Home Health & Wellbeing
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

do i need more strength or more flexibility?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I started doing Ju Jitsu just over a month ago, and i was doing really well, but i've noticed that i don't feel like i have the speed to do things. My co-ordination is very poor, and i'm as strong as i used to be when i was doing weights twice a week, and i can find it hard in the class, but then again, i am the only person under 5'9 and the only female. I keep doing things like rolls after breakfalls and hurting myself either because i don't have the strength to hold myself or the flexiblity to do it in one fluid movement...

any suggestions as to what i could do in addition to help me get on further with it? I've got a gym membership (which i bought mainly for ju jitsu), but i'm not sure if we have a pool and there arn't any locally...

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I started doing Ju Jitsu just over a month ago, and i was doing really well, but i've noticed that i don't feel like i have the speed to do things. My co-ordination is very poor, and i'm as strong as i used to be when i was doing weights twice a week, and i can find it hard in the class, but then again, i am the only person under 5'9 and the only female. I keep doing things like rolls after breakfalls and hurting myself either because i don't have the strength to hold myself or the flexiblity to do it in one fluid movement...

    any suggestions as to what i could do in addition to help me get on further with it? I've got a gym membership (which i bought mainly for ju jitsu), but i'm not sure if we have a pool and there arn't any locally...

    Speak to a professional trainer, or the person teaching your class.


    How long ago has it been since you were doing your twice weekly weights sessions? If it's been a while, you will have certainly experienced a drop off in strength. This will be more noticeable in your supporting muscles, which will show when attempting Ju jitsu etc etc.

    I would say you need to work on all over body fitness - that includes strength, endurance AND flexibilty.

    Also, not to put too fine a point on it, but you've only been doing it a month, so you're not going to be an expert straight away! Training with weights with specific movements is completely different to something like Ju Jitsu.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Speak to your trainer, surely they will know what is going on as they will have dealt with probs hundreds of people.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Agree with both of the above. To answer your question you probably need both more flexibility and more strength to train to your full advantage but as g_angel has said you've only been doing it a month, cut yourself some slack although fair play to you for wanting to improve yourself. :)
    I've been doing taekwondo for 1 1/2yrs and i am still a long way off being as flexible, strong or good as i should be but at the end of the day martial arts are a long road, you learn a lot and develop more as you go along.
    Talk to your master, he should be able to give you some home exercises to help strengthen and flex your muscles, adding swimming would def. be a bonus, if not maybe pilates or yoga?
    Not sure on what ju-jitsu training comprimises but you shouldn't really be doing yourself serious hurt with the moves, you're only a beginner so therefore should be breaking the moves down and doing them safely to learn the technique? Although as i say, don't understand what the training compromises. :)
Sign In or Register to comment.