Combat sports
Shop the Core Gym BundleStrength and Conditioning at Home for MMA, BJJ and Muay Thai: Lift Before Class, Skip the Extra Gym Trip
Work, then the gym, then the club for evening class: for most amateur fighters, the lifting is what gets dropped. Here is why strength and conditioning matters for BJJ, MMA and Muay Thai, a two-session home plan built around class nights, and the BrainGain kit that covers it.
If you train BJJ, MMA, Muay Thai, boxing or judo, you already know the evening squeeze. Work finishes, you get home, then you drive to a commercial gym to lift, then you drive across town to the club for 7pm class. Two trips, two car parks, two changes of kit, and the lifting is what gets dropped. This guide makes the case for doing your strength and conditioning at home with adjustable equipment, lays out a two-session plan built around class nights, and shows the BrainGain kit that covers it.
Short on time in general? See our home strength plan for busy people. Want to understand kettlebell weights first? See what size kettlebell to buy.
The short version
- Lifting matters for fighters. A review of MMA athletes found high levels of muscle strength, muscle endurance and anaerobic power. A BJSM meta-analysis found strength training cut sports injuries to less than a third.
- The problem is logistics, not motivation. A separate gym trip on class nights is what kills the lifting.
- The fix: lift at home before work, at lunch or before you leave for class. Two 30-minute sessions a week.
- The kit: 40 kg SmartBells for heavier athletes, the 18 kg adjustable kettlebell for swings and grip, and the Core Bench. Or the Core Gym Bundle for £499.99.
Why strength and conditioning matters in combat sports
Technique wins fights, but strength decides how long you can use it. A 2019 review of MMA athletes by Spanias and colleagues found they show "high levels of flexibility, muscle strength, muscle endurance, and anaerobic power". A 2016 systematic review in Sports Medicine by James and colleagues found different physiological profiles between more and less successful grappling and striking athletes. And a 2014 meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine by Lauersen, Bertelsen and Andersen found strength training reduced sports injuries to less than one third. That study covered sport in general, not fighting specifically, but the message carries over: the athlete who lifts tends to stay on the mats.
The real problem: the evening commute
Most amateur fighters work a day job. Classes run in the evening. The TUC puts the average UK round-trip commute at almost an hour a day before you add a gym. Adding a commercial gym on top means a third journey, and on class nights it is the first thing to go. Home kit removes that journey. You lift in the spare room at 6.30am, at lunch, or for 30 minutes before you leave for class, and you never sit in another car park.
| Class night | With a commercial gym | With a BrainGain home setup |
|---|---|---|
| After work | drive to gym, wait for kit, lift, drive to club | lift at home for 30 minutes, then go to class |
| Journeys | home, gym, club, home | home, club, home |
| Lifting time saved | none | the whole gym trip |
| Weight changes | walk to the rack | seconds, twist or dial |
The fighter's home S&C plan
Two sessions a week, about 30 minutes each, on days you do not spar hard. In fight camp, keep the lifting and cut the volume. Off-season, add a third session.
| Session | Exercises | Sets × reps | Why | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A: power and lower body | kettlebell swing | 5 × 10 | hip power for takedowns, kicks and bridging | |
| Bulgarian split squat on the bench | 3 × 6 to 8 each side | single-leg strength and balance | ||
| dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 3 × 8 | posterior chain | ||
| farmer's carry with dumbbells | 3 × 30 m | grip and trunk | ||
| dead bug | 3 × 10 | trunk control | ||
| B: upper body and grip | dumbbell bench press | 4 × 6 to 8 | pushing strength for framing and clinch | |
| one-arm dumbbell row | 4 × 8 each side | pulling strength for grips and clinch | ||
| half-kneeling single-arm press | 3 × 8 each side | shoulder strength and stability | ||
| kettlebell bottoms-up hold | 3 × 20 s each side | grip and shoulder stability | ||
| hip thrust on the bench | 3 × 10 | hip extension | ||
| General guidance, not medical or coaching advice. Work with your coach on timing around sparring and fight camp. | ||||
Kettlebell swings carry a lot of this plan. Lake and Lauder's 2012 study found six weeks of twice-weekly swings raised half-squat strength by 9.8% and vertical jump by 19.8%. Tech Alchemy reviews the BrainGain 18 kg kettlebell below.
Tech Alchemy reviews the BrainGain 18 kg adjustable kettlebell, the core of the power session.
Lift at home, train at the club. One less journey is the difference between doing S&C and talking about it.
The kit for fighters
1. SmartBells Core Gym Bundle
£499.99 · was £879.99 · 40 kg Original dumbbells · 18 kg kettlebell · stand · Core Bench
The Core Gym Bundle covers the whole plan for most weight classes. The 40 kg SmartBells Original go from 5 to 40 kg per hand, heavy enough for presses, rows and carries for years. The Pennywise Pundit's review below covers the 24 kg and 40 kg sets.
The Pennywise Pundit reviews the BrainGain 24 kg and 40 kg adjustable dumbbell sets.
2. 40 kg SmartBells Evo + Core Bench + 18 kg Kettlebell
£349.99 + £189.99 = £539.98
The 40 kg SmartBells Evo change weight with a push-down-and-twist handle, the fastest option for supersets. Pair them with the Core Bench + 18 kg Kettlebell set.
3. Lighter athletes: Intermediate Gym Bundle
£399.00 · was £689.99 · 24 kg Evo dumbbells
The Intermediate Gym Bundle suits lighter weight classes and anyone new to lifting.
4. Start with the bell: 18 kg Adjustable Kettlebell
£89.99 · was £124.99
If you only buy one thing, buy the 18 kg adjustable kettlebell. Swings, carries, bottoms-up holds and goblet squats from one bell.
A note for heavyweights: the Core Bench is rated for users up to 120 kg. If you compete above that, use the kettlebell and dumbbells for standing and floor work, and press on the floor.
How to fit it around class
- Lift on non-sparring days or in the morning before an evening technique class.
- Keep it short. 30 minutes, hard sets, then stop. Your conditioning comes from rounds on the mat.
- Cut volume in fight camp, keep the weight. One or two sets per exercise is enough to hold strength.
- Log it. Adjustable kit makes small jumps easy: add a step on the dial when the last set feels comfortable.
The verdict
For BJJ, MMA, Muay Thai, boxing and judo athletes, strength and conditioning is not optional. The research links strength to performance and to fewer injuries. What stops most amateur fighters lifting is the extra trip to a gym on top of work and class. A BrainGain home setup removes it. Two 30-minute sessions a week, a pair of 40 kg SmartBells, an 18 kg kettlebell and a folding bench cover it. The Core Gym Bundle at £499.99 has all of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should BJJ, MMA and Muay Thai athletes lift weights?
Yes. A 2019 review found MMA athletes show high levels of muscle strength, muscle endurance and anaerobic power, and a 2014 BJSM meta-analysis found strength training reduced sports injuries to less than a third. Lifting supports performance and keeps you on the mats.
How many times a week should a fighter lift?
Two sessions of about 30 minutes a week works for most amateur athletes alongside class. Add a third off-season and cut volume, not weight, in fight camp.
Is home equipment enough for combat sports S&C?
For most amateur fighters, yes. Adjustable dumbbells up to 40 kg, an adjustable kettlebell and a bench cover presses, rows, split squats, swings, carries and grip work.
Should I lift before or after BJJ or MMA class?
Ideally on non-sparring days or in the morning before an evening technique class. Avoid hard lifting right before hard sparring. Plan the timing with your coach.
What BrainGain kit is best for fighters?
The Core Gym Bundle at £499.99: 40 kg SmartBells Original dumbbells, an 18 kg adjustable kettlebell, a stand and the folding Core Bench. Lighter athletes can choose the Intermediate Gym Bundle at £399.
24-month warranty on BrainGain dumbbells, kettlebells and benches in the UK store. Prices checked 9 November 2026.
Keep reading
- BrainGain UK store product pages, prices and specifications checked on braingain.fit on 9 November 2026.
- BrainGain Core Bench product page: 7 backrest positions (120 to 180 degrees), 4 seat positions, removable leg roller, folds to 87 x 29 x 50 cm, maximum user weight 120 kg, bench load capacity 380 kg, 24-month warranty, checked 9 November 2026.
- Spanias C, Nikolaidis PT, Rosemann T, Knechtle B, "Anthropometric and Physiological Profile of Mixed Martial Art Athletes: A Brief Review", Sports, 2019.
- "Towards a Determination of the Physiological Characteristics Distinguishing Successful Mixed Martial Arts Athletes: A Systematic Review of Combat Sport Literature", Sports Medicine, 2016.
- Lauersen JB, Bertelsen DM, Andersen LB, "The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries", British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014.
- Lake JP, Lauder MA, "Kettlebell swing training improves maximal and explosive strength", Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2012.
- TUC, analysis of UK commuting times, average round trip of 58.8 minutes a day.
- Tech Alchemy, "Review BRAINGAIN 18kg Adjustable Kettlebell 7-in-1", YouTube, 26 June 2025.
- The Pennywise Pundit, "Review BRAINGAIN Adjustable Dumbbells Set 24kg / 40kg Pair", YouTube, 18 February 2025.
- Trustpilot rating for BrainGain: 4.7 stars from 2,000+ reviews, checked 9 November 2026.
This article is for general information and is not medical or coaching advice. Prices checked on braingain.fit on 9 November 2026.