Grip strength for BJJ: the exercises that carry over

Ask anyone who trains in the gi what fades first, and the answer is usually their forearms. Grip strength in jiu-jitsu decides who controls the sleeve, who breaks the collar grip, and who's still holding on at the end of a round.

The good news: grip responds quickly to training, needs very little equipment, and recovers fast if you dose it sensibly.

What kind of grip does BJJ need?

There are a few different qualities hiding under "grip":

• Crushing: closing your hand hard, as in a tight collar or wrist grip
• Support: holding on to something heavy for a long time, like a sleeve while someone pulls away
• Pinch: fingers against thumb, as on lapels and pant legs
• Wrist strength: keeping your wrist strong while someone tries to bend it to break your grip
• Grip endurance: doing all of the above repeatedly through a round

In jiu-jitsu, support strength and endurance matter most. That's why hanging and carrying usually carry over better than a spring gripper.

The best grip exercises for BJJ

• Dead hang
• Farmer's carry
• Suitcase carry
• Wrist curl

Dead hangs

Hang from a pull-up bar with straight arms and active shoulders. Build up to holding for 45–60 seconds. When that's easy, hang from one hand at a time with the other lightly assisting.

Gi or towel hangs and pull-ups

Drape a gi jacket or a towel over the bar and hang from it. It trains the exact grip you use on lapels and sleeves. When you can hang for 30 seconds, try rows or pull-ups holding the gi.

Farmer's carries

Pick up heavy dumbbells or kettlebells and walk 30–40 metres with tall posture. They build grip, upper back and trunk at the same time. Suitcase carries, one side at a time, add a trunk challenge too.

Plate pinches

Pinch two weight plates together, smooth sides out, and hold. Great for lapel and pant grips.

Wrist work

Wrist curls, reverse curls and slow wrist rotations with a light dumbbell or a sledgehammer held near the end. These build the wrist strength that stops grips getting stripped, and many people find they also make their wrists feel better.

Fat grips and thick bars

Wrapping a thick grip around a dumbbell or bar for rows and carries makes them much harder on your hands. Useful, but not essential.

A simple grip routine

Add one block to the end of two strength sessions a week. It takes about ten minutes.

Rest a minute between rounds. Stop each hang or hold a few seconds before your grip actually gives out.

How often should you train grip for BJJ?

Two or three short blocks a week is plenty, because jiu-jitsu itself is a lot of grip work. More isn't better here: fingers, wrists and elbows take time to adapt, and sore forearms make for a frustrating class.

• Don't train grip to failure the day before a hard gi class.
• Build up gradually. Add a few seconds or a little weight each week.
• Stretch and move your fingers and wrists after hard grip sessions.

Do grip trainers help?

Spring grippers train crushing strength, which is useful but not the main quality jiu-jitsu needs. They're fine as an extra, but hangs, carries and gi pulls should come first.

The bottom line

Hang, carry and pull on a gi or towel, two or three times a week, a little at a time. Pair it with a sensible BJJ strength training program, and your grips will hold for longer, and your forearms will stop being the first thing to go.