When most people think about building strength for jiu-jitsu, they default to the usual suspects—squats, deadlifts, and lunges.
And while there’s nothing wrong with those exercises, I prefer to get more out of every rep.
As a grappler over 35 with limited time and energy, I want movements that deliver multiple benefits at once—strength, mobility, joint control, and balance.
That’s why I lean on high-value exercises that not only make you stronger, but also help you move better in the exact positions you fight from.
Which is why I keep coming back to these three movements below.
Whether you’re knee-cutting through frames, pressuring from headquarters, or high stepping around hooks, these movements train the qualities that matter: balance, mobility, unilateral strength, and real-world positioning.
Let’s break them down.
1. The Hunter Squat
This is one of the most valuable movements in my entire arsenal—not just for strength, but for movement.
The Hunter Squat trains single-leg strength, knee resilience, foot and hip mobility, and postural stability, all while mimicking positions you actually hit on the mat.
That’s the key: this isn’t just an exercise. It’s a position you find yourself in constantly while passing.
Dropping into a split stance from headquarters, entering folding passes, or transitioning for takedowns —this movement builds the strength and mobility to do that with stability and resilience.
Start with bodyweight only, aiming to control the descent and keep the tension on the right muscle chains when driving upward. One of my favorites is to do this isometrically to build strength endurance.
Then add a club or kettlebell to build strength/muscle and challenge the position dynamically.
2. The Cossack Squat
Most people don’t train laterally. The norm is to train front to back with lunges, squats, and hinges, but a lot of athletics and BJJ happens side to side.
The Cossack Squat solves that.
It opens your hips, strengthens the adductors, and trains you to move dynamically in and out of positions you’ll experience while rolling.
It also forces you to stay low while maintaining control—just like when you’re trying to pass a flexible open guard or stay tight to close the space for pressure passes.
The Cossack isn’t just strength—it’s loaded control in your deepest ranges.
Start with bodyweight, progress to kettlebell or dumbbell, or even try a loaded landmine to build strength where it matters.
3. The Single-Leg Deadlift
Passing often requires a hunched-over position, and while balancing on one leg.
That’s why I always focus on single-leg work to build the strength I’ll need for the mat.
The Single-Leg Deadlift builds posterior chain strength—glutes, hamstrings, and lower back—while reinforcing balance and midline control.
It also trains you to hinge at the hip without collapsing the spine, which is key when maintaining your posture under pressure.
You can do these bodyweight as well, or add kettlebells, dumbbells, or barbells to build the strength you need to perform.
The goal isn’t just to move the weight, but to feel the whole chain working as one.
Final Thoughts
If you want your passing to be smoother, stronger, and more resilient—train the positions you actually move through. These three movements do exactly that.
They build the kind of strength that keeps you stable, lets you pressure with control, and helps you avoid sloppy compensations that lead to injury.
Plus you’ll get multiple qualities you need for BJJ like strength, endurance, mobility, and balance.
Add them to your strength sessions 2–3x per week and keep your reps between 5-12.
Then start passing guards with confidence.
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