Several months ago I registered for my first competition as a blue belt. Though I had the good fortune to get incredibly busy with my work as a synthesizer programmer for Broadway productions as I was mounting two shows simultaneously, this didn’t work out so well for my Jiu Jitsu training schedule. It quickly became clear that I wouldn’t have enough time on the mats to be fully prepared for competition or to even be confident about making weight, so I dropped out of the competition, but stayed determined to stay on point with my nutrition and my strength and mobility training.
Don’t Obsess – Just Do Whatever You Can
Fortunately, after about a three week hiatus, I was able to return to training Jiu Jitsu once a week during my days off. During the rest of the days, I stayed in shape by designing a strength and mobility program that I could do each morning before I left for work. It consisted of kettlebells, bodyweight exercises, and mobility exercises, and it only took about 15 minutes per day. My program typically alternated between two different routines:
- Pavel Tsatsouline’s Simple & Sinister program, which consists of Kettle Goblet Squats, Turkish Getups, and Kettlebell Swings
- Pushups and planks
On both days, I’d follow up with mobility and exercises and stretching. Knowing that I’d be spending a lot of time sitting, I needed to make sure to counteract the effects of being more sedentary than usual. I also benefitted from my daily brisk walks between 6th Ave and 10th Ave as I moved back and forth between my two theaters.
Start Your Day With Exercise, Even if Just for a Few Minutes
Starting my day with exercise, even just 15-20 minutes worth, was enough to keep my body healthy and to condition my brain to think with a healthy mindset with regard to nutrition. Throughout this period, I was shuttling between a Broadway theatre on West 44th Street and an Off-Broadway theatre on West 42rd Street, both in midtown Manhattan.
Be Mindful of Nutrition and Hydration
Those of you who have spent any time around Times Square will know how difficult finding healthy food options can be around there. Fortunately, I found a salad place where I could grab a large healthy salad everyday for lunch. For dinner most days, I’d go to another place I know where I could get a protein, vegetable, and starch in reasonable portions. I made sure to keep fruit with me for snacking as well as a water bottle. Staying hydrated was essential.
Summary
In the end, I didn’t gain any weight, and even managed to lose a few pounds. Eating healthy and making time for exercise, even just a few minutes in the morning, kept me energetic, positive, and injury free. My weekly Jiu Jitsu classes were incredibly difficult at first, but it took minimal time to adjust once I was able to return to my normal 3-5x per week training schedule.
I no longer fear having to be away from Jiu Jitsu for extended periods, though my preference is always to be able to train at lease 2-3x per week for my physical and mental well-being as well as for my love of the sport. I have another busy period coming up next month, so I hope to use what I’ve learned this time around to continue to refine my routine so I can stay even more on top of my exercise and nutrition.
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