The Only Jiu Jitsu Hydration Guide You Need!

When you were in the middle of a tough BJJ roll, have you ever felt like your energy simply disappeared? Perhaps you are forgetting about an important part of your fitness: staying hydrated.

For people who practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, staying hydrated is important for keeping up their best performance and getting back to normal quickly.

This guide will show you the best ways to stay hydrated so that you can do your best on the mats.

Understanding Hydration

Staying hydrated means making sure your body has the right amount of fluids.

Water is important because it does many things, like keeping the body at the right temperature, lubricating joints, and carrying nutrients around.

For athletes, staying hydrated can mean the difference between performing at their best and getting tired.

Dehydration, on the other hand, can make it hard to move, cause muscle cramps, and even cause heat stroke.

You should know the signs of dehydration, which are thirst, a dry mouth, feeling tired, and urine that is a dark color.

Daily Hydration Needs for BJJ Recovery

While most people should drink about 2 to 3 liters of water every day, BJJ athletes may need more because the sport is so physically demanding.

According to bjjstrongonline, BJJ athletes must maintain a baseline hydration level of about one gallon of 3 to 4 liters of fluids daily.

Keeping yourself hydrated while you train,

but are more tailored to each person and can be measured with a simple protocol:

1. Weigh-In: Check your weight before training.
2. Weigh Out: Measure again after training.
3. Calculate Fluid Loss: Take the difference between the weight you weighed before and after training and add 125% to it. This replaces the sweat you lost and makes sure you get a little extra to help your body recover faster.

Example: If you start at 75 kg and drop to 73.5 kg, you lose 1.5 liters of fluid. Multiply this by 1.25 to determine you need about 1.875 liters of fluid for recovery over the next few hours.

In any case, the table below shows the types of fluids that are needed for different types of recovery.

Weight Before (kg)	Weight After (kg)	Fluid Lost (L)	Fluid Needed for Recovery (L)
75	73.5	1.5	1.875
80	78.5	1.5	1.875
85	83.5	1.5	1.875
90	88	2.0	2.5
95	93	2.0	2.5
100	98	2.0	2.5

Notes:

• Fluid Lost: Calculated by subtracting the weight after training from the weight before training.
• Fluid Needed for Recovery: Calculated by multiplying the fluid lost by 1.25, accounting for the fluid lost in sweat plus a little extra to ensure complete rehydration.

Hydration Before BJJ Training

Starting your workout well-hydrated sets you up for the best performance.

Thirty to sixty milliliters of water should be drunk two to three hours before working out.

So, your body has time to take in the water and keep its fluid levels steady before you start working out.

Adding electrolytes, like potassium and sodium, can also be helpful.

They keep fluids in your body and stop cramps, getting your body ready for the tough moves in BJJ.

Hydration During Jiu-Jitsu Training

Maintaining hydration during a BJJ session is crucial to avoid the dip in physical and cognitive performance.

During the workout, drink small amounts of water or a sports drink with a lot of electrolytes to replace the fluids you lose when you sweat.

If you would rather drink water, you could add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon to make natural electrolytes.

The important thing is to drink before you feel thirsty, because thirst is a late sign that you are thirsty.

Post-Training Hydration

Rehydrating is just as important before and during intense BJJ training as it is after. Start replacing the fluids you lost as soon as you finish working out.

As a general rule, you should drink about 1.5 liters of water for every kilogram of body weight you lose while working out.

This speeds up the healing process and gets your body ready for the next workout.

Adding electrolytes to your post-workout fluids can help your body balance out its fluids more quickly.

Additional Hydration Tips

One useful way to tell if you are properly hydrated is to look at the color of your urine.

A light straw color is best; anything darker could mean that they are dehydrated.

You can also figure out how much water you need to replace by weighing yourself before and after exercise.

For every pound you lose, you need 473 ml of water.

To stay hydrated, you might want to eat more foods that are high in water, like watermelons, oranges, and cucumbers.

Practical Hydration Strategies for Competitions

During competitions, BJJ practitioners have back-to-back matches, so staying hydrated is very important.

Plan to drink a lot of water before the event and keep drinking water between matches.

If you are going to be competing in warmer climates, you should drink more water before the competition to help your body get used to the new environment.

Keep water and electrolyte solutions on hand at all times so you can quickly rehydrate between fights.

Conclusion

Mastering how to stay hydrated is just as important as mastering moves on the mats.

You need to know what your body needs before, during, and after training and give it what it wants.

By following personalized hydration plans, you can boost your performance, speed up your recovery, and stay hydrated.

Stay awake and drink plenty of water. This will help your focus and stamina in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Staying hydrated is an important part of your workout routine that will pay off every time.