Settlage Strength

In this episode, I break down the most important steps to follow to maximize muscle growth! Get JACKED as a grappler through hypertrophy training that actually translates to your performance. Multiply your MUSCLE so you can multiply your HUSTLE on the mat!

Kickstart your grappling athleticism in just 30 days! Grab my FREE "Grappler Accelerator" training program! 👉🏽 www.thestrengthmatrix.com/grappler

0:00 Introduction

1:53 Tailoring Training for Grapplers

5:37 Nutrition's Role in Muscle Growth

7:34 The Importance of Strength Progression

11:39 Training Close to Failure for Muscle Gains

17:17 The Soreness Myth in Muscle Growth

19:03 Effective Training Volume for Hypertrophy

22:40 Understanding Minimum Effective Volume

24:35 Trusting Yourself Over Influencers

28:08 Knowing Your Limits in Training

33:05 Increasing Volume for Better Muscle Growth

34:47 Optimizing Training Frequency

38:36 The Importance of Training Intensity for Hypertrophy

44:05 Efficient Exercise Selection for Gains

49:13 Importance of Carbs in Training

54:33 Balancing Intense Training and Recovery

59:31 Smart Weight Gain Strategies

1:05:08 Athletic Training While Building Muscle

1:10:34 Adapting Workouts to Avoid Stagnation

If you train Jiu-Jitsu long enough, you're gonna deal with some injuries. In this episode, I break down...

✔︎ what the latest data says about the most common injuries in Jiu Jitsu

✔︎ how to build a more resilient body to decrease the risk of injury

✔︎ practical tips on how to train SAFER and SMARTER

✔︎ and much more!

Protect yourself before you wreck yourself. 💪🏽

Ready to kickstart your grappling athleticism in just 30 days?? Tap into my FREE Grappler Accelerator training course! 👉🏽 www.thestrengthmatrix.com/grappler

0:00 Introduction

3:00 Study Reveals Injury Facts and Prevention Tips 

6:30 Common Injury Areas in Grappling 

8:40 The Truth About Calf Slicers

12:50 Why Strength Training is Key to Staying Safe

14:50 Build Strong Muscles to Decrease Injuries

18:30 Training Full Range of Motion For Less Injuries 

23:30 Sleep and Nutrition: Secrets to Recovery

25:00 The Role of Protein in Injuries & Recovery

28:40 Newbie Training Tips

30:15 Balancing Intensity and Recovery

33:40 The Importance of Tapping Early

35:20 Choose Safe Training Partners Wisely

38:40 Controlled Training for Safer Sparring

43:30 Focus on Smart Rehab, Not Gimmick Products

45:20 When Injury Happens, Have A Plan

48:40 Closing Thoughts

In this podcast, I review YOUR favorite strength exercises for Jiu Jitsu and determine whether they are OVERRATED or UNDERRATED! Discover which exercises will drive up strength gains, and which ones are a waste of time. Lift heavy, roll hard, and enjoy the show!

Ready to kickstart your grappling athleticism in just 30 days?? Download the FREE Grappler Accelerator program! 👉🏽 www.thestrengthmatrix.com/grappler

0:00 - Introduction

1:55 - Trap Bar Deadlifts: The Game-Changer for Grapplers

5:49 - Are Barbell Back Squats Overrated for Your Training?

7:40 - Specialty Bars: Level Up Your Lower Body Workouts

11:33 - Trap Bar Deadlifts + Rotation Work: Finding Balance in Training

13:32 - Bosu Balls

17:22 - Goblet Squats

19:12 - Turkish Getups

22:41 - Pistol Squats & Plate Flips

24:28 - Thrusters

27:59 - Sled Drags

29:50 - Wrist Rollers

33:23 - Kettlebell Deadlifts

35:16 - Jefferson Curls

38:52 - Bands in Strength Training

40:43 - Iso Shrugs

49:30 - Zercher Deadlifts

51:18 - Conventional Deadlifts

54:53 - Grip Strength

59:58 - Front Squats & Zombie Squats

1:01:44 - Snatches

1:07:04 - Comments from the Lift Heavy Roll Hard Grappling Club

Most BJJ cardio plans suck. In this episode, I break down why they don’t work and show you what actually builds a gas tank that lasts. 🔥

In this episode, we cover...

• The truth about energy systems in grappling

• How breathwork & CO₂ tolerance boost endurance

• The best conditioning workouts for serious grapplers

• Key supplements to recover faster and roll harder

If you’re tired of gassing out mid-roll or wasting time on the wrong type of cardio workouts, this episode is your roadmap to building a gas tank that never quits!

Kickstart your grappling athleticism with our FREE training course: Grappler Accelerator!

0:00 Introduction to BJJ Conditioning

1:10 Importance of Conditioning in Grappling

6:06 Quick Energy for Sprints

8:15 Unique Needs of BJJ Conditioning

20:21 Balancing Energy Systems in Training

23:54 Benefits of Nasal Breathing

25:35 Recovery: Key to Success

31:08 Enhancing Lung Capacity

41:40 Breath Control Techniques

50:03 Building an Aerobic Base

1:00:43 Improving Your Anaerobic Conditioning For BJJ

1:11:39 Using Supplements for Conditioning

1:22:17 Improving Skills for Better Performance

1:23:57 Conditioning Frequency Based on Your Needs

1:27:17 Separating High and Low-Intensity Training

1:28:56 Customizing Training for Your Weaknesses

1:32:20 Hard Rolling: The Key to Effective Conditioning

1:34:03 High-Intensity Training with Recovery Strategies

1:37:39 Avoiding Excess Leg Mass in Conditioning

1:39:29 Utilizing the Fan Bike for Conditioning Goals

1:43:05 Balancing Intensity with Aerobic Training

1:44:46 Prioritizing Conditioning as a Competition Approaches

1:48:17 Dynamic Efforts to Boost BJJ Performance

1:50:00 Challenges in Conditioning Off the Mat

1:53:28 Structured Low-Intensity Workouts for Success

1:55:21 Understanding Recovery Needs with Intensity

1:58:54 Optimizing Off-Season Conditioning for Athletes

Isometric Strength is one of the most important athletic qualities you need as a grappler! In this episode, Coach J breaks down the steps to developing brutal isometric strength, so you can dominate your opponents on the mat, control all positions, and lock up submissions.

📲 Start Training Smarter:

Unlock the full training system I use with my grappling athletes. Build strength. Pack on muscle. Never gas out.  👉🏽 www.thestrengthmatrix.com

🎁 Grab the Free Program:

Get the Grappler Accelerator—a 4-week strength & conditioning program built to kickstart your gains on the mat!

0:00 Introduction to Isometric Strength

1:11 Why Isometrics Matter in BJJ

3:11 Tension and Control in Grappling

6:06 Mikey Musumichi’s Isometric Techniques

8:05 Boosting Muscle Recruitment with Isometrics

12:13 Yielding Isometrics for Stability

14:25 Building Stronger Tendons

18:14 Isometric Training for Rehab

20:10 Strength Gains with Isometric Work

23:52 Overcoming Sticking Points in Lifts

25:51 The Power of Box Squats

29:31 Dynamic Movements and Isometrics

31:27 Isometrics for Explosive Strength

35:18 Endurance Building with Holds

37:12 Benefits of Extreme Isometrics

40:53 Boosting Strength Through Ballistic Isometrics

43:00 Enhancing Resilience in BJJ

46:40 Transform Your Performance with Isometrics

48:37 Low-Volume Strength Training Explained

52:17 Injury Risk Reduction with Isometrics

54:10 Maximizing Strength with Minimal Fatigue

58:08 Isometrics for Injury Rehab

1:00:02 Incorporating Yielding Isometrics

1:03:44 Training Smart: Isometric Techniques

1:05:40 Testing New Isometric Programs

1:09:33 Progressive Isometric Training

1:11:18 New Techniques for Effective Training

1:15:02 Mastering Yielding Isometrics

1:16:46 Combining Isometric and Ballistic Exercises

1:20:17 Importance of Perfect Form

1:22:04 Tailoring Isometrics for Strength Goals

1:25:50 Gradual Integration of Isometrics

1:27:38 Isometric Training for Strength and Recovery

Still running a random bodybuilding split you found on Reddit? You’re leaving strength and athleticism on the table. In this episode, I break down how to use the Conjugate Method to get brutally strong, explosive, and well-conditioned for Jiu Jitsu.

You’ll learn how to organize your training week, rotate exercises strategically, and avoid the most common mistakes grapplers make when trying to lift for performance.

📲 Start Training Smarter:

Unlock the full training system I use with my grappling athletes. Build strength. Pack on muscle. Never gas out.  👉🏽 www.thestrengthmatrix.com

🎁 Grab the Free Program:

Get the Grappler Accelerator—a 4-week strength & conditioning program built to kickstart your gains on the mat 👉🏽 https://www.thestrengthmatrix.com/grappler

0:00 - Introduction to Conjugate Training

6:00 - How Conjugate Training Boosts Your Athletic Skills

8:00 - The Importance of Balancing Strength and Explosiveness

12:00 - Max Effort Method: Lift Heavy to Get Stronger

14:00 - Why Heavy Lifting Builds Muscle Coordination

18:00 - Dynamic Effort Method: Train for Speed and Power

20:00 - Using Explosive Movements to Improve Your BJJ

23:00 - Repetition Effort Method: Building Your Endurance

31:00 - Creating a Balanced BJJ Strength Training Plan

36:00 - When to Do Max Effort Lower Body Workouts

41:00 - Tips for Choosing Secondary Movements

45:00 - Building Upper Body Strength with Compound Lifts

52:00 - Starting Your 4-Day Conjugate Training Split

55:00 - How to Do a 3-Day Condensed Conjugate Workout

1:01:00 - Beginner's Guide to Max and Dynamic Effort Days

1:06:00 - How Conjugate Training Fits BJJ Training Phases

1:12:00 - Why You Should Rotate Your Exercises

1:13:00 - Using Kettlebells and Sandbags in Training

1:17:00 - Recovery Tips to Maximize Your Progress

1:19:00 - How Sleep Can Improve Your Training Results

1:22:00 - Are Olympic Lifts Right for Grapplers?

1:24:00 - Benefits of Olympic Lifts for Explosiveness

1:28:00 - Balancing Heavy Lifting and Recovery

1:32:00 - Listen to Your Body: The Key to Avoiding Injury

1:34:00 - Final Thoughts on Strength Training for Grapplers

Most grapplers waste money on useless supplements.

In this episode, I break down my exact weekly supplement stack—what I take, why I take it, and how it helps me lift heavy, recover faster, and roll harder.

No fluff. No hype. Just the real stuff that’s worked for me and the athletes I coach.

🧠 Inside This Episode:

• My full pre-training, intra-workout, and post-training stack
• Why I use injectable carnitine, ATP, and citicoline
• How to time your supplements around lifting & rolling

This isn’t a “copy my stack” episode. It’s a guide to thinking smarter about what you put in your body—and getting more out of your training.

📥 Grab my free grappling training program HERE:

👇 Questions? Drop them in the comments. I reply to as many as I can.

I hit 40k subscribers on YouTube! To celebrate, I answered questions from the Lift Heavy Roll Hard Grappling Club!

📥 Grab your FREE training program — Grappler Accelerator!

0:00 40k Subscriber Q&A Kickoff  

1:18 Should You Do Feeder Workouts or Extra Recovery Workouts?  

9:24 Dune Messiah Movie Hype – Am I Excited for Dune 3?  

11:03 Is Science-Based Hypertrophy Really Best for BJJ?  

14:08 Should “Run Far” Be Added to LIFT HEAVY ROLL HARD?  

15:31 Mike Mentzer Training – Is 1 Set to Failure Good for Grapplers?  

21:29 Can You Just Train for Aesthetics and Still Be Good at Jiu Jitsu?  

23:32 How to Safely Return After an MCL Sprain  

27:36 Nervous About Competing for the First Time? Here’s My Advice  

33:26 Training Week Breakdown for BJJ Competition Week  

43:01 What I Eat Before and On the Day of a BJJ Competition  

49:08 Thoughts on Mark Bell’s Sugar Diet – Insane or Genius?  

52:18 Elbow Pain in the Gym? Here’s How to Fix It  

54:54 When Should You Add More Weight in Lifting?  

57:15 Should You Train More Than 2-3x/Week or Just Lift Heavier?  

59:27 Should You Bulk or Cut First If You Want to Get Lean & Jacked?  

60:36 How to Start Strength & Conditioning for Jiu Jitsu  

61:25 How to Heal Elbow Tendonitis from Lifting & Jiu Jitsu

In this episode of the Settlage Strength Podcast, I break down exactly what to eat before, during, and after training so you can build strength, recover faster, and feel your best on the mats.

Most grapplers are either skipping meals, slamming energy drinks, or trying the latest YouTube diet trend—and it's wrecking their recovery.

This episode gives you a simple, proven nutrition framework I use with all my 1-on-1 athletes to fuel hard training, reduce soreness, and build serious muscle.

Whether you're training 2x/day or just trying to avoid gassing out at open mat, this episode gives you the exact protocols to dial in your food, timing, and supplements for real results.

🔑 What You'll Learn:

– The most common nutrition mistakes grapplers make

– How to structure meals for energy, strength & endurance

– The 3-phase framework for building high-performance nutrition habits

– Pre-training meals that boost performance (without slowing digestion)

– Intra-training shake formulas for 75+ minute sessions

– Post-training meals to supercharge recovery

– My top 3 supplements every grappler should take

📥 Grab your FREE training program — Grappler Accelerator!

This includes a complete 4-week S&C program, clean diet guide, recovery protocols, and more. Join 1,000+ grapplers who are already lifting heavy & rolling hard!

In this episode, I break down EXACTLY how I structured my last 6-month bulk to build slabs of muscle, get brutally strong, and still stay conditioned enough to roll without gassing out. I cover the full training split I followed, how I balanced lifting and Jiu Jitsu, why I’m switching into a triphasic training block now, and what’s changing in this next phase of my training.

🧠 This is a training chat episode — meant to be played while you're driving to the gym, commuting to class, or getting in your zone before training.

🔥 FREE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR GRAPPLERS

Want to get stronger, build more muscle, and improve your conditioning in 30 days? Download the Grappler Accelerator — my FREE training program built specifically for grappling athletes:

👉 https://thestrengthmatrix.com/grappler