Submission Series official 80Kg CHAMP!

A HUGE congratulations goes out to Shane Curtis who took the belt for the 80Kg at Submission Series. Shane is a phenomenal grappler and we are very proud to sponsor him!

After his win we asked Shane a few questions in relation to his training, heres what Shane told us:

How do you prepare for competitions in terms of both training and nutrition?

I work with BJJ nutrition so he helps me look at what my calories and macros should be in order to make weight and have the optimum levels of energy for both training and competing. Specifically on comp day I make sure I have enough carbohydrates to keep me fuelled before and during the match. Most recently I’ve added in Evolve clarity drops as they’ve been helping me stay focused and not flag later in the day. This has been helping me both in training and competition.

As far as training goes, I don’t tend to change my training, but only the mindset so it’s more geared towards competition and specific rule sets.

My training tends to consist mostly of live sparring, most free and positional as for me personally I’m able to learn best this way.

I’ll roll playfully and practice newer techniques on lower belts and then practice my A/B games on the higher belts/more experienced competitors.

What advice would you give someone starting out in BJJ?

I think the most important thing would just it be enjoy it, find a gym which makes you want to keep going back.

Find what you enjoy most about Jiu Jitsu and stick to it, as if you enjoy it then it’ll be easy to improve.

How do you keep your motivation for training and competing?

I’ve never struggled with motivation for training or competing, so I would be afraid to give any advice regarding that!

Where do you see yourself in 5/10 years, whats the end goal for Shane?

The end goal for most professional grapplers I guess would be to just retire from competition and teach for the rest of their time. Which is definitely my plan alongside selling instructional and pushing my own brand. Alongside this I want to retire as an ADCC veteran and/or European/world champion grappler.

What has been the most significant moment or turning point in your bjj journey so far?

Most certainly the biggest turning point for me is learning that the mental side of competing is just as important or perhaps even more important than the physical side.

How important is nutrition to your performance in BJJ and your overall health?

Nutrition is super important as it’s help give you those extra added advantages that you wouldn’t get from just training. To start with your nutrition needs to be on point so you’re able to compete in the right weight class. Second, you need proper nutrition to recover from training sessions so you’re able to train as much as you can without getting injured or being fatigued. Having proper nutritional will also help with added mental clarity too so you’re able to learn and train more effectively.

Are there any supplements you take to enhance your training and recovery?

Evolve clarity to help me stay alert, focused and not flag in training.

Evolve lions Mane to help with my focus and memory.

Evolve balance+ to help with my sleep and recovery.

Multi vitamins to ensure I don’t miss any essential vitamins in my diet.

Creatine.

Protein powder.

EAAS (essential amino acids) as I’m plant based I take these to ensure I get the essential amino acids I may miss from food.

Algae oil for brain and joint health.

Glycine creatine stack to help with my ADHD.

How do you balance the need for energy-dense foods with maintaining a healthy weight for competition?

I leave all of this up to my nutritionist, but in short because of the amount I train I’m able to consume a higher calorie diet without putting on weight.

Some great answers from Shane above, so if you are looking to begin your journey in Brazilian jiu jitsu then the above advice is gold!

Once again a BIG congratulations to you Shane and thank you for answering our questions!