blood tests consistently come back with excellent results. "I really enjoy what I eat, and it’s not affecting my weight. And I’ve had blood tests, and all my blood numbers are amazing. I don’t have high cholesterol or anything."
The Importance of Liquid Sustenance and Electrolytes
To sustain his energy levels throughout the day while fasting, Musumeci relies on water, electrolytes, and caffeine. "What I do is I drink a lot of water and electrolytes in the morning after training and caffeine. Like half a gallon of water or just electrolytes and coffee, which is very filling because it’s a lot of liquid, right? And then I’ll just drink another coffee a little later. I’ll train again, then it’s already night-time, and you’re ready to eat."
This approach helps him stay hydrated and focused during his training sessions without feeling hungry. "The day goes really fast, and you’re not hungry all day, and then you eat a huge meal at night. And then you wake up in the morning already full. So, it’s actually not hard to do if you do it like that, I think."
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Training Philosophy: Efficiency, Technique, and Mental Fortitude
Musumeci's training philosophy centers around efficiency, technique, and mental fortitude. He stopped lifting weights to focus on becoming more efficient with his body. "When I stopped lifting weights and doing conditioning, I actually got stronger in training because I started learning how to become more efficient with how I use my body. People were like ‘wow, you got stronger.’ But I didn’t get stronger, I just got more technical… We don’t need to do extra things. I supplement it just with some light running for my nervous system."
He also emphasizes the importance of studying and analyzing jiu-jitsu techniques. "Every second, I study jiu-jitsu. There’s not one time of the day that I’m not thinking of jiu-jitsu," he says. "I’m in bed, about to sleep; I figure out moves. Then I’ll wake up in the morning and go, oh, I just thought of this in bed last night, and then it would work in training."
Musumeci leverages his OCD to improve his BJJ. He uses this approach for his training partners as well. He chooses what to work on based on his weaknesses. If he’s training a certain position, and he figures out what stops it, he’ll teach his training partners how to stop his technique. Mikey also believes that teaching is one of the best ways to get better at BJJ. Teaching BJJ forces you to break techniques down, step-by-step.
Moreover, Musumeci embraces discomfort and challenges himself to push beyond his limits. "Competing, I hate sometimes. I’m a very introverted person. So fighting in front of people, people watching me, just talking to random people I get anxiety. But I also love it because I hate it. I love pushing myself to do things that make me uncomfortable."
Recovery and Injury Prevention
Recovery is a crucial aspect of any athlete's training regimen, and Musumeci is no exception. He incorporates several strategies to aid recovery and prevent injuries. He does jogging for active recovery. He discovered that jogging at a heart rate of 130 restores his nervous system. He is known for his flexibility, which he gained from training BJJ for 21 years.
For recovery, Mikey also uses an infrared sauna he has in his home. He uses it every night for 30-40 minutes at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Mikey also takes hot Epsom salt baths.
Recently, Musumeci had to undergo an emergency appendectomy, highlighting the importance of listening to one's body and seeking medical attention when necessary. "I just had my appendix removed. Out of nowhere, I was training normal, doing everything normal, then all of a sudden, I had this sharp pain. I thought I had a stomach virus I was in so much pain… We go to the hospital, and they said if I went a few hours later I could have died. It was pretty intense… I had to have immediate surgery."
Competition Mindset: Focus and Precision
Musumeci's approach to competition is characterized by focus, precision, and a desire to put on an exciting show for the fans. In competition, Mikey believes it’s more efficient to be a guard player. As a guard player, you don’t have to take someone down and then progress. You can sit down and immediately start going for a submission to end the match. Mikey feels as though he has a responsibility to make his fights exciting. Like Gordon Ryan, he always tries to go for the finish instead of stalling.
His goal when competing is to work on a specific position and hit a specific submission that he’s been training.
Overcoming Challenges: Introversion and Anxiety
Despite his success, Musumeci faces personal challenges, including introversion and anxiety. As an introvert, competitions stress him out because he is uncomfortable performing in front of many people. However, Mikey takes the Jocko Willink approach: you must do things that make you uncomfortable because that’s how you get better.
A Jiu-Jitsu Instructor in the Making
Outside of competition, Musumeci is passionate about teaching and helping others develop their jiu-jitsu skills. In winning 4 world championships in BJJ, Mikey realized winning didn’t fulfill him. Instead, what gave him fulfillment was helping other people develop their jiu-jitsu skills. After he’s done competing, Mikey believes he’ll become a BJJ instructor and start teaching full-time.
He believes that teaching is one of the best ways to get better at BJJ.