The Submission Specialist Protocol
The Blueprint for Wrestlers, Jiu Jitsu Players & Grappling Athletes.
Grappling forges a physique that cannot be replicated in commercial gyms.
If you’ve taken the leap few men dare, you’ve felt it.
That moment when your muscles scream for mercy, but your opponent still presses you with unrelenting pressure.
When your lungs burn as if you have volcanic ash inside of your ribcage, but the round is only half way through.
When your grip starts to fail, but letting go means you lose your offensive position.
Grappling teaches you more about physical & mental durability than any textbook or motivation video could ever provide.
Wrestlers are arguably the Crème de la crème of athletes.
Think about it, the best athlete is whoever the best fighter is.
Wrestlers have dominated the UFC octagon for the last 30 years.
Not only this, but they boast some of the most impressive physiques that come out of organised sports.
But here’s a dark truth most won’t tell you:
Grappling breaks unprepared bodies. It devours the unprepared. ACL & meniscus tears, shoulder dislocations & disc herniations plague so many grappling enthusiasts especially hobbyists.
For that reason, you face a choice. Forge a physique that can handle the demands of grappling, or be broken by it.
The reality is: every single day a grappler is limping off the mats, wondering if they can train tomorrow. Wondering if their bodies can keep up with their fighting spirit.
This doesn’t have to be you.
And what I will share with you is a protocol bespoke to submission specialists. I will give you an entire 12 week blueprint to maximise grappling performance & keep injuries at bay.
What you will learn will be a combination of a decade of experience in the injury & high performance field, coupled with what I have learnt from either consulting in or learning from high performance coaches in the UFC, ONE FC & Bellator MMA, plus many other smaller organisations.
Before we dive into the protocol, let’s cover the Anatomy of an Elite Grappler.
THE ANATOMY OF A GRAPPLER
Elite grapplers possess a physique that defies conventional athletic paradigms. While disciplines like Wrestling, BJJ, and Judo demand unique mastery, there are common physical traits that form the foundation of grappling excellence.
THE UNIQUE DEMANDS OF GRAPPLING
Grappling is predominately a grinding sport.
This means that the majority of the time you are resisting an external force (your opponent), at low-medium speeds (unless completing explosive take downs).
These demands differ greatly to the ballistic demands of strikers, and as a result, require a different emphasis on training compared to that of a striking athlete.
If you analyse the movements of grapplers it involves pushing, pulling, squeezing & manipulating your opponent.
As a result, the majority of our time outside of skills specific training should be spent on these following qualities:
MAXIMAL STRENGTH
Maximal strength is the peak force an athlete can generate in a single, all-out effort. It's typically measured through one-repetition maximum (1RM) lifts in compound movements like the squat, deadlift, and bench press.
Importance for Grapplers:
For elite grapplers, maximal strength isn't just beneficial—it's absolutely critical. Here's why:
Opponent Manipulation: Superior maximal strength allows you to move, lift, and control your opponent with significantly less effort. When you can deadlift 200kg, a 60kg opponent becomes inconsequential.
Energy Conservation: Greater strength means less energy expended on basic movements, allowing you to outlast and outperform less conditioned opponents.
Injury Prevention: High levels of maximal strength correlate with improved tendon and ligament durability, crucial for longevity in this punishing sport.
GRAPPLING STRENGTH STANDARDS
SQUAT (BUILD TO 1.5-2x BODYWEIGHT)
BENCH PRESS (BUILD TO 1.2-1.5x BODYWEIGHT)
DEADLIFT (BUILD TO 2-2.5x BODYWEIGHT)
EXPLOSIVE POWER
Explosive power, is the ability to exert maximal force in minimal time. It's the product of strength and speed, often measured through metrics like rate of force development (RFD) and expressed in movements like Olympic lifts, plyometrics, and ballistic exercises.
Importance for Grapplers:
For elite grapplers, explosive power isn't just an asset—it's a game-changing attribute. Here's why:
Takedown Superiority: Superior explosive power allows you to execute takedowns with devastating speed and force, overwhelming your opponent's defences.
Positional Transitions: Rapid, powerful movements enable you to capitalise on split-second opportunities, transitioning between positions faster than your opponent can react.
Scramble Dominance: In chaotic scramble situations, the more explosive grappler often emerges in the superior position.
Standing Grappling Advantage: Disciplines like wrestling and judo heavily reward explosive power, allowing you to control the pace and direction of standing exchanges.
Energy System Development: Training for explosive power enhances both anaerobic and aerobic energy systems, crucial for maintaining high-intensity output throughout a match.
LOWER BODY
VERTICAL JUMPS
HORIZONTAL JUMPS
UPPER BODY
PLYOMETRICS
ISOMETRIC STRENGTH ENDURANCE
Isometric strength endurance, is the ability to maintain a static muscular contraction against resistance for extended periods. It's characterised by sustained force production without change in muscle length or joint angle, often measured through timed holds or force output over duration.
Importance for Grapplers:
For elite grapplers, isometric strength endurance isn't just beneficial—it's the foundation of relentless control. Here's why:
Positional Dominance: Superior isometric endurance allows you to maintain dominant positions against resisting opponents, wearing them down physically and mentally.
Submission Control: Prolonged isometric contractions are crucial for maintaining tight submission holds, increasing your finishing rate.
Defensive Resilience: Enhanced isometric endurance improves your ability to resist submissions and maintain posture in compromised positions.
Grip Supremacy: Exceptional hand and forearm endurance translates to unbreakable grips, a critical advantage in gi and no-gi grappling.
Energy Conservation: Efficient isometric contractions require less energy over time, allowing you to outlast opponents in grueling matches.
DEVELOPING ISOMETRIC STRENGTH
SUSTAINED CARRIES
Developing overall work capacity through the wrists, forearms & the upper body are an essential pillar for grapplers. You can leverage different grips & implements in order to build elite grip isometric endurance.
OVERCOMING ISOMETRICS
Overcoming isometrics maximise your ability to squeeze as hard as you possible can. This is critical when trying to finish submissions against an opponent. In skills training, you often don’t get to train your maximal squeeze so that you do not harm your training partner.
POSITIONAL ISOMETRICS
We can use weighted isometric derivatives to maximise strength in a particular range of motion. Chin up isometrics are a staple for this, and can eventually be completed weighted to further challenge both the grip & elbow strength.
END RANGE JOINT MOBILITY
End-range joint mobility, in strength and conditioning terms, refers to the ability to actively control and utilize the full range of motion at a joint, particularly at its extreme limits. It encompasses not just flexibility, but strength, stability, and neuromuscular control at these outer ranges of movement.
Importance for Grapplers:
For elite grapplers, end-range joint mobility isn't just an asset—it's a game-changing competitive advantage. Here's why:
Submission Defence: Superior end-range mobility allows you to escape seemingly inescapable positions, turning defence into offence.
Offensive Versatility: Enhanced mobility enables you to attack from unconventional angles, catching opponents off-guard with submissions they can't anticipate.
Injury Resilience: Controlled strength at end ranges significantly reduces the risk of joint injuries common in grappling.
Positional Advantage: The ability to comfortably operate in extreme ranges of motion opens up dominant positions that are inaccessible to less mobile grapplers.
DEVELOPING MOBILITY WITHOUT STRETCHING
Below are 3 examples of how to elicit end range strength & function:
EXTREME ISOMETRIC PUSH UP
ROTATOR CUFF ROBUSTNESS
HIP MOBILITY
Split squat positions are essential for grapplers as you almost always be leading your takedowns & stand up game in a split stance position. We can leverage isometrics to spend time in the end range hip positions which will develop mobility.
THE SUBMISSION SPECIALIST PROTOCOL
I have created an entire 12 week training cycle so that you can see the application of the protocol in action. This will be divided into 4 week blocks, each block containing:
3 Full Body Anabolic Protocols.
The breakdown of the session types and what will be covered in each session
ANABOLIC PROTOCOL (2-3x WEEK)
Maximal Strength
Speed & Power
Hypertrophy
Mobility & Flexibility
Core Durability
DURABILITY CIRCUITS (1-4x WEEK)
I suggest completing these at the end of a skills session to work on:
Neck
Shoulders (Rear Deltoids & Rotator cuff)
Wrist & Hands (Grip Strength)
Lower Limb (Calves, Tibia, Foot & Ankle)
Let’s dive into the key training qualities we are looking to develop within this protocol:
ANABOLIC PROTOCOL
We are going to leverage the weight room to cover a majority of our resistance training benefits.
The main physiological adaptation we are eliciting from this session is:
Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Release
Testosterone Release
Insulin like Growth Factor (IGF-1)
This anabolic concoction is responsible for both growth & the stimulation of the recovery process so it plays an ample part in any training regimen.
These sessions are going to ‘fill in the gaps’ of what you will not be able to get from striking skills training which includes:
DURABILITY CIRCUITS
In order to keep the anabolic protocols efficient & streamlined, I have created a variety of durability circuits to micro-dose hypertrophy exposures after your skills training.
As these sessions are completed in a circuit fashion, it will take you no longer than 10-15 minutes to complete, with the significant ROI of minimising injuries from training.
Here are the main areas we will be targeting (I have provided exercise examples for free subscribers too):
NECK
I have been an advocate of neck training & arguably the figurehead on Twitter to push this training modality. Every combat athlete should be training their neck, the aesthetic benefits alone make it something worth pursuing. The consensus on neck training and concussion risk is murky, however absorbing blows and clinching exchanges benefit greatly from developing a strong & durable neck.
SHOULDERS
The shoulders are under constant attack when grappling & can be put into very compromising positions when sparring. Shoulder injuries are some of the most common grappling related injuries & the objective of these durability circuits are to minimise:
Rotator cuff tears
Rotator cuff related shoulder pain (shoulder bursitis)
Labral tears
HIPS & KNEES
ACL, Mensicus & Patella femoral pain are very common injury complains for grapplers. These often result from sudden direction changes, impact forces, and leg locks. As a result, it’s critical to forge the hips & knees to minimise injury risk.
DOWNLOAD THE PROTOCOL
Before you explore the protocol, I highly encourage you to watch all of the video tutorials. This will allow you to apply everything with greater effectiveness & really understand why you are training this way.
Download by clicking the button below