Strength training for grappling is not about chasing numbers in the gym or trying to look good on the beach. It’s about building a body that can handle the demands of combat — the throws, the scrambles, the pressure, the endless grind of a match or a roll. You’re not just lifting weights; you’re building the engine that keeps you going when your opponent fades.
Too many grapplers make the mistake of leaning too far to one side. Some spend all their energy in the weight room and forget that without timing, precision, and mat time, their strength means nothing. Others live on the mats, drilling and rolling nonstop, but never develop the horsepower to execute when they face someone stronger. The truth is simple: strength should support your grappling, not replace it. It has to make you sharper, faster, and harder to break.
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