Generating flexibility and mobility for Jiu Jitsu

I show up to class/open mat early and do a brief static stretching routine:

• Lay on my back and roll my hips up so my ankles are by my head

• Slowly roll back out flat, bring my knees up, tilt them to one side and lay there for a moment. circle the opposite arm. do this on the other side

• Roll over to my belly and do the sphinx pose i think it's called? stretching my lower back.

• Bring one leg forward and one leg back in an S shape and lean over the front leg, switch to the other leg

• Sit cross-legged and roll out my neck, then roll out my shoulders, maybe pivot around my hips a bit

I do this same routine before I lay down for bed at night minus the first step. It seems to be working for me so far. I'm not a very big dude, though. 6'2" 175-180ish lbs.

I make sure my first roll is very slow and controlled and a definite warmup. I should probably do some kind of stretching after class but we're usually a little rushed there. I've also read a lot that static stretching can be bad so YMMV.

I was pretty stiff a few years ago and found the yoga routines and yoga basics courses here to be really useful. I just picked movements from each video that worked for me when a specific area felt tweaky/tight:

https://app.theguidesites.com/grapplers-guide/courses/yoga-basics

https://app.theguidesites.com/grapplers-guide/courses/yoga-routines

I also have the book "Light on Yoga" that I pull stuff from, too. I use those resources less as a yoga thing and more about thinking how I can stretch certain parts of my body out.

Yeah I have a yoga for bjj routine i do regularly and I am noticing a difference but guess I'm setting expectations to high. I've been doing it a solid year and definitely feel better for it. I'm going to give some loaded stretching a go see if that makes more of a difference.

Thanks for the reply

https://share.google/HqjfglgmmbZfXuYCM one example. check PNF stretching.

I think the biggest thing is that whatever you choose, it has to be consistent. Most people don’t fail because they picked the “wrong” mobility routine, they fail because they do one hard week, get sore, then abandon it. Or do such cumbersome routines that they aren't able to fit it into daily habit.

For jiu jitsu I’d keep it simple and target the areas that actually matter to your guard: hips, hamstrings, adductors, thoracic rotation and ankles. Nothing fancy, just something you can realistically do 10–15 minutes at a time at the start or end of class/gym session.

For flexibility and mobility especially, a basic routine done regularly beats the perfect routine done once every lunar eclipse.