Liftworthy
ExploreTrainFeed
Liftworthy

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

Rankings
  • All rankings
  • Add an exercise
  • Build a workout
About
  • How scores work
  • The app
  • Your tiers
Legal
  • Privacy
  • Terms & community rules
General training information, not medical advice. If something hurts, stop and see a professional.
  • Explore
  • Train
  • Feed
  • You
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

Live ranking · updated by evidence & ratings

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 Press
Landmine Rotation
Trap Bar Deadlift
Dead Hang
Jump Rope
Medicine Ball Chest Pass
Bear Crawl
Hip Adduction Machine
Pallof Press
Push-Up
Deadlift
Zercher Squat
Barbell Hip Thrust
Dumbbell Snatch
Med Ball Slam
Cable External Rotation
Cossack Squat
Dumbbell Bench Press
Mountain Climber
C
Kettlebell Snatch
Rope Climb
Sled Push
Barbell Back Squat
Barbell Bench Press
Battle Ropes
Wrist Roller
Power Clean
D
—
F
—

Full ranking

  1. 1S
    Neck Curl & Extension
    Protection · Other
    No ratings yet
    94
    Research
    Lifters
  2. 2S
    Towel Hang
    Accessory · Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    85
    Research
    Lifters
  3. 3A
    Farmer's Carry
    Accessory · Dumbbell
    No ratings yet
    74
    Research
    Lifters
  4. 4A
    Pull-Up
    Strength · Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    74
    Research
    Lifters
  5. 5A
    Med Ball Rotational Throw
    Power · Other
    No ratings yet
    71
    Research
    Lifters
  6. 6A
    Copenhagen Plank
    Protection · Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    70
    Research
    Lifters
  7. 7B
    Turkish Get-Up
    Strength · Kettlebell
    No ratings yet
    69
    Research
    Lifters
  8. 8B
    Air Bike
    Conditioning · Machine
    No ratings yet
    68
    Research
    Lifters
  9. 9B
    Barbell Row
    Strength · Barbell
    No ratings yet
    68
    Research
    Lifters
  10. 10B
    Kettlebell Clean
    Power · Kettlebell
    No ratings yet
    68
    Research
    Lifters
  11. 11B
    Landmine Press
    Strength · Barbell
    No ratings yet
    68
    Research
    Lifters
  12. 12B
    Landmine Rotation
    Core · Barbell
    No ratings yet
    68
    Research
    Lifters
  13. 13B
    Trap Bar Deadlift
    Strength · Barbell
    No ratings yet
    68
    Research
    Lifters
  14. 14B
    Dead Hang
    Accessory · Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    66
    Research
    Lifters
  15. 15B
    Jump Rope
    Conditioning · Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    66
    Research
    Lifters
  16. 16B
    Medicine Ball Chest Pass
    Power · Other
    No ratings yet
    66
    Research
    Lifters
  17. 17B
    Bear Crawl
    Conditioning · Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    63
    Research
    Lifters
  18. 18B
    Hip Adduction Machine
    Accessory · Machine
    No ratings yet
    63
    Research
    Lifters
  19. 19B
    Pallof Press
    Core · Cable
    No ratings yet
    63
    Research
    Lifters
  20. 20B
    Push-Up
    Strength · Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    63
    Research
    Lifters
  21. 21B
    Deadlift
    Strength · Barbell
    No ratings yet
    61
    Research
    Lifters
  22. 22B
    Zercher Squat
    Strength · Barbell
    No ratings yet
    61
    Research
    Lifters
  23. 23B
    Barbell Hip Thrust
    Strength · Barbell
    No ratings yet
    60
    Research
    Lifters
  24. 24B
    Dumbbell Snatch
    Power · Dumbbell
    No ratings yet
    60
    Research
    Lifters
  25. 25B
    Med Ball Slam
    Power · Other
    No ratings yet
    60
    Research
    Lifters
  26. 26B
    Cable External Rotation
    Protection · Cable
    No ratings yet
    59
    Research
    Lifters
  27. 27B
    Cossack Squat
    Strength · Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    56
    Research
    Lifters
  28. 28B
    Dumbbell Bench Press
    Strength · Dumbbell
    No ratings yet
    56
    Research
    Lifters
  29. 29B
    Mountain Climber
    Conditioning · Bodyweight
    No ratings yet
    55
    Research
    Lifters
  30. 30C
    Kettlebell Snatch
    Power · Kettlebell
    No ratings yet
    54
    Research
    Lifters
  31. 31C
    Rope Climb
    Strength · Other
    No ratings yet
    54
    Research
    Lifters
  32. 32C
    Sled Push
    Conditioning · Other
    No ratings yet
    54
    Research
    Lifters
  33. 33C
    Barbell Back Squat
    Strength · Barbell
    No ratings yet
    50
    Research
    Lifters
  34. 34C
    Barbell Bench Press
    Strength · Barbell
    No ratings yet
    49
    Research
    Lifters
  35. 35C
    Battle Ropes
    Conditioning · Other
    No ratings yet
    49
    Research
    Lifters
  36. 36C
    Wrist Roller
    Accessory · Other
    No ratings yet
    49
    Research
    Lifters
  37. 37C
    Power Clean
    Power · Barbell
    No ratings yet
    48
    Research
    Lifters

From the research

⅓of the sports injuries in trials that added strength training. Stretching showed no protective effect.Lauersen et al., 2014 · Few strength-training trials; results were heterogeneous.

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. For the core of a programme, the top strength lift is Pull-Up and the top power exercise is Med Ball Rotational Throw. 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 →