The Problem

The state of “supportive strength and conditioning” (S&C) in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is, quite frankly, a mess. Most approaches either overemphasize traditional compound lifts or attempt to mimic sport-specific movements, often made “harder” by simply adding weight. With the sport’s growing popularity, a wave of S&C coaches, ex-CrossFitters, and influencers have flooded the scene, each claiming to have discovered the “secret exercise” to unlock your potential. Yet, these methods fail to address the unique demands of jiujitsu. Instead, they repurpose training methods from other sports and apply them to a discipline with its own distinct challenges.

BJJ is particularly vulnerable to fad-driven training because it was developed largely apart from traditional strength training. This stems, in part, from its original marketing as a sport where “size doesn’t matter.” While this philosophy helped popularize jiujitsu, it also created confusion about how to properly support training. To make matters worse, even the best competitors in the world have wildly different approaches to S&C, making it difficult to discern what actually works.

BJJ is a unique sport. Trying to improve at it by mimicking other sports—like weightlifting—rarely produces predictable or positive outcomes. While some crossover exists, the real question is: at what cost?

The Challenge

Supporting jiujitsu through S&C is highly individualized. The way people practice the sport varies so widely that universal recommendations are nearly impossible. For example:

• Beginners need to focus on developing foundational skills.

• Long-time practitioners aim to sustain their practice and longevity.

• Competitive athletes prioritize peak performance, often at the expense of long-term health.

Within these categories lies an infinite spectrum of individual needs, shaped by factors like fitness levels, past injuries, mobility limitations, and personal temperament.

The Solution

What follows is a set of principles designed to provide general support for jiujitsu practitioners. These principles can—and should—be adjusted based on your specific goals and circumstances. Experiment, adapt, and refine. Take what works for you, and leave the rest.

Why is BJJ Different?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a sport centered on exploring and exploiting an opponent’s end ranges of motion. This unique characteristic shapes how we should approach training for it. While chokes and submissions are key elements, gaining control of an opponent’s center mass—primarily by manipulating their end ranges of motion—is the foundation of success in BJJ.

This raises two critical structural questions:

1. How can I build specific strength to protect against attacks on my end ranges of motion?

2. How can I increase or control my end range of motion to prevent injury and train more effectively?

Why Traditional Strength Training Falls Short

Traditional strength training focuses on systemic adaptation—getting generally stronger by moving heavy weights with multiple joints. While this can provide some benefits, it’s not enough for the specific demands of BJJ. Powerlifting and weightlifting are sports in their own right, requiring years of technical mastery. Using them as the foundation for BJJ support is as misguided as training tennis to improve jiujitsu. Both are technically demanding sports with little direct crossover.

Complex lifts like squats and deadlifts can offer general benefits, but they also add systemic stress. In BJJ, where training intensity is unpredictable—some days are mellow, others feel like a fight for survival—managing overall stress is critical. For newer practitioners especially, the inability to control training intensity makes it essential to avoid overloading the body with unfocused strength work. Instead, targeted, sport-specific strength training is key to complementing BJJ without detracting from it.

The Role of Strength Training in BJJ

The true value of strength training for BJJ lies not just in physiological adaptations but in understanding joint orientation, fulcrums, and leverage. This knowledge directly translates to the sport, where strength is expressed through leverage. For example, understanding how hinge joints (elbows, knees, ankles) interact with ball-and-socket joints (hips, shoulders) can help you:

• Recognize weaknesses in yourself.

• Protect against injury.

• Exploit your opponent’s vulnerabilities.

The Energetic Demands of BJJ

Beyond structural considerations, BJJ also demands significant aerobic and anaerobic capacity. Two key questions arise:

1. Do I have the aerobic base to recover from frequent training and maintain consistent performance?

2. Can I apply technical skill under extreme fatigue?

If you struggle to recover, you may need to build your aerobic base. If fatigue undermines your technique, conditioning to match the intensity of competition is necessary.

Simplifying Your Training Approach

For most practitioners, the majority of training time should be spent on the mats. If you train 7 hours a week, aim for at least 4-5 hours of BJJ. For those with over a decade of experience or significant injuries, temporarily inverting this ratio to focus on corrective work may be beneficial. Once imbalances are addressed, return to prioritizing BJJ.

Structural Priorities

The hips and shoulders offer the greatest return on investment for structural improvements. Limited hip mobility can cascade into knee and foot issues, while shoulder limitations often lead to back problems and compromise elbow and wrist stability. Strengthening these areas provides a solid foundation for both performance and injury prevention.

For those with connective tissue injuries (e.g., torn ligaments or tendons), targeted training can help restructure scar tissue and improve joint function. However, individuals with surgical interventions or joint replacements should consult a medical professional for specific guidance.

Shifting the Focus: From Muscles to Tissue

In BJJ, injuries often occur in connective tissue rather than muscles. Mobility issues, for example, are rarely due to “tight muscles” but rather limitations in joint capsule function. Traditional strength training, which focuses on muscular development, fails to address these weak links. For instance, a heel hook doesn’t tear your ACL because your quads aren’t strong enough—it happens because the ACL lacks rotational, load-bearing capacity. Training connective tissue is essential for resilience in BJJ.

Structuring Your Training

If you’re both structurally weak and aerobically deficient, prioritize one area at a time to avoid burnout. A deficient aerobic system limits everything, from training volume to recovery. Start with 6 weeks of steady-state aerobic work to build your base. Once your aerobic capacity improves, shift focus to structural improvements.

Sample 12-Week Programs

For Aerobically Sufficient Players

• Weeks 1-6: Structural focus (3-4 sessions per week).

• Weeks 7-12: Structural focus + aerobic tune-up (4 sessions per week).

For Aerobically Deficient Players

• Weeks 1-6: Aerobic base building + intro to mobility (3-4 sessions per week).

• Weeks 7-12: Structural focus + aerobic support (4 sessions per week).

What to Expect

This approach will feel different from traditional heavy lifting. You won’t feel “wasted” after sessions, but you will feel tired. The goal is to develop maximal strength by contracting tissues to support joints, not just moving heavy weights.

By focusing on the unique demands of BJJ—structural integrity, connective tissue resilience, and energy system development—you can train smarter, reduce injury risk, and improve your performance on the mats.