The defining principle at Order & Progress is high-value minimalist methods to help grapplers 35+ fortify their bodies for pain-free training.
When your competition days are behind you, and “free time” is limited, getting the most from your training in the least amount of time is a must.
It would be nice to have the time and access to a dedicated coach with a complex training plan and all the latest equipment.
But even if you did, I’m not convinced the benefits you would see over smart, minimalist training would be significant.
So, it’s been my mission for years now to find the things that deliver the most benefits with the least amount of negative effects on time and longevity.
Kettlebell and clubbells are the two tools I believe deliver that.
Here’s why.
Why Kettlebells
There may be better tools available to build pure strength, but when time, space, and money are a concern, nothing compares to kettlebells.
Double kettlebell training, when programmed correctly, can deliver tremendous strength benefits without the need to visit a gym, buy expensive equipment, or take up a lot of space – meaning they can be done anywhere, anytime.
Plus, kettlebells can be more forgiving on older, beat up bodies due to their open chain nature, and can be used for a variety of fitness goals.
The versatility of kettlebells is what sets them apart. In addition to strength, you can build endurance, power, and hypertrophy, as well as weight loss and even mobility.
There are also countless combinations of movements you can do with KBs that you just can’t do with other tools.
As a grappler, I like to get outside and out of the gym with a pair of kettlebells to get my secondary movement strength work done, like squats, presses, rows, and lunges.
The Best Kettlebell Exercises For Grapplers
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I wrote an article on the best KB moves for jiu-jitsu here, but a few of my favorites include:
- Turkish Get Up
- Rotational Swings
- Single Arm Rack Lunges
- Grapplers Row
- Rotational Clean To Press
Even if time, money, or space isn’t an issue, you can never go wrong with kettlebell training. The returns you get for grappling strength, endurance, and resilience alone is enough to keep me coming back.
Why Clubbells
Clubbells offer many similar benefits to kettlebells with time, space, and money, but there is one thing they offer that no other tool can – rotational strength.
You can try to swing kettlebells laterally, and maybe get rotational with barbells, but clubs are literally designed for the natural rotational movements of human beings.
Specifically, casting or throwing patterns, which are primary human movements, are the bread and butter of club swinging, which help build “circular strength.”
Circular strength is 3-dimensional strength that you need at odd angles, not straight lines, which is how life, and certainly jiu-jitsu, works.
Clubs also have a unique way of mobilizing and strengthening at the same time, an added benefit for busy, time-restrained people.
The Best Clubbell Exercises For Grapplers
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You can do all of the traditional movement patterns with clubs, but there are better tools for that. You’ll want to use clubs for the things they do best, which include:
- Shield Cast
- Inside / Outside Circles
- Inside / Outside Pendulums
- Mill / Reverse Mill
- Loaded Shin Box Variations
Final Thoughts
If I only had two tools to train with for the rest of my life it would be kettlebells and clubs.
In fact, I have access to nearly all of the tools out there now and I still opt for these two.
There are countless ways to program them together, and you can achieve nearly every important goal a human or grappler can have with just a kettlebell and a club.
Check this article out for some smart programming ideas to save even more time.
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.
3. Apply for 1-on-1 coaching here.
4. Join the free weekly newsletter here.
