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Planning and support · School, study and your week

Schedule & Study

Put your whole week on paper: school, study, training, strength work, recovery and sleep. At least nine hours of study, blocked like a session.

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Why it matters

If you're still at school, building your weekly schedule is one of the most important parts of this plan.

Mornings, nights, every session, every study block: when it's all laid out, your parents can see it fits, and that's how they buy in. Without it, "I want to train more" sounds like "I want to do less homework".

Education is still very important. Most athletes can get more out of their study time, and it's usually an easy fix. The hard part for most families is lining up training with sleep and diet (see Focused Training). This page is where you solve that.

The standard

Requirement

  • At least nine hours of study a week, allocated and blocked at set times, like a training session. Tutoring counts.
  • The whole week on paper, shown to your parents and your coach.
  • Sleep goes in first. Everything else fits around your wake time and bedtime.
  • No more than two training sessions in a day for school-age athletes.
  • At least one proper rest day a week.

How to do it

Block nine hours of study

9HRS
Study blocked every week. My minimum.
~10HRS
What schools tend to suggest around Year 10
3 x 3
Three 3-hour sessions. That's it.

Write it into your schedule at set times. "I'll do it when I get a chance" doesn't count. Use the full block, too: if there's no homework, read, revise or get ahead. We use the full time for education, the same way we use the full class for training.

Find the pockets

The time is there. Most athletes just haven't looked for it yet.

  1. After schoolLibrary, straight after school. If school finishes at 3:15 and training is the 6:30 adults class, go straight to the library: two or three 45-minute blocks with a short break between, then eat and travel to training. Twice a week is up to four and a half hours, done.
  2. Recess, lunchStudy at school. Recess and lunch together are roughly an hour a day. Use some or all of it and you buy yourself time to train more, relax, or see friends after school.
  3. SaturdayA big study block, up to five hours. Weekends have plenty of time. Four 45-minute blocks with 15-minute breaks is three hours, done before lunch. Study in the morning and see friends in the afternoon, or the other way around. Saturdays usually don't have many comps. Sundays are comp days.
  4. MorningsRuns and strength work. Runs of 30 to 40 minutes two or three mornings a week, and the weights gym for 30 to 40 minutes twice a week. Block 45 minutes for each: up at 6, training 6:15 to 7:00, showered by 7:30, then breakfast and school. On a free morning there's room for a 45-minute study block before school.
  5. TutoringCounts as study. If you already have a tutor, put it in the plan and count the hours.

Where you find the time is partly up to you. Ask yourself honestly where it is, write it down, then show your coach. If your parents want more study than this, that's fine: we adjust the sessions together and keep you training as much as we can around it.

Build the week in this order

Plan in 30-minute blocks with real start and end times. An hour grid hides the difference between getting home at 8:00 and at 8:30, and on a school night that half hour is your shower, your snack or your sleep.

Do this

In this order

  1. Sleep first. Set your wake time and bedtime. Teens need roughly 8 to 9.5 hours, and the wake time is the one to protect. See Sleep.
  2. The fixed stuff: school (or work), travel time, family commitments, tutoring.
  3. Jiu-Jitsu sessions. The classes you'll actually attend, including adults classes and open mats, blocked door to door: travel there, the session, then travel and a shower straight after (see Skin). They're all part of the session. Open mats are a different kind of training from a class: no lesson, mostly unstructured live rounds, so bring your focus and steer every round toward it (see Focused Training).
  4. Study blocks. At least nine hours. Library days, recess and lunch, Saturday.
  5. Strength and runs. Into the morning pockets, 45 minutes each plus the shower. No more than two training sessions in a day.
  6. Food. A pre-training snack before every session and dinner about two hours before bed. On late training nights, eat your main meal about two hours before training and have a recovery snack after, so you're not eating a big dinner at 8:30. Meal timing around morning sessions is in Diet.
  7. Recovery. Stretching after sessions, phone away an hour before bed, at least one proper rest day.
  8. Count everything. Other sports, games, a part-time job: it's all load. Rest is relative.
  9. Show it to your parents and your coach. Then print it and stick it on the fridge.

Colour key

  • School or work
  • Study
  • Jiu-Jitsu class
  • Open mat
  • S&C and runs
  • Travel + shower
  • Meals
  • Recovery and stretch
  • Sleep and wind-down (phone away)
  • Free

One colour per kind of block. Open mats are hatched with a dashed outline because they're different training from a class, so you can see at a glance how your week splits. On the blank planner, colour the blocks in or write the type in. Uncoloured time is free time.

Fit work in (older athletes)

For older athletes the other big block is usually work, coaching or a job, because day-to-day life has to be paid for so you can train, compete and travel. Treat it like school: it goes in the plan first, at fixed times, and training, strength work, recovery and sleep get built around it.

From the coach

In my camps I trained at least ten sessions a week, strength work included, with a full-time job. It's possible. It just doesn't leave room for much else.

Ricky

Treat school as training

"How was school?" "Good." We've all had that conversation. School is a big chunk of your time and a real opportunity, so each day pick one thing you learned, that excited you, or that you think is important. I'll ask now and then, and a real answer beats "good".

It's the same skill as training: paying attention, asking questions, trying, learning. Switching on at school and switching on at training are the same habit.

Example week

Example only. A made-up high-school competitor on the Gracie Barra Bondi timetable, with school 8:30 to 3:15. Every block is drawn at its real length, so you can see exactly where a 45-minute run or study block ends and what that does to the rest of the day. Yours will look different. The point is that everything fits, travel and showers included.

  • School or work
  • Study
  • Jiu-Jitsu class
  • Open mat
  • S&C and runs
  • Travel + shower
  • Meals
  • Recovery and stretch
  • Sleep and wind-down (phone away)
  • Free

On a phone, swipe sideways to see the whole week.

MonTeen double (optional)

  1. 5:30 to 6:00 Sleep
  2. 6:00 to 6:30 Up · no phone
  3. 6:30 to 7:00 Breakfast
  4. 7:00 to 7:45 Study, 45 min
  5. 7:45 to 8:30 Get ready · travel to school
  6. 8:30 to 12:30 School
  7. 12:30 to 1:00 Study at lunch
  8. 1:00 to 3:15 School
  9. 3:15 to 3:45 Travel home
  10. 3:45 to 4:15 Main meal
  11. 4:15 to 5:00 Study, 45 min
  12. 5:00 to 5:15 Free
  13. 5:15 to 5:40 Travel to class
  14. 5:40 to 6:30 Juniors & Teens class
  15. 6:30 to 7:30 No Gi All Levels (adults) · optional
  16. 7:30 to 8:00 Travel + shower
  17. 8:00 to 8:15 Recovery snack
  18. 8:15 to 8:30 Stretch 10 min
  19. 8:30 to 9:30 Phone away 8:30 · stretch, read · lights out 9:30
  20. 9:30 to 10:30 Sleep

TueWeights · library

  1. 5:30 to 6:00 Sleep
  2. 6:00 to 6:15 Up · snack
  3. 6:15 to 7:00 Weights gym, 45 min
  4. 7:00 to 7:30 Travel + shower
  5. 7:30 to 8:00 Breakfast
  6. 8:00 to 8:30 Travel to school
  7. 8:30 to 12:30 School
  8. 12:30 to 1:00 Study at lunch
  9. 1:00 to 3:15 School
  10. 3:15 to 3:30 Travel to library
  11. 3:30 to 4:15 Library study, 45 min
  12. 4:15 to 4:30 Break
  13. 4:30 to 5:15 Library study, 45 min
  14. 5:15 to 5:45 Travel home
  15. 5:45 to 7:00 Free time
  16. 7:00 to 7:30 Dinner
  17. 7:30 to 8:30 Free time
  18. 8:30 to 9:30 Phone away 8:30 · stretch, read · lights out 9:30
  19. 9:30 to 10:30 Sleep

WedRun · No Gi

  1. 5:30 to 6:00 Sleep
  2. 6:00 to 6:15 Up · snack
  3. 6:15 to 7:00 Zone 2 run, 45 min
  4. 7:00 to 7:30 Travel + shower
  5. 7:30 to 8:00 Breakfast
  6. 8:00 to 8:30 Travel to school
  7. 8:30 to 12:30 School
  8. 12:30 to 1:00 Study at lunch
  9. 1:00 to 3:15 School
  10. 3:15 to 3:30 Travel home
  11. 3:30 to 4:15 Study, 45 min
  12. 4:15 to 4:45 Main meal
  13. 4:45 to 5:30 Study, 45 min
  14. 5:30 to 6:00 Free
  15. 6:00 to 6:30 Travel to class
  16. 6:30 to 7:30 No Gi All Levels (adults)
  17. 7:30 to 8:00 Travel + shower
  18. 8:00 to 8:15 Recovery snack
  19. 8:15 to 8:30 Stretch 10 min
  20. 8:30 to 9:30 Phone away 8:30 · stretch, read · lights out 9:30
  21. 9:30 to 10:30 Sleep

ThuWeights · open mat

  1. 5:30 to 6:00 Sleep
  2. 6:00 to 6:15 Up · snack
  3. 6:15 to 7:00 Weights gym, 45 min
  4. 7:00 to 7:30 Travel + shower
  5. 7:30 to 8:00 Breakfast
  6. 8:00 to 8:30 Travel to school
  7. 8:30 to 12:30 School
  8. 12:30 to 1:00 Study at lunch
  9. 1:00 to 3:15 School
  10. 3:15 to 3:30 Travel home
  11. 3:30 to 4:15 Study, 45 min
  12. 4:15 to 4:45 Main meal
  13. 4:45 to 5:30 Study, 45 min
  14. 5:30 to 6:00 Free
  15. 6:00 to 6:30 Travel to class
  16. 6:30 to 7:30 Open mat
  17. 7:30 to 8:00 Travel + shower
  18. 8:00 to 8:15 Recovery snack
  19. 8:15 to 8:30 Stretch 10 min
  20. 8:30 to 9:30 Phone away 8:30 · stretch, read · lights out 9:30
  21. 9:30 to 10:30 Sleep

FriRun · All Levels

  1. 5:30 to 6:00 Sleep
  2. 6:00 to 6:15 Up · snack
  3. 6:15 to 7:00 Sprints + easy jog, 45 min
  4. 7:00 to 7:30 Travel + shower
  5. 7:30 to 8:00 Breakfast
  6. 8:00 to 8:30 Travel to school
  7. 8:30 to 12:30 School
  8. 12:30 to 1:00 Lunch with friends
  9. 1:00 to 3:15 School
  10. 3:15 to 3:45 Travel home
  11. 3:45 to 4:45 Free time · friends
  12. 4:45 to 5:15 Main meal
  13. 5:15 to 6:15 Free time
  14. 6:15 to 6:45 Travel to class
  15. 6:45 to 7:45 All Levels (adults)
  16. 7:45 to 8:15 Travel + shower
  17. 8:15 to 8:30 Recovery snack
  18. 8:30 to 9:30 Phone away 8:30 · stretch, read · lights out 9:30
  19. 9:30 to 10:30 Sleep

SatStudy · open mat

  1. 5:30 to 6:00 Sleep
  2. 6:00 to 7:00 Up · no phone
  3. 7:00 to 7:30 Breakfast
  4. 7:30 to 8:15 Study, 45 min
  5. 8:15 to 8:30 Break
  6. 8:30 to 9:15 Study, 45 min
  7. 9:15 to 9:30 Break
  8. 9:30 to 10:15 Study, 45 min
  9. 10:15 to 10:30 Break
  10. 10:30 to 11:15 Study, 45 min
  11. 11:15 to 11:45 Lunch
  12. 11:45 to 12:45 Free
  13. 12:45 to 1:15 Travel to class
  14. 1:15 to 2:15 Open mat
  15. 2:15 to 2:45 Travel + shower
  16. 2:45 to 3:00 Recovery snack
  17. 3:00 to 7:00 Free time · friends, family
  18. 7:00 to 7:30 Dinner
  19. 7:30 to 8:30 Free time
  20. 8:30 to 9:30 Phone away 8:30 · stretch, read · lights out 9:30
  21. 9:30 to 10:30 Sleep

SunFull rest day

  1. 5:30 to 6:00 Sleep
  2. 6:00 to 7:00 Up · same time
  3. 7:00 to 7:30 Breakfast
  4. 7:30 to 9:30 Free · family
  5. 9:30 to 11:00 Beach swim, walk
  6. 11:00 to 12:00 Free
  7. 12:00 to 12:30 Lunch
  8. 12:30 to 4:30 Free time · friends
  9. 4:30 to 5:00 Weekly reflection
  10. 5:00 to 5:30 Plan next week
  11. 5:30 to 7:00 Free time
  12. 7:00 to 7:30 Dinner
  13. 7:30 to 8:30 Free time
  14. 8:30 to 9:30 Phone away 8:30 · stretch, read · lights out 9:30
  15. 9:30 to 10:30 Sleep

Source: Gracie Barra Bondi timetable. Adults classes run 60 minutes and Juniors & Teens runs 5:40 to 6:30. Open mat end times vary, check the timetable.

6
Jiu-Jitsu sessions: 4 classes (1 optional) and 2 open mats
11HRS
Study, in 45-minute blocks. Minimum 9
4 x 45
S&C: weights gym twice, runs twice
8.5HRS
Sleep a night. Up at 6:00 every day
1
Full rest day (Sunday)
  • Adults classes or open mat five times a week, plus Juniors & Teens on Monday. Monday's double is optional: Juniors & Teens at 5:40, then straight into the 6:30 adults No Gi. Never more than two sessions in a day.
  • Every session ends with travel and a shower. The 6:30 adults class is really 6:00 to 8:00, door to door.
  • On training nights the main meal comes first, about two hours before class, then a recovery snack after. On Tuesday and the weekend, dinner is about two hours before bed.
  • Study comes in 45-minute blocks: before school on Monday, at lunch Monday to Thursday, after school before training, and four blocks on Saturday morning.
  • Mornings carry the weights gym and the runs, so nights stay for Jiu-Jitsu.
  • Phone away at 8:30, lights out at 9:30, up at 6:00, seven days a week. On a comp weekend, move the rest day. Don't drop it.

Other options on the same timetable: the 6:00 All Levels and 7:00 open mat on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and the 12:15 All Levels on Saturday before the open mat.

Common mistakes

  • "I'll study when I get a chance." Then it doesn't happen. Block it at set times.
  • "I finished my homework, so I'm done." Use the full block: read, revise or get ahead.
  • Leaving the weekend empty. One big Saturday study block takes the pressure off the whole week.
  • Planning the class, not the session. A one-hour class takes two hours once you add travel and a shower. Block the whole thing.
  • Putting sleep in last. Sleep goes in first, then everything else.
  • Forgetting the other load. Other sports, games and a part-time job all count. Put them on the planner.
  • Keeping the plan in your head. Parents can't buy in to a week they can't see. Write it down and show them.

Checklist

Do this

Every week

All checklists in one place →

Blank weekly planner

Name ______________________ Week of ______________

Study hours ____ / 9   Jiu-Jitsu sessions ____   Open mats ____

  • School or work
  • Study
  • Jiu-Jitsu class
  • Open mat
  • S&C and runs
  • Travel + shower
  • Meals
  • Recovery and stretch
  • Sleep and wind-down (phone away)
  • Free

Write the real start and end times on longer blocks (e.g. "Run 6:00-6:45").

On a phone, swipe the table sideways. It's built to be printed.

TimeMonTueWedThuFriSatSun
5:30am
6am
6:30am
7am
7:30am
8am
8:30am
9am
9:30am
10am
10:30am
11am
11:30am
12pm
12:30pm
1pm
1:30pm
2pm
2:30pm
3pm
3:30pm
4pm
4:30pm
5pm
5:30pm
6pm
6:30pm
7pm
7:30pm
8pm
8:30pm
9pm
9:30pm
10pm

Print this page (it prints on its own sheet), fill it in with your parents, and bring it to your coach.