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BJJ whie belts always want to know how they can get better at Jiu Jitsu. They often go to the internet and ask numerous questions on how they can improve.

We’ve listened and we’re starting our series of articles to help out BJJ white belts. Our first article of the series, how do I improve as a BJJ white belt?

Below is everything you need to know for improving your Jiu Jitsu ability as a white belt. Everything from how often they should train and how they should train to improve their skill.

How do I improve as a BJJ white belt? The best way to improve as a BJJ white belt is to train consistently and stay on the mat. You also need to be a good student and training partner, so you can absorb more information and improve your game.

How often should you train as a BJJ white belt? 

To improve as a BJJ white belt, you should train as often as possible. The only way to improve your Jiu Jitsu is to stay on the mat and train consistently.

You should try to aim to train at least three days a week and try to never miss a week of training. Consistency is the key to improving your Jiu Jitsu abilities

Training schedule

Let’s say that you’re trying to consistently hit three BJJ classes a week. The schedule to use is this one.

• Monday: Train
• Tuesday: Rest
• Wednesday: Train
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday: Train
• Weekend: Optional rest or open mat training

When you’re new to BJJ training, your body may take some time to acclimate. The best way to get acclimated to the training and hit your three days a week is this one.

Tuesdays and Thursdays can be your rest days and also the weekend if you need it. Once you get acclimated to Jiu Jitsu training, you should increase your training and attend more classes.

What should I focus on in my training routine?

One thing that holds a lot of BJJ white belts back is that they don’t put thought into their training routine. Most of them just try to wing it and hope for the best.

The best BJJ white belts that stick around and improve their games stick to a good training routine. Here are some things you should consider if you want to get better at Jiu Jitsu quicker.

Warm Ups

If you’re serious about improving your Jiu Jitsu, you should always be on time and participate in warm ups. These warm ups at the beginning of class get your blood flowing and makes it less likely that you’ll get injured.

Not only should you do all of the warm ups with the class, but also do your own warm ups before class. Shoot to do around 5-10 minutes of stretching and yoga before class, so your body will already be loose before technique.

Drilling

Drilling is probably the most important thing that BJJ white belts should be focusing on. This is where BJJ white belts learn how to properly move and do basic techniques.

When you drill, everything you do should be methodical and systematic. Making sure that you have every detail of the movements just right. If you make drilling an important part of your training routine, your Jiu Jitsu will prosper.

Rolling

Along with drilling technique, a BJJ white belt will also need to frequently roll whenever they come to class. Now, many white belts think that every time they roll they should go at a competitive pace.

This isn’t the correct way to go about rolling and is likely to get you or a teammate injured. The main point of rolling is to learn and this is especially so for white belts.

In live training, you can find out what techniques feel like and how you should react. This is hands-on learning and it is invaluable for BJJ white belts to participate in.

Other tips for improving as a BJJ white belt

Keeping a consistent training schedule and good training routine are probably the most important ways to improve as a white belt. But there are other aspects that you’ll also have to focus on if you wish to improve your skills. Here are some other important tips for improving your skills as a BJJ white belt.

Be a good student 

A good training routine and schedule is important, but it won’t mean anything if you aren’t a good student. Being a good student entails a lot of different things. 

Some of the qualities of a good BJJ student include:

• Listening to your instructors
• Be teachable 
• Train consistently
• Be on time
• Don’t argue

These are probably the five most important things you must remember to be a good BJJ student. If you remember these five tips, you will improve your Jiu Jitsu game at a faster rate.

Be a good teammate 

Not only do you have to be a good student to improve your Jiu Jitsu skills, but also a good teammate. You have to be a good teammate in order to have training partners that want to train with you.

To be a good teammate, you must remember:

• Your teammates are your friends
• Don’t hurt your teammates
• Don’t resist during drilling
• Help them during drilling
• Be nice

You are only as good as your teammates that are around. Remember that they’re your friends and you all need to improve together in order to get better.

Open mat 

Going to class is extremely important, but you can also learn a lot during open mat. If you’d like a further break down on open mat in BJJ, you can check out our article here.(insert link)

Attending open mat can be extremely beneficial to you and especially if you’re a white belt. This is where you can try new things and ask your instructors and more experienced teammates questions.

Pick their brains about how certain techniques work and they can show you how to execute them. They can be like your very own private lesson that can really improve your game 

Competing

While competing isn’t as important for white belts as attending class, it can be beneficial to compete. Participating in competitions can really be a way to test and improve your skills.

We’ll do a more in depth guide for BJJ white belts later on, but here’s how they’re beneficial.

• Test your skills
• Go against other white belts
• Feel the pressure of competition
• Find out what you need to work on
• Progress faster

If you compete frequently it can show your instructor that you’re serious about improving your skills. They can also see your skills improve more clearly through competing consistently.

Listen to your body

Then aside from your consistency with your training and routine is that you should listen to your body. It’s something that many grapplers fail to learn and try to muscle through, which causes injuries.

If you’re hurt or not feeling better, listen to your body, and take time off. That way you won’t ever miss training for extended periods of time.

Implement a strategy and learn

The most important thing you can do as a BJJ white belt is to train consistently and develop a solid routine. When you do this along with the other tips we provided, your game will steadily improve. 

We should also stress that you shouldn’t stress about being the best as a white belt, but to focus on learning. That way, you can develop your BJJ game and become a good grappler.

Strength training has become incredibly popular with BJJ grapplers. Just like with cardio workouts, there are now more BJJ practitioners that are doing strength training to improve their BJJ.

That is why we’ve put this list together for the best strength training for BJJ. Below are the best strength training exercises that will improve your Jiu Jitsu and recommendations for different training programs.

What are the best strength training exercises for BJJ? The best strength training exercises for BJJ are explosive movements that translate to Jiu Jitsu. Exercises and movements that engage your core and legs, which improves your strength and also your muscular endurance.

Push Ups 

If you don’t have a lot of time or space available, good ole fashioned push ups are a great choice. They have been used for centuries by just about every culture.

With a small amount of space, you can bust out some push ups and get a great workout. They do everything from strengthen your chest, back, arms, stretch your legs, and improve your posture.

Types of push ups

One of the best things about push ups, there are numerous variations that you can use to boost your strength. Everything from push ups for beginners to advanced push ups for fit athletes.

• Normal Push Ups
• Push Ups w/ Knees On The Ground
• Wide Arm Push ups  
• Diamond Push Ups
• One Arm Push Ups
• Push Ups w/ Leg Up
• Superman Push Ups

Push up workouts

There’s numerous types of workouts that you can do that will improve your strength for BJJ. Here are two types of push up workouts you can do.

• Reps: Try to hit a certain amount of push ups everyday to boost your strength.
• Time: Either do a timed round of push ups multiple times multiple times a day or mix it into a circuit workout.

Pull Ups

Maybe the best bodyweight workout that you can do to boost your strength for BJJ are pull ups. They are also arguably the best all around exercise that you can do for your overall health.

It is an all in one workout that hits your core, chest, arms, back, and your grips. Hanging on a pull up bar has even been scientifically proven to strengthen your shoulders and improve your posture and alignment.

Types of pull ups 

There’s a wide variety of pull ups that you can do to boost your strength for BJJ. Here are the top options for you.

• Regular Pull ups
• Chin Ups
• Over/Under Grips
• Gi Pull Ups(Best Option For BJJ)

Pull Up Workout

You can do various sets/reps of pull ups along with mixing them into a circuit. But the best thing to do is try to hit a certain amount of reps everyday to get stronger for Jiu Jitsu.

Deadlifts/Squats/Rows

Deadlifts, squats, and rows with a barbell are incredibly beneficial to increase your overall strength for BJJ. They make up the core of many of the best BJJ athlete’s strength programs.

Increasing your strength and muscle endurance in your most important muscle groups. Everything from your quads, glutes, core, arms, and back will get noticeably stronger after a good barbell strength program.

Workouts with deadlifts, squats, and rows

Since you’re a BJJ athlete, you should never try maxing out on these lifts. Instead you should be more focused on getting good reps and building better muscular endurance.

A 5×5 set of each lift would be a good starting point and stay between 50-70% of your max. Once you go through a few weeks of doing these sets, you can tweak it to your needs.

Kettlebell 

Probably the most versatile piece of strength training equipment you can use is the kettlebell. They come in various shapes, sizes, and have nearly infinite exercises that you can do with them.

You can do full body workouts in as little as 15 minutes, which will boost your strength for BJJ. This is one piece of equipment that you should use if you’re serious about doing a BJJ strength training program.

Kettlebell movements

There have been literal books written about the different types of kettlebell movements that you can do. We won’t try to name all of the kettlebell movements, but here are some of the most beneficial.

• Two Hand Swing
• One Hand Swing
• Deadlift
• Squats
• Two Hand Press
• One Hand Press
• AwwRows
• Tricep Extensions
• Around The Worlds
• Racks
• Turkish Get Ups

Kettlebell workouts

For how many kettlebell movements there are, there are just as many workouts that you can do. Here are two different kettlebell training methods that you can follow to build your strength.

• Reps: Pick 3-5 different KB movements and do 5-10 sets of each with different amounts of reps.
• Rounds: Pick a number of different KB movements and do each 30 seconds to a minute for however many times you’d like.

Sled

Training with a weighted sled might be one of the best types of strength workouts that you can do. Not only does using a sled build your strength, but also great to boost your cardio.

Pushing or pulling a sled is a full body workout that also increases your tendon strength. If you’re really serious about getting stronger, then you should really consider doing exercises with a sled.

Types of sled exercises

There are two specific types of sled exercises and those are push and pull movements. Both are incredibly beneficial and mimic many movements within Jiu Jitsu.

Sled workout 

A great sled workout that you can do is push a sled 40 yards, 5 times. Then repeat the length and pull the sled 5 times.

Grappling Dummy/Sandbag

If you are serious about doing strength training for BJJ, there are two pieces of equipment that you need to use. You either need to be training with a grappling dummy, sandbag, or even both.

Being able to pick up and throw a weighted grappling dummy or sandbag around mimics throwing around a training partner. Not only are you building strength and muscular endurance, but also doing many of the same movements with BJJ training.

Grappling Dummy/Sandbag Exercises 

Just like with the kettlebell, there are a wide variety of different exercises that you can do with a grappling dummy.(Or sandbag) Here are some of the best types of exercises that you can do with these pieces of equipment.

• Runs
• Walk
• Slams
• Flips
• Throws
• Holds
• Shoulder To Shoulders
• Sweep Drills
• Side Control/Mount Escapes

Grappling Dummy/Sandbag Workouts

You can get a great strength workout out using a grappling dummy, sandbag, or mix other things together. Here are some workout ideas that you can give a try to build your strength for BJJ.

• Sets/Reps: Do a standard sets and reps workout, where you do 3-5 exercises of your choosing.
• Rounds: Set up a workout, where you do 30 seconds to 1 minute of different movements. Make the time for each round the same as what you would do in competition.
• AMRAP: Make AMRAP workout, where you set a timer for 5-10 minutes. In that time, you repeat two different movements for as many reps as possible during the duration.

Create a routine and get strong for BJJ!

All of the types of strength exercises listed above are incredibly beneficial and will definitely get you stronger. Everyone from you, your coaches, and teammates will see a noticeable difference in your Jiu Jitsu game. You might even get some muscles and abs out of your new strength training program.

Believe it or not, many new grapplers ask if it’s okay to train BJJ when you’re sick. The question has a rather obvious answer, but we’ll give an in depth answer.

Let’s answer the question, should you train BJJ when you’re sick. Going over why you shouldn’t train BJJ when you’re sick and the effects of training while sick.

Should you train BJJ when you’re sick? Absolutely not. You should never train BJJ when you’re sick. You will not only make your illness worse, but also possibly pass it to a teammate.

The reasons why you shouldn’t train BJJ when you’re sick? 

For those that really need it spelled, there are two specific reasons why you shouldn’t train BJJ when you’re sick. You will more than likely pass your illness to your teammates and probably make yourself even sicker.

Getting your teammates sick

It is incredibly selfish to go train when you’re sick. Instead of getting good training in, you’re just going to pass your illness off to your teammates and make them sick.

This is a vicious cycle just like how you would get sick in grade school. One person comes in sick and contaminates the gym and makes everyone else sick. 

Now nobody is training and forced to stay home and recover.

Making yourself even sicker

Not only will you get your teammates sick, but you will more than likely make yourself worse by training. A slight cough can transform into a full blown flu if you decide to go train Jiu Jitsu instead of resting.

If you just sat out a day, you would’ve probably felt better and trained the next day. But since you decided to train, you will probably make yourself even sicker and miss even more days of training.

Why do some think it’s okay to train BJJ while sick?

People that train BJJ have a tendency to be more stubborn than most people. They are very driven and don’t like to stop training for any reason. Even if they’re sick.

You might think that you can just tough out a cold like a sore shoulder, but it never works out that way. When you decide to train BJJ while sick, you’re most likely going to do more harm than good.

That is why you should really put your pride aside and sit out of class when you’re feeling sick.

Possible contagious illnesses you could pass to teammates 

There is a wide array of contagious viruses that you could pass around if you train BJJ when you’re sick. Here are the three types of illnesses that you risk passing to your teammates.

Common Cold

A cold is one of the most common illnesses that people come down with annually. Symptoms associated with a cold include: fever, runny nose, congestion, and sneezing. You’ll most likely be off the mat for a few days to a couple weeks.

Flu 

A step up from the cold is the flu. The flu has all of the symptoms of the common cold, but you feel even worse. It’ll take you around 2-3 weeks to get back to normal after a bout with the flu.

Covid-19

Then of course, if you test positive for Covid-19 you should immediately quarantine yourself. Going to the gym while you have Covid will result in the entire gym having to stop operations and quarantine.

How long should you stay away from training?

The amount of time that you’ll have to take off due to being ill will depend on how sick you are. It could be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on what you have.

If you have a common cold, it would be better to wait at least a couple days before returning to training. The flu will most likely put you down for a week to two weeks before you’ll feel good to train again.

Then if you unfortunately test positive for Covid, then you’re going to have to quarantine for two week. After that quarantine, you should take another test to show that you’re negative for Covid.

Can I exercise at home while sick? 

If you have the urge to train, you can’t go crazy and have to be mindful of your recovery. Here are some ideas to get light workouts in while you’re sick.

Stretching/Yoga

To stay active and move a little, you can work on your flexibility by doing easy stretching or yoga movements. Just really easy stretches and yoga poses to get your blood flowing after having to stay in bed. A small routine of five to ten minutes will be sufficient and won’t tire you out.

Ab Workouts 

Ab workouts are a really good idea when you’re at home sick. You can put together a small five to ten minute routine, where you do a different movement every minute. The best part is that you don’t even have to leave your bed.

Planking 

Planks are one of the best exercises that you can do when you’re under the weather and stuck at home. They are low impact and do everything from increasing strength to improving your posture. You can do this exercise in just one minute intervals throughout the day to get a small workout in.

Light weights/bodyweight workouts 

If you are one to never miss a strength training routine, you can probably get away with light weight workouts. Bodyweight workouts would be even better, where you can do a small routine in fifteen minutes to get the blood flowing. But remember to take it easy and don’t put too much stress on your body.

Light Jiu Jitsu Movements

Then of course if you’re a dedicated BJJ practitioner, you can’t go a day without practicing Jiu Jitsu movements. If you must do something related, you can do some light Jiu Jitsu and Judo movements.

You can practice your footwork for Judo techniques or tighten up your subs on a grappling dummy if you have one. Just to get too crazy and tire yourself out.

Steps you can take to recover faster

When you’re sick, your first priority should be recovery, so you can get back on the mats. Here are the steps you should take to fasttrack your recovery.

Rest 

Of course, the first thing you should focus on when you get sick is to get plenty of rest. Your body is fighting off an infection or virus, which is going to take most of your energy. That is why you need to chill out and give yourself time to recover.

Drink Plenty of water/fluids

You need to keep yourself hydrated when you’re sick and drink plenty of water/fluids. Fighting off something like a cold or flu will leave you dehydrated, which is why you need to constantly drink fluids. Be sure to constantly be drinking water and take in plenty of electrolytes.

Take your vitamins 

Upping your intake of vitamins while you’re sick will help give a boost to your immune system and especially vitamin C. 

Prescription Antibiotics

Then of course, you need to take the proper medication if you’re really sick and can’t train. Grab some over the counter medication or if you’re really sick, seek out a doctor to prescribe you antibiotics. You’ll be better in no time after taking all of your medication.

Rest up and train later

The best thing that you can do when you get sick is to rest and not train BJJ. Take your time and recover until you are 100% and ready to train. You’ll be good as new and ready to improve your skills!

Believe it or not, Jiu Jitsu students really ask if they can train BJJ with ringworm. The skin infection that is a common occurrence among BJJ students.

For those that really need this question answered, we go into full detail on why you shouldn’t train with ringworm. We’ll also detail what ringworm is, how to treat it, and precautions for avoiding this infection.

Can I train BJJ with ringworm? No, you should absolutely not train BJJ with ringworm. It is highly infectious and will more than likely be transmitted to your teammates. Seek medical treatment and use a prescribed ointment until the infection goes away.

What is ringworm?

Ringworm is a highly contagious fungus that’s medical name is dermatophytosis. An infection of the skin from a fungus that develops within warm and damp areas.

Some may believe that the term ringworm means that there’s an actual worm in your skin, but there really isn’t. It’s actually just a fungal infection that creates a red circle around the infected area of the skin.

Next to a staph infection, ringworm is one of the most common skin infections that grapplers deal with.

Types of ringworm 

There are actually numerous types of ringworm that can develop on your body with different symptoms. The most common types of ringworm that affect BJJ students includes:

• Tinea Corporis(Body Ringworm)
• Tinea Capitis(Scalp Ringworm)
• Tinea Pedis(Athlete’s Foot)
• Tinea Cruris(Jock Itch) 
• Tinea Unguium(Nail Infection)

You can develop any one of these type of fungal infections from training BJJ or any other type of combat sport.

Is ringworm contagious? 

Yes, ringworm is one of the most highly contagious fungus in existence. Person to person contact, where skin touches skin is the most common way of ringworm transmission. Which is why BJJ schools always stress the importance of their students bathing and keeping their gear clean.

Why is ringworm so prominent within BJJ?

A BJJ school is the perfect breeding ground for different bacterias and fungus like ringworm. Being a warm area with a high degree of humidity that can easily be transmitted from teammate to teammate.

Gis, rash guards and spats, and of course the mats are materials, where ringworm can grow and thrive. Then along with human contact from BJJ training, the fungus can easily be passed around the gym. Before anyone knows it, everyone in the school can be infected with ringworm

How long is the recovery time for ringworm? 

A mild case of ringworm will usually take you off the mat for two weeks to a month. For more severe cases of ringworm, you could miss months of training if you don’t take care of it.

Methods to treat ringworm

There are generally two different methods for treating an outbreak of ringworm. Both of these methods will help kill ringworm and get you back on the mat.

Topical ointments 

Antibiotics 

How to avoid ringworm?

Even though ringworm is highly contagious it is also very preventable to avoid this fungal infection. Here are some methods that you should implement to avoid an annoying ringworm flare up.

Bath regularly

Immediately after BJJ training, you must go home and take a shower. Infections like ringworm develop right after training, so you must thoroughly wash up to avoid the fungus from forming.

Wear clean clothes

Be sure to always wear clean clothes when you go to class and never wear clothes that you trained in. Bacteria and fungus can form easily on warm damp clothes and especially ones that you didn’t clean.

Wear ventilated shoes

Wearing shoes that are well ventilated will help stop the fungus that causes ringworm from forming. Sandals and flip flops are the best options, but if you’re going to wear tennis shoes, make sure they’re clean. Also be sure to wear clean socks.

Cut nails

Fungus and bacteria can easily form under dirty and long finger/toe nails. That is why it’s a common courtesy to keep your nails short and clean before you go to class and train.  

Don’t share training gear or clothes  

Another way to avoid ringworm is to never share your clothes or training gear with your teammates. This is a common way that ringworm is transmitted and should be avoided.

Don’t walk barefoot off the mats

You can also bring ringworm and other types of bacteria onto the mat if you walk barefoot around the gym. That is why you always need to wear flip flops or tennis shoes whenever you leave the mat.

Make sure mats are clean

If you’re the coach or work in the gym, it is your job to make sure the mats are clean before and after every class. After every class, you need to thoroughly clean the mats to kill any bacteria or fungus like ringworm that can form.

Products to help prevent ringworm 

Thankfully now, there are numerous brands of antibacterial soap and shampoo created specifically for BJJ practitioners. Here are some of the great antibacterial Jiu Jitsu soaps that are currently available on Amazon.

Defense Soap

Defense soap was one of the very first soaps created specifically for Jiu Jitsu practitioners. All of their products include natural ingredients that are known to prevent infections like green tree oil and eucalyptus oil. 

They have also sponsored numerous BJJ competitions, BJJ athletes, podcasts, and different combat sports websites.

Not only is Defense Soap one of the oldest and well respected BJJ soaps, but they also have the biggest selection. Their currently list of products on Amazon includes:

• Original Defense Soap
• Defense Soap Peppermint Scent 
• Defense Antifungal Intensive Treatment
• Defense Soap Body Wipes
• Defense Soap Shower Gel

Submission Soap by Gold BJJ

Gold BJJ are one of the most dependable companies that make various items for the Jiu Jitsu market. Including their brand antibacterial soap that they call Submission Soap.

Submission Soap is made in America and is made out of 100% natural ingredients that are GMO free and vegan. All ten of the ingredients in their soap have been medically proven to prevent infections like ringworm

They currently sell their top of the line soap in singles, two packs, five packs, and they come in three scents.

• Classic Tea Tree
• Activated Charcoal Tea Tree
• Peppermint Tea Tree

Martial Arts Soap

Soap company Soapazon makes makes one of the highest rated soaps on Amazon that they call Martial Arts Soap. They specifically designed this soap to be used by everyone from Judokas to BJJ practitioners.

All of the ingredients in this soap are 100% chemical free and natural ingredients. All tested and proven to fight off infections like tea tree oil, charcoal, and peppermint extract.

Soapazon currently makes their top of the line soap in three different scents and packs.

• Activated Charcoal & Peppermint Tea Tree
• Organic Tea Tree
• Peppermint Tea Tree

Jiu Jitsu Soap

The company Escape Soap makes their own brand of soap specifically for BJJ athletes called Jiu Jitsu soap. Completely organic, chemical free, vegan soap that will not only kill bacteria, but also exfoliate your skin.

Perfect for everyone from Jiu Jitsu athletes to amateur wrestlers. Escape Soap also backs their product with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee.

Stay clean and keep training

Ringworm is a nasty skin irritation to deal with and can take you off the mat for an extended period. Be sure to follow the steps to avoid ringworm above and consider the antibacterial/fungal soaps in the recommendation section. That way you stay clean, fungal free, and be able to keep training!