Today’s training tip is from Melissa Templeman, StrongFirst Elite and a black belt in both Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In her own words:
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Mel Templeman winning her latest gold
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Incorporate kettlebell get-ups in your regular routine, whether it is one of your main movements or a supplement to your main program.
Why the get-up?
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I. BJJ SPECIFIC MOBILITY AND STABILITY
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Going through so many angles while loaded overhead bestows wonderful carryover to the demands placed on our joints while sparring. You will enjoy:
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- Joints that are less submit-able, more stable under load, and resilient to injury;
- Single-arm posting power of a break dancer to resist your opponent's sweeps;
- Extended longevity of your practice by defying the characteristic upper belt "mileage" that accumulates on the shoulders and other joints.
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II. STRENGTH FOR GREAT MECHANICS ON THE MAT
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It was heavy getups that made it so "easy" to pick up both my bodyweight and my opponent's weight six times during the semifinal match at the last Masters’ Worlds. I needed to break her closed guard (a hold she had around my torso with her legs clamped tight). Doing those repeated lunges felt just like the heavy overhead lunges I do most days with my get-ups.
Other BJJ specific strength advantages include:
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- Unstoppable technical standup;
- Astonishing strength in tight positions like the combat stance, the "dog fight," and posting to the elbow;
- Feeling pound-for-pound strong in your weight division, especially when training heavy get-ups.
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Mel Templeman, StrongFirst Elite, Iron Maiden, “Sinister.”
Get coached by her at Oakland’s Most Powerful StrongFirst Accredited Gym.
OMP offers kettlebell and bodyweight classes for all levels,
online beginner kettlebell training, and training and programming for grapplers. |
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TIPS for getting the biggest bang for your buck from your TGU practice
1. Take time to own your reps. You cannot safely own heavier bells when simply "surviving" lighter bells. Make sure you are able to pause for at least one second in each position instead of rushing the rep. Form matters—just like it does when drilling proper BJJ techniques—so learn the proper get-up. Like in BJJ, the sloppier your get-up practice reps, the less they translate to a real time win when you need it the most.
2. Prepare your shoulders. I always go through the StrongFirst Armbar Series before I begin my heavy TGUs, as my shoulders are not always ready to jump right into heavy loads without additional warmup.
3. Incorporate the get-up into well-rounded programming that builds your body and joints up rather than tears them down. If you are looking for some grappler specific kettlebell programming, look no further than Pavel's Kettlebells StrongFirst online course! |
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Minimalist Kettlebell Training
for Maximal Results on the Mat
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