Improve your Grip Strength for Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ): A Simple Guide
Every jiu-jitsu class has “that guy.” The one with the death grip. Feared by many and evaded by few. Maybe you’re that guy. Probably not, if you’re searching for ways to improve your grip strength for BJJ. It’s okay, you can become that guy. Read on to find out how.
What is Grip Strength?
Most people think of grip strength simply as hand strength. That’s part of it, but it’s not the whole picture. Similar to how the core includes more than just the abdominals, the grip involves the muscles from the elbow down to the fingertips. Many of the hand flexor and forearm muscles start above the elbow and pass through the forearms – including the often-neglected back of the forearms – and move down through the hand.
To put it simply, grip strength is how firmly you can hold onto things, and how heavy those things are.
Grip strength endurance is the ability to maintain grip strength over time. Unsurprisingly, grip strength endurance matters a lot in BJJ. We don’t want our grips to tax out before the fight is over. As the grip gets weaker or gives out, we’ll be less able to apply takedown or submission techniques. Research conducted at BJJ tournaments has found a 11%-16% decrease in grip strength from match to match.
Since the grip involves more than just the hand, training your grip strength has to go beyond squeezing tennis balls and specialized hand strength trainers.
How Important is Grip Strength in BJJ?
Studies comparing novice to expert BJJ athletes show that the experts had a higher grip strength than novices in both hands.
In jiu-jitsu, your grip strength and endurance will help you:
control your opponent
execute takedowns and submissions
last longer than your opponent in a match.
The benefits of grip strength extend beyond the mats, too. You might be surprised to learn that:
Grip strength is a strong predictor of overall muscle strength and endurance.
A study of 476,559 people found that grip strength accurately predicts cognitive function in both the general population and in those diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Several studies in older people have shown that grip strength is a strong and consistent predictor of mortality from all causes. That’s right, people with stronger grips live longer than those with weaker grips. The mechanisms behind this are unclear, but this may be the most compelling reason of all to work on your grip strength!
Types of Grip Strength Used in Jiu-Jitsu
Two of the main types of grip strength used in jiu-jitsu are crush grip strength and support grip strength.
Crush grip strength is the ability to squeeze something between your fingers and palm. It’s the type of grip strength you use during activities that require you to make a closed fist:
shaking hands
holding onto a dumbbell
climbing ropes
In BJJ: holding your opponent’s gi to control their position, take them down, or establish your guard.
Support grip strength determines how long you can hold on to a heavy object, and how heavy that object can be before it is torn from your grasp. Activities that require support grip strength include:
Carrying groceries or luggage
Rock climbing
Doing pull-ups or deadlifts
In BJJ: holding on to an opponent’s gi or arm while they are trying to break away from you
Do “types of grip strength” matter in jiu-jitsu?
These are not the only types of grip strength, but they are the ones most relevant to jiu-jitsu. You might hear about different types of grips that describe various hand and finger positions, but don’t overthink it. General grip strength translates to all the different types of grips. You don’t need to specifically train every configuration of your hand in order to develop grip strength.
You can train your grip strength with all the versatility you’ll ever need using the movement patterns described below.
How to Test Your Grip Strength
Whether you want to track your progress or you’re just curious, there are a few different ways to test your grip strength.
Method 1: Use a Grip Strength Dynamometer
Requires a hand dynamometer such as this one.
Note: This device is anecdotally proven to be the best way to start arguments and incite competition at parties.
Step 1: Bend your elbow at 90 degrees.
Step 2: Hold the testing area of the dynamometer by wrapping your fingers and thumb fully around the handle.
Step 3: *Don’t skip this step!!* Squeeze all of the muscles in your arm/your whole body. This is called “irradiation.” You can achieve greater grip strength by engaging the muscles around the ones typically used.
Step 4: Squeeze as hard as you can for about 5 seconds. The number on the display is your grip strength.
Step 5: Repeat on the other hand.
Pro-tip: If you want the most accurate number, do the test three times for each hand and take the average of those numbers. Studies have shown that the average of three trials is the most accurate measure of grip strength.
Method 2: Hang from a Pull-up Bar
Best for those with good overhead shoulder mobility, but no dynamometer.
Step 1: Start a timer.
Step 2: Hang from a pull-up bar for as long as you can.
Method 3: Hold Heavy Dumbbells
Best for those with limited overhead shoulder mobility and no dynamometer.
Step 1: Hold a heavy dumbbell in one hand
Step 2: See how long you can hold it before you have to stop.
How Does Your Grip Strength Measure Up?
Grip strength varies according to age, sex, and which hand is being tested. The following data on grip strength norms was established in 1985 in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. It’s still widely used by physical therapists and occupational therapists as a reference.
Both men and women tend to experience peak grip strength between ages 25 and 39.
Here are the grip strength norms for females, measured in pounds:
Ages 20-24: Right 55.9-84.9; Left 47.9-74.1
Ages 25-29: Right 60.6-88.4; Left 51.3-75.7
Ages 30-34: Right 59.5-97.9; Left 50.3-85.7
Ages 35-39: Right 63.3-84.9; Left 54.6-78
Ages 40-44: Right 56.9-83.9; Left 48.5-76.1
Ages 45-49: Right 47.1-77.3; Left 43.3-68.7
Ages 50-54: Right 53.9-77.4; Left 46.6-68
Ages 55-59: Right 44.8-69.8; Left 35.4-59.2
Ages 60-64: Right 45-65.2; Left 35.6-55.8
Ages 65-69: Right 39.9-59.3; Left 32.8-49.2
Ages 70-74: Right 37.9-61.3; Left 31.3-51.7
Ages 75+: Right 31.6-53.6; Left 28.7-46.5
Here are the grip strength norms for males, measured in pounds:
Ages 20-24: Right 100.4-141.6; Left 82.7-126.3
Ages 25-29: Right 97.8-143.8; Left 94.3-126.7
Ages 30-34: Right 99.4-144.2; Left 88.7-131.7
Ages 35-39: Right 95.7-143.7; Left 91.2-134.6
Ages 40-44: Right 96.1-137.5; Left 94.1-131.5
Ages 45-49: Right 86.9-132.9; Left 78-123.6
Ages 50-54: Right 95.5-131.7; Left 84.9-118.9
Ages 55-59: Right 74.4-127.8; Left 59.8-106.6
Ages 60-64: Right 69.3-110.1; Left 56.5-97.1
Ages 65-69: Right 70.5-111.7; Left 57-96.9
Ages 70-74: Right 53.8-96.8; Left 46.7-82.9
Ages 75+: Right 44.7-86.7; Left 38-72
How to Get Stronger Grips
If you only take away one thing from this article, let it be this: You don’t need to do grip-specific exercises. You just need to lift heavy stuff.
Lifting progressively heavier weights will improve your grip strength. Holding on to those weights for longer periods of time will improve your grip endurance.
The following exercises will help you build grip strength and endurance for BJJ.
Loaded Carries
Two-Arm Loaded Carry
Hold one dumbbell in each hand. Let your arms hang down by your side. Squeeze everything through your core, bracing as if someone is going to punch you. Squeeze your shoulder and arm. Walk slowly. Make sure the weights stay stable, and don’t swing your arms as you walk.
2-3 sets, 20 yards
Two-Arm Loaded Carry (Pinch Grip)
Pinch the edge of a weighted plate in each. Let your arms hang down by your side. Squeeze everything through your core, bracing as if someone is going to punch you. Squeeze your shoulder and arm. Walk slowly. Make sure the weights stay stable, and don’t swing your arms as you walk.
2-3 sets, 20 yards
One-Arm Loaded Carry
Hold a dumbbell in one hand by your side. Squeeze everything through your core, bracing as if someone is going to punch you. Squeeze your shoulder and arm. Walk slowly. Make sure the weight stays stable, and don’t lean over to either side as you walk.
2-3 sets, 20 yards
Two Arm Overhead/Suitcase Loaded Carry
With one hand, hold a kettlebell up in the air with your arm extended straight. With the other arm, hold another kettlebell down by your side. Walk. For an extra challenge on the bottom hand.
2-3 sets, 20 yards
Deadlifts
Note: For all deadlift variations described, imagine you’re squeezing tennis balls between your armpits. Create as much tension as you can without lifting the weight up off the ground. Brace your core. Push the ground away with your feet. Your hips and shoulders should rise simultaneously, not one before the other.
Barbell Deadlift
Position the bar so it’s touching your shins. Reach down and grab the bar. Make sure your shoulders are directly above your hands, with your hips down and chest up.
2-3 sets, 4-10 reps
Two Dumbbell Deadlift
Place two dumbbells on the floor in front of you. Hingeing at the hips, bend forward and pick them up. As you perform each rep, make sure your shoulders stay above the dumbbells, not behind. The dumbbells should stay very close to your shins.
2-3 sets, 4-10 reps
Kettlebell Deadlift
Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Place the kettlebell between your feet so the handle lines up with your ankles. Hingeing at the hips, bend forward and place your hands on the handle.
2-3 sets, 4-10 reps
Pull-ups and Chin-ups
Ring Eccentric Chin-up
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TJY8aIJhVwo
Position the ring so that the handle is just below collarbone height and grab the handles. Keeping your chin above your fists, sit your butt back like you’re sitting in a chair. Keep your torso vertical and lower yourself as slowly as you can while using your feet as little as you can to support your weight. Work towards doing it with your feet entirely off the ground.
2-3 sets, 3-5 reps
Chin-up
Grab the bar with your palms facing you, or on the neutral grip handles if you have them. Start from a dead hang, with your arms fully extended up over your head. Pull your chin up over the bar. Pull your shoulder blades down and back at the top.
2-3 sets, 3-10 reps
Weighted Chin-up
Same instructions as “chin-up” above, but add weight to your body. You can use a weight belt, dumbbell between your feet, or a small plate in your hoodie pocket (lol).
2-3 sets, 4-10 reps
Weighted Ring Chin-up
Same instructions as “weighted ring chin-up” above, but use rings. You can let your arms rotate as you go up and down.
2-3 sets, 4-10 reps
Pull-ups
Grab the bar with your palms facing away from you. Start from a dead hang, with your arms fully extended up over your head. Pull your chin up over the bar. Pull your shoulder blades down and back at the top.
2-3 sets, 4-10 reps
Weighted Pull-ups
Same instructions as “pull-ups” above, but add weight to your body. You can use a weight belt, dumbbell between your feet, or a small plate in your hoodie pocket (lol).
2-3 sets, 4-10 reps
Bonus: Use Fat Gripz
You can take your grip strength training further by using handles and bars with a larger circumference. Gripping a wider object challenges your grip more than a narrow object. Don’t worry, you don’t need to go buy all new barbells and custom-made kettlebells. You can add Fat Gripz to any bar to make it thicker. Add Fat Gripz to the bar for any of the above exercises to increase the difficulty.
Why You Don’t Need Gi Grip Exercises to Improve your Grip Strength for BJJ
You might have heard that you should be using a gi in the gym to train your grips. “Gi rows” and “gi pull-ups” seem like a logical choice to train your grip strength for BJJ, but they are completely unnecessary. They may even do more harm than good.
If you train BJJ in the gi, you’re gripping gis all the time. But just because you do something in a sport doesn’t mean you have to do it the exact same way in the gym. The gym is meant to supplement your training on the mats, not mimic it exactly. It’s meant to fill the gaps left by only training for one sport. Overtraining like this is one of the most common mistakes we see – and it can lead to injury and hinder your progress.
The Bottom Line
The “grip” involves muscles from the elbow down to the fingertips. Grip strength is how firmly you can hold onto things, and how heavy those things are. Grip strength endurance is the ability to maintain grip strength over time. In jiu-jitsu, grip strength and endurance will help you control your opponent, execute takedowns and submissions, and last longer than your opponent in a match.
The best way to improve your grip strength is to lift heavy items for sustained periods. You don’t need to do exercises that require you to grip a gi in the weight room. This can lead to overtraining and injury.
Want more help to develop stronger grips? Book a free strategy session with Victory Submission Strength today. We’ll get you started on your personalized, proven path to winning more matches and getting injured less, so you can keep doing what you love.
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