Many grapplers overlook strengthening the lateral “edges” of their body.
This concept was highlighted to me by fitness Coach Bill Maeda, who, in his mid-fifties, has the body of someone thirty years younger.
Bill explained that he focuses on “durability” as the main objective of his training, and strengthening the lateral, or sides of his body, is a primary way to achieve that.
Essentially, the ability to generate and withstand forces from the sides can promote injury resilient and longevity.
Where most people focus on the big muscles of the front and back, Bill creates 360 degrees of durability by fortifying his sides.
A good place to start for this is the Windmill.
Benefits of The Windmill
The Windmill is a humbling exercise that can immediately expose asymmetries between your sides.
This exercise requires you to move in the frontal and transverse planes, usually done by holding a weight overhead and flexing at the hip to lower your torso down and back up.
This lateral bending isn’t a pattern we frequently do, but it’s often needed to execute techniques on the mat, like takedowns and transitions.
By performing Windmills we can increase multiple qualities like mobility, stability, strength and resilience, while also improving our BJJ movement.
Each rep mobilizes your hip internal rotation, lengthens the hamstrings, increases shoulder mobility and stability, AND strengthens the lateral core.
It’s a high-value move with a ton of grappling benefits packed into one.
It can also be done unloaded before a training session to mobilize the hips, spine, ribcage, and shoulders, or with weight to take the mobility and strength benefits even further.
How To Do The Windmill
The standard Windmill is usually done with a kettlebell, and where you should start when learning how to laterally hinge and move properly.
You can try the beginner version with the weight in the bottom arm, as instructed in the video below, or go for the full Windmill with the weight overhead.
Even after doing the Windmill for over a decade, I still warm up with the beginner version, or when I’m going extra heavy.
Invest some time in learning the full Windmill so you can reap all of the mat-ready benefits, and to make your body more resilient.
Then, you can start adding windmills to a variety of exercises for more opportunities to fortify your lateral edges.
This is a free technique video included with the Grappler’s Get Up, which teaches you how to fortify your body for resilient BJJ.
Windmill Variations
I like to add windmills to other high-value moves to take the benefits even further.
Because the Windmill is a frontal and transverse plane exercise, it will expose your spine and tissues to new ranges of motion, making them more resilient.
I often do Turkish Get Ups only up to the first lateral hinge, which is a kneeling Windmill, to reinforce grappling movement and strengthen this pattern for the mats.
You can also add windmills to the standing phase of the Get Up, once you stand fully up.
The Shin Box with Windmill rotations will expose your hips, spine, and ribcage to new dimensions, improving mobility and durability for when you’re put in those positions on the mat.
The Half Kneeling Clean to Press to Windmill will improve hip power, shoulder strength/stability, and lateral core strength.
A windmill can be added to almost any overhead single-arm press or kneeling lunge.
Final Thoughts
Add resilience to your body and movement by strengthening the lateral edges of your body. This often overlooked concept could help you move more freely and prevent future injuries.
Master the full Windmill with a moderate load overhead, like 35lbs, and try to make the movement equally smooth on both sides.
Once you’ve mastered that, try adding windmills to your Get Ups, Shin Boxes, and Kneeling Lunge positions.
Start light, or even unloaded at first, as it’s best to ease into these new ranges.
Then you can start exploring loaded Windmills in more complex sequence with squats, snatches, and more.
Exposing your body to these new positions will only make you more resilient and a better mover on the mat.
WHENEVER YOU’RE READY, THERE ARE 4 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU:
1. Start improving your BJJ durability and performance with the new Foundations of Rotational Strength.
2. Fortify your body for BJJ with this free course on the Grappler’s Get Up.
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