Lifting weights will reduce your risk of injury on the mats and improve your performance.

But alas, I hear you say, "I don't have time to lift weights!" 

I won't lecture you about how this is an 'excuse'  or copy and paste the response, "Just...

You may have been drawn to jiujitsu because you want to learn self-defence. 

Or you've listened to too many episodes of the Joe Rogan Experience or the Jocko Podcast.

Either way, BJJ is a fantastic way of staying active and 'getting into shape'.

Suppose you've just...

"Don't use your strength when you roll" is terrible advice. 

Period. 

This "well-intentioned" advice is misleading, ignorant and not at all helpful. 

When I first started training in jiujitsu, I was already physically strong.

I was told that I...

If I could choose only one stretch for jiujitsu forever, it would be the Couch Stretch. 

I learned this movement from the great Kelly Starrett in his book Becoming a Supple Leopard. 

Kelly describes the Couch Stretch as his "favourite hip opener, and...

If you can move your body better, your jiujitsu will get better.

At the highest levels of BJJ, mobility is acknowledged as the key to unlocking the latent potential of some jiujitsu positions (especially guard).

Lachlan Giles has spoken about how stretching and...

After a BJJ roll, I often get a backhanded compliment...

"Wow, you're so strong."

Which is then immediately followed up by a question...

"What do you weigh?... What? No way, I thought you were 20lbs heavier."

In some cases, the climax of this post-roll encounter ends...

Grappling training is like doing a full-body workout, sprint training, and endurance, all while getting smashed into the mat. 

No wonder your muscles ache, you have a weird kink in your neck that wasn't there before, and you're dead tired. 

You know that:

• lifting weights
...

BJJ demand a lot from your body.

Cookie cutter gym-bro program or strength sport splits don't hold up.

There are 6 essential elements that your training program must have to improve performance (and reduce your risk of injury).

Element 1: Strength...

Do you think this statement is true?

I don't.

Earning a (real) black belt requires more than "just showing up".

Persistence, consistency, and determination are all prerequisites to a black belt, but they are not the only ingredients required in the BJJ recipe. 

...

Choosing a program to improve your grappling performance can be confusing. 

Should you lift for strength or size? Like a bodybuilder or like a powerlifter?

Well... both and neither. 

When to Lift for Size

"Larger muscles mean healthier bodies, better sports...

Protein is not only for bodybuilders. 

Protein intake drives Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS).

It's for recovery, performance and, yes, muscle gain. 

When I first started lifting weights at 17, I read on the bodybuilding.com forums that you need to eat protein to get...

You are not eating enough. 

Specifically, you're not eating enough carbohydrates. 

Do you want to:

• Cut weight for a competition
• Recover from training
• Improve your performance
• Have better sleep quality

Eat carbohydrates. 

Cutting carbohydrates is a...