Home Grappling Conditioning #1: Ten Basic Drills to improve your Grappling

The following drills are very important parts of developing solid basic skills for grappling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Each one has a specific purpose and I can’t think of too many matches where they are not necessary. By incorporating these into your workouts at the BJJ academy and most importantly at home your grappling skills will improve dramatically.

In my personal quest for grappling greatness I have tried to simplify as much as possible by asking: What are the most important skills? What skills and positions show up in every match? What is the most basic and obvious solution to the problem?


These questions help me keep my mind focused on executing the little things and the basic skills consistently. If find that in today’s world of “cyber experts” one has to boil the art down to its most essential components. With so many different fancy techniques out there practitioners can easily become addicted to learning techniques and never grasp the basic principles behind them.


These are my top ten drills for making rapid and consistent improvements in grappling. There is always room for improvement in these drills regardless of if you’re a white belt beginner or a seasoned world class fighter.


Ten Basic Drills to improve your Grappling


1. Bridging (Neck and Shoulder)
2. Shrimp
3. Elbow Sit Up
4. Technical Standup
5. Granby Roll
6. Pendulum Swing
7. Sprawl/Burpee
8. Squats
9. Lunges/Level Changes
10. Stance Footwork


I hope this helps you on your quest for grappling greatness.


Click here to see the drills in action!