What To Eat Before And After Training BJJ
Straight up - we’re not going to pretend this is an unbiased exploration.
We genuinely believe the best thing you can eat before and after training jiu-jitsu is one of our Raised collagen energy bars - it’s exactly why we created them.
In this guide, we’ll break down why we think they’re the best option, along with a handful of whole-food choices we also rate, simple timing guidelines, what not to eat, and how things change on competition or tournament days.
Most grapplers already know how much food timing affects training: the wrong pre-training snack makes you feel heavy and slow, and skipping your post-training food leaves you crashing in a heap.
So the goal here is simple - practical options that fit real life, whether you’re racing to a 6pm class, squeezing in a morning roll, or prepping for a big comp.
Let's get it!
What to Eat Before A BJJ Class
Before training, the goal is simple: eat something that gives you steady energy without making you feel heavy or slow once the warm-up starts. As in any kind of workout, timing matters just as much as the food itself.
As a general rule:
- Have a light snack 30–60 minutes before class, or
- A normal meal 2–3 hours beforehand.
Anything too heavy, too close to training, or too complicated to digest makes training a slog.
Why our energy bars work so well before jiu-jitsu training
We put a lot of time and effort into making these bars the best go-to option for grapplers before they hit the mats.
Whether you choose a Rich Chocolate, Salted Caramel or Tropical Acai bar - all of our collagen energy bars are:
- Light and easy to eat, even close to training
- Made with simple, recognisable ingredients your stomach won’t fight with
- Balanced, with carbs from dates and a blend of proteins that sit comfortably
- Supportive for connective tissue thanks to added collagen
- Portable and predictable - you know exactly how it’s going to feel every time
When you’re racing to class from work, stuck in traffic, or just running behind, consistency matters more than chasing some “perfect” pre-training meal. A bar you can rely on beats hoping your stomach cooperates.
Whole-food options that are also great
Whole foods are great when timing and appetite allow. Good pre-BJJ examples include:
- Banana or banana + nut butter
- Greek yoghurt with berries
- Rice cakes with honey
- A small bowl of oats
- Toast with peanut butter and jam
- A simple fruit + yoghurt smoothie
All of these give you accessible carbs and a small protein hit without weighing you down.
What to avoid before BJJ
You don’t need to overthink things - just avoid foods that sit heavily or digest slowly:
- Large meals too close to class
- Greasy or fried foods
- High-fat, heavy dishes (burgers, pizza, creamy curries)
- Excess caffeine before night sessions
- Going in completely fasted - unless you know you function well that way
If a food makes you feel sluggish on a normal day, it will feel five times worse mid-roll.
What to Eat After BJJ
Once training’s over, your body needs something simple that helps you bounce back. Hard rounds burn through energy, stress your muscles and joints, and leave you with a short window where a small, well-chosen snack can make the next day feel much better.
You don’t need a full meal - just something easy to digest that gives you carbs, a comfortable protein source and preferably some vitamins and minerals that help promote recovery.
As a general guide:
- Eat within 30–90 minutes after training.
- Keep it light if it’s late at night.
- Aim for carbs to replenish, protein to recover.
How our Raised bars help after BJJ training
Again, we designed the Raised collagen energy bar from the ground up to help BJJ athletes prepare and recover as best they can. Our bars also fit the post-training window perfectly:
- Easy to eat — even when your appetite drops after hard rolls
- Carbs from dates to help restore the energy you just burned
- A blend of proteins plus collagen to support recovery
- Light ingredients, so it won’t sit heavily before bed
- Reliable and portable — you can eat it as you walk off the mats
For most people, the biggest problem with post-training nutrition isn’t knowing what to eat - it’s remembering to actually eat - so having a bar ready to go in the gym bag makes it easy.
And while food supports recovery, but it also helps to know what kind of soreness you’re actually dealing with after training, so expectations stay realistic.
Whole-food options that also work well
There are some great whole food options to consider post-training as well, when you have the time and availability for it:
- Greek yoghurt with fruit or honey
- Chocolate milk or a protein yoghurt pouch
- Fruit + a handful of nuts
- Leftover rice with chicken, tofu or tuna
- Eggs and toast (especially for morning training sessions)
- A straightforward smoothie — yoghurt, berries, oats, milk
Everything here is quick to digest and offers some combination of carbs and protein.
What to avoid after a BJJ training session
Skip foods that slow digestion or make sleep harder:
- Heavy, greasy or fried meals
- Big plates of food right before bed
- Overly sugary drinks that spike and crash
- Spicy meals if you tend to get reflux after rolling
- The “I trained, therefore I earned a giant takeaway” trap - your body usually disagrees
The goal after training is simple: give your body something it can use that helps it recover, not something it has to fight through.
What to Eat Before a Competition or Tournament
Competition day is its own thing. You’re nervous, you’re excited, you’re trying to warm up without burning yourself out, and your stomach is usually doing whatever it wants.
Whether it's a slower grind in a BJJ Gi category or faster-paced scrambles in the No-Gi divisions, the game remains the same - you want quality protein and carbs to get you through a long day without feeling slow and sluggish.
A good comp-day strategy should feel familiar. Nothing new. Nothing unpredictable. And nothing that risks weighing you down right as they call your name.
Don't Leave Your Energy Levels To Chance On Competition Day!
General rules for comp-day eating
Keep these three principles front and centre:
-
Eat foods you already know sit well with you.
Comp day is not the time for “I’ll try this new protein shake I just bought.” -
Keep it lighter than you think.
You want energy, not fullness. -
Lean on carbs.
You burn through them fast during warm-ups and scrambles.
What to eat 2–3 hours before your first match
This is your “proper meal” window. Keep it simple and predictable:
- Rice with chicken or tofu
- Oats with fruit
- Eggs on toast
- Yoghurt with berries and some honey
- A small sandwich with lean protein
Avoid heavy fats or anything that usually leaves you feeling slow in training. You want to grapple with your opponents, not your stomach.
What to eat 30–60 minutes before a match
This is where light, familiar snacks shine.
Our collagen-based energy bars fit especially well here because they’re predictable, digestible and give you steady energy without weighing you down.
Other light options that do the job are:
- A banana
- Rice cakes with honey
- A small yoghurt cup
- A few sips of a simple smoothie
Between matches
This window is unpredictable, but you need to replenish your glycogen stores, ready to roll again - so stick to very light, very simple options:
- A few bites of a Raised energy bar
- Fruit
- Rice cakes
Think top-up, not meal. You want to stay loose, not full. Also, you will no doubt be sweating like crazy, so make sure you are drinking plenty of electrolytes through the day - this will affect your energy levels significantly.
What to avoid on comp day
A surprising amount of comp-day misery comes from food choices:
- Heavy meals within 2–3 hours of stepping on the mats
- Greasy or fried foods
- Huge caffeine hits if they make you shaky
- High-fat meals that digest slowly
- That new weird tinned fish you've been wanting to try for ages
If it ever made you feel sluggish in training, it will absolutely betray you at a tournament.
NOTE: Check out our full guide to BJJ Tournament Nutrition here.
Jiu Jitsu Food + Training FAQs
What’s the best quick option to eat before Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
Something light that won’t sit heavily - a quality energy bar, banana, yoghurt or rice cakes with honey all work well. You want steady energy without feeling full once the warm-up starts.
How long before training should I eat?
A proper meal needs 2–3 hours to settle. A small snack 30–60 minutes before class is ideal for most people.
What should I eat after BJJ if I finish late?
Go for something light and easy to digest: yoghurt, fruit, eggs on toast or a simple smoothie. Heavy meals right before bed tend to feel awful and don’t help recovery.
What if I have no appetite after training?
Totally normal after hard rounds. Choose foods that go down easily - a bar, some yoghurt or chocolate milk - just enough to help recovery without forcing a full meal.
Should I eat differently before a competition?
Yes - keep it familiar, light and predictable. A collagen energy bar, banana, yoghurt or rice cakes work well 30–60 minutes before a match, with a regular meal 2–3 hours earlier.
Is coffee enough as a pre-training plan?
Coffee wakes you up, but it doesn’t give your body the carbs or protein it needs to roll well. Use it alongside a small snack, not as the whole strategy.
To Wrap It All Up
Choosing something to eat before jiu jitsu or post-training doesn’t need to be complicated. A light, high-quality snack with some clean carbs and decent protein is generally your best move to keep your energy steady, your stomach calm and your recovery on track.
That’s exactly why we created our Raised collagen energy bars. They’re all-natural and packed with ingredients designed to tick all the boxes for BJJ training and recovery.
Pair them with a great wholefoods diet, and you'll be cruising from session to session and comp to comp feeling at your best!
General information only. Not medical advice.
