Boxing/BJJ as Cardio options in London

Hey there!

I am looking to add one Cardio day to my schedule and after checking this post: https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/jiu-jitsu-lessons-from-the-floor/ thought about BJJ and Boxing as good options.

Any advice to stay free of injuries? Basically want to start slow and avoid injuring my wrists, etc.. and to complement my F1 training.

I recently moved to London. Is any Londoner aware of a good gym/classes in Zone 1/2?

Thanks!

Feli

Hey @Felipe Garcia Rosa

Jiu-Jitsu and Boxing are both great options for cardio training, and both are excellent ways to put your Foundation training to the test.

As an avid Jiu-jitsu practitioner myself, I have learned that the best way to stay injury free is to always prioritize your foundation training. The stretch series has also been monumental for mitigating injuries.

When starting out in martial arts, it is always best to start slow and focus on learning the basics. Avoid training to complete exhaustion as this is when injuries are most-likely to happen.

I'm not familiar with London, but you will definitely want to check out Forma GST in Stroud. You can look them up on our Affiliates page here: https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/affiliates/

@Felipe Garcia Rosa I'd really recommend the kung fu club that I train with, which teaches Fujian White Crane Kung Fu and Tai Chi:

http://www.fwckungfu.com/

They have instructors all over London and the surrounding area (Oxford, Cambridge, etc.), and are a very friendly bunch (Chinese New Year dinners, trips to China, etc.). I'm not an instructor, but I've been with the club for many years and would not hesitate to recommend it.

The training is 'traditional', which is a euphemism for tough, so you'll definitely get a good cardio workout. And the style itself is very, very rich, with lots of interesting and intricate moves, so you might find it more engaging over the long term than something simpler like boxing. (Not to mention that as with all the traditional kung fu styles it's an incredibly effective, practical fighting style.)

I joined GST to complement my kung fu training and I'm really enjoying the combination of both: I'm doing something from GST every day (foundations and pHS twice a week, HS three times and then as many stretches as I can fit in) and love it. But I'm also training kung fu three times a week (with the occasional full day camp thrown in), and have never enjoyed my kung fu more.

As you can see, I'm biased , but whichever way you go, best of luck with your quest! 

Hey @Mikey Cunanan thanks for the advice there! I am planning to keep GST training as is, I imagine BJJ would be more gentle than Boxing to start, but I may be wrong..

@Mark Birbeck that's very helpful, will check it out! I think I have one near my place. Good to know that GST and Kung Fu complement well each other. Any advice to protect your hands/wrists?

> Any advice to protect your hands/wrists?

I've just realised that you haven't mentioned the handstand course, Felipe...are you doing that as well as F1?

If you're worried about your wrists, or you just particularly want to improve their strength and mobility, then the first HS course has an excellent section for the wrists and fingers. I do the full HS routine once a week, and then I do the wrist section twice more, on its own, on two other days.

In my case, this extra work is because I'm looking to improve wrist mobility and finger strength, which are both emphasised in the style of kung fu that I do. But even if you don't take up kung fu, I'd definitely recommend the wrist exercises in the HS course as the way to start building the strength you're looking for. Then you'll be ready for anything.

Hi @Mark Birbeck, yes I am doing the full H1/2 twice a week currently and definitely improved my wrist strength.

been doing that for a year and I am at PE3 on average..

Great. So I assume that should be fine to start and stay safe from injuries!

On 11/09/2017 at 7:10 PM, Felipe Garcia Rosa said:

Hey there!

I am looking to add one Cardio day to my schedule and after checking this post: https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/jiu-jitsu-lessons-from-the-floor/ thought about BJJ and Boxing as good options.

Any advice to stay free of injuries? Basically want to start slow and avoid injuring my wrists, etc.. and to complement my F1 training.

I recently moved to London. Is any Londoner aware of a good gym/classes in Zone 1/2?

Thanks!

Feli

Hi Felipe,

Did you find a BJJ club in London? I would love to know how you are getting on and how GB workouts are helping. For a club, one of the best fighters in the world, Roger Gracie, has a couple of clubs in London that run specific classes for beginners that you should check out: https://rogergracie.com/.

I am coming from BJJ and have only been doing Foundation 1 for a month or so. I am really interested to hear how you take to BJJ training with you GST foundation.

Hi Samuel,

Finally I joined a kick boxing club called Xendo martial arts. So far I like it, but looking forward to start BJJ. Thanks for sharing.

I am doing F1, Handstand and stretch series, all of them once a week except handstand which I do twice. All of them help me with kick boxing, specially the wrist series of handstand, FS, MS stretches and sPL from F1.

Did you check the blog post above?

Yeah I did, I completely agree that it is the perfect assistance training for Jiu-jitsu or alternatively it is a great way to use your fitness developed by GB. I think it missed the fact that it is hard and hurts though lol.

Are you training to compete or just for some fun? Do you do any other sport to keep training interesting?

I think that too. I guess GB will help to avoid injuries but definitely injures more than boxing right?

just fun for now, and to do something in group since I do GB only at my place.

Not at the moment, I used to do Kitesurf but not possible in London.

Some day I would like to do high bar, but dont know if thats possible being 27 years old!