If you practice Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), you know how important grip strength is. Whether you are fighting for a collar choke, defending a takedown, or escaping a submission, having a strong grip can give you a major edge over your opponent.

Crush Your Opponents with Your Bare Hands

Studies have shown that grip strength is positively correlated with performance and skill level in BJJ, as well as increased rate of success at competition (statistically).

It must also be noted that a strong set of forearms is a good indicator of inherent competence in any human. In my years of working with elite athletes, special forces soldiers and general population clients, I’ve never met anyone with strong grip that I thought couldn’t look after themselves in a precarious situation, parallel park, light a fire in the woods or open a jar for their partnet.

But how best to get a handle on your grip strength? Wrist curls and stress balls can be useful tools, especially when dealing with tendonitis in the elbow and wrist, but they aren’t exactly built for purpose in contact sports. It’s wise to train your grip in a way that mimics the demands of BJJ, and that challenges your fingers, hands, forearms, and even your core and shoulders.
Here are four exercises that will do just that, and really show people you know what you’re doing on instagram:

Deadhangs

Deadhangs are simple but effective. All you need is a pull-up bar or something else you can hang from. Grip the bar with both hands and hang with your arms fully extended. Keep your shoulders down and back, and engage your core. Hold this position for as long as you can, aiming for at least 30 seconds. You can also vary your grip by using different hand positions, such as overhand, underhand, mixed or gibbon grip; extra points if you can find a rock climbing wall or fingerboard. This exercise will improve your support grip strength, which is useful for holding onto your opponent. They’re also great for general shoulder health.

Plate Holds

Plate holds are another simple but effective exercise. All you need is a pair of weight plates (preferably metal ones). Hold one plate in each hand with your fingers on the inside and your thumbs on the outside. Squeeze the plates together as hard as you can and hold them at arm’s length in front of you. Keep your elbows locked and your shoulders relaxed. Hold this position for as long as you can, aiming for at least 20 seconds. You can also vary the weight and size of the plates to make it harder or easier. This exercise will improve your pinch grip strength, which is useful for grabbing your opponent’s fingers, wrists, or belt.

Reverse Curls

These are a great way of building strength across your wrist and elbow, helping reduce risk of injuries like tennis and golfers’ elbow. Hold the barbell (or EZ bar can be more comfy) with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width. Let the barbell hang in front with your arms fully extended and your palms facing down. Keep your elbows close to your sides and your wrists stacked. Curl the bar up to your chest by contracting your biceps and forearms. Try to squeeze your muscles at the top of the movement and hold for a second. Don’t let your wrists sag.

How to Program Grip Strength Into Your Training

When I program for elite BJJ athletes I try to incorporate one or two of these exercises twice per week. You should get some training effect from your skills classes anyway so we’re just looking to build a little on that. You can do them as a separate grip workout, but it’s definitely more time efficient to add them to your existing strength training routine; which again need only be twice per week. I’d advise not doing them before or during your BJJ sessions, as they will fatigue your grip and affect your performance.

You can also mix and match these exercises with other grip exercises, such as farmer’s walks, towel pull-ups, or gi hangs. The key is to challenge your grip in different ways and keep it fun and interesting so long as you can look to build progressive overload into the training by adding load or time to the training each week.

Reassuringly, grip strength training for BJJ is not only beneficial for your performance on the mat, but also for your health and longevity. Studies have shown that grip strength is a predictor of cardiovascular health, diabetes risk, and mortality. This is likely correlational and does not speak to causation, but it’s nice to think that, despite the inevitable aches and pains of BJJ training, by improving your grip strength, you’re not only crushing your opponents with your hands, but also improving your quality of life.

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