My Top 3 Fitness Priorities for 2026

I always set up a structured list of what are my primary objectives. So sometimes it's jiu-jitsu is at the top of the list. Sometimes, obviously, lifting and losing weight in 2023 was the top of the list. And I didn't do any running and I didn't do almost any jiu-jitsu.

In fact, I almost took the entire winter off. Like, I was gone. I may have showed up once every two weeks and I honestly I did terribly when I showed up so I might as well have not been there.

Now the priority is running is number one, even over the jiu-jitsu. So it's going to be running, and then it's going to be probably lifting, and then jiu-jitsu comes in at number three, but it's a close third to the lifting.

Right now I'm starting the preparation for the Lucky Charm race here locally, which is like a four mile race, which is not far, but for the deconditioning, for the ankle injury, for the fact that I haven't really run seriously in years, to get back into it and start training for that is actually my primary objective.

What I've realized is some of my jiu-jitsu training sessions - I came back last Friday to jiu-jitsu and I wear a Whoop and it shows me the heart rate strain of the jiu-jitsu sessions. And that actually registered as one of my hardest runs and it thrashed me to be able to do my run for that day.

So I have to be cognizant of jiu-jitsu. It does not really interfere with my strength training very often. Every now and then it will. I'll have a particularly strength-based jiu-jitsu training day and you'll know because you can barely move your arms after it.

That was a strength-based jiu-jitsu training day. And they happen every now and then, but they're pretty rare. I would say one in 10 training sessions are like that. It's more likely to get the cardiovascular strain that I got on Friday than the strength-based training.

That's my hierarchy right now. Running is #1, lifting is #2, and jiu-jitsu is #3 - but it's a close third.