Balancing Body Building and Combat Sport

[Slowww]

Hello everyone, what do you do if you’re interested in making progress in two distinct sports at the same time? There’s only so much recovery possible within the span of a week, and I think I’m having some trouble balancing this.

In the past I would do 2 sessions of Muay Thai 6 days a week, natural, before body building without any steroid use or hGH and it felt very manageable. Now I do HIT PPL with several sets to failure each session & recently reintroduced combat sports, which has made it feel hard to get enough rest, with the meal prep, eating, work and family responsibilities.

I don’t want to sacrifice gains in the weight room but I really enjoy combat sports and miss the competitive aspect that I feel is missing in the weight room.

Right now I’m getting 5 days in the weight room, 2-3 days in the gym for BJJ/wrestling practice per week. Every week I make progress with lifting pretty steadily so I really don’t want to change this schedule. However I have a feeling it might become more than I can handle .

If you do both of these kinds of sports, how do you balance your training and recovery, when progress in the weight room/ on the scale is the main priority?

 

[JesterBOB]

Hello everyone, what do you do if you’re interested in making progress in two distinct sports at the same time? There’s only so much recovery possible within the span of a week, and I think I’m having some trouble balancing this.

In the past I would do 2 sessions of Muay Thai 6 days a week, natural, before body building without any steroid use or hGH and it felt very manageable. Now I do HIT PPL with several sets to failure each session & recently reintroduced combat sports, which has made it feel hard to get enough rest, with the meal prep, eating, work and family responsibilities.

I don’t want to sacrifice gains in the weight room but I really enjoy combat sports and miss the competitive aspect that I feel is missing in the weight room.

Right now I’m getting 5 days in the weight room, 2-3 days in the gym for BJJ/wrestling practice per week. Every week I make progress with lifting pretty steadily so I really don’t want to change this schedule. However I have a feeling it might become more than I can handle .

If you do both of these kinds of sports, how do you balance your training and recovery, when progress in the weight room/ on the scale is the main priority?

It seems to me that it is equally impossible both there and there. You need to really understand what is important and what will be the background. If the gym, especially strength indicators, then martial arts should wear light loads and vice versa. You can’t explain everything - otherwise overtraining and or injury.

 

[Slowww]

It seems to me that it is equally impossible both there and there. You need to really understand what is important and what will be the background. If the gym, especially strength indicators, then martial arts should wear light loads and vice versa. You can’t explain everything - otherwise overtraining and or injury.

I don’t completely understand what you’re getting at, but your Key points are sensible. I am keeping martial arts training load very low to start.
Since I’m blasting gear and prioritising strength/hypertrophy in comparison to the past I would consider 3 martial arts sessions with no roadwork very light (only 25% of previous amount).
I mean it might become more than I can handle when weightlifting cycle Intensity/volume increases or I add training sessions in.
What do you do to balance it? And how is it going for you specifically?

 

[All Nats McGee]

You don’t need 5 days in the weight room. Just lower it to 3 days and continue the BJJ sessions.

 

[JesterBOB]

I don’t completely understand what you’re getting at, but your Key points are sensible. I am keeping martial arts training load very low to start.
Since I’m blasting gear and prioritising strength/hypertrophy in comparison to the past I would consider 3 martial arts sessions with no roadwork very light (only 25% of previous amount).
I mean it might become more than I can handle when weightlifting cycle Intensity/volume increases or I add training sessions in.
What do you do to balance it? And how is it going for you specifically?

I only talked about the fact that at one time I tried to combine it and it didn’t work out very well. Not there, not there, as a result, first overtrained, and then an injury. When I chose one direction, it immediately became better and better.

 

[JesterBOB]

You don’t need 5 days in the weight room. Just lower it to 3 days and continue the BJJ sessions.

I think it’s not even the number of days in the gym that matters, but the intensity of the workouts, how hard they are.

 

[Slowww]

I only talked about the fact that at one time I tried to combine it and it didn’t work out very well. Not there, not there, as a result, first overtrained, and then an injury. When I chose one direction, it immediately became better and better.

Yeah that’s fair, right now I am Focusing on the weightlifting, putting the real effort there. Having an emphasis on one instead of all out on both seems like a way that can be fine for a while

 

[Slowww]

You don’t need 5 days in the weight room. Just lower it to 3 days and continue the BJJ sessions.

I probably don’t need to but tbh my lift numbers go up fastest with 5 days and I’d rather make progress there quicker atm

 

[TrenTrenTren]

Hello everyone, what do you do if you’re interested in making progress in two distinct sports at the same time? There’s only so much recovery possible within the span of a week, and I think I’m having some trouble balancing this.

In the past I would do 2 sessions of Muay Thai 6 days a week, natural, before body building without any steroid use or hGH and it felt very manageable. Now I do HIT PPL with several sets to failure each session & recently reintroduced combat sports, which has made it feel hard to get enough rest, with the meal prep, eating, work and family responsibilities.

I don’t want to sacrifice gains in the weight room but I really enjoy combat sports and miss the competitive aspect that I feel is missing in the weight room.

Right now I’m getting 5 days in the weight room, 2-3 days in the gym for BJJ/wrestling practice per week. Every week I make progress with lifting pretty steadily so I really don’t want to change this schedule. However I have a feeling it might become more than I can handle .

If you do both of these kinds of sports, how do you balance your training and recovery, when progress in the weight room/ on the scale is the main priority?

Don't stop training martial arts. The mindset that it gives you only helps in the gym and life. Muay Thai is great. There's a really good Muay Thai guy who rolls at our gym and the dude is a straight killer. When you're in that mindset where you're sizing guys up at the supermarket, you know you are in a great zone

 

[JesterBOB]

Yeah that’s fair, right now I am Focusing on the weightlifting, putting the real effort there. Having an emphasis on one instead of all out on both seems like a way that can be fine for a while

Yes, this is an excellent choice, I am sure that there will be a result. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[JesterBOB]

I probably don’t need to but tbh my lift numbers go up fastest with 5 days and I’d rather make progress there quicker atm

Progress, however, depends not only on the frequency of training, but it is on the technique and on how well you can recover between workouts. How are you with such a rhythm with recovery?

 

[JesterBOB]

Don't stop training martial arts. The mindset that it gives you only helps in the gym and life. Muay Thai is great. There's a really good Muay Thai guy who rolls at our gym and the dude is a straight killer. When you're in that mindset where you're sizing guys up at the supermarket, you know you are in a great zone

Martial arts, in general, add mood and quality of life very well. Somehow the head starts to work differently.

 

[Slowww]

Progress, however, depends not only on the frequency of training, but it is on the technique and on how well you can recover between workouts. How are you with such a rhythm with recovery?

Recovery is good, but I got tendinitis from not tapping to an arm bar when I grappled in high school. Even NPP doesn’t seem to do much for the the inflammation after push day and a roll lmao.

 

[Slowww]

Don't stop training martial arts. The mindset that it gives you only helps in the gym and life. Muay Thai is great. There's a really good Muay Thai guy who rolls at our gym and the dude is a straight killer. When you're in that mindset where you're sizing guys up at the supermarket, you know you are in a great zone

Yeah wasn’t planning on stopping, just need to figure out how to get a good schedule for it and get into the grind.
Yeah Muay Thai is great, hitting someone with elbows and knees in the clinch is top notch on the fun scale imo. I feel like Muay Thai did the opposite for me, like often sizing someone up I got them completely wrong once you get sparring or fighting hahaha.

 

[JesterBOB]

Recovery is good, but I got tendinitis from not tapping to an arm bar when I grappled in high school. Even NPP doesn’t seem to do much for the the inflammation after push day and a roll lmao.

I wish everything recovers quickly. Oh, ligaments always bother me for a long time. My wrist extensors always bother me.

 

[Slowww]

I wish everything recovers quickly. Oh, ligaments always bother me for a long time. My wrist extensors always bother me.

What do you usually do to try to rehab them if they’re a consistent problem? Wrists are pretty important for a lot of movements

 

[JesterBOB]

What do you usually do to try to rehab them if they’re a consistent problem? Wrists are pretty important for a lot of movements

Muscle relaxants and massage help me well. Both self-massage and work with a specialist. It is important to pay attention to this.

 

[sakuraba126]

Yeah wasn’t planning on stopping, just need to figure out how to get a good schedule for it and get into the grind.
Yeah Muay Thai is great, hitting someone with elbows and knees in the clinch is top notch on the fun scale imo. I feel like Muay Thai did the opposite for me, like often sizing someone up I got them completely wrong once you get sparring or fighting hahaha.

Well said. Applies doubly to bjj, appearances can be quite deceiving.

 

[JesterBOB]

Well said. Applies doubly to bjj, appearances can be quite deceiving.

I would say looks are usually deceptive in most cases.

 

[Inspired]

Hello everyone, what do you do if you’re interested in making progress in two distinct sports at the same time? There’s only so much recovery possible within the span of a week, and I think I’m having some trouble balancing this.

In the past I would do 2 sessions of Muay Thai 6 days a week, natural, before body building without any steroid use or hGH and it felt very manageable. Now I do HIT PPL with several sets to failure each session & recently reintroduced combat sports, which has made it feel hard to get enough rest, with the meal prep, eating, work and family responsibilities.

I don’t want to sacrifice gains in the weight room but I really enjoy combat sports and miss the competitive aspect that I feel is missing in the weight room.

Right now I’m getting 5 days in the weight room, 2-3 days in the gym for BJJ/wrestling practice per week. Every week I make progress with lifting pretty steadily so I really don’t want to change this schedule. However I have a feeling it might become more than I can handle .

If you do both of these kinds of sports, how do you balance your training and recovery, when progress in the weight room/ on the scale is the main priority?

That's a lot of activity. You can keep up that level of activity for many years but most times, you'll end up running on fumes and mental strength. Eventually, the burnout hits and you're fucked.

You better take your vitamins and minerals (high dosing, lots of supplements) and make sure you get the whole range of nutrition. Focus on getting more gelatin, collagen, and preferably extra glycine. Lots of protein. Lots of anti inflammatories both natural and drug. Sodium Ascorbate.

In terms of training, focusing on explosive movements is a strategy. Explosive movements, higher weights, not tons of reps.