Welcome to the first Bulletproof for BJJ newsletter! We will being giving you a good, quick dose of the right stuff to help improve your training so you can have better quality on the mats and feel better outside jiu-jitsu. This week we bring you the first of four keys to improving your energy:

1. How to improve your energy for BJJ: Manage Energy not time
2. Technique of the week: The Kettlebell Box Clean
3. Community Spotlight: Giving our people a space to shine
4. Training Top Tip: The easiest thing  you can do to improve training

How to improve your Energy for BJJ.

Training Brazilian jiu-jitsu is one of the single most energy demanding activities. Producing energy to Roll, practice, compete, cutting weight, stretch, lifting. It is a big investment, especially while working, caring for a family and maintaining friendships.

Our busy lives and our passion for the mats can often seem in conflict with each other.   Too much of living life is about managing it: breaking it down into tasks, list, spread-sheets and categories to be completed, passed, failed, or won.

This approach often leaves us mentally and physically exhausted with not enough energy to get the most out of what we love most,      Jiu-jitsu.

Time management will not save you!

That is not to say you don't need to be organised but we need to look at things differently. When you look at your diary, weekly calendar and monthly planner you need to think energy and how to free it up.

Every commitment you have this week has an energy cost, from your kid’s Saturday sport, driving to that job interview on the other side of town and that incomplete assignment due Friday. It’s going to cost you energy. The more stress or pressure that surrounds a task the more energy you will burn to complete it.

Budgeting your Energy is far more important than budgeting your Time.

Time is relative to your ability to use it and the context in which it is used.

Scenario 1. Stuck in Hospital with a major injury!

Pain and lots of it! Your inability to do what you want makes time drag, you are ‘Free’ but can’t move and not including visitors you are by yourself. Medication, lack of sleep, no routine or familiar surrounds all serve to drain your energy. Any kind of ill health leaves us wishing for the simple pleasure of feeling healthy. At times like this Time slows and energy plummets as you do your best to heal.

Scenario 2. On holiday with friends.

You are where ever you chose to be, with your favourite person or group of people.

It’s a road trip, a get away, a beach somewhere. Free from a timetable the time flies.

The enjoyment of the moment, the activity and company means your energy multiplies.

Even though you might be exerting energy; trekking, building, painting or swimming these things build your energy and your control over the process means you could do it all day for weeks at a time.

These examples are polar extremes but we all know that certain activities give us energy and build positive momentum in our lives while there are others that simply tax us and rob us of the vitality we need to enjoy and progress our training.

‘’ So what do I do to have more energy?”  Here is the first step you need to take to improve your energy.

1.Energy Vs Activity

How much energy do you have? Is it enough to meet the activity demand of your daily life? Where you invest your energy will dictate if you get a return or a deficit at the end of the day. You may be giving too much mental and physical energy to activities and issues, which do not contribute to your health, happiness or Jiu-jitsu.

You must identify the Activities that Take from you and give nothing in return. Before you commit to any activity ask yourself what is the real cost of this action? If you haven't given it any thought, next week we get into how to budget your energy and have some left to invest!

HYDRATION: Specifically the mineral and electrolyte make up of your water. We are not talking during or after class, by then you have left it too late. Your pre-class hydration will determine 30-40% of your athletic performance.

Break that down - You do this 1 thing and you will almost double your rolling ability, primarily you will improve your endurance. Often "gassing out" or cramping isn't a lack of heart or fitness. It's a lack of water and basic nutrients to keep your muscles and nervous system working. Don't worry it's an easy fix.

• Add 1-2 Hydralyte or hydration tablets to 500-700 mms of water and consume over a 45 minute period prior to training BJJ.

This one simple action will ensure the water you drink will stay in your blood stream for longer and get delivered to working muscles when it's needed.  Hydration is more important for learning and performance than eating just before training.

Keep a pack of these little mineral life savers in your training bag, they will improve your Jiu-jitsu experience no sweat!