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The himalayan secret behind...
How This 44-Year-Old BJJ Brown Belt Can Now Roll 6 Rounds Straight (Without gassing out)
Story by Lachlan Giles
PhD in Physiotherapy and BJJ Black Belt
Updated: October 28, 2025
7 minutes read
(Some will try to UNDERSTAND the image. Others will absolutely DESPISE it. Third will believe in its MAGIC.)
If you do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and feel tired after 15 minutes, you know what I'm talking about...
At first you are energetic, capable of different techniques and enjoying the process overall. In a little bit, you start breathing heavier and feeling more sluggish. By round 3 your lungs are burning, your gas tank dies, so your body totally shuts down.
For 32-year-old Marcus T., a blue belt training 4-5 times per week in Austin, Texas, this was his reality for three years straight:
"I'm not out of shape," Marcus told me over the phone last month.
"I run. I do conditioning work. I eat clean. But by round 3, my gas tank is empty.
It's embarrassing, honestly man..
I see guys older than me—guys who don't even do extra cardio—rolling for six, seven rounds like it's nothing."
Marcus isn't the only one though...
In fact, after talking to BJJ goers from white belts to black belts, I discovered something shocking:
The #1 complaint - across all belt levels, all ages, all training frequencies - is the same:
"My cardio dies mid-session, and it takes me 2-3 days to feel normal again."
Not technique. Not flexibility. Not strength... ENDURANCE and RECOVERY!
And here's what almost nobody realizes:
It's not a conditioning problem...
The Real Reason Your "Gas Tank" Empties
Meet Jake: 29, former wrestler, runs daily, does HIIT twice a week.
By every measure, he should have great cardio.
But on the mats? He gasses out in round 3.
"I added more training days," Jake told me. "And got MORE exhausted. Joints ached. Sleep got worse."
This is the trap:
You train harder → your body can't recover → your endurance gets WORSE.
Here's why:
When you roll hard, your cells burn ATP (energy).
To make ATP, they need:
✅ Oxygen
✅ Fuel
✅ Minerals
You're already breathing. You're already eating.
But you're NOT getting enough minerals.
Every session, you sweat out 85+ critical minerals your cells need to produce energy.
Without them? Your cells can't make energy—no matter how hard you train. Even with clean eating and supplements, you're probably deficient.
One nutritionist said: "Perfect discipline means nothing if your mineral stores are empty."
The answer isn't more conditioning. It's replenishing what's missing.
The Discovery That Changed Everything
About 18 months ago, I was at an open mat in Denver when I witnessed something that didn't make sense. There was this guy - probably mid-40s, brown belt - his name is Miles. This guy was rolling for 6 rounds straight, while his younger teammates were tapping out. No breaks. No heavy breathing. Just smooth, constant pressure. Meanwhile, guys half his age were sitting out every other round.
He didn't have crashes, but was constantly active. He wasn't doing more cardio, yet was able to go the full length of the training. He isn't a black belt, but sparred only with them. Miles was able to do BJJ every single day of the week, with kids, a full-time job and, as low as 5-6 hours of sleep daily. Mental...
After class, I had to know: "How the hell do you do that?"
He smiled. "You ever heard of Shilajit? It's this resin from the Himalayas. Sherpas have used it for centuries to maintain energy at extreme altitudes. I started taking it six months ago. My recovery is insane now. I feel like I'm 22 again."
Naturally, I was skeptical. I'd tried everything - pre-workouts that crashed me, BCAAs that tasted terrible, adaptogens that did nothing, expensive electrolytes that barely helped. But this wasn't some genetic freak. This was a regular 44-year-old who looked like he could roll all night.
So I started digging into what Shilajit actually is.
What I Found About This Mysterious Substance
(And Why Scientists Are Paying Attention)
As mentioned, I was skeptical at first. We all get sold 24/7 on the internet. So everything seems too good to be true - so we get extra cautious about what we believe in. But then I caught myself: How can I doubt something I know nothing about? So I started digging. What I found over the next week completely changed my understanding of recovery.
Discovery #1: Shilajit is not a modern supplement.
It's a traditional resin used in ancient times by sherpas and other Himalayan people. It got its popularity recently on the internet, but it's not made in a lab. The process that forms it - intense pressure and heat compressing ancient plant matter at 16,000+ feet - takes centuries. This wasn't created by a supplement company chasing trends. It's been trusted by people living in the harshest conditions on Earth for over 3,000 years.
How do I know this? Read Discovery #2...
Discovery #2: Ancient medicine proves its validity.
When I researched, I stumbled across the word: "Ayurveda". Translated from old Hindu it means - Himalayan traditional medicine system based on the idea of reaching peak levels of energy every single day. What's the relationship with Shilajit? It is one of the first methods used in this ancient practice. Here's what clicked for me: the people using this lived at 13,000+ feet, engaged in brutal physical labor daily, and had to recover fast enough to do it again the next day. Work back then never stopped, so if Shilajit didn't work, they wouldn't have used it in year 1000 b.c.
Discovery #3: Okay, they used it, but why? What does it do exactly?
The key component in Shilajit is the fulvic acid - formed from the decomposition of plants and microorganisms, which allow it to carry a ton of minerals, which are otherwise impossible to get. Another capability of the acid, is that it acts as a delivery truck, but with Lamborghini speed. It literally delivers essential minerals directly to the most depleted cells and helps them absorb those minerals.
Through this complex process, shilajit promotes the production of ATP, which is the energy currency in our body (mentioned above).. Or a better analogy would be - rechargable battery. When your ATP production is high, it is similar to having a 100% battery - all the time.
Suddenly, the 44-year-old rolling for two hours straight made sense. His body had what it needed to produce energy. Mine didn't.
But here's where things got complicated for me...
The Dark Side No One Talks About
This should have been the end of the story. Ancient remedy backed by 3,000 years of use and modern science, that makes you a superhuman and is not classified as a PED. Problem solved, right? Not even close.
There is a dark side to everything, and some times it accounts for a small % of the whole picture, but as long as it exists we are all in danger.
I am talking about shady production of stuff that you want to put in your body.
Around 2010, I was just starting out with BJJ. In our community, from the very beginning, there have always been the biohackers and the early-adopters of the crazy drugs that exist out there. People experimenting on their bodies with unverified supplements, for the sake of: "grappling longer" or "smashing this guy on the open mat". These same people I have seen intoxicated, hospitalized and even chronically sick, because of recklessness.
As you can imagine, I had enough encounters to have learned my lessons and the 3 important rules:
- Don't be the first to test something.
- Don't test stuff you don't know the origin of.
- Don't test stuff you don't know the side effects of.
As for Shilajit, I already knew people around me that it had worked for - Miles. His supplier was a native himalayan family that was sourcing directly themselves. Side effects of proper Shilajit are close to zero, and there are no major side effects reported in over 200+ studies.
The problem was that Miles' was getting the resin delivered by a local friend directly, as he has a business in Denver and comes almost monthly. Meaning that I couldn't get the jars for me consistently
Also, remember I said that proper Shilajit has no side effects - but what about all the fakes out there, being sold for profit?
If it's not properly sourced and purified, it can contain heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and mercury. It can be contaminated with fungus, bacteria, or random fillers. Worse, many products labeled "Shilajit" are so heavily processed they've lost most of their active compounds—meaning you're getting none of the benefits and all of the risk.
That's when I knew:
If I want to test something on me, it has to be top-grade.
What Pure Shilajit Actually Does?
My Personal Results...
At a BJJ seminar in Boulder, I met Derek. He is a purple belt who'd spent two years living in Nepal training with a typical tribe, in the mountain. When I told him about my Shilajit research and the purity nightmare I'd uncovered, his eyes lit up.
"Dude, I know a family in the Himalayas who's been harvesting the real stuff for generations. They do it the traditional way - climb to 15k feet, hand-select the resin, purify it using methods passed down for centuries, then test every batch locally."
He connected me with them. I ordered a supply of what he called "the real deal"—ultra-purified resin, properly tested for heavy metals and contaminants, stored in dark glass to preserve potency. Family production, as they say.
No industrial shortcuts. No compromises.
Here's what happened when I started taking it:
Week 1: My energy felt steady throughout the day. No peaks and crashes like I'd get from coffee or pre-workouts. Just consistent, clean output. I trained four times that week—usually I'd need a rest day by day three. Didn't need one. Week 2-3: Rolling endurance started noticeably improving. I wasn't gassing in round 3 anymore. But the biggest change? Recovery. I'd wake up the next morning feeling ready to train, not dreading warm-ups or moving like the Tin Man.
Week 4-8: This is where it clicked. One night I rolled six rounds straight. Not just survived—I performed well in all of them. My technique was sharp. My grips stayed strong. I wasn't thinking about my cardio at all. Joint soreness that had been constant for years? Significantly reduced. Sleep quality improved—deeper, more restorative rest.
Month 3: I was training 5-6 times per week consistently—something I hadn't been able to maintain in years without breaking down. My coach pulled me aside after class one night: "I don't know what you're doing differently, but whatever it is, keep doing it. You're rolling like a completely different person."
That's when I realized: this wasn't placebo. This was real.
Why this ISN'T Placebo?
(Backed by research)
A study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition tested Shilajit on resistance-trained men.
Results after 8 weeks:
- Significant increase in testosterone
- Improved muscle strength and recovery
- Enhanced ATP production markers
The researchers concluded: "Shilajit supplementation enhances skeletal muscle adaptation and reduces fatigue-induced decline in force production."
1000+ other studies confirmed it increases ATP synthesis, preserves mitochondrial integrity, reduces inflammatory markers, and speeds muscle recovery.
This isn't a bachelor's final paper conclusions. This is a peer-reviewed research from scientists of the HIGHEST regard.
Huge. F*cking. News.
What's the HUGE discovery that researchers made?
When researchers tested commercially available Shilajit, they found that most products contained less than 20% fulvic acid - the compound responsible for actually transporting minerals into cells.
That's when the same team of US and European researchers decided to create a version that helps athletes in the harshest sports(like BJJ) recover fully, without being dangerous to their health.
4.5 months after, they finally came up with Zenith™ Shilajit.
What separates Zenith™ is the 75% fulvic acid, so minerals reach your cells and "feed" them when needed. It is sourced directly from a village next to the K2 peak at over 16000 feet. Each batch is checked at the source and again by an independent U.S. lab. Jars are proven to contain over 85+ active trace minerals in ACTIVE form... shocking right?
The result is a resin that restores your body's ability to produce energy 24/7, recover rapidly, and perform consistently.
How does Zenith™ actually work?
Zenith™ uses multi-stage purification combining ancient Ayurvedic methods with modern filtration. The raw resin is purified using natural compounds, filtered multiple times through fine mesh and active carbon, then sterilized with UV light and ozone treatment. Every batch is tested for:
- Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium)
- Microbial contamination
- Fulvic acid content
- Authenticity markers
Here's what most don't realize: Zenith™ effectively replaces four separate supplements:
- pre-workout (sustained energy without crashes)
- recovery drinks (faster repair)
- multivitamins (mineral replenishment)
- electrolyte supplements (cellular hydration).
The hidden costs of getting more energy?
We can check the numbers as per Statista. The average American BJJ athlete spends around $80 - $170 monthly on supplements to "improve" their energy and recovery:
- Pre-Workout $20 - $40
- Recovery drinks $30 - $70
- Multivitamins $15 - $30
- Electrolytes $15 - $30
This is $80 * 12(months) = $960 yearly spent on stuff that gives you partly what you need, but does not heal the core problem - cellular depletion.
A yearly supply of Zenith™ is 3 times less than that and it supplies 24/7 energy to your body, since your cells are getting all necessary minerals.
What's the funding needed to get thе resin?
Perhaps you are thinking that this would be one of those premium-priced supplements that are making the budget tighter each month and you would need to sacrifice money from one place, and put it in this.
The truth is that Zenith™ is designed for BJJ enthusiasts and athletes, not only for the elite few.
Today, Zenith™ is priced from $79.99 → $59.99 for a 60-day supply - which is less than a dollar per day, or 1 cup of coffee per day.
But here's where it gets better...
When you get Zenith™ Shilajit, you also receive...
✓ 1 Jar of Zenith™ Himalayan Shilajit Resin
Rice-grain sized daily dose (300-500mg), ultra-purified, third-party tested, UV-protected glass
✓ FREE Bonus #1: "The BJJ Recovery Protocol" Digital Guide ($29 value)
Exact dosing, meal timing, recovery stack, sleep optimization
✓ FREE Bonus #2: "Mineral Depletion Report" ($19 value)
Why clean eaters are deficient, testing your status, absorption strategies
✓ FREE Bonus #3: Training Volume Tracker ($15 value)
Track rounds, recovery, energy - see your progress
Total Value = $142
Today = $142 → $59.99
Zero Risk trial for 60 days
You can get Zenith™ today with a 'No Questions Asked' 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee.
Get it and try it for 59 days. If you don't notice higher energy, improved recovery, longer endurance during rolls send Zenith an email and they will give you your money back (and you can keep the jar).
That's how sure they are that you will love it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What exactly does this change in my body? A: It increases the availability of trace minerals and fulvic compounds that support cellular energy production and recovery. This means less fatigue between sessions and faster return to baseline after training.
Q: How long before I notice anything? A: Most users notice steadier energy within 7–10 days. Recovery-related changes typically appear after 2–3 weeks of daily use.
Q: Is it safe to use every day? A: Yes. Molecular compounds in purified Shilajit occur naturally in the human body. The product is purified and tested for heavy metals and contaminants.
Q: How is this different from creatine or electrolytes? A: Creatine supports short-duration power output. Electrolytes support hydration. This supports mineral availability at the cellular level, which affects overall energy production and recovery capacity.