Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a modern rendition of traditional Japanese jiu-jitsu. When it comes to jiu-jitsu it is quite easy to understand that it is not just a game. It is a complete lifestyle that requires full dedication. In older times, parents used to send off their kids in solitude so they could focus and improve their jiu-jitsu skills.
Kids with jiu-jitsu skills were considered as wise, controlled, and disciplined. All these qualities are now considered a necessity and kids nowadays find it hard to control their emotions, stay disciplined and grounded. In short, BJJ taught a completely different lifestyle that was much more healthy than usual.
However, we can all agree that BJJ is very challenging. It helps you to challenge your body, mind, and soul and improve all the qualities that are required to be an ideal BJJ fighter and a good human being. For BJJ you need full control over your meditations, which has a lot to do with the way we breathe. Usually breathing exercises especially yoga, meditation, and muscle relaxation are recommended for anger management. With the help of deep breathing and meditation, you will be able to acquire full control over your body and this will eventually help you improve your BJJ skills as well.
With the help of this article, we will mainly highlight the importance of deep breathing and what are things to keep in mind if you want to improve your breathing skills. We will also talk about some reasons BJJ and meditation have a link. To help the beginner become the best in BJJ we will also recommend some of the best ways they can use meditation to improve their BJJ performance.
Why Breathing Is Important For BJJ?
Breathing is the most understood function that the human body performs yet it is very vital. Most people do not breathe consciously and have a very passive lifestyle. This as a result causes shortness of breath because their lungs have a low breathing capacity. Most people link breathing capacity with exercise however they do not know that there is a proper mechanism behind breathing.
Inhaling and exhaling are two key factors but everything else is involved in it as well. According to science, you need to breathe in or inhale through the nose so the air that gets in your lungs is filtered, moist and warm. On the contrary, when you are exhaling, you need to use your mouse. This is because it helps you keep your mouth moist and you do not feel parched. For breathing properly, try to get the air in and hold it in your lungs. Once you have held the air for a few seconds, then let it go.
Benefits of Deep Breathing
Deep breathing has so many different benefits that are not just linked with combat games like BJJ but also the way we perform our day-to-day activities. Some of the best benefits that are linked with deep breathing include:
- Deep breathing helps with increasing the capacity of the lungs which improve strength and helps with shortness of breath
- Deep Breathing helps with gaining full control of the body and it also helps in decreasing the stress and staying calm in stressful situations
- Deep breathing is very helpful in reducing the aching pain which is the reason in case of injury doctors ask the patients to focus on breathing.
- Deep breathing is good for gaining full-body control.
- It helps in reducing anger by helping the body focus on the task
- Deep breathing improves the function of the brain by providing fresh air and oxygenated blood.
- Deep breathing is very good for overall digestion and especially helps with the better functioning of all organs.
How to Exercise Deep Breathing for BJJ?
When it comes to deep breathing it can be of many types. You can choose the exercises that suit you the most. Most people choose mediation because it solely helps them relax and improves the level of oxygen in the blood. However, there are other exercises where you mix meditation with exercises. One of the best examples of this is yoga, yoga helps you unify breathing and exercise. Another important type is muscle relaxation where you perform mediation while focusing all the muscles and letting them relax. Overall, there are so many different variations of meditation that you can choose from according to your convenience. To help the beginner know in detail about their importance however here are some tips tricks and benefits that you need to keep in mind.
Yoga
The best thing about yoga is that you will be able to gain back the lost flexibility, this will eventually help you stretch easily and improve your motion and angle of movement. Another important thing about yoga is that it is a very good workout for an arm-up session. It helps you stretch your muscles and also helps you breathe better.
As a result, you will be able to stay in control of your emotions and reduce the chance of injury. Overall, yoga is not only good for BJJ it is also good for all your daily lifestyle. Most people with desk jobs find it hard to breathe especially in stressful conditions. With the help of yoga, you will be able to stay calm and focused even in stressful conditions.
Meditation
Mediation is very important for BJJ because it helps you read your opponent and especially helps you with strategy making. BJJ is known to be one of the most complex combat games which require full control over your body and your mind. With the help of meditation, you will be able to stay in full control. Another important thing is that meditation will also help you control the situation because when you are in the ring or on the mat, things can get heated especially. After all, it is an unpredictable game.
Muscle Relaxation Therapy
Muscle relaxation therapy is very good for cool-down sessions. After an intense workout where your body has been through a lot, you need some time to help your muscles relax. That is where muscle relaxation therapy comes in. you need to start with simple positive imagery and then move towards muscle relaxation therapy.
In most cases, muscle relaxation theory is replaced by guided theory because it helps you keep your emotions in control which is especially important for combat trainers and fighters. According to an estimate, more than 85% of professional players use meditation and guided therapy for their BJJ training.
Bottom Line
To sum it all up, BJJ is a game that requires full control over your body as well as your mind. This means that to control your emotions and make a strategy you need to know how to breathe better, most people only use 40% of the breathing capacity and they end up feeling shortness of breath after just a few rounds.
According to professionals, every student has to work on their meditation and breathing capacity. This will help them stay healthy, build endurance, and also help them work out in a better environment. Overall, it is a great way to help your body get comfortable with all kinds of situations. When you are on the mat, fighting your opponent, anything can be expected. This means that the way you hold your body balance and the way you read your opponent and then build a strategy is very important. Most people take help from yoga and meditation in this regard.
