For a complete approach to mastering the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and to get the most out of your training, do not discount the importance of nutrition. It may surprise you how significantly what you eat and how you eat it can influence your performance as a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor. Proper nutrition suggested for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners can help fuel your body with the energy you require for endurance, explosive moves and overall optimal performance. Of course, what you consume also will also affect your weight, and maintaining a healthy weight is also essential for elite Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors.

What to Eat for Enhanced BJJ Performance

As you might expect, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu requires a balanced diet of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and nutrients, as well as healthy fats and an adequate amount of complex carbohydrates. However, there is a lot more to proper nutrition for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training and competition and what works for one person may not be ideal for another.

When coming up with a diet to enhance Brazilian Jiu Jitsu performance, one should consider body size and type, body fat percentage and individual activity levels.

Remember that motivation is helpful to anyone who is dieting and a good diet doesn’t have to be a boring one. So instead of overloading on chicken or fish and veggies, why not make things interesting? A delicious example of a daily menu for those training for or competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a scrambled egg wrap with fruit or avocado for breakfast, a protein shake or high protein yogurt with granola for a snack and then maybe salmon, wild rice and asparagus or chicken paired with a salad for dinner.

Keep your meals light with adequate time in between to avoid bloating and allow for healthy digestion, and don’t forget to hydrate throughout the day. Always opt for water as opposed to energy drinks and other sugary or carbonated drinks. Avoid polyunsaturated fatty acids such as those found in vegetable and seed oils, as these can negatively affect the metabolism of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors, leading to inflammation and sluggishness.

As for recovery after you have depleted your energy during a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu session, carbs, carbs, carbs! A quick, easy fix, for example, is cereal. Healthy fats can also help with energy depletion, as they promote optimal absorption. However, even healthy fats should be limited, as becoming overweight is not ideal for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu performance training. A good rule of thumb is to try to keep fats under 30%. And protein, as you might imagine, is the holy grail. When you don’t maintain an adequate amount of protein in your diet, muscle mass can actually begin to break down. So lean meats, eggs, fish, beans and nuts are exceptional proteins to enhance performance.

When to Eat for Enhanced BJJ Performance

Although healthy eating is vital for promoting proper digestion, absorption of valuable nutrients and increasing and maintaining optimal energy levels during training is vital, timing is also important. Take into account your specific energy needs and expenditure. Do not eat something heavy and difficult to digest just before training. It will slow you down. Do eat something light that will boost your energy at least an hour before training, and increase carbohydrate intake on the days that you train

The Gracie Diet

Plus, if you are a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu student at the Ralph Gracie Mission Viejo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy, you may also be interested to learn that there is something called the Gracie Diet. Originally developed by Gracie family patriarch Carlos Gracie to combat ailments as he aged, this diet has been refined over time by Gracie family members to help elite Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors become stronger faster and function at a peak level of athletic performance.

Carlos’ diet was comprised of three main food groups:

• Carbs (such as grains, pasta, rice potatoes and certain fruits), which was to be considered a staple for every meal,
• Proteins which come in the acidic variety (red meat and poultry) and the sweet variety (fish, eggs and dairy) and
• What he called neutral foods (vegetables with the exception of tomatoes, oils, butter and fats), which he said can be eaten at every meal.

His dietary rules included thoroughly hydrating with water throughout the day, except for with meals to prevent digestive enzyme dilution and promote healthy digestion. He also felt that acidic proteins should be consumed at lunch, while sweet proteins were recommended for dinner. Don’t mix your carbs with acidic proteins or sweet proteins with acidic proteins, and alcohol, tobacco, processed foods and sugars are not to be consumed in any manner. Snacking is also prohibited and there should also be approximately five hours between meals to avoid overeating and aid in digestion.

As years passed, additional versions of this diet emerged, one of which suggests a larger list of food groups, including: 1. proteins and vegetables, 2. sweet fruits, 3. starches, 4. acidic fruits and 5. milk. This version of the Gracie diet also restricts sugar, processed foods and large meals. It recommends a small amount of dairy and healthy fats. As for mixing food categories, foods in group 1 can be mixed with themselves and foods in group 2. Group 2 foods should not be mixed with each other. Group 3 foods can be combined with each other and any item in group 2, but not cooked with fat. Group 4 foods should not be combined at all. Group 5 can be combined with group 2 foods.

The purpose of The Gracie Diet in any form is to mix healthy menu items in such a way that creates equilibrium within the body…and, ultimately, optimal performance within Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training and competition.