Strength, conditioning and mobility exercises for judo, BJJ, wrestling and MMA
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58 exercises including judo-specific conditioning. Filter by category, difficulty, or muscle.
58 exercises
Back Squat
Compound lower-body movement. Bar rests on upper traps. Descend until hips below parallel.
4 sets × 6-8
Goblet Squat
Hold a dumbbell at chest height. Squat deep, elbows tracking inside knees.
3 sets × 10-12
Bulgarian Split Squat
Rear foot elevated on bench. Deep lunge. Develops unilateral leg strength and balance.
3 sets × 8-10 each
Conventional Deadlift
Hip-hinge pattern. Drive floor away, keep bar close to body, lock out hips at top.
4 sets × 4-6
Romanian Deadlift
Soft knee bend, hinge at hips, feel hamstring stretch at bottom. Great for posterior chain.
3 sets × 8-10
Trap Bar Deadlift
More quad-friendly than conventional. Good starting deadlift variation.
4 sets × 5-6
Barbell Hip Thrust
Shoulders on bench, bar across hips. Drive hips to full extension. Peak glute activation.
4 sets × 10-12
Bench Press
Horizontal push. Bar to nipple line, slight arch, elbows 45-75° from torso.
4 sets × 6-8
Dumbbell Incline Press
30-45° incline. Targets upper chest. Good unilateral balance.
3 sets × 10-12
Push-Up
Ground-based horizontal push. Full ROM, elbows at 45°. Scales via elevation.
3 sets × Max
Barbell Row
Horizontal pull. Hinge forward, bar to lower chest, squeeze shoulder blades.
4 sets × 6-8
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Knee on bench. Pull dumbbell to hip, elbow close to body.
3 sets × 10 each
Cable Row
Seated row to abdomen. Maintain upright torso, full stretch at extension.
3 sets × 12
Pull-Up
Full hang, pull until chin over bar. Use bands for assistance if needed.
4 sets × Max
Lat Pulldown
Wide grip, pull bar to upper chest. Retract shoulder blades.
3 sets × 10-12
Overhead Press
Standing or seated. Press bar overhead to full lockout. Core braced throughout.
4 sets × 6-8
Lateral Raise
Slight forward lean, arms rise to shoulder height. Slow controlled eccentric.
3 sets × 15-20
Plank
Forearms on floor, body rigid. Squeeze glutes and brace abs. Hold for time.
30-60s
Dead Bug
Lower back pressed to floor. Opposite arm/leg extends simultaneously.
3 sets × 10 each
Ab Wheel Rollout
Kneel, roll wheel forward maintaining a rigid torso. Anti-extension core exercise.
3 sets × 8-10
Interval Sprints
20-30s all-out effort, 90s recovery. 6-10 rounds. Excellent fat loss and conditioning.
8 sets × 20s on / 90s off
Steady-State Run
Zone 2 aerobic base building. Conversational pace, 30-60 minutes.
30-60min
Assault Bike Intervals
Max effort 10-20s, full rest 40-50s. 8-10 rounds. Brutal full-body conditioning.
10 sets × 15s on / 45s off
Rowing Machine
Low-impact full-body cardio. Drive with legs first, then lean back, then arms.
20-30min
Jump Rope
Double-unders for advanced. Great judo warm-up. 3-5 rounds of 2 minutes.
5 sets × 2min
Hip 90/90 Stretch
Sit with both legs at 90° angles. Hold 60s each side. Critical for judo hip mobility.
60s each
Thoracic Rotation
Side-lying, top knee bent, rotate upper torso. Open chest to ceiling.
2 sets × 10 each
Ankle Mobility Drill
Knee-to-wall drill. Drive knee over toes without heel lifting. 10 reps each.
2 sets × 10 each
World's Greatest Stretch
Lunge forward, drop elbow to instep, rotate arm to ceiling. 5 reps per side.
2 sets × 5 each
Couch Stretch
Rear knee on floor, shin up wall. Upright torso. 2 min each side. Fixes desk posture.
2min each
Uchi-Komi (Repetition Entry)
Repeated throw entries without completion. Builds explosive hip insertion and muscle memory. 10 reps per throw per side.
5 sets × 10 per side
Grip Strength Dead Hang
Hang from bar with full grip. Builds the forearm endurance critical for kumi-kata.
3 sets × 30-60s
Towel Pull-Up
Drape towels over bar, grip ends. Pull-ups develop judo-specific grip and pulling strength.
3 sets × Max
Explosive Hip Extension (Band)
Band around hips, anchored behind. Drive hips forward explosively. Mimics harai-goshi/o-goshi hip action.
4 sets × 8 each
Seoi-Nage Shoulder Drill
Simulate shoulder entry with resistance band. Builds seoi-nage-specific pulling mechanics.
3 sets × 12 each
Sled Push
Low body position drive. Builds legs-in-for-throw strength and cardiovascular output.
6 sets × 20m
Kettlebell Swing
Hip hinge power. Develops explosive posterior chain strength for throw execution.
4 sets × 15
Medicine Ball Rotational Throw
Rotate and throw med ball against wall. Develops rotational power for ippon-seoi-nage and uchi-mata.
4 sets × 10 each
Grip Pinching (Plate Pinch)
Pinch two plates together and hold. Develops pinching grip strength for lapel grips.
3 sets × 30s
Bridging (Ukemi Drill)
Lie on back, bridge on top of head. Builds neck strength critical for falling safely and groundwork.
3 sets × 30s
Randori Simulation (Shadow Judo)
3-minute rounds of shadow gripping, stance switching, entry drilling. Builds judo-specific endurance.
5 sets × 3min rounds
Foam Rolling (Thoracic)
Roll thoracic spine for 60s. Pause on tight spots. Restores extension lost from gripping posture.
60s
Contrast Shower
Alternate 3min hot / 1min cold, 3-4 cycles. Reduces DOMS and improves circulation.
12-16min
Legs Up the Wall
Lie on back, legs vertical against wall. 5-10 minutes. Reduces leg fatigue post-training.
5-10min
Box Breathing
4s inhale, 4s hold, 4s exhale, 4s hold. 5 minutes. Activates parasympathetic system post-competition.
5min
Cold Water Immersion
10-15°C for 10-15 minutes. Most evidence-backed recovery method for reducing DOMS and inflammation.
10-15min
Nordic Hamstring Curl
Most effective hamstring eccentric exercise. Lowers risk of hamstring strain significantly.
3 sets × 5-8
Face Pull
Cable to face height, pull to ears with external rotation. Counteracts bench press/judo posture.
3 sets × 15-20
Pallof Press
Press cable straight out from chest. Resist rotation. Anti-rotation core strength for grappling.
3 sets × 10 each
Single-Leg RDL
Balance on one leg, hinge forward. Builds hip stability and unilateral hamstring strength.
3 sets × 8-10 each
Trap-3 Raise
Lie prone on incline bench, raise dumbbells in Y position. Crucial rotator cuff health for grappling.
3 sets × 12-15
Z-Press
Seated on floor, legs straight. Overhead press. Eliminates leg drive, demands core stability.
3 sets × 6-8
Arm Drag Entry (Band)
Simulate arm drag entry against band resistance. Develops single-leg attack setups.
3 sets × 10 each
Burpee Broad Jump
Burpee followed by maximum broad jump. Builds explosive power and cardiovascular conditioning simultaneously.
4 sets × 8
Seated Butterfly Stretch
Soles of feet together, lean forward. Stretch adductors for guard work and uchi-mata.
90s
Cat-Cow
Alternating spinal flexion/extension. Warms up spine pre-training, decompresses post-training.
2 sets × 10 slow
Epsom Salt Bath
400g Epsom salt in warm bath for 20 minutes. Magnesium absorption may reduce muscle soreness.
20min
Cable Woodchop
Diagonal pull from high to low (and reverse). Rotational core power for throwing.
3 sets × 12 each
During a weight cut, prioritise compound strength movements (squats, deadlifts, pulls) at moderate intensity to preserve lean mass, and low-impact steady-state cardio (cycling, rowing) to maintain a calorie deficit without overtaxing your joints. Avoid high-volume HIIT during the final 2 weeks — it spikes cortisol and accelerates muscle breakdown when you are already in a deficit.
Reduce training volume by 20–30% while keeping intensity close to normal. The goal is to maintain strength and power, not build new capacity. Keep mat sessions as your priority and use gym work as a supplement. Drop accessory isolation work first, keep compound lifts, and cut gym session duration to 35–45 minutes.
For most combat athletes, 2–3 gym sessions per week alongside 3–5 mat sessions is sustainable. Place gym sessions on non-mat days or at least 6 hours apart from mat work. During fight week, reduce to 1–2 light sessions focused on movement quality and activation, not load.