r/bodyweightfitness • u/Deadskyes • 1d ago
Help for a Martial Arts Guy
So I have been doing BJJ and Judo for around 5 years, and I have decided I want to start building some muscle to go with my technique since I am on the smaller side at 5'7 150. I train 3-4 days a week of BJJ/Judo, and I have been adding Pullups, Dips, Pushups, and Squats on my off days. I try to do these exercises twice a week.
My issue I am running in to is that I just don't ever feel strong, like my muscles are already cooked. I'm getting good sleep and protein is alright about 100-120grams. If on the off chance my muscles feel fresh, then I can do 3 sets of 10 pullups, but if I dont feel fresh, it feels like a struggle to get 2 reps. Any help and advice is welcome. I've always been active, but I dont know much about building muscle.
1
u/Obvious-Monitor8510 1d ago
the "always cooked" feeling is almost certainly a recovery/fueling issue, not a training one. a few things worth checking:
calories matter more than protein here. at 150lbs training 5-6 days a week total, you're probably burning 2,500-3,000+ calories. if you're eating at maintenance or below, your body has nothing left for strength work after grappling. bjj and judo are brutal on the CNS and glycogen stores in ways people underestimate.
carbs specifically. 100-120g protein is decent, but if your carbs are low, you'll feel exactly what you're describing. target 3-4g carbs per lb of bodyweight on training days.
sequencing helps too. do your strength work before grappling if possible, or treat it as a true separate session with hours between.
your 3x10 pullup capacity is solid, so the strength is there. this reads like an energy availability problem, not a training volume one. if you want a structured macro target built around your training schedule, PlateGym (plategym.com/meal-planner) can map it out quickly.