It’s something almost all BJJ practitioners ask themselves. “How often should I train BJJ to maximize my progress.” While trying to accelerate your way to a black belt or competition success is admirable, it may not always be best for you to follow Gordan Ryan’s training schedule of no rest days.
I advise training BJJ a minimum of 3 times per week for continued progress. However, if you can only make 2 classes per week, you can still make progress but at a slower rate.
But can you train BJJ every day and still make progress without stalling or injuring yourself?
How Often Should You Train BJJ?
Your work and life schedule and your BJJ training goals dictate how often you should train BJJ. If you are a hobbyist who enjoys BJJ for fitness but works a full-time job, then 2-3x per week is likely all you can fit.
If you are a competitive practitioner and work a full-time job, you may be able to squeeze in an extra session or two within the week, depending on your family life.
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Finally, if you want to make it to the highest levels of the sport, such as winning ADCC or transitioning to MMA, you’ll need to train as much as possible. This means 6+ times per week of BJJ training.
What is not included in the 6+ times of BJJ training is the 2-3x per week of BJJ strength training. Essentially, training for BJJ has now become a full-time job. This is only possible if you can make a living without spending hours working.
We must also take into account the condition of your body. Training BJJ multiple times per week is not a good idea if you come from a sedentary lifestyle. At least initially. If you are an older athlete, you may not be able to handle multiple days on the mat without significant wear and tear, depending on how your classes are structured.
But, the goal of anyone practicing BJJ is to train as much as your life circumstances and body allow you to.
Can You Train BJJ Every Day?
You can train BJJ every day. But it becomes a balancing act with BJJ class, weight training, and life. Further, you need to undulate the daily intensity. For example, Monday might be a moderate to hard day involving drilling, positional sparring, and a few moderate to hard rolls.
Tuesday might be a lighter day of drilling and potentially some flow rolling. This can be repeated throughout an entire training week with 1-2 days for hard competition sparring, depending on your competition schedule.
Is 2 Days A Week Enough For BJJ?
Twice a week BJJ being enough depends on why you’re doing BJJ and if you have time for more. If you have the time, I would highly recommend 3 classes per week minimum to progress. If two classes are all you can make, it is enough to keep you slowly progressing.
To accelerate your learning, you can spend time recapping your notes from the week’s training or practicing some movements with your significant other at home. This will at least keep the techniques you’ve learned fresh.
Summary
Before trying to replicate a professional BJJ practitioner’s training schedule, assess your BJJ goals and where it fits in your life schedule. Not everyone has the freedom to spend hours on the mats weekly. Instead, make the most of your time on the mats and remember, BJJ is a life journey. Not a sprint to black belt.
