Grappling Shape - Stomach and Back

[YongChun]

For those of you who grapple, what minimum (non machine based) core exercises would you recommend so that people train their core muscles like back and stomach to prevent unecessary sprains, strains and back problems?

There are the standard crunches for the stomach and lying on the stomach with the hands behind the neck and lifting up.

An Olympic calibre Judo guy I know does a lot of Yoga to take care of this core type of training.

Ray

[anerlich]

Yoga, and Pilates stomach exercises, work very well for the type of core stregth required for hard grappling. The more challenging yoga poses, combined with proper breathing and the prpoerly applied bandhas, give a sort of coordinated strength difficult to come by by other means. And the flexibility and ability to breathe (or control the breath) in constricted positions that yoga provides is also invaluable.

Deadlifts are supreme for raw core strength. Kettlebell windmills and side presses are great exercises also, though with my damaged lumbar spine I can't go too heavy with them.

Planks front and side, supporting your self on one or both hands or elbows and feet and holding your body straight for time work pretty well too,

Most standard grappling drills (bridging, shrimping, sprawling, etc.) will also work your core.

[SevenStar]

pretty much everything he said.

[viper]

You might want to look at ssome of the stuf by mat furey very intresting comabat fitness are the titles of some of his books and vids. I usauly do prone bridge,supine bridge, v ups , leg lifts , oblique crunches I also have the one where i lie on my back with my legs straight bout 5 inches off the ground and my head and shoulder blades off and hold that one is good and as a lil extra i move my legs left and right and cross over. I also found doin the various hip escapes work really well to. For my back I lay on my weight bench put a belt round my feet put up to my pelvis off the bench and do back extensions ive been told the ones on the ground can injurie you dont qoute me on that though also hindu squats are really good for the lower back, reverse flys for upper and i think most of the other back exercises the other guys said.

[Nick Forrer]

In addition to what Andrew N said

Check out sonnons body flow or gymnastica natural

[Knifefighter]

Many of the popular "mass market" exercise programs such as Pilates are filled with high risk exercises that could potentially injure your back.

Your best bet is to have an indiviualized, progressive conditioning program developed for your own particular needs. Contact the the National Strength and Conditioning Association for a conditioning specialist in your area who understands specific sports conditioning and injury prevention.

BTW, Any supplemental conditioning/injury prevention program for grappling should include a conditioning program for the neck.

[AndrewS]

AndrewN,

when did you drink the k-bell koolaid? I'm getting back in touch with my bells right now, trying to improve my body comp and doing some S&C with a guy who just started training with me who hasn't done weights before. They are a great tool.

For core stuff- I'd add- squats of any flavor, particularly overhead squats, and any standing overhead work, esp. unilateral overhead work. I've heard a lot positive about sandbags and odd objects, too.

Frankly, I don't do a lot of direct 'ab' work. Heavy deads and squats plus my assist stuff seems to be taking care of that for me.

Dale,

Neck conditioning- are you talking helmet? Are you a bridging fan? I've been doing sled dragging with the rope around my forehead, which seems to keep my neck nice and strong (along with the power cleans and deads), without the stress neck bridging seems to put on it.

Andrew

[reneritchie]

I went to a Fabio Hollanda (BTT) seminar and he did a ton of conditioning drills based right off BJJ movements. Everything from hip-bumps for crunches, standing with someone in guard around you for squats, all sorts of passes turned into drills, swinging armbars, etc.

His students do a lot of that kind of stuff and they seem very well conditioned, and very slick with the moves.

Swiss balls seem popular too...

[couch]

Here's a great article about back pain and conditioning:

http://www.drbookspan.com/BackPainArticle.html

[jonp]

pilates dangerous?

tbh its some of the most relaxed and subtle exercise ive ever done.

get an instructor rather than imitate exercises that you find online though.

[Ultimatewingchun]

Prefer mainly lots of body weight exercises to build strength...Hindu pushups, Hindu squats, situps, neck bridges, pull-ups, chin-ups, etc. (sometimes do curls with free weights for the biceps)...and lots of stretching (including some yoga postures).

[Ultimatewingchun]

As to neck bridges...I am a living example of what can happen when you overdo it. Started with pains in the neck, and resulted in sharps pains in a muscle behind my right shoulder blade when touched - which started to totally affect my right arm and shoulder (pain) - including when I threw punches...right down to the lower back, butt, and into the groin. (Thought I had a hernia). But after many massages and two acupunture treatments - went back to the chiropractor (started all this "treatment" with him, but the neck was SO tight that it didn't help) - but his second adjustment did wonders for everything.

He pointed out that it all started with that huge tight lumped up muscle (tendon?) in the back of my neck on the right side.

I believe I got it from too many neck bridges.

Learned my lesson: can't push the envelope to "develop muscles" in the neck the way you might try to build biceps, pecs, or whatever. Whole different animal.

Now do neck bridges in moderation. Neck is stronger, and my bridges to get out from underneath being pinned down north-south, cross-side mounted, full mounted, head & armed, etc. are getting pretty good.