If you are a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) enthusiast looking to improve your performance on the mats, it is important to include strength and conditioning exercises in your off-mat training regimen. Despite being referred to as the “lazy man’s” grappling sport due to its ability to leverage technique over strength, there will be times when strength makes all the difference. It is only natural that a 240 pound man on top of you will require more strength and explosive energy than just good technique in order to escape. Additionally, proper exercise and nutrition is essential in the recovery process of such a physically demanding sport and acts as a preventative measure against injury, which unfortunately plagues many BJJ practitioners.

Malcolm Gwilliam and Bernardo Faria—two leading physical conditioning coaches—have identified five important exercises for BJJ devotees that should be included in their off-mat routine. These include grip strength exercises, chin ups with towel exercise, neck exercise, squat exercise, and bicep exercises. Grip strength works with two different methods for lifting suspended weight in order to strengthen pinch grip and oscillating grips. The chin up with towel exercise strengthens gripping strength through use of towels as handles. Neck exercise strengthens posture by using an elastic band wrapped around the neck. Squat exercises increase flexibility and mobility of the hips while also improving ankle and leg stability. Finally, bicep exercises done through supinated curls both strengthen shoulders for injury prevention and develop pulling power on the mats.

Engaging in these five simple yet effective exercises off the mats will help increase your overall performance during rolling or competition sessions on them. Therefore, if you wish to take your BJJ game up a notch or two while avoiding common injuries at the same time, dedicate some time outside of jiu jitsu practice to focus on strength and conditioning training according to these guidelines provided by Malcolm Gwilliam and Bernardo Faria.

Rolling Strong combines scientific exercises and routines specifically geared towards grappling.

Phil Daru is a performance coach for over 200 Elite Level Fighters in all aspects of combat sports.
Learn a comprehensive approach that covers everything from proper warmups to exercises designed to improve your guard!