Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Nutrition Plan - By: Mr. Lloyd Irvin

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a physically demanding sport. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete needs to exercise to strengthen his body and practice to develop his own style and master the sport. Apart from getting the technique right, an athlete also has to maintain a diet that gives him a proper mix of energy, nutrients and fluid. Maintaining a proper diet plan becomes all the more important as an athlete has to maintain his body weight to stay in his weight category.

To determine an ideal nutrition plan for a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete, it is important to take a look at his energy needs. A typical Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training session can make an athlete lose up to 800 calories per hour. An athlete will have to consume the basic calorie requirement of his body and also make up the calories lost in practice to maintain weight.

To calculate the basic calorie requirements of a body, you multiply your body weight by 10 and 1.7 consecutively. The resultant figure is the amount of calories you will need to maintain your body weight to the current level. The athlete can change this figure depending on his exercise schedule, amount of weight he wants to lose or gain, etc.

A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete needs good nutrition to help his body gain strength. Ideally a nutrition plan should consist of a wider base of complex carbohydrates, which comes from wheat, cereal, rice, etc. He would also need vitamins, minerals and fiber, which can be gained from vegetables and fruits. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete must also include dairy and meat products in his diet to get the required amount of calcium, zinc, proteins and minerals required for development of strong bones and muscles. He should also include a small but essential amount of fats, oils and sweets in his diet. An athlete might not have to add these ingredients separately as they are usually present in the food. However, he must monitor their intake as an excess of these can result in weight gain.

Apart from the nutritional intake through food, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete must also keep a track of the fluid intake. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu focuses on self defense through grappling and ground fighting, which can be dehydrating. The athlete can lose fluid through spitting and sweating. Ideally, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete must sip water and energy drinks at regular intervals. An athlete must look for an energy drink that replenishes the sodium lost through sweat and is low on sugar and other carbohydrates.

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About the Author

Lloyd Irvin is a martial arts coach. He holds the rank of 7th degree black belt in Thai Jitsu, 2nd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, 1st degree black belt in judo. In 2002 he was named The United States Judo Federation International Coach of the year. Lloyd's coaching experience includes having taught Secret Service, FBI & SWAT.

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