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Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

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Explore/Combat

Gym exercises for

Combat

BJJ, wrestling, MMA and boxing: grip, neck, hips and power.

  • Grip and pulling strength
  • Neck strength
  • Rotational power and hip drive

33 exercises · Waiting for the first lifter ratings · Updates live

Combat workout My tier list
S
Neck Curl & Extension
Towel Hang
A
Farmer's Carry
Pull-Up
Med Ball Rotational Throw
Copenhagen Plank
B
Turkish Get-Up
Air Bike
Barbell Row
Kettlebell Clean
Landmine Rotation
Trap Bar Deadlift
Dead Hang
Jump Rope
Medicine Ball Chest Pass
Bear Crawl
Hip Adduction Machine
Pallof Press
Deadlift
Zercher Squat
Barbell Hip Thrust
Dumbbell Snatch
Med Ball Slam
Cable External Rotation
Cossack Squat
Mountain Climber
C
Kettlebell Snatch
Rope Climb
Sled Push
Barbell Back Squat
Battle Ropes
Wrist Roller
Power Clean
D
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F
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Full ranking

  1. 1S
    Neck Curl & Extension
    Other
    No ratings yet
    94
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  2. 2S
    Towel Hang
    Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    85
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  3. 3A
    Farmer's Carry
    Dumbbell
    No ratings yet
    74
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  4. 4A
    Pull-Up
    Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    74
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  5. 5A
    Med Ball Rotational Throw
    Other
    No ratings yet
    71
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  6. 6A
    Copenhagen Plank
    Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    70
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  7. 7B
    Turkish Get-Up
    Kettlebell
    No ratings yet
    69
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  8. 8B
    Air Bike
    Machine
    No ratings yet
    68
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  9. 9B
    Barbell Row
    Barbell
    No ratings yet
    68
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  10. 10B
    Kettlebell Clean
    Kettlebell
    No ratings yet
    68
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  11. 11B
    Landmine Rotation
    Barbell
    No ratings yet
    68
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  12. 12B
    Trap Bar Deadlift
    Barbell
    No ratings yet
    68
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  13. 13B
    Dead Hang
    Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    66
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  14. 14B
    Jump Rope
    Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    66
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  15. 15B
    Medicine Ball Chest Pass
    Other
    No ratings yet
    66
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  16. 16B
    Bear Crawl
    Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    63
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  17. 17B
    Hip Adduction Machine
    Machine
    No ratings yet
    63
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  18. 18B
    Pallof Press
    Cable
    No ratings yet
    63
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  19. 19B
    Deadlift
    Barbell
    No ratings yet
    61
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  20. 20B
    Zercher Squat
    Barbell
    No ratings yet
    61
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  21. 21B
    Barbell Hip Thrust
    Barbell
    No ratings yet
    60
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  22. 22B
    Dumbbell Snatch
    Dumbbell
    No ratings yet
    60
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  23. 23B
    Med Ball Slam
    Other
    No ratings yet
    60
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  24. 24B
    Cable External Rotation
    Cable
    No ratings yet
    59
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  25. 25B
    Cossack Squat
    Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    56
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  26. 26B
    Mountain Climber
    Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    55
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  27. 27C
    Kettlebell Snatch
    Kettlebell
    No ratings yet
    54
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  28. 28C
    Rope Climb
    Other
    No ratings yet
    54
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  29. 29C
    Sled Push
    Other
    No ratings yet
    54
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  30. 30C
    Barbell Back Squat
    Barbell
    No ratings yet
    50
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  31. 31C
    Battle Ropes
    Other
    No ratings yet
    49
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  32. 32C
    Wrist Roller
    Other
    No ratings yet
    49
    Research
    —
    Lifters
  33. 33C
    Power Clean
    Barbell
    No ratings yet
    48
    Research
    —
    Lifters

What are the best gym exercises for combat sports?

Right now Neck Curl & Extension ranks first, with an overall score of 94 from the research rubric. It’s followed by Towel Hang and Farmer's Carry. The best choice for you depends on your equipment and how it feels on your joints, which is why every exercise links to alternatives.

Why it ranks: A stronger neck resists the whiplash of strikes and takedowns.

How these scores are calculated →