Martin Rooney, our physical conditioning columnist / GRACIEMAG archive photo

What do you feel counts more in Jiu-Jitsu—technique or strength?

The right answer is that they both count. The combination of strength and technique is vital for attaining tournament success, as well as for keeping amateur practitioners from suffering injuries.

“Power is a combination of force and speed. Without enough force, you are limited in your ability to generate power,” explains our columnist Martin Rooney, the author of the book “Training for Warriors”.

In the video below, trainer of the stars Martin and his understudy Ricardo Cachorrão demonstrate how to fuse weight training and sprawl practice to ramp up your Jiu-Jitsu. The workout comes in handy if you’re looking to up your stamina and strengthen your back and legs, while giving you a break from run-of-the-mill weight-room routines.

As Martin explains, you don’t have to start heavy right off the bat. Start light and gradually work your way up.

And don’t forget, Martin Rooney shares his discoveries in GRACIEMAG every month. Subscribe here to stay in the loop.