Stop Using Generic Fitness Apps for BJJ - Here's the BJJ-Specific Alternative
Stop Forcing Generic Fitness Apps to Track BJJ
MyFitnessPal, Strava, and other fitness apps treat BJJ like "cardio." MatTime understands your art and tracks what actually matters for your BJJ journey.
Why Generic Fitness Apps Fail at BJJ Tracking
🏃♂️ They Think BJJ is "Cardio"
- • MyFitnessPal: "Martial Arts - 400 calories burned"
- • Strava: "Other Workout - 45 minutes"
- • Apple Fitness: "Mixed Cardio"
- • No understanding of techniques, positions, or skills
🤷♂️ Zero BJJ Context
- • Can't track gi vs no-gi training
- • No belt progression awareness
- • Doesn't understand BJJ terminology
- • Can't track techniques or positions
📊 Wrong Success Metrics
- • Focused on calories, not skill development
- • Heart rate zones instead of technique mastery
- • Step counts rather than mat time
- • Weight loss goals vs BJJ progression
👥 No BJJ Community
- • Connected to runners and weightlifters, not grapplers
- • Can't find training partners or BJJ friends
- • No understanding of BJJ culture or values
- • Generic motivation not specific to martial arts
Result: You're forcing a square peg into a round hole. BJJ deserves better.
Why MatTime Gets BJJ (And Generic Apps Don't)
Built for BJJ, Not Fitness
Every feature understands BJJ culture. Gi vs no-gi, belt progressions, technique tracking, and the 10,000-hour journey to mastery.
Right Success Metrics
Track what matters: technique mastery, belt progression, training consistency, and skill development—not just calories burned.
Real BJJ Community
Connect with actual grapplers, not random fitness enthusiasts. Share your journey with people who understand the struggle and passion.
Generic Fitness Apps vs MatTime for BJJ
| What You Need for BJJ | MyFitnessPal | Strava | Apple Fitness | MatTime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Understands BJJ techniques | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Gi vs No-gi tracking | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Belt progression tracking | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| BJJ-specific community | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Multi-gym journey tracking | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| 10,000 hours visualization | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Skill-based progress tracking | ❌ Calories only | ❌ Time/distance | ❌ Heart rate | ✅ Technique mastery |
Why BJJ Practitioners Are Ditching Generic Fitness Apps
Carlos Rivera
Purple Belt • Former MyFitnessPal User
"MyFitnessPal only cared about calories burned. It had no idea I was working on guard passes or submission chains. MatTime actually understands my BJJ journey."
Tara Williams
Blue Belt • Former Strava User
"Strava treated my BJJ training like a 45-minute 'other workout.' MatTime recognizes the complexity of what we do and helps me track real progress."
Jake Morrison
Brown Belt • Former Apple Fitness User
"Apple Fitness connected me with runners and cyclists, not grapplers. MatTime's BJJ community understands the journey and keeps me motivated in ways generic apps never could."
Perfect for Fitness App Users Who Want BJJ-Specific Tracking
📱 If You Use MyFitnessPal
You're probably frustrated that BJJ gets reduced to "Martial Arts - 400 calories." Your technique development, belt progression, and skill mastery mean nothing to a calorie-counting app.
MatTime gives you: Proper BJJ tracking that values skill over calories, technique mastery over weight loss, and community over isolation.
🏃♂️ If You Use Strava
Strava thinks your BJJ training is just another "workout" to time. It has no concept of what you're actually learning, which techniques you're mastering, or your journey toward black belt.
MatTime gives you: Detailed technique tracking, position-specific progress, and a community that understands effort vs. distance/speed.
⌚ If You Use Apple Fitness/Garmin
Your fitness watch tracks heart rate and calories but has zero understanding of whether you're working guard retention, drilling takedowns, or rolling with higher belts.
MatTime gives you: Comprehensive session details, technique-specific tracking, and progress metrics that actually matter for BJJ improvement.
💪 If You Use Any Generic Fitness App
You've probably tried forcing fitness apps to work for BJJ. Custom workouts, manual entries, trying to make round pegs fit square holes. It's exhausting.
MatTime gives you: An app built from the ground up for BJJ, with every feature designed specifically for martial arts practitioners.
Making the Switch from Generic Fitness Apps
Keep What Works
Continue using your fitness app for general health tracking if you want—MatTime focuses purely on BJJ
Start MatTime
Begin tracking your BJJ journey properly with an app that understands your art
Experience the Difference
See how proper BJJ tracking changes your relationship with training and progress
Never Go Back
Once you experience BJJ-specific tracking, generic fitness apps will feel painfully inadequate
Generic Fitness Apps vs MatTime FAQ
Should I stop using my fitness app completely?
Not necessarily! If you like tracking general health metrics, calories, or other workouts, keep using your fitness app for those. Use MatTime specifically for BJJ tracking where you need proper martial arts understanding.
Can MatTime sync with my Apple Watch or Garmin?
Fitness integration features are planned for future updates. MatTime focuses first on proper BJJ tracking and community features that generic fitness apps simply can't provide.
What if I've been tracking BJJ in MyFitnessPal for years?
You can keep that historical data for reference, but realize that calorie-based tracking misses 90% of what matters in BJJ. Starting fresh with proper technique and skill tracking will give you much better insights.
Does MatTime track calories burned like fitness apps?
While MatTime can estimate calories, we focus on what actually matters for BJJ: technique mastery, skill development, belt progression, and training consistency. Calories are just one data point, not the main goal.
Ready for BJJ Tracking That Actually Understands Your Art?
Stop forcing generic fitness apps to track your BJJ journey. Join MatTime and experience tracking built specifically for grapplers.