poor miles per gallon...

bubbazanetti · 12-09-2007, 12:21 PM

I am 33 years old, 5'8" and I weigh about 195lbs. I recently started training in BJJ with some regularity at a great school (I have trained in the past, but never could get a handle on my schedule), and I need some tips on conditioning, and more importantly breath control. I have lifted weights, and been athletically active my whole life, and I am a handful on the mats... for about 60 seconds that is... I find that because I have subconciously conditioned myself to hold my breath when exerting myself (as one would when lifting heavy weights) I gas out quickly. I have upped my cardio (3 times a week x 30 minutes) and I roll 2 - 3 times per week. I am making progress, but need to up my endurance to really start making strides. Any suggestions?

**Cap'n** · 12-09-2007, 01:40 PM

Intervals.

read the faq

wildman1717 · 12-09-2007, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbazanetti

I am 33 years old, 5'8" and I weigh about 195lbs. I recently started training in BJJ with some regularity at a great school (I have trained in the past, but never could get a handle on my schedule), and I need some tips on conditioning, and more importantly breath control. I have lifted weights, and been athletically active my whole life, and I am a handful on the mats... for about 60 seconds that is... I find that because I have subconciously conditioned myself to hold my breath when exerting myself (as one would when lifting heavy weights) I gas out quickly. I have upped my cardio (3 times a week x 30 minutes) and I roll 2 - 3 times per week. I am making progress, but need to up my endurance to really start making strides. Any suggestions?

I do the same bro. and I hold my breath lifting also. It is a bad habit to break and it is a different type of cardio, LSD. Run intervals like HIIT and roll more often and remember to breath when rolling. With time your endurance will improve.

**Standard** · 12-09-2007, 07:21 PM

my truck is getting terrible milage right now, damn wind and cold...

work on breathing properly, sounds silly but just like in lifting you have to learn to breath properly. The season Shawn Alexander did his best rushing was after he learned to breath while he ran, untill then he would hold his breath as he rushed through the line.

TGR74 · 12-09-2007, 09:37 PM

Sometimes when you roll...you have to focus on one thing that is extremely important to master and let the rest go.

Go to the mat. Focus on breathing and moving. That's it....no subs or anything else...just practice espcaping and breathing.

You will get man handled but once you get it down your game will jump.

As long as you keep going to practice it will eventually get easier.

But try a few rounds of just relaxing and moving without worrying about winning...the ego will take a beating but once you breathe well and relax....you will be able to go and go and go.

bubbazanetti · 12-10-2007, 11:05 AM

I did some searching on these forums, and came across this guy Ross Enamait . Interesting concepts. Any experience, are his programs effective? Seems like a good program for BJJ, MMA etc.

No Quarter · 12-10-2007, 11:32 AM

You should never hold your breath while lifting.

There was a guy at my gym who held his breath all the time when he lifted. One day I saw him with 2 eyes that were completly red. He told me that he had ruptured/broke the blood vessels in his eyes from holding his breath in during a set of heavy squats.

Also, you are allowing the carbon dioxide to accumulate in your lungs while you are holding and that has a negative effect on your performance.

Putting yourself under high stress cardio like HIIT will teach you how to breathe properly.

D-Train · 12-10-2007, 11:46 AM

Matt Serra remembers to breathe.

**Standard** · 12-10-2007, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Quarter

You should never hold your breath while lifting

Dave Tate and countless other top powerlifters would strongly disagree with you. You should exhale as quickly as it is safe to but holding that air provides your body with needed stability.

bubbazanetti · 12-10-2007, 01:13 PM

[quote=No Quarter;19491651]You should never hold your breath while lifting.

QUOTE]

Actually, the proper breathing technique for most heavy lifting is inhale on the negative stroke, and hold breath (pause for a beat) initiating the positive stroke, and exhale throughout the movement. ie: bench press, unrack weight, inhale as you lower to chest, once bar makes contact with your chest, pause (hold breath) begin lift, and exhale smoothly throughout the remainder of the lift. The only problem when practiced during active rolling, training, sparring etc. is the cycle of hold breath, apply pressure, breathe, repeat, totally disrupts your breathing, depletes your oxygen supply, and exhausts you very quickly, both aerobically and anaerobically as well. Most powerlifters take 2-5 min intervals between sets to allow recovery. I have a decent grasp on the physiology of it all, what I need are techniques and or training methods to help overcome the habit, but maintain my strength advantage. My biggest asset is my strength, and I don't want to lose it.