BJJ Solo Drills To Improve Your Game
Regularly attending BJJ classes and being consistent without taking long breaks is a recipe for success. However, a dedicated practitioner can significantly boost their progress and overall game by doing BJJ solo drills outside of the gym at home.
The following drills and exercises are aimed at targeting specific muscle groups to improve your muscle memory, range of motion, and overall technique. You don’t need any gear for these workouts, though a grappling dummy or a heavy bag would be a plus.
Shrimping
Start lying on your back, then push off with your feet and hips to create space, mimicking the movement of escaping from under an opponent’s control. Practising shrimping at home is a great way to reinforce your technique and improve your mobility when you can’t make it to the gym.
Find a clear area in your home with enough space to lie down and perform the movement without obstacles. A carpeted area or a yoga mat can provide some cushioning.
Before starting your drills, it’s essential to warm up your body to prevent injuries. Perform some light cardio exercises like jumping jacks or jogging in place to get your blood flowing and loosen up your muscles.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Then, perform sets of shrimping repetitions, pushing off explosively with your feet and hips to create space, and moving your hips and shoulders laterally.
- Practice shrimping both forward and backwards, aiming for smooth and controlled movements.
Experiment with different variations of the shrimp drill to challenge yourself and target specific aspects of your technique. For example, you can practice shrimping while keeping your arms folded across your chest or holding a towel overhead to simulate controlling an opponent’s posture.
Hip Escapes
Practising hip escapes, also known as hip heists or hip bumps at home, is an excellent way to improve your BJJ skills, especially in situations where you need to create space and escape from bad positions.
Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Imagine an opponent on top of you, pinning you down in side control or mount position. To practice hip escapes:
- Engage your core muscles to stabilize your body.
- Bridge your hips upward by pushing through your feet, lifting your buttocks off the ground.
- Simultaneously, shrimp or slide your hips to one side, creating space between you and your imaginary opponent.
- Plant one foot firmly on the ground and extend your other leg, driving your hip away from your opponent.
- Continue to push and slide until you’ve created enough space to recover guard or escape to a more favourable position.
- Reverse the movement to return to the starting position, then practice on the other side.
Perform sets of hip escape repetitions, focusing on smooth and controlled movements. Start with a manageable number of repetitions and gradually increase as you become more comfortable with the technique.
Bridge and Roll
Lie on your back, bridge up onto your shoulders, and then roll over one shoulder onto your stomach. This simulates escaping from mount or side control.
Start by lying flat on your back with your arms close to your body and your knees bent, feet flat on the ground.
- Engage your core muscles and drive through your heels to bridge your hips upward, lifting your buttocks off the ground.
- Fully extend your feet to come all the way on your toes for maximum force. Your weight should be supported on your shoulders and feet.
- Once you’ve bridged up onto your shoulders, initiate the roll by turning your body to one side, aiming to roll over one shoulder onto your stomach.
- As you roll, tuck your chin to your chest to protect your neck and maintain control of the movement.
- Extend your arms to brace yourself as you complete the roll, landing on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you.
- Reverse the movement to return to the starting position, then practice rolling to the other side.
As you practice, visualize yourself executing the bridge and roll technique effectively against a resisting opponent. Imagine the sensation of escaping from mount or side control and regaining a more advantageous position.
Shadow Rolling
Shadow rolling, also known as solo drilling or imaginary rolling, is an excellent way to improve your BJJ skills at home when you don’t have a training partner available The key is to visualize an opponent’s movements and practice flowing through various position, transitions, and submissions as if you were rolling with a partner.
- Start flowing through various positions and transitions as if you were rolling with a partner. Practice transitioning between different guards (e.g., closed guard, open guard, butterfly guard) and working your way to dominant positions.
- Practice defending against imaginary attacks and escaping from bad positions using proper technique.
- Adjust the speed and intensity of your shadow rolling drills based on your skill level and fitness level. Start with slow and controlled movements to focus on the technique. Then gradually increase the speed and intensity as you become more comfortable.
- Repeat the shadow rolling drills multiple times, focusing on different techniques and scenarios each time.
Granby Roll
Practising the Granby Roll at home is an effective way to improve your mobility, guard recovery, and escape skills in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to practice it:
Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Choose a direction to roll (either left or right) and begin by shifting your weight slightly to one side.
- Plant your hand firmly on the ground and tuck your chin to your chest as you initiate the roll.
- Roll over your shoulder in the direction you chose, using your momentum to carry you through the roll.
- As you roll, kick your legs over your head and extend your hips to complete the rotation.
- Land on your opposite hip and shoulder, facing the direction you rolled, with your legs extended and your hips off the ground.
- Reverse the movement to return to the starting position, then practice rolling to the other side.
Experiment with different variations of the Granby Roll drill. For example, you can practice Granby Rolls with your arms folded across your chest or with your hands framing an imaginary opponent’s hips.
Sprawls
Doing sprawl drills is a great way to improve your takedown defense and transition skills. To practice sprawling:
- Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands up in a defensive position.
- Visualize an opponent shooting in for a takedown towards your legs.
- As your opponent initiates the takedown attempt, quickly step one leg back and drop your hips towards the ground.
- Simultaneously, drive your hips forward and down while extending your legs behind you, aiming to land your weight on top of your opponent’s upper body.
- Keep your chest and hips heavy on your opponent to prevent them from completing the takedown.
- After sprawling, quickly return to your feet by bringing your legs back underneath you and pushing off the ground with your hands.
- Practice transitioning into a dominant position on the ground, such as moving into side control or securing a front headlock.
Incorporate sprawl drills into your home training routine regularly to reinforce your muscle memory and improve your ability to defend against takedowns in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Technical Stand-up
Practicing the technical stand-up at home is a fundamental drill that helps improve your ability to stand up from a seated position while maintaining balance and control.To practice the technical stand-up:
- Start in a seated position on the ground with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor, knees pointed upward.
- Plant one hand firmly on the ground next to your hip for support.
- Push off the ground with your planted hand and foot on the same side, lifting your hips off the ground.
- At the same time, bring your other foot underneath you and plant it on the ground, using it to support your weight as you transition to a kneeling position.
- From the kneeling position, continue to push off the ground with your hand and foot to stand up, keeping your weight centred and your posture upright.
- Once standing, maintain your balance and control by engaging your core muscles and keeping your knees slightly bent.
- Reverse the movement to return to the seated position, then practice standing up from the other side.
By dedicating time and effort to practicing the technical stand-up at home, you’ll develop the skills necessary to regain your feet when your opponent is on top of you, ultimately enhancing your overall grappling proficiency.
Wrestler’s sitouts
Including wrestlers’ sit-outs in your home training routine can further enhance your grappling skills and ability to escape from bottom positions. To practice wrestlers’ sitouts:
- Start in a seated position on the ground with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor, knees pointed upward.
- Choose a side to perform the sit-out towards (left or right).
- Plant one hand firmly on the ground behind you, slightly to the side opposite the direction you’re sitting out.
- As you sit out towards the chosen side, shift your weight onto your planted hand and lift your hips off the ground.
- Swing your legs in the direction of the sit-out, aiming to bring your hips through and facing the opposite direction.
- Continue to push off the ground with your hand and drive your hips forward until you’re in a position to stand up or transition to a more favourable position.
- Reverse the movement to return to the starting position, then practice sit-outs towards the other side.
