Like many grapplers, I was battling some nagging elbow pain. Not the kind of pain that disrupts your training or life, but enough to leave you constantly rubbing your elbow after workouts.
I tried all of the standard elbow pain protocols; soft tissue work, stretches, mobilizations, looking above and below the joint for issues.
Those were short term fixes that never provided lasting relief.
It got to a point that I was forced to limit parts of my game, and tap way earlier than necessary to any arm or shoulder locks.
I was at a loss.
How could I keep training arms, upper body, and jiu-jitsu without the pain? And ultimately, heal this niggling pain in my elbow for good?
Diving deep, I discovered a method that allows you to workout around an injury to build strength and joint resilience without the pain.
But it turned out, this method provides a lot more to the grappler, even when not injured.
BENEFITS OF SUPER SLOW TRAINING
It’s called Super Slow Training and it involves moving through reps at a very slow tempo, nearly 20 seconds per rep.
The standard Super Slow protocol calls for a 10 second eccentric and 10 second concentric tempo, for a minimum of 100 seconds of time under tension per set.
I started with just one set of this and with one exercise for my elbows – the push up.
Immediately, I found it was actually easier on my joints than I expected. I was able to get through a set with minimal pain and my elbows surprisingly felt better after.
So I continued to explore this type of training with other movements and joints, even those that weren’t in pain.
The results have been profound.
I’ve noticed:
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More control of joints and range of motion
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Better neuromuscular connection to working muscles
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Better integration of muscular chains while performing an exercise
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Asymmetries between sides and where I compensate on moves
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Better ability to create tension via mind-muscle connection
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More strength and hypertrophy
These are just a few of the noticeable benefits I’ve experienced from slowing down my training over the last 4 weeks, aside from the complete elimination of pain in my elbows.
By slowing down you get much more in tune with your neuromuscular control. You notice where you’re not smooth in a rep, or where you start to compensate and rely on the wrong muscles to get you through the rep.
Aside from the profound benefits above, I believe this can have a powerful effect on preventing future injuries.
Essentially, you are shoring up any weak points in your range of motion, while building muscle and getting stronger overall.
By slowing down, you are also reducing the chance of injury in the weight room from more dynamic forms of training.
Benefits Of SUper Slow training For Jiu Jitsu
This method is a win-win for grapplers.
In addition to the uses above – working around injuries, less joint pain, more strength, etc. – Super Slow training builds the type of contractions you’ll need on the mat.
Often, you are contracting isometrically or gradually to control an opponent or apply a technique.
Example, think of your butterfly hook supporting an opponent’s weight for minutes during a round. Or, framing an opponent’s weight with your forearm or knee shield.
By training with Super Slow, you improve your endurance and control for these positions.
Plus, you’re reducing your chances of future injuries in the weight room and on the mat.
And, these workouts are time-efficient. They can be done in 20 minutes, just once a week.
Programming Super Slow Training
As mentioned, the standard tempo is 10 seconds eccentric and 10 seconds concentric, with total work from 100 to 240 seconds.
It also calls for just one set per exercise, but taken to complete muscular failure.
Personally, I play with the tempo, reps, and sets. I do 2 sets of 5 seconds down and 5 seconds up, but play within the 5-10 second tempo range.
It’s also recommended to do this just once a week due to the recovery needs of such prolonged time under tension. But I sneak it in twice, working different muscle groups on each day.
You can use Super Slow Training with machines or free weights, however, I prefer bodyweight exercises, which allow you to really create tension and tap in to your neuromuscular connections.
Good exercises to try this method with are push ups, pull ups, Hindu squats, Single Leg Squats, Glute Bridges, Inverted rows, and Hamstring Roll-Outs.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, this method has a therapeutic effect on joints, and you’ll leave the gym feeling good, as opposed to beat up and achy.
There’s also a misconception that this style of training will make you slow, which is completely inaccurate. If anything, you’ll have a better connection to your muscles, with more control.
But if you’re worried, you can combine this training with other plyometric and conventional training work.
I’ll be adding this one to the bag for the long term, as it’s a great way to preserve strength and muscle late into life without the risk or pain.
Essentially, this is longevity training – more strength, muscle, and mat time without the pain.
Just try one set, you’ll feel the difference immediately.
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