3 Important Reasons BJJ Students Should Do Baptiste Power Yoga by Mike Parisi

Power Yoga Class at The Eddie Fyvie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Malta, NY

My Experience

Baptiste Power Yoga has been extremely beneficial to my Jiu-Jitsu training. For decades, I have used Kettlebells and focused on high intensity interval training. They are still part of my weekly training. With all of this activity, I make the time to incorporate yoga into my daily routine. It has helped me in countless ways and changed my physique. It helped me find relaxation, and allowed me to become aware of my body movements.

Because of Baptiste Power Yoga and it’s extensive focus on movement, core work, balance, breathing techniques, stabilizing, and integration of muscles groups. Yoga has catapulted my abilities on the mat and upgraded my Jiu-Jitsu game!

How will Baptiste Power Yoga Improve your Jiu-Jitsu Game?

Jiu-Jitsu and Baptiste Power Yoga complement each other. They are the perfect combination. There are a number of similarities between the two practices. They compliment each other wonderfully, because they both require; intensity of movement, breathing, integration of muscle groups, core strength, and flexibility.

Practicing Baptiste Yoga regularly will improve your Jiu-Jitsu in the following ways: improved flexibility, increased strength and balance, body awareness, and breath control. All of these attributes affect every aspect of your Jiu-Jitsu. You will feel an immediate advantage.

REASON ONE: Improved Flexibility

Stretching has always been part of my workout, and I always considered myself flexible--until I was introduced to Baptiste Yoga. I soon learned that I had a ways to go. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a Martial Art that adapts to your body and personality. You don’t need flexibility, however; having flexibility is unquestionably beneficial.

By having better range of motion in your joints, you can open up more options in each position. In fact, some aspects of Jiu-Jitsu will be completely inaccessible and could be limiting your grappling skill until you develop better flexibility.

REASON TWO: Increased Strength and Balance

The kind of strength--namely, core strength-- developed through Baptiste Power Yoga is unlike anything I’ve experienced.With consistent yoga practice, students develop “intelligent” strength. Baptiste Yoga trains the central nervous system (The CNS controls every movement in your body), it also teaches students how to properly engage the exact muscle groups, to help maintain postural alignment and better movement. Good posture and efficient movement are undoubtedly the hallmarks of superior Jiu-Jitsu.

One of the best things a fighter can have is balance. Practicing Baptiste Power Yoga is an exceptional way to develop balance. Many poses are done on one leg, which only improves stability. Mastering balance poses will improve your takedowns, and top positions. Your offensive takedown will be better set up and it will be next to impossible for your opponent to sweep you on the mat.



REASON THREE: Body Awareness and Breath Control

Your body is the tool that creates your Jiu-Jitsu. The more you learn about your body, the more effectively you can operate it on the mat. One of the valuable ways this is mastered is through breath control. Baptiste Yoga instructor’s are extensively trained in breath control. They will help you to connect breath and movement, and give you the ability to utilize your lungs to their full capacity. This will greatly improve your stamina on the mat.

Closing

After decades of training, fitness, and combat, I have realized that going”harder”, is not productive long term. It will give short term benefits, but for longevity and a lifetime on the mats, you must train smarter. The combination of Jiu-Jitsu and Yoga are unmatched. The greatest Jiu-Jitsu artist of all time, Rickson Gracie and Olympic Gold Medalist, Kendall Cross used Yoga extensively in their training to insure victory.

At 56 years old, I am in the best shape of my life and it is no coincidence. Jiu-Jitsu and Baptiste Power Yoga are the fountain of youth.

“Iron” Mike Parisi
Brown Belt at The Eddie Fyvie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Malta, NY
Owner of Power Yoga NY
United States Army Veteran - 82nd Airborne