Best Stretches for Jiu Jitsu (Better Mobility & Flexibility)

Whether you’re new to jiu-jitsu or a seasoned practitioner, frequent stretching exercises should be included in your regimen, particularly after each training session. These stretches will not only increase your flexibility but also your confidence while performing BJJ movements and techniques from various positions.

The lunge-hip flexor stretch, lying hamstring stretch, crossover glute stretch, and overhead shoulder stretch are among the best stretches for Brazilian jiu-jitsu. These stretches will increase your flexibility to new levels and improve your training routine.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the finest Brazilian jiu-jitsu stretches. Prepare to take your workout regimen to the next level!

What Are the Best Stretches for Jiu-Jitsu?

Stretching is an important component of any physical exercise, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It increases flexibility, mobility, and overall performance while decreasing the chance of injury in BJJ.

The following are some of the finest Jiu-Jitsu stretches that any practitioner should know and perform more often.

Let’s start with some excellent hip stretching exercises for BJJ improvement.

Lunge Hip Flexor Stretch

The lunge hip flexor is one of the best stretches for BJJ that you should add to your flexibility routine. This fantastic Brazilian jiu-jitsu stretching exercise will help you to stretch out your hip flexor.

How to do the lunge hip flexor stretch? To perform the lunge hip flexor stretch, you need to follow the following steps:

  1. First, begin in a high kneeling position, with both knees on the mat.
  2.  Maintain the target stretching side down on the mat. Then, drive one foot of the other side ahead to form a lunge position and lead the second leg forward in the same direction.
  3. Make sure your upper body is nice and straight so that you are not leaning forward but rather keeping it up, and then bend forward with your hips until you feel a stretch across that area.
  4. Hold the exercise for seconds, then take a break and repeat it 2 to 3 times on each side. 

Consult the following video if you’re interested to learn more about doing the lunge hip flexor stretching exercise appropriately.

Source: AskDoctorJo

Hip Cars Stretch

The Hip Cars are among the best stretching exercises for Brazilian jiu-jitsu that you should add to your flexibility fitness routine. These fantastic BJJ stretches will help you to stretch your hip to improve hip mobility.

Moreover, CARs refer to Controlled Articular Rotations. Essentially, it works by moving the hip over its whole range of motion. This beautiful exercise will increase the hip’s mobility, strength, and stability while performing the different jiu-jitsu movements and techniques.  

How to perform the hip Cars movement? To achieve the hip Cars stretch, you need to follow the following steps:

  1. Start with your hands below your shoulder and your knee below your hips. Indeed, it would be best if you made a strong core brace by tightening everything down. 
  2. Then, You’ll start by raising your hip up and forward, then start rotating it high, all the way back into hip extension, and then back to the beginning.

Most importantly, make sure that you are not experiencing any discomfort when stretching your hip to its maximum range of motion. Otherwise, you can learn more about doing appropriate Hip Cars stretching exercises in the following video.

Source: Tangelo – Seattle Chiropractor + Rehab

90/90 Hip Stretch

The 90/90 hip stretch is another excellent stretch for BJJ hip mobility and flexibility. It is a famous stretching exercise where your hips should be at a 90-degree angle with your feet flat on the jiu-jitsu mat or a chair.

Indeed, the 90/90 hip stretch rotates the hip both externally and internally.

How to achieve the 90/90 hip stretch? To complete the 90/90 Hip Stretching exercise, you need to follow the following steps:

  1. Achieve the 90/90 position: Lead your leg in front of you and bent to 90 degrees at the knee. Then, align it with the back of your heel. Similarly, the trail leg should be to the side and bent at 90 degrees, with its heel matching up with the heel of the rear leg.
  2. Stretch your back, make an effort to have your belly button reaching above your knee. Leaning forward while holding your torso up in the air throughout the movement will lead to a deep stretch. The gluteus minimus muscle is what you’re stretching in this position.

The following video may help you so far perform this fantastic jiu-jitsu stretch exercise.

90/90 Trail Leg Stretch

The 90/90 trail leg stretch is a fantastic stretch movement performed from the 90/90 core position. So, from there, continue to work on the trail leg to improve your internal hip rotation (See the following video for more detail).

The 90/90 trail leg stretch is a great sign of how well your hips are doing, and it will help you gain more hip mobility and flexibility.

However, Suppose you are unable to perform this stretch properly or have pinching discomfort when performing it. In that case, you should consult with an expert to assist you in doing the exercise correctly.

Hinge Stretch

The hinge stretch is another tremendous stretching move that can be performed from the 90/90 core position. So, from there, you should keep a steady weight distribution on your back leg. Then, post up on your toes and open up the leg wide.

But, make sure to maintain the lead leg down for as long as possible Make a downward motion with your toes and lift your leg to bring your hip back into internal alignment.

Afterward, do a 90/90 transfer to be in the same place as before but on the other side.

In the following video, Dr. Andreo Spina Teaches you in-depth about how to perform correctly 90/90 hip stretch90/90 trail leg stretch, and hinge stretch.

Source: Onnit

The hip stretches suggested above will help open up your hips and increase your lower back and hips’ range of motion. As you may be aware, the hip plays an important part in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Therefore, it is virtually always employed while completing a jiu-jitsu technique.

Cool! Now, let’s take a glance at some fantastic hamstring stretching exercises for more flexibility training in jiu-jitsu martial arts.

Lying Hamstring Stretch

The lying hamstring stretch is one of the best stretches for BJJ that you should add to your flexibility routine. This fantastic Brazilian jiu-jitsu stretching exercise will help you stretch out your hamstring muscles (semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris).

Therefore, you’ll improve your jiu-jitsu performance on the mats injury-free. 

How to perform the lying hamstring stretch? To complete the lying hamstring stretch, you need to follow the following steps:

  1. Repose down on the mat with your legs completely spread out in front of you. 
  2. Grab the back of the target knee leg to stretch with both hands and bring it up toward your chest. If you find it challenging to do the stretch properly with your hands, you may use a towel or your BJJ belt to aid you.
  3. Hold it for 10–30 seconds, and then repeat the process with the opposite leg.

Learn more on how to perform the lying hamstring stretch appropriately in the following video.

Source: Howcast

Sitting Hamstring Stretch

The sitting hamstring stretch is another excellent stretch for jiu-jitsu to stretch your hamstring muscles. Sure, you’re wondering about how to perform the sitting hamstring stretch correctly? 

  1. Begin from a sitting position. For example, to stretch your right leg, your left leg should be bent at the knee, and your foot pointed in.
  2. Then, extend your right leg but just slightly bowed at the knee.
  3. Bend forward at the waist, being careful to maintain a straight back at all times.
  4. Hold it for 10–30 seconds, and then redo the process with the opposite leg.
  5. Repeat the process two to three times.

Receive more details on how to perform the sitting hamstring stretching exercise correctly in the following video.

Source: AskDoctorJo

Hamstring stretches may help to maintain flexible hamstrings and improve hip flexibility and range of motion. As a result, you’ll enhance your Brazilian jiu-jitsu performance and avoid some common BJJ injuries, such as lower back pain.

Cool! Now, let’s take a glance at some fantastic glute stretching exercises for more flexibility training in jiu-jitsu martial arts.

Crossover Glute Stretch

The crossover glute stretch is one of the most effective stretches for Brazilian jiu-jitsu. So, it should be a part of your regular flexibility routine as well.

You’ll develop flexible and powerful glutes by doing this tremendous Brazilian jiu-jitsu stretching workout.

Sure, you’re wondering about how to perform the crossover glute stretching exercise correctly? 

  1. Rest down on your back with your knees raised.
  2. Lift one leg over the other leg to reach the starting point position.
  3. Raise your uncrossed leg until you feel a stretch in the opposite glute.
  4. Hold it for 10–30 seconds, and then repeat the process with the opposite leg.
  5. Repeat the process two to three times.

Get more help on how to perform the crossover glute stretch appropriately in the following video.

Source: Nuffield Health

Seated Glute Stretch

The seated glute stretch is another excellent stretching exercise for tight glute muscles that can be done while sitting. So, you can perform it in various ways, including sitting on a chair or just sitting on a yoga BJJ mat.

The seated glute stretches will straighten your glutes, as well as your hips and lower back. The following video presents amazing seated glute stretching sequences that you should consider.

Source: Back Intelligence

Glutes are a set of muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minor) that are linked to bones in your hips, back, legs, etc. As a result, if your glutes are tight, you may experience tension while performing some BJJ grappling techniques and submissions.

Perfect! Now, let’s take a glance at some fantastic upper body stretches targeting the shoulder, the upper back, and the neck to gain more flexibility or release tightness in that area.

Overhead Shoulder Stretch

The overhead shoulder stretch is one of the best stretches for BJJ that you should add to your flexibility routine. This fantastic Brazilian jiu-jitsu stretching exercise will help you stretch out your upper body, including the shoulder, the neck, etc.

The following video presents astonishing overhead shoulder stretching sequences with helpful explanations to avoid common mistakes.

Source: [P]Rehab

Child’s Pose Stretch

The child’s pose stretch is one of the best stretches for BJJ that will assist you in improving shoulder and upper body mobility and reduce pain in that area. Therefore, you should add it to your flexibility routine, especially after training sessions. 

Learn more about the proper way to perform the child’s pose stretching exercise in the following video.

Source: Vive Health

Thread the Needle Stretch

The thread-the-needle stretch is one of the most effective shoulders stretches for jiu-jitsu practitioners. It will aid you in increasing shoulder mobility while also decreasing pain. As a result, it should be included in your flexibility workout, particularly after training sessions.

In the following video, you will learn more about the thread the needle stretching exercise.

Source: Solving Pain With Strength w/ Dr. Carl Baird

Quadrupled T-Spine Rotations

The quadruped thoracic rotation might assist you in increasing the mobility and flexibility of your thoracic spine. You can do the quadrupled t-spine stretches after Brazilian jiu-jitsu sessions.

Additionally, it is excellent for improving upper back, neck, and shoulder flexibility and pain reduction.

The next video demonstrates how to do quadrupled t-spine rotations exercises and provides valuable insights to assist you in avoiding making specific potentially harmful errors.

Source: Vive Health

Pretzel Stretch

The Pretzel stretching exercise is one of the best t-spine, and hip stretches for Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners. It will aid you in increasing hip and upper-body mobility and flexibility. As a result, you should include it in your stretching workout routine, particularly after training sessions.

The next video demonstrates how to do the pretzel stretch and provides valuable insights to assist you in making the movements correctly without harmful mistakes.

Source: Zack Henderson

Neck Stretches

The neck is one of the most often attacked body regions in Brazilian jiu-jitsu since most fighters prefer to go for choke submissions. As a result, you must increase your neck resistance to sustain the discomfort caused by those BJJ techniques.

Stretches such as chin tucks, ear-to-shoulder stretch, smell your armpit stretch, and neck rotation stretch are all effective in relieving neck tension and improving its resistance.

As you watch the following video, you’ll discover a series of neck stretches that you should include in your regular BJJ stretching workout routine.

Source: Tone and Tighten

Perfect! Now, let’s take a glance at some fantastic wrist stretching exercises for more flexibility training BJJ grappling.

Hand and Wrist Stretches

The hand and wrist are among the most used body joints in Brazilian jiu-jitsu since most fighters use grips to perform different techniques. As a result, you must improve your wrist’s resistance and sustain pain after every BJJ training session using stretching exercises.

In the following video, you’ll discover a series of hand and wrist stretches that you should include in your regular jiu-jitsu stretching workout routine.

Source: Calisthenicmovement

Final Thoughts

As a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner, your body will move in unique ways compared to regular motions since it will experience many positions, poses, and techniques.

A good stretching routine will prepare your body for all these strange movements and also prevent injuries. Moreover, flexibility and stretching for BJJ are crucial in enhancing your grappling and staying healthy and injury-free to have a long training career in the sport.

We hope this Brazilian jiu-jitsu article will help you on improving your flexibility and mobility. Therefore, you’ll be able to perform the different techniques and submissions in a proper manner and thus improve your game so far.

Speak your mind; What is your favorite BJJ stretching routine?

Frequently Asked Questions

Does BJJ Increase Flexibility?

BJJ is a superb ground-fighting lifestyle that enhances the flexibility of its practitioners. Multiple Brazilian jiu-jitsu techniques will open up your hips and legs, including guard position techniques, etc.

However, an effective stretching routine is vital if the objective is to compete or to learn the most difficult BJJ techniques like the rubber guard, etc.

What Are The Best BJJ Stretches For Beginners?

Implementing stretches into your training routine, you will be able to improve your performance while reducing your chance of injury.

The following video walks you through a basic stretching regimen created exclusively for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, including:

  1. Hip Flexor Opener
  2. Butterfly Stretch
  3. V Hamstring Stretch
  4. Pigeon Stretch
  5. Seated Hip Twist Stretch
  6. Seated Internal Rotation Stretch
  7. Childs Pose
  8. Frog Stretch
  9. Lying Crossover Stretch
Source: Lu Strength & Therapy

What’s The Best Post-Training Stretching Routine?

Source: Breathe and Flow

What Are The Best Stretches For BJJ Recovery?

Source: Chewjitsu

Best Stretches To Improve Hip Mobility?

Source: AskDoctorJo

Best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Shoulder Stretches?

  1. Lat Stretch
  2. Posterior Capsule
  3. Pec Stretch
  4. External Rotation Stretch (preventing Americana submission injuries)
  5. Internal Rotation Stretch (preventing Kimura Submission injuries)
Source: The Jiu-Jitsu Therapist