Conor Adams

High reps build fatigue resistance, not maxinal force production.

The Tank is a beast. No doubting his technical skill on the mats. His training off the mats is extremely complimentary to intense, sustained efforts. You’ll see him doing a lot of conditioning and lifting lighter loads at high speeds for high reps.

This isn’t bad training, it’s just that it shouldn’t dominate a program. Muscular endurance is a good attribute to have as a wrestler, but so is absolute strength.

And building it is best accomplished under a heavy barbell. I didn’t see much of that here. My assumption is that he still does high quality strength training. It just may not all be filmed for the glitz and glamour of social media, and that’s ok.

What matters most is performance, and he isn’t lacking there. He is one of the best wrestlers of all time and what he’s doing works for him.

But remember, what works for the best isn’t always best for the rest.

Sadulaev Abdulrashid

Weak things break.

One of the most important aspects of the weightroom that enables better performance and more injury resistance is predictability.

You're in complete control over what you put on the bar and what range of motion you hit. Dose it all correctly and you're adding a protective layer to that meat suit of yours while making it stronger and more prepared for your grappling sport of choice.

Sports are chaotic and you just can't anticipate every move that's coming at you. And the weaker you are, the more fragile you are. Make your weakness a thing of the past.

I don't care what minority example you show me of the very few high level athletes that don't lift.

What's good for the best isn't always best for the rest. But what is good for the majority is leaving no stone unturned and making sure you're not the weakest in your weight class.

dominated the Judo scene for his technical skill. But he also didn’t short change himself off the mats. He focused on basic movement patterns that allowed him to develop and enhance the physical qualities needed for Judo- strength and power.

This is how it’s done. There’s been nothing new in strength training for decades now. The basics are run, jump, throw, squat, hinge, press, pull, lunge, and rotate. Get strong in those, and moving your body or other bodies through space becomes easier.

You also get the added benefit of developing more resilient and robust connective tissues like tendons and ligaments, which are routinely subject to abuse in grappling sports.

Weak things break.

Follow for more grappling strength & conditioning

One of the biggest mistakes you're probably still making...
..is thinking that bjj class and some LISS is enough to make you prepared for high level competition.

I was guilty of this too. I thought "Oh, it's a running event. I can simply run more." I wasn't lacking in miles. I was lacking in true speed work and desperately needed intervals. They're easy for everyone to ignore because, well, they suck and they're miserable 😅

There's some Navy lore for ya lol.

But often times, the thing you're looking for is on the other side of some discomfort. So if the thing you want and know you need is to push a faster pace time and time again, well my friend, you need to visit those paces more frequently.

Here's some example intervals that will rock your world:

1️⃣ 10s on 50s off
2️⃣ 15s on 45s off
3️⃣ 30s on 30s off
4️⃣ 30s on 60s off

1️⃣ & 2️⃣ should be treated as all out sprints. Repeat for 4-6 rounds. When that 6th round becomes well tolerated, take a long rest (5min) and try to hit another couple reps. Lots of ways to approach this. Ask questions in the comments.

3️⃣ & 4️⃣ Should be treated slightly different. Instead of an all out max effort, you'll need to find a maximum sustainable pace. Do your best not to let that pace drop for each subsequent round. I prefer to just hit a total number of rounds here and gradually increase those rounds over time.

Save this post. Send it to a homie who keeps gassing. And, of course, follow your boy.

Who knew straps would be so polarizing in 2026.

Your legs and back are capable of doing so much more than your hands will allow. That doesn’t mean you lack permission to lift heavier just bc your hands can’t keep up.

The deadlift isn’t a grip strengthening lift even if some level of improved grip strength is a by-product.

You do positional sparring to eliminate the worry about other positions and instead focus on the one thing you’re drilling. Straps are no different- only they’re not trying to pass guard.

Straps are the positional sparring of the weightroom.

📹Honorable hoister spotted- Roman Mori
📹Closed gward offender- Alex Sterner, CSCS | BJJ Strength Coach
📹Opening clip is of lifetime natural bodybuilder and California Judo Champion Mike O'Hearn who doesn’t like straps