Strength training for BJJ is the part of the week most grapplers skip, and the part that keeps the older ones on the mat. You do not need to be big. You need strong hips, a strong back, a robust neck and grip that lasts. Here is the two-day plan we use at our Samford gym with people who roll two or three nights a week.
What strength training for BJJ should do
- Make you harder to hold down and easier to stand up in base.
- Build tolerance in the tissues jiu jitsu loads: neck, fingers, knees, lower back.
- Leave you fresh enough to train. It supports the mat, it does not compete with it.
The two-day program
| Day A | Day B |
|---|---|
| Trap bar deadlift 4 x 5 | Front or goblet squat 4 x 6 |
| Split squat 3 x 8 each side | Single-leg Romanian deadlift 3 x 8 each side |
| Chin-up or lat pulldown 3 x 6 to 8 | Single-arm row 3 x 8 each side |
| Farmer carry 3 x 30 metres | Towel hang 3 x 20 seconds |
| Neck isometrics 3 x 15 seconds each way | Pallof press 3 x 10 each side |
Lift a weight you could manage two or three more reps with. Leave failure for the mat.
Where it fits around class
Lift on the same day as a hard class, ideally in the morning before an evening session, or on a day you do not roll. Avoid heavy legs the day before a competition or a hard open mat. Two sessions of 40 minutes is enough.
Nutrition that supports the work
Protein at every meal is the base. Many grapplers over 40 also ask us about creatine, because the research on creatine with resistance training in older adults is strong. If that is you, this guide to creatine for BJJ over 40 covers dose, weigh-ins and timing. Food and sleep come first.
Progressing over a season
Build load for six to eight weeks, then hold it. In the four weeks before a competition, drop to one session a week with the same movements. Our strength training over 40 guide explains how to progress safely if you are newer to lifting.
Common questions
Will lifting make me slow or stiff on the mat?
Not at these volumes. Two sessions of moderate loads, with the mobility work above, makes most grapplers more solid without costing movement.
Can I lift and roll on the same day?
Yes. Lift in the morning and roll in the evening, or lift straight after a lighter technique class. Avoid heavy lifting just before hard sparring.
What if I only have time for one session?
Do Day A one week and Day B the next. One session a week still holds most of your strength once you have built it.
Do I need kettlebells or a full gym?
A full gym makes progression easier, but dumbbells, a chin-up bar and a kettlebell cover most of this program at home.
When to get it checked
If a lift reproduces a pain you also feel on the mat, change the exercise rather than pushing through it. An exercise physiologist can find a variation that trains the same pattern without the aggravation.