AARGH! Why is it so difficult to cross-train? I'm hoping that fellow MAPers can give me some morale support. I'm primarily a striker, but keep trying and failing to cross-train in grappling. Here are some problems. - Training when tired: I can push myself through a Thai class, even when feeling tired at the end of a hard day at work. I just can't seem to muster the same physical or mental energy for BJJ when I'm tired. So I miss lots of BJJ classes. - Fitness. Grappling fitness is different from striking fitness. The doesn't help with the above. - I can't grapple more than once per week. This means everyone else trains more than me, so rolling is a long series of tap-outs by me. Slow progress is demoralising. - When training on consecutive days, I mightn't have fully recovered. All advice and morale support would be gratefully received!
A friend of mine does not like to train his punching skill. Since he likes to train his throwing skill, instead of training his punching skill in front of a heavy bag, he prefers to train his body wrapping skill. No matter how his opponent tries to punch at him, he can manage to tangle and wrap around his opponent arms with head lock, underhook, overhook, bear hug, arm wrap, wrist wrap, ... He may never be good in boxing but at least he knows how to deal with punches. He tries not to compete his punching skill against a boxer and his kicking skill against a MT guy. He tries to pass the kicking range, punching range, and move into the clinching range ASAP. It’s a cross training short cut, our life time is too short. It we try to be good on everything, we may not be good on anything.
Do you enjoy the BJJ? If you enjoy it you will do it. Maybe find a place with more people who train at your level so you can enjoy "winning" a bit more. Also, maybe grappling that has more of a stand up phase (like judo or San Shou) will mean more to you as a Thai boxer.
I enjoy BJJ. Much to my own surprise! However, I anticipate not enjoying it. Then when I get there, I always enjoy it. Strange. You're so right. I tried my hand at wrestling, which I really loved. The stand up phase, clinch and lack of gi all meant more to me. Much more my cuppa tea, but the club closed Out of everything, I think it's the gi that most vexes me and, locally, all the beginners BJJ is gi. What I've enjoyed most of all, however, has been the self-defence training in BJJ. Unfortunately BJJ clubs seem to do very little self-defence syllabus, but more sport/competition training.
I'll see your cross training and raise you cross training whilst also instructing and training for yourself Mitch, being very nice to Mrs Mitch and hoping for more nights in the week.
I can grapple all day without gassing or being sore. It's not because I have good conditioning. It's because I move gentle. If you're too tired to be intense when you wrestle, you'll have to actually learn to move properly.
I have the same problem too, bjj and muay thai on the same week, it is crazy, you gotta have some rest in between, maybe one month muay thai, then the next month bjj, then next month muay thai again would be better.
Are you too tired for BJJ because you're working too hard at MT? To improve your BJJ cut down on your MT. To be a 'complete' X-Trainer you need to focus on your weakspots. What's your weekly timetable including fitness and how much sleep you're getting? Mitch, I'll raise you doing your own training, teaching, being nice to the wife (who also trains) and always having to have one of us be at home to look after our 9 mth old!
I'll see that and raise you a 2.5 year old at home and a 5 year old at home during holidays and thinking about setting up a new club to teach pure self defence All adds to the fun doesn't it? Mitch
I suggest that you should not only train when class starts. But you should train outside of class too. So you don't have slow progress. Also make sure when you're grappling that you're not muscling around. You'll gas yourself out quickly. Especially with an heavier opponent. Because on your way to grappling class(or if it's being done in the same gym). You should be able to recover enough to grapple successfully. If you play gentle as ratty said... and intelligently. Whenever i'm having issues doing something that i'm in a class for. I'll take it outside of class, and focus on it to make it even with everything else i'm talented in. I'm a very dedicated person though.
I think another solution would be to do each every day. If you have a chance to roll three times a day and spar three times a day, it'll bring it all together and keep you fresh at all times, that way you never fall backwards in one thing while training the other. There are a lot of top guys that will tell you daily training is the key.
I agree with you on this 100%. Some of my Judo friends think that training at home without instructor's watching may build up bad habit. I then ask my friend, "Who is going to watch that instructor when he trains at home?" We can never grow up if we always have to depend on our instructor's supervision. I have always believed that one should go to school to learn (school work) and come home to train (home work). I cannot understand that people go to school to "work out" and come home to "rest".
My advice? You need more mat time or you'll never make progress. Obviously thats either going to cut into your MT training time or your spare time, if that exists! If you really want to get good on the ground I'd say drop your striking to once or twice a week and do more BJJ, twice a week minimum, three times if possible. Thats what it'll take. (Also Ratty's advice is very good)
the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none" comes to mind. It seems you can choose weather to do many arts poorly, or only do one and do it well. Doing lots of styles wont make you tough, making sure your whole body is conditioned will. Preliminaries include running, situps, stretching, weights.. I would sacrifice one art if any of these are not developed. Your punches and kicks you can practise at home. maybe leave thai, but still put in the practise at home, without the cost and time constraint of the class. Meditation will heal sore limbs quicker.
I'm the opposite, I could grapple and roll for hours on end but after throwing punches, kicks, knees etc for a few minutes i'm completely drained. I think much of it comes down to technique. When grappling I spend much of my time looking for the right moment to come then moving in whereas with striking I tend to simply attack with raw brute strength similar to a brawler (though my instructor and I are steadily getting rid of this habit). In short, perhaps your technique just needs some tuning? If so the best suggestion I can offer you is to train more. How long have you been practicing each art? Also why do you dislike the use of a gi in BJJ? Hope I could help :hat:
I think pauli may be right about over-training being the issue, due to lack of recovery. I've similar challenges to Freeform about fitting in training with a very, very busy work and home life. I see no real answer to this :thinking: ! How do others manage to balance a young family, high pressure work and training? I disagree with airweaver about being a jack of all trades. I feel good about my striking and my conditioning's good when I'm recovered. :lifting: It's tricky to to balance fitness training with adequate recovery ...
Personally I've found a recovery drink, like Recovermax or Recovery XS, drunk imeadiately after each session very helpful to combat overtraining. That and at least one day a week with NOTHING strenous.
