Conditioning and body strength are crucial for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu like every other sport. No one can deny the fact that a BJJ enthusiast with a greater skill level, stronger muscles, and flexibility is harder to submit.
This article is going to discuss some workouts designed for competitive BJJ athletes to enhance their strength and performance. Make sure to wear appropriate, comfy clothes (a comfortable shirt and shorts) while practicing these workouts.
Cardio Workouts for BJJ
Swimming
Swimming is an intense physical activity that strengthens the entire body. The practitioner is able to avoid any problems that a player would have encountered while running. It also includes an extensive physical movement program in addition to a more synchronized pattern. Keeping the heart rate constant, strengthens the muscles in the arms, legs, and shoulders. Your fitness routine could benefit greatly from the BJJ cardio training. You will learn how to maintain composure and concentration throughout a difficult grappling contest.
Technique
BJJ fighters employ rhythmic breathing in intervals during live rolls that they have honed from swimming.
Burpees
Burpees are a powerful workout that maintains your weight and strengthens your cardiovascular system. You may lose weight while building muscle strength and agility with burpees. This workout controls blood pressure while enhancing blood circulation.
Technique
Sit down and place your hands on the ground. Using your feet, jump back, and make a quick arm-straightening motion. Jump up from the beginning posture after bringing your legs back there. Jump with your arms up.
Lunges
Lunges are a powerful workout that strengthens muscles in the lower body, such as hips, quads, glutes, calves, and hamstrings. It helps with weight loss and enhances blood circulation.
Technique
To perform lunges, stand straight with the feet shoulders width apart. Move forward with one leg and bring the other leg down until it almost touches the floor. Your front thigh should be parallel to the ground, your back knee should be pointing toward the floor, and your weight should be evenly distributed between both legs at the bottom of the exercise.
Maintaining your weight on the front foot’s heel, raise yourself back up to the beginning position, and repeat.
Jumping
Jumping is a common exercise that shapes the whole body, helps you lose weight, and increases your stamina. It enhances blood circulation, and body coordination, and strengthens muscles.
Technique
Keep your back straight, your legs together, and your arms by your sides. Bend your knees a little and jump as high as you can. Spread your arms and legs shoulder-width apart and form the letter X while bouncing. Return to your starting position.
High Knee Running
Running with keeping the knees up as high as possible is known as high-knee running. It involves the leg muscles and improves the coordination of the body.
Technique
Maintain a straight posture while keeping your legs close together. Start running in place by alternately lifting your knees to your chest. If you want your knees to touch your palms, you can extend your arms out in front of you at chest height.
Plank Workouts for BJJ
Regular Planks
Regular planks can help grapplers strengthen their hamstrings, arms, legs, and core muscles. BJJ competitors must have strong core and leg muscles in order to perform several techniques and pass guards.
Regular planks are a good place for beginners to start because moving to other types of planks might be challenging at first. Regular planks are simple, to begin with, but can be challenging to execute. Start with a shorter time frame and then progressively extend it.
Steps
- Begin by lowering to the ground just like you’re ready to do a push-up.
- Make sure your forearms are in touch with the ground by lowering your elbows.
- To give the arms a little extra support during the motion, you can keep your hands clasped together the entire time.
- To make sure your body is tight, straighten your legs and back, squeeze your glutes, and keep your feet together. If you’re a newbie, start with 30 seconds and then progressively increase.
Side Planks
The side plank is a great workout for your obliques. If you have any muscular imbalances, this plank variant is a great technique to strengthen your left or right oblique.
Steps
- To start, lie on your left or right side.
- Place one leg on the other and make sure they are straight.
- For a solid base, extend your elbows straight beneath your armpit.
- Squeeze your glutes and engage your core as you raise one side of your body.
- Keep in mind that when completing this exercise, your body must be in a straight line. Repeat on the opposite side after doing this for a while.
- Repeat for 30 seconds on both sides.
Reverse Planks
Reverse planks strengthen the lower back and abdominal muscles and are also referred to as isometric exercises. It is crucial to have stronger abdominal and lower back muscles to stabilize throughout a BJJ match.
It also aids in the development of rotating motions, which grapplers need to perform a variety of techniques and make quick transitions.
Steps
- Lie flat on your palms while facing the roof and your arms stretched behind you.
- If you’re a beginner, you can also do it on your elbows.
- Keep your heels together and firmly planted.
- Keep your body in a straight stance while lifting your trunk up.
- For 30 seconds, maintain this posture.
Weighted Planks
The weighted plank is a useful exercise for strengthening the core. By improving your core, you can protect your spine from harm when performing heavy compound lifts.
The weighted plank exercise is identical to the regular plank. The only difference is that you are carrying weight while doing the task. How to put a plate at your back if you’re working out alone is the issue many folks run into when performing this workout.
Steps
- Start in a kneeling position and place the plate in the center of your back for secure placement.
- Put your elbows in place straighten your legs and slowly lower yourself to the standard plank posture.
- Maintain this position for 30 seconds.
Side Plank Crunches
Side plank crunches essentially strengthen the body’s mid-core region. They can also improve your core muscles’ flexibility and strength. Side plank crunches help BJJ fighters maintain their composure and cool in a challenging situation, and improved mobility makes it easier for them to use techniques when confronted with challenges.
Steps
- Position your body in a side plank.
- Swing your free arm up above your head.
- Now, rotate your upper arm and leg till your elbow’s tip meets the top of your knee.
- Maintain the posture for 30 seconds on both sides.
Kettlebell Workouts for BJJ
Kettlebell Clean and Press
Kettlebells clean and press enhance endurance and flexibility in the forearms and strengthen your shoulders.
Steps
- Stand straight with your legs at a hip-apart distance and the kettlebell should be between your legs.
- Keep one hand at your back and bend down to lift the kettlebell with the other hand.
- When you’ve finished lifting the kettlebell, turn it so that it touches the back of your hand.
- Press the kettlebell over your head, your other arm should be straight and in the air while doing so.
- Perform 3 sets of 10 reps with 20 seconds of rest.
Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings are great for BJJ practitioners as they provide cardiovascular fitness and strength. It burns a significant amount of calories in a short period of time; thus they are regarded as a high-intensity but low-impact workout.
Steps
- Carry a kettlebell right beneath your legs and move it in a to-and-fro motion.
- Perform 15 reps on each side for 5 minutes with 60 seconds of rest in between.
Kettlebell Deadlift
Kettlebell deadlifts are effective for almost every muscle in the body, especially the hamstrings, back extensors, and glutes. This workout enhances mobility and muscle activation in a BJJ practitioner and minimizes the risk of injury.
Steps
- Stand straight by keeping your legs apart and place a kettlebell between your legs.
- Bend down to lift the kettlebell by keeping your hands close to your body and pushing your hips backward.
- Put the kettlebell on the ground after lifting it by pushing your hips back. This improves the degree of movement of your hips.
- Perform 1-2 sets of 5-12 reps with 60-90 seconds rest.
Kettlebell Sit-Ups
Kettlebells sit-ups are good for lower back muscles, especially the lower lumbar region. It helps Jiu-Jitsu practitioners improve their body posture.
Steps
- Sit on the mat with the knees bent and heels on the ground.
- Carry a kettlebell and place it in front of your chest.
- Sit with your back straight and then lie down by keeping the kettlebell close to your chest. You can raise your arms overhead to increase the intensity.
- Perform 10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest in between.
Kettlebell Bent Over Row
Kettlebell bent over a row maintains a good body posture which is essential for a BJJ enthusiast and targets the back of your body.
Steps
- Bend down with your back straight and lift the kettlebell with your one hand. Your back should be flattened from shoulders to hips.
- Keep your free hand on your back and lift the kettlebell to your hips.
- Repeat the same process on the other side.
- Perform 3 sets of 10 reps with 20 seconds rest.
Stretch Workouts for BJJ
Leg Cradle Stretch
Leg cradle is a great stretch that improves posture and spine flexibility. It also strengthens inner thigh muscles and opens the hamstrings.
Steps
- Lie down on your back with your legs straight in front of you.
- Lift your right knee with your right hand, at the same time your left hand grabs your right ankle.
- Slowly pull your right knee to your chest, and bring your right ankle to your knee level.
- Hold for about 60 minutes and return the leg back. Perform the same procedure with your left leg.
- Perform for 2 minutes with 10 seconds of rest in between.
Neck and Torso Stretch
Neck and torso stretch is great for your neck and traps. It reduces tension in the neck, improves flexibility, and reduces the chances of injury during Jiu-Jitsu practice.
Steps
- Lie down on your back with your arms at your side.
- Lift your feet off the floor and raise them towards the sky at 90 degrees.
- Then take your feet backward, over your head, until your toes touch the ground. You can use your hands to support your back.
- After about 60 seconds, take your legs back to the starting position.
- Perform for 2 minutes with 10 seconds of rest in between.
Butterfly Stretch
The butterfly stretch improves flexibility in your hip region and groin.
Steps
- Sit on the mat with your legs straight in front of you.
- Grab your ankles with your hands and pull them toward your pelvis while bending your legs.
- Keep bending your legs and pulling your ankles until it becomes uncomfortable.
- Then, grab your ankles and place your right and left elbows on the right and left knees.
- Slow press your knees down by applying pressure on your knees.
- Continue the process for 60 seconds.
Crossover Glute Stretch
All of your limbs are stretched out straight on the ground in a crossover glute stretch. This exercise is crucial for strengthening your tendons and joints and increasing your range of motion.
It will not only assist you in reducing the strain, wear, and tear that your muscles experience, but it will also assist you in lowering the risk of injuries.
Steps
- To start fully extend your left knee to the right.
- With your right hand over your kneecap, raise it as high as you can until you feel the strain.
- Your left hand should be extended all the way to the left throughout this time.
- Repeat the same with the other leg. Perform 4-5 times for both legs with 20-30 seconds rest.
Lying Half Spinal Twist
A spinal twist makes your spine more flexible and limber.
Steps
- Lie down on your back with your legs together and arms stretched out to the left and right.
- Lift your right leg and fold it over the left side of your body.
- Grab your right calf with the left hand and turn your head toward the right while keeping your shoulders on the mat.
- Repeat the process for 20-30 seconds for both legs.
Last Words
Muscle strength and conditioning are crucial to optimize your sport whether you are a BJJ hobbyist or a serious BJJ competitor. A few workouts that have positive effects on the game include cardio, planks, kettlebell workouts, and stretches.
