Ask most people how they train their core, and you’ll hear the same answers:
Planks. Crunches. Sit-ups. Maybe some leg raises or hanging knee tucks if they have the equipment.
And while those all have their place, they focus on just one aspect of core function—flexion.
What often gets overlooked, especially in the grappling world, is the ability to resist extension.
And that’s a problem. Because resisted extension isn’t just a strength quality—it’s a necessary skill on the mat, and it’s vital for spine resilience.
What Is Resisted Extension?
Resisting extension means keeping the spine and pelvis stable and neutral when something is trying to pull you into an arched or extended position.
Think of holding the top position of a crunch and someone is trying to separate your knees and elbows from each other—or keeping your ribs down while bridging into a sweep.
It’s the core’s job to brace and stabilize, not just to crunch or flex.
This quality shows up constantly in BJJ:
- Keeping your knees and elbows together when someone is trying to separate them to pass your guard
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Staying tight in turtle position when someone is trying to create space to insert their hooks
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Pulling your opponents leg in when they sprawled on your single leg shot (picture below)
If your body can’t resist being pulled into extension, you’re leaking power, putting your back at risk, and potentially going to give up positions on the mat.
The Heavy Club Pullover: A Core Weapon for Grapplers
One of the most effective tools I’ve found to develop this quality is the heavy club pullover.
It’s simple, sneaky, and brutally effective.
Here’s how it works:
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Stand with two hands on the club in order position
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Brace your core and ribs down like you’re doing a hard exhale.
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Push the club up directly past your ear on one side over your shoulder—without letting your ribs pop up.
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Pull it back to the starting position using your lats and abs.
[Learn This Move in Detail Here]
At first glance, it looks like a shoulder or lat movement—but make no mistake, this is a core exercise first (improved shoulder mobility is an added bonus!)
Your job is to resist the pull of the club and keep your torso tight and locked in.
It lights up the entire anterior chain—abs, serratus, lats, and deep core stabilizers—all while reinforcing the breathing and bracing patterns that carry over to grappling. You must remain tight and braced while aiming to breath deep.
RESISTED EXTENSION ON THE MAT
Once you’ve trained this pattern, you’ll start to feel the benefits on the mat.
- You’ll be able to resist an opponent attempting to separate your legs from your upper body
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You’ll hold stronger guard frames without letting your ribs flare or your hips collapse.
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Your bridges and hip escapes will feel tighter and more connected.
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You’ll be able to post, sprawl, and transition without losing your posture or arching your lower back.
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And you’ll waste less energy trying to stabilize under pressure.
In short, you’ll move better, breathe better, and control positions with more efficiency.
How to Program It
Add the heavy club pullover into your routine 2–3x per week, especially on strength days or as part of your warmup.
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2–3 sets of 6–10 reps per side
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Focus on control, breath, and bracing
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Don’t go ultra heavy at first—form > load
You can eventually add pullovers to other exercises for added benefit and complexity. Lunges to Pullovers, Swings to Pullovers, and Shield Casts to Pullovers all challenge the core in new ways.
Final Thoughts
Flexion gets all the attention in core training—but resisted extension keeps you safe, stable, and strong on the mat.
Start training it intentionally, and you’ll not only feel stronger—you’ll move as a more connected, resilient grappler.
The heavy club pullover isn’t flashy, but for the grappler who wants to stay durable and dangerous, it’s a game-changer.
If you can get up to a 50lb club, you’ll have no issue with flared ribs or maintaining your posture when it matters most.
WHENEVER YOU’RE READY, THERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU:
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