Women in BJJ: 5 Activities to Improve Your Jiu Jitsu
As much as we all love hitting the mat for a good hard jiu-jitsu training session, every grappler can benefit from mixing other activities into her training regimen from time to time. Cross-training in activities outside of jiu-jitsu provides important supplemental benefits to physical and mental health – and often offers a much-needed break for our (lovingly!) grappling-abused joints.
Luckily, Gaidama is here to keep you fashionably – and perhaps more importantly, comfortably – dressed both on and off the mats. After all, as a brand built on empowering women in jiu-jitsu, we understand firsthand that a female grappler’s conditioning routines extend far beyond the walls of her BJJ academy.
Don’t know where to start with your cross-training journey? No problem. Check out these five great suggestions for non-BJJ activities where you can still rock your Gaidama gear – all while continuing to benefit your overall jiu-jitsu skills.
1. Weightlifting
Perhaps the single most important method of conditioning for female BJJ athletes, strength training in the weight room doesn’t just improve your performance on the mats – it’s also an excellent way to armor up your joints and mitigate tweaks, sprains, and tears. Injury prevention for female jiu-jitsu practitioners is particularly important, since we often train at a size and strength disadvantage that puts our bodies at greater physical risk – and a good weightlifting program can go a long way toward preserving joint health in women’s BJJ.
Want to pump iron in style? Try pairing a premium muscle tank with our every wear shorts to show off those gains! If you want to hop on the pump cover trend while hitting the weight room, look no further than our super soft flow state hoodie. For extra coverage below the belt, add a pair of high-waisted every wear joggers, which can be easily layered over shorts, or worn solo.
2. Yoga
Much has already been made of the benefits of yoga for athletes of all disciplines – but this ancient physical and spiritual practice pairs especially well with the gentle art. In addition to building flexibility, muscular endurance, and generally improved movement quality, the spiritual side of yoga offers a host of psychological boons for athletes. These include tools for dealing with pre-competition anxiety, mental fatigue, emotional burnout, and more.
If you’re in need of BJJ recovery tips, whether mental or physical, a restorative yoga practice can be a great starting point. Looking to add a little yoga to your warmup or cooldown after training, but don’t want to pack a whole extra outfit in your gear bag? Gaidama’s got you covered with jiu-jitsu gear for women that can easily do double duty as downward dog-friendly activewear. Our second-skin, body-hugging spats make a great substitute for yoga pants, and our BJJ women’s rashguards boast best-in-class breathability, four-way stretch, and moisture-wicking technology that can survive the hottest of hot yoga studios.
3. Pilates
Female grapplers with a childhood background in ballet or other forms of dance may already be familiar with the benefits of pilates for an active lifestyle. A longtime mainstay of classical dance conditioning, this exercise discipline invented by Joseph Pilates focuses on bodyweight strength training through a full range of motion with a particular emphasis on building a strong core.
If you play the kind of jiu-jitsu guard variations that leave your abs screaming for mercy, adding pilates to your conditioning routine might just take your game to the next level. Plus, much like yoga, pilates can be a great way to make good on your neglected promises to take your coach’s BJJ recovery tips more seriously – and incorporate some BJJ-friendly stretching into your week.
Stay on trend during your pilates practice with a cute yet comfy pair of figure-hugging shorties and an elegantly high-necked kazushi sports bra that doubles as a fun crop top – guaranteed to keep the girls in place while you sweat through your side bends.
4. Rock Climbing
This increasingly popular sport has a ton in common with jiu-jitsu, including an emphasis on technique over pure strength, a culture that delights in “physical puzzle solving,” and yes, a venue where you’ll build brutally powerful grips. If you’re bored with plain old pull-ups at the gym, consider learning to scale a cliffside for a healthy yet thrilling change of pace.
Gaidama’s athleisure favorites like our sunshine shorts and premium muscle tanks make a casually stylish outfit for your local bouldering gym, or a sweltering summer day out on the mountain. If you’re heading out toward cooler climbing climates, our body lock full zip hooded jacket will keep you cozy yet mobile with its full zip cowl, thumb holes, and a cotton fleece blend that traps body heat while retaining breathability for rigorous athletic activity.
5. Resting
Yes, you read that correctly! Rest is arguably the most commonly overlooked part of a jiu-jitsu training regiment, but common-sense BJJ recovery tips – which include plentiful sleep and regularly scheduled rest days – are just as crucial to competitive performance as hard rolls and heavy lifting at the gym.
That said, just because you’re spending time away from the gym doesn’t mean you can’t feel cute on your rest day! Lounge around like a true fashionista in one of our comfy yet perennially on-trend premium perfect fit tees. Pair the graphic of your choice with our super soft every wear jogger, and you’re all set to kick back and relax in style.
