For some people, learning BJJ in a gym is simply not an option. This can be due to a hectic schedule, injury, cost, travelling or due to lack of local schools available. Because of this, you may be forced into training alone and at home. Whilst this isn’t ideal and training in a gym environment is always preferable; there are certain ways to optimise your training whilst at home. Again, this isn’t the ideal scenario and it’s even harder to learn without a dedicated training partner. Having said this – it’s still better than nothing and can improve your Jiu Jitsu to an extent.
Table of Contents
Solo Drills
Solo drills are a good way to improve your movements and become more fluid at BJJ. Arguably this is why black belts are so natural when it comes to movements – because they’re practised them for so long. Knowing a move is one thing, but smoothly executing it is something completely different. For instance, there is a video of Japanese World champion Rikako Yuasa practising movement drills for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Supposedly she does this every day. Similarly, the legendary Andre Galvao has a book on solo drilling and its importance. These are two of the best ever in their respected categories. This means solo drills can be deemed important and are usually key, fundamental moves.
There are various videos on the subject that you can copy. Whilst these drills may be repetitive, you should also understand that repetition breeds improved movements which is the idea. The problem is that solo drills can get boring if done alone on a daily basis. Because of this, there are other ways to freshen up training alone. However, solo drills will add to your improvements. One addition could be using a grappling dummy. These can be purchased for cheap and can allow you to drill moves such as armbars and other submissions. In doing this, you can improve your speed and timing which leads to sharper Jiu Jitsu.
Video instructionals
Video instructionals have grown in popularity in recent times and can be viewed on Youtube or sites such as BJJFanatics. These sites have a wealth of content which can be studied at your own pace. Because of this, you can now learn a lot of depth with these videos, some being over 10 hours in length on a single subject. The best way to consume video content is to re-watch certain positions, focusing on specific details as you would in the gym. Not only this, but you can even write notes down to retain information which helps.
One issue of video instructionals however, is that it’s simply not as good as physical learning. Whilst visual learning is certainly real – most people struggle to hold in information learned visually compared to actually doing the moves in purpose. One way to beat this problem is by drilling with a partner, if possible. If not, a grappling dummy will have to do.
Another issue with video instructionals is watching fundamentally questionable content. Although most content is fine – you probably shouldn’t watch stuff which is beyond your skill level or maybe over-complicated. For instance, if new – then you should focus on the simple stuff. Watching a DVD on berimbolos may be a waste of time in this sense as watching a move and hitting it are very different. Similarly, if you see a move that sacrifices a great position for a low percentage submission, it’s probably a mistake to try and replicate this as it may create more trouble than it’s worth in a live environment.
Yoga for BJJ and fitness drills
Yoga and fitness are a key part of BJJ. You can also add strength and conditioning into the equation. Whilst they don’t directly translate to your technique – they do help when sparring. For instance, if your guard is close to getting passed, then yoga can add flexibility as a layer of retention. Similarly, if you feel tired and gas out quickly, training burpees can improve your lung capacity and keep you sparring for longer.
As said, these methods aren’t directly in relation to improving your skill. However, they will make you a better athlete. This is kind of obvious and getting stronger makes you a tougher opponent and helps protect against injuries. With this said, a routine in these practices is good to improve yourself as a general athlete. It may also keep things fresh and stop repetition setting in if your solo training becomes boring. Because of this, a combination of yoga, cardio and strength will all enhance your BJJ game significantly.
If possible, training with one is better than none
Whilst this article is based on training alone – the benefits of just one partner would improve your training massively. This is because you can test out your skills during sparring and get a feel for moves whilst drilling. It’s one thing feeling a move is good drilling it on a dummy, but with a human, you get real feedback as to whether a choke worked for example. With sparring, the idea is to pressure test your Jiu Jitsu. This is where you can tell if your moves and drilling actually work in a tougher environment.
The one issue with this method is your safety.
For instance, it’s not wise to do takedown sparring in your living room where you could fall into a table. Similarly, you shouldn’t spar alone with a meathead who doesn’t respect taps. Instead, you should only spar with people you trust who won’t try and go crazy. With this said, you can create a safe training environment where you both improve off each other.
Summary
Training BJJ alone is certainly doable. It is not ideal to train without sparring, but in some circumstances sparring simply isn’t an option for reasons listed above. At the same time, solo training can improve your skills with a combination of movement drills, videos and training to improve your body. With these being done in unison, your time may not be as efficient as spending it in a BJJ gym; but at the same time improvements will definitely be made. In short, gym training is always the best way – but otherwise, solo training at home is a good alternative and is clearly better than doing nothing.
