Socially Distant Training

By now, the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly changed most aspects of our members’ lives.

From virtual work, to schooling from home, to the most recent restrictions put forth by the Maryland Governor, we’re all required to make great changes to our lives to protect public health and slow the spread of disease.

We’re all in the same boat; simultaneously reinventing our daily routines, maintaining social distance and doing our civic duty, but it’s a pretty safe bet that all of us have at least one additional thing in common… we really miss training with one another.

Social Distancing Recommendations Poster

The Good News – We have the chance to train at home

Lineage BJJ & Calvert MMA members and parents of child members have access to our private Facebook Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LineageBJJ/ and our newly developed Student Section on the Lineage BJJ website. If you’re a student and have not requested to join our private Facebook group, or you need the login information for the member site, please reach out.

We’ve been working very hard to add video instruction for all levels of students and we’re trying very hard to provide unique value to our members. We want to inspire you to safely train at home.

We upload new videos every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We’re also collaborating with other respected instructors and sharing their content on our member site. Our online training will continue to be available on our website even after we reopen.

Our goal is to film the entire beginner curriculum for “Little Sharks,” “Jr. Grapplers,” and the “Lineage BJJ Fundamentals” classes. We will also record self-defense techniques for advanced students.

Current Login Screen for Lineage BJJ & Calvert MMA Members.

While we’re waiting and training at home… How else can we improve as athletes?

Yes, it’s tempting to slip into sweat pants and hide until this all feels “over,” but we’d be better served to look at this time apart as an opportunity to work on the things that will bring us back to the mat stronger, healthier and better-rounded athletes.

While BJJ might be what we miss the most, it’s not the only aspect of healthy living we can lean on to maintain wellbeing. Several elements still within our control include nutrition, flexibility, and overall fitness.

Nutrition

If you’ve never been convinced to take a hard look at your nutrition before, now is most certainly the time to look for potential improvements. Healthy eating is especially important for keeping your immune system in top condition, and good nutrition and hydration are the cornerstones for lower risk of chronic illness and infectious diseases, like Covid-19. While the exact formula for healthy eating is going to look a little different for everyone, we can all agree that maximizing fresh, whole foods is in our best interest. Meanwhile, staying hydrated is an easy way to maximize immune function.

Overall Fitness – Adapt Home Workouts

Here in Maryland, we’re under a Stay at Home order. However, this order permits outdoor exercise with the people you live with, as long as you do not congregate with others or linger in public parks. The weather is beautiful, and it’s a great time of year to partake in walking, running, biking, interval training or other cardio-heavy activities.

While your options for resistance training might be a bit limited, people have proven themselves to be extraordinarily giving and inventive with free online workouts and fitness programming.

Work on your Flexibility

When we only have a few hours a week allotted to training and exercise, flexibility is often the first thing to go. Yet, lack of flexibility can be attributed to many injuries we see. There’s no excuse for that right now; if you find a system you can tolerate and dedicate yourself, you’ll see the fruits of your labor when we reopen.

We cannot wait to see everyone on the mats again. In the meantime, we hope all our members know our community is here to help however we can. This may include running essential errands, video conferencing about technique, etc. Please do not hesitate to reach out.

One last reminder: When we are finally cleared to see each other again, make sure to bring your common sense

This is a perfect time to reiterate how important it is for everyone to play their part when we reopen. This crisis has been a harrowing reminder of how simple choices can make a big impact on our community’s health. Remember to use common sense and be responsible. Please stay home if you’re sick or have been exposed to someone sick, and always have a clean body and uniform for class.