Everyone’s Least Favorite Part of Class…
Why We Still Do Warm-Ups in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Class
I’ve seen a lot of talk online criticizing BJJ gyms for making students warm up, and I want to take a moment to address it. The argument usually goes that students are paying for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instruction, not “crappy calisthenics.” And that’s 100% true—if your warm-up is just squats, jumping jacks, or jogging in circles, that’s not valuable BJJ training time.
But here’s the flip side: most people train BJJ as their primary fitness activity. While I’m not trying to make you a better athlete through warm-ups alone (remember: timing beats speed, precision beats power, and technique beats athleticism), my job as a coach is to make sure you can perform the basic movements and stay injury-free.
That’s why we do about five minutes of line drills—especially in our All Levels class, where we start with takedowns. A short, focused warm-up helps your body prepare for training and keeps you healthy.
Why These Line Drills Matter
I put a lot of thought into the specific BJJ warm-up drills I choose. Depending on the techniques we’re learning that week, I might make small adjustments. For example, if we’re working throws or foot sweeps—where the odds of landing on your back are higher—I’ll swap Granbys for breakfalls to protect your body.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the key drills we use and why.
Shrimps & Reverse Shrimps
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is tough—especially at first. The first major thing you learned as a human was how to get up off the ground. Now, I’m asking you to go back to the ground and move while someone’s trying to stop you.
Shrimps and reverse shrimps teach you to move your hips effectively while building the core strength, coordination, and muscle memory that drive almost every BJJ escape or transition.
Twisties
My favorite warm-up movement. Twisties are a solid core exercise that combine isometrics and rotational force generation. They not only strengthen your core and protect your spine, but also build the ability to generate torque—the same kind of pressure you need for powerful submissions.
Granbys
Even if you don’t use inversion in your jiu-jitsu game, someone will eventually force you into that position. Learning to safely invert (rolling over your shoulders) protects your neck and spine and helps loosen a stiff back—especially if you spend your day at a desk or in a car.
Knee Hops
I can’t make you an athlete in five minutes, but knee hops go a long way toward developing hip strength, hip flexor mobility, and explosiveness. Your hips are the strongest part of your body—it’s why movements like deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and cleans are so powerful. Strong hips mean stronger pressure and better control in grappling.
Shin Boxes
There’s no better dynamic drill for hip mobility. Sitting in a 90/90 position and driving your hips up and over your leading shin, then swinging your trail leg all the way to the front position and then sitting back down builds internal and external hip rotation, flexion, and extension. Open, mobile hips make your jiu-jitsu movements smoother and more efficient.
Additional Line Drills
Depending on what we’re working on that week, I might rotate in other movements like shots, breakfalls, or back rolls. Most of these are about safety—learning to level change correctly, roll over your shoulder, or fall without injury are all essential skills for anyone training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Final Thoughts
So yes, I make my students do line drills to warm up—and for good reason. They’re good for your body, good for your BJJ technique, and they help you train safely in a combat sport as demanding as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.