10 Best Bodyweight Exercises for Fighters and Grapplers
by Corey Beasley
Let me start out by stating that there is no BEST exercise for everyone... Depending on your ability level, goals, exercise history, etc, I would customize the right exercise for you. That being said, I've organized a handful of my favorite bodyweight exercises. All of these, just like any exercise, have regressions and progressions to either make them easier or more intense. They key is understanding how to manipulate the variables to fit your goals.
10 Best Bodyweight Exercises for Fighters
There are huge benefits to bodyweight exercises for fighters. Not only can you perform them anywhere, but they can also yield great results. The key, just like using any tool (dumbbell, barbell, kettlebell, etc) is to understand when to use, why and how to manipulate the variables to get the desired result you're looking for. No matter if you are a enthusiast, competitor or seasoned professional, you can benefit from these types of exercises.
1. Crawling Patterns
Crawling patterns are often overlooked, but an essential piece of all of my training plans. The contralateral pattern (opposites working together) is more challenging than people realize and this bodyweight exercise does a great job challenging the body from head to toe...especially the hips, trunk and shoulders. With shoulder injuries being so common in combat sports, these crawling patterns are a great addition to warm ups or as conditioning at the end of a session.
2. Circle Shuffle
Moving side to side is an important part of offensive and defensive movement in the cage or on the mat. Shuffling and changing directions quickly is a simple, yet effective way to add athleticism to your physical arsenal. These quick bodyweight drills are simple, don't require much space and translate well into the cage or the mat. You can get creative with this and perform partner chases, races, distance covered and more.
3. Switch Feet
This rotational bodyweight exercise is another staple for our fighters. Stagger your feet over a line, get on the balls of your feet and simply switch back and forth as quickly as possible. Be sure to drive the arms during the exercise to maximize the benefit and tie the upper and lower extremities together. Count the repetitions during each set to monitor output and speed.
4. Staggered Stance Squat
Bodyweight squats and great for beginners, but one way to increase the difficulty is by staggering the feet. This simple adjustment can expose deficiencies from right to left. Keep the load even between the feet, and keep the front heel down. This is a great transition towards performing single leg squats.
5. Single Leg Deadlift
This hip dominant bodyweight exercise challenges the posterior chain, specifically the hamstring and glutes. It is a simple exercise that focuses more on hinging than squatting. This compliments other lunges or single legs squats, by emphasizing the posterior chain. This variation was made popular by Ian King and is a great way to strengthen the posterior chain, one leg at a time.
6. Push Up Plus
Push ups are a staple for anyone bodyweight program. One way to increase the difficulty is by raising one arm at the top of each repetition. Do not allow the hips to shift. This puts extra emphasis on the trunk and core to stabilize. Great for anyone looking to strengthen their core muscles!
7. Climber Pull Ups
Climber pull ups require one arm to do more work than the other. This is a great way to raise the intensity over traditional pull ups, while exposing strength deficits from right to left. This is a simple, yet effective way to train your pulling muscles, without any fancy equipment.
8. Single Arm Row
This horizontal pulling exercise can be performed with any strap, suspension trainer, rope, low bar or similar. Body rows are a great way to train the upper back, lats and biceps without the need for extra weights or machines. By performing this bodyweight exercise with one arm, we increase the intensity on the pulling muscles, as well as the trunk to stabilize.
9. Handstand Touches
Handstands are a great way to challenge the upper body vertical pushing muscles. A staple in gymnastics, handstands develop massive stability and strength throughout the shoulder complex. By adding the touches between reps, this forces one shoulder and arm to support our weight. This is a great way to increase difficulty while layng the groundwork for more intense handstand variations.
10. Skater Lunge
The skater lunge is a bodyweight drill that I learned from the US Speed Skating coach. Wide feet, low center of gravity and lots of time under tension...whats not to like. These bodyweight drills are a great way to challenge the body in the frontal plane and are absolutely brutal on the hips and legs. Great for any grappler, wrestler or fighters looking to develop a solid base.
Other bodyweight exercises to consider adding to your training plans include
- running
- sprinting
- swinging
- hanging
- jumping
- leaps
- skips
- lunges
- push up
- handstand drills
- climbing
- pull ups
- calisthenics
- animal patterns
- gymnastics progressions
- balance work
- agility drills
- yoga
- and more
The reality is that you are only limited by your creativity and knowledge. Some of the strongest guys in history never stepped foot in a gym and were absolute beasts. So get moving, keep learning and always keep your eye out new ways to challenge your body!
What is your favorite bodyweight exercise?
Leave us a comment below -->
Weekly Tips for Physical Dominance!
Blog Categories
All Categories #athleticism #athleticmastery #athleticperformance #athletictraining #boxingtraining #dancebenefits #danceinsports #fighterconditioning #gymnasticsdrills #mma #sportstraining #tailoredtraining #warmup accommodating resistance aches and pains action active recovery adaptability adapting techniques adapting to competition aerobic exercise benefits aesthetics affordable eating for athletes affordable gym essentials ageless fitness agility agility drills agility training aging athletes workout aging combat athletes aging gracefully aging grapplers aging in martial arts alcohol alcohol and sports alcohol reduction alcohol's impact on fitness altitude chamber ancient warriors anxiety assessment athlete athlete development athlete lifestyle athlete mental health athlete mindset athlete nutrition athlete performance athlete recovery athlete rest athlete training athlete's guide athlete's health athlete's journey athlete's shoulder athlete's well-being athletes athletic conditioning athletic development athletic health athletic meal planning athletic mindset athletic performance athletic potential athletic preparedness athletic progress athletic prowess athletic recovery athletic recovery techniques athletic rotation athletic success athletic training athleticism athletics athltic performance balance balance and stability balanced diet balancing act bar speed technology battling ropes benefits of sauna after exercise benefits of supplements best fitness presents beta-alanine big fight big toe biological necessity biomechanics bjj bjj conditioning bjj grip training bjj kettlebell bjj strength and conditioning bjj strength exercises bjj strength training bjj strength training workout bjj training bjj training tips bjj workout bjj workouts blue zone diets blue-collar strength body preparation bodybuilding bodyweight bodyweight exercises bottled water bottom-up exercises boxers boxing boxing conditioning boxing conditioning workouts boxing footwork boxing for beginners boxing legends boxing power boxing skills boxing sparring boxing strength training boxing technique boxing techniques boxing tips boxing training boxing workouts bracing techniques brain health brazilian jiu jitsu brazilian jiu-jitsu breath breathing breathing techniques budget-friendly nutrition budget-friendly workout gear building muscle after 40 burnout prevention business ideas caffeine cage combat calisthenics carbohydrate repletion carbohydrate restriction carbohydrates cardio cardio and conditioning cardiovascular endurance career transitions challenges challenges in jiu jitsu champion's journey champion's mindset charity child fitness christmas fitness gifts circuit training for mma clarity clean and jerk climbing rope climbing techniques coach coordination coaching cold plunge benefits cold therapy cold therapy in sports college wrestling combat athletes combat sports combat sports athletes combat sports conditioning combat sports mastery combat training combined training strategies communication community competition competition preparation competitive edge competitive training for seniors concurrent training concurrent training for fighters concussion concussion side effects concussions conditioning conditioning for bjj conditioning for mma conditioning workouts conjugate training consistency continuous improvement contrast therapy in sports convenience drawbacks coordination coping mechanisms coping strategies coping with defeat core core strength core training crawling crawling exercises crawling patterns creatine cross-training cryotherapy and athletic performance culture curcumin cutting weight cutting weight for bjj cvac cvac machines daily improvement daily routines debunked myths dedication dehydration determination detrimental habits diet diet and fitness diet for bjj dietary supplements digital age digital distraction discipline distractions diverse play dominance doping drawbacks of supplements drills durability dynamic stretches dynamic stretching dynamic work dynamic workouts eating habits electrolyte replenishment elevate performance elite performance elite wrestlers emotional challenges emotional intelligence emotional resilience emotional stress endurance endurance activities endurance training energy drinks energy systems in sports enhancing grappling performance equipment exercise exercise equipment under $500 exercise intensity exercise optimization exercise order exercise physiologist exercise physiology exercise science exercise science for seniors exercise science in martial arts exercise science insights exercise variables exercises exercises for jiu jitsu explosive advantage explosive power extraordinary strength eye training fame fame and media fasting for athletes fatigue fatigue management feamle athletes feet female fighters training female martial artists fight preparation fight training workout fight week fight week nutrition fight weight fighter diet fighter diet plan fighter performance fighter safety fighter tips fighter training fighter workout plan fighter's fitness fighter's guide fighter's mind fighters fighting fighting training finances fitness fitness buff fitness enthusiast fitness equipment for small spaces fitness for fighters fitness for wrestlers fitness goals fitness habits fitness history fitness journey fitness motivation fitness myths fitness regimen fitness strategies fitness tips fitness training flexibility flow state fluidity of motion flywheel resistance flywheel resistance training flywheel training focus food and nutrition food industry in the united states foot foot and ankles foot arches foot exercises foot strength footwork drills force-velocity curve foundational movement foundationofstrength french contrast training fueling strategy full-body strength functional range conditioning functional strength gains genetic predisposition genetics genetics in sports gift ideas for fitness enthusiasts giving back global perspective global wrestling glute activation goal achievement goal setting grappler endurance grappler training grapplers grappling grappling myths grappling strength grappling techniques grip grip exercises grip improvement grip strength grip strength exercises growth mindset guard mobility gym diet gym efficiency gym habits gym training gym workouts gymnastics progressions habit formation habits hand exercises hand health hand protection hand strength hand strength assessment hand strength exercises head injuries healing health discipline health preservation health technology healthcare professionals healthy eating healthy habits healthy holidays healthy lifestyle healthy living healthyeating heart rate heart rate monitors heart rate zones heat acclimation with sauna heat therapy for muscle recovery heavy bag workouts help others high altitude chambers high mileage high-intensity training historical feats history history of supplements holiday eating holiday fitness shopping list holiday fitness tips holiday health holiday indulgences holiday nutrition holiday season holiday stress holiday wellness holidays holistic development holistic fitness holistic nutrition home gym equipment home post how to prepare for a fight human strength hydration hydration benefits hydration strategies hydrogen water ice bath recovery time ice bath temperature for athletes ice baths ice baths and immune system ice baths for athletes impact of supplements improve technique increase strength incredible strength individualized workouts inflammation information overload injury injury management injury prevention injury risk inmate strength inner critic intensity intermittent fasting international wrestler interval workouts jiu jitsu jiu jitsu exercises jiu jitsu workout jiu-jitsu jiu-jitsu recovery jiu-jitsu strength training jiu-jitsu techniques jiu-jitsu training joint flexibility joint health joint mobility jumping kettlebell kettlebell exercises kettlebell workouts kickboxing kids fitness kinetic chain knee health knee injuries knockout power knockout punch labor-intensive work lat pull-down lean muscle learning styles leg strength leg strength for boxers legends lifelong success lifestyle changes lifestyle habits lift speed lightning-fast kicks loaded carries long-term athletic development long-term benefits losing weight lower body training macronutrient balance magnesium making weight martial arts martial arts conditioning martial arts fitness martial arts strength training martial arts wellness masters athletes masters bjj masters division fitness masters jiu jitsu masters-aged grapplers meal planning medicine ball mental mental conditioning mental fortitude mental health mental health in sports mental preparation mental resilience mental resilience in sports mental skills training mental strategies mental strength mental stress mental toughness mental training mental training for athletes mental well-being mind game in sports mind-body connection mind-body wellness mind-muscle connection mindfulness mindfulness in sports mindset mindset training mineral water mixed martial arts mixed martial arts training tips mma mma cardio mma cardio workout mma conditioning drills mma conditioning routine mma exercises mma meal plan mma nutrition mma performance mma recovery mma recovery techniques mma strength and conditioning mma strength training mma training mma weight training mma workout routine mobility mobility and flexibility modern athletes modern boxers momentum monastic wisdom motivation movement patterns muay thai conditioning multi-plane exercises muscle building muscle building foods muscle development muscle growth muscle maintenance muscle recovery muscle soreness muscle soreness and ice baths muscle strengthening natural athletes nature's healing ncaa neck health neck strength neck strength and concussion prevention negative effects of weight cutting new goals news nitrate nootropics nutrient-dense foods nutrient-rich foods nutrition nutrition for athletes nutrition for fighters nutrition for young athletes nutrition tips olympic weightlifting omega-3 omega-3 fatty acids optimal performance outdoor outdoor recovery overall health overcoming challenges overcoming excuses overcoming fear overcoming limitations overcoming obstacles overtraining parasympathetic dominance passion peak athletic performance peak performance peaking peaking strategies peds peptides performance performance enhancement performance impairment performance metrics performance nutrition performance optimization performance testing performance-enhancing drugs periodization perseverance personal development ph water philanthropy physical activities physical activity physical challenges physical conditioning physical demands physical development physical fitness physical health physical matchups physical preparation physical stress physical training plyometric exercises plyometrics positive self-talk positive teammates post-training recuperation post-workout post-workout ice bath post-workout recovery posture power power generation power lifting powerlifting pre-competition routine pre-competition strategies pre-supplementation preparation pressure prison workouts probiotics professional fighting progressive overload proper nutrition protein protein for fighters protein intake psychology pull downs pull ups pull-ups punching accuracy punching power punching technique punching techniques quality sleep quality vs quantity range of motion reaction time reaction times recognition recovery recovery habits recovery methods recovery nutrition recovery science recovery strategies recovery techniques recreational athlete recreational athletes recreational boxing rehydration rejuvenation relaxation techniques repetitions resilience resistance to change resistance training rest rest and recovery rest and rejuvenation rest day rest days rib cage rice method rock climbing rope climbing rotational exercises running sacrifice safe weight loss safety sauna sauna and cardiovascular health sauna and ice baths sauna and stress reduction sauna benefits for recovery sauna for endurance athletes sauna therapy for athletes sauna use for muscle recovery saunas schedule scientific strategies screen time sedentary lifestyle sedentary lifestyles self-care habits self-compassion self-control self-defense self-sabotaging habits senior athlete training shadow boxing shoulder blade movement shoulder exercises shoulder health shoulder strength shoulders signs of overtraining sleep sleep duration sleep for recovery sleep optimization sleep quality snatch social challenges social media sparring tips speed speed and agility speed and power speed and power training speed training sports sports injuries sports nutrition sports odyssey sports performance sports psychology sports science sports supplements sports vision training sprinting stability stamina stamina improvement staying focused steam room steroids strategic meal planning strategic workouts strengh strength strength & conditioning strength & conditioning for combat athletes strength and conditioning strength and endurance strength and power strength and technique balance strength building diet strength coaching strength exercises strength exercises for mma fighters strength feats strength for mma strength maintenance strength training strength training for boxers strength training for jiu-jitsu strength training myths strength training over 40 strength training principles strength training psychology strength work strength workouts for grapplers strengthcoach strengthening exercises stress stress management stretches for bjj stretching stretching exercises striking strong cultures success sugar supplement guide for mma supplement industry supplements supplements for athletes supplements for brain health support system surfing takedowns targeting team dynamics technique technology technology impact time management top-rated exercise gear toughness tournament readiness track workouts for fighters" tags: combat sports training training balance training blocks training camp training challenges training consistency training efficiency training innovation training intensity training methods training optimization training plan training plans training recovery training regimen training routines training schedule training strategies training stress training techniques training tips training to failure training volume training volume and intensity triumph through adversity twice-a-day workouts unconventional training unilateral training untapped potential us presidents usada vertical pull exercises visualization techniques visualizing success vitamin d volunteer wada warm up warm ups warm-up and cooldown warm-up exercises warm-up techniques warrior mentality water intake water types weigh in weigh-ins weight class weight classes weight cutting weight cutting methods weight cutting safety weight gain weight lifting weight loss weight loss strategies weight management weight-cutting guidelines weightlifting well-being well-being tips wellness whey protein women in jiu-jitsu women's fitness work-life balance workout workout for older adults workout intensity workout nutrition workout optimization workout plans workout recovery workout revolution workout routine workout tips workout variation workout volume workouts wrestlers wrestling wrestling champions wrestling conditioning workouts wrestling games wrestling strength training wrestling techniques wrestling tips wrestling workout plan wrestling workouts wrist alignment wrist safety wrist strength young athlete's diet youth youth athlete development youth athletes youth grapplers youth sports youth sports coaching youth wrestling