Fitness

Working Out After A Mastectomy Can Help Patients Heal. So Why Aren’t Doctors Suggesting It?

Published

1 year ago

October 29, 2024

Working Out After A Mastectomy Can Help Patients Heal. So Why Aren’t Doctors Suggesting It?

Kara Hennelly always took pride in staying active. In her 20s and 30s, she trained for and ran two half-marathons. In her 40s, as a busy pediatric emergency medicine physician in St. Louis and mom of three, she continued to prioritize working out, carving out time to exercise five days a week, mixing strength-training and spin sessions on her Peloton.

“After turning 40, I wasn’t so much focused on being a certain weight but feeling good about myself and feeling strong—that I could handle what life throws at you,” she says of her regimen.

That mental strength would become just as vital as her physical strength. In January, the then-44-year-old received a diagnosis that would change her life: She had hormone-positive, HER2 negative stage 3 breast cancer, which was discovered during a routine mammogram.

“When I saw the word ‘metastatic’ on my pathology report, I thought I was dying—that it had spread everywhere,” Kara recalls. “In truth, it is metastatic locally, meaning in my lymph nodes, but breast cancer is a whole other medical world to me.”

Kara opted for a double mastectomy, preceded by 16 weeks of chemotherapy. In the days and weeks leading up to her surgery, Kara tried to stay active. But with the physical ups and downs of chemotherapy, her routine certainly wasn’t as rigorous as it had once been. She did three days a week of “scaled down” strength-training, trying to be gentle with her body and taking as much rest as she needed.

Courtesey

Kara Hennelly’s breast cancer was discovered during a routine mammogram in 2024.

So, by the time she was two weeks post-op from her mastectomy, Kara was itching to tie up her sneakers and hit the street. The only problem: She’d been given very little guidance about how to safely start reincorporating exercise.

“I was discharged the same day as my surgery, and my surgeons had me meet with a physical therapist before I left. They gave me a piece of paper with exercises you would tell your grandma to do!” Kara says with a laugh. “‘Put your arms to the side and do tiny arm circles!’”

At home, Kara tried doing her own research. “I was Googling the timeframes for certain activities: When can I run? When can I lift three-pound weights? I would’ve loved to have just a little more guidance on what to do to start building my strength back up.”

Meet the Experts: Marcella Fornari, DO, is a breast oncology surgeon at Atlantic Breast Associates in New Jersey. Sam Ciacci, PA-C, CSCS, a New York-based fitness specialist and founder of Bell Mechanics.

If a literal doctor isn’t sure how to get back into fitness after a mastectomy, what’s the average woman to do?

The Big Exercise Question Mark

The road to recovery after a mastectomy is different for every woman—and is heavily influenced by the type of reconstructive surgery she’s undergone, according to Marcella Fornari, DO, a breast oncology surgeon at Atlantic Breast Associates in New Jersey.

If a woman chooses to go flat (a.k.a. not have implants), that’s typically the “easiest” surgical option in terms of recovery, Dr. Fornari says.

The next level up would be a mastectomy with implants, which is typically a four- to six-hour surgery, and often entails inserting temporary implants (called expanders). Over time, this creates space for the actual implants, which will be swapped in after about three months. Most patients will be sent home the day of their surgery.

The third option, which has the longest recovery time, is a DIEP flap reconstruction, which uses the patient’s own tissue (typically from the abdomen) to form the implants. That surgery typically takes eight to 10 hours and has a hospital stay of one to three nights.

Once discharged, a patient is usually able to move around and care for themselves—within reason, says Dr. Fornari. “What I tell my patients is, you’re fully functional in that you’re going to dress yourself. You can go to the bathroom by yourself. You can eat. But you’re not doing anything strenuous. You’re not reaching up high for anything. You’re not scrubbing floors. You’re taking it easy.”

During recovery, some women may work with a physical therapist to begin gently gaining mobility and flexibility in their upper body, as many report feeling tight after surgery.

“What people with the expanders will tell me is it feels like they did a thousand pushups, or it feels like they have two bricks on their chest,” Dr. Fornari says. “It feels tight and makes you want to hunch over to keep those muscles on top of the implant from being stretched out.”

Typically, about four weeks post-op, women will be cleared to resume exercising their upper body. But what that should look like remains under-studied.

“I don’t know anything in the literature that even looks at that,” Dr. Fornari says of how to return to exercise post-mastectomy. “Even in our training, it’s not like there’s anything in our textbooks or in fellowship that we focused on.”

This lack of knowledge leaves women vulnerable—and at potential risk of injury. If she goes too hard too fast at the gym, she could, for instance, pop a stitch, resulting in a hematoma (a.k.a. a pooling of blood) that could necessitate returning to the operating room. (Though this is rare, says Dr. Fornari, it is something to be mindful about.) Less dramatically, she could be left with general swelling or soreness.

Dr. Fornari’s blanket advice: “You just have to listen to your body. You’re not going to go back in and go straight back to where you were. Ease yourself in, and if it doesn’t feel good, then step back and work yourself up again.”

Trial and Error Leads to Epiphany

Intuitively, Kara began following a similar approach as she got back into running.

“I started walking three days after surgery—just up the street and back, very slow,” she says. She waited until her four-week post-op check-in to pick up her pace to something resembling a run.

“I was finally like, I’m just going for the run,” she says. “I think it was a 16-minute mile. I could have walked it faster, but it just felt good to move.”

Kara kept building up her stamina and distance. One day she was able to run 5k without stopping. Then she quickened her pace, notching 15-minute miles instead of 16.

“I’ve just been slowly adding, going up to four miles or trying to work on going a little faster,” she says.

In the strength-training department, she’s taken a similar trial-and-error approach. Right now, a tricep dip—which had been part of her typical routine prior to surgery—seems intimidating, so she’s swapped in tricep kickbacks instead. Bicep curls with 15 lb. dumbbells feel good, so she’s doing those too. “I just want to feel like I have my strength back,” Kara says.

That need to reclaim her strength and feel at home again in her body is a familiar one to Sam Ciacci, PA-C, CSCS, a New York-based fitness specialist and founder of Bell Mechanics. Sam underwent her own double mastectomy in February 2023, following a stage one breast cancer diagnosis.

And just like with Kara, Sam was sent home with scant information about how to get back into fitness following her surgery.

courtsey photo

Sam Ciacci, a New York-based certified strength and conditioning specialist and founder of Bell Mechanics, underwent a double mastectomy in February 2023, following a stage one breast cancer diagnosis.

“I was told for the first two weeks, don’t lift anything heavier than five to 10 pounds and don’t go overhead,” she says. “Then, once I got the clearance at about four to six weeks, I could return back to activity. That was it.”

Sam heard similar stories on her breast cancer message board, which planted the germ of an idea. As a personal trainer with a background as a clinician, maybe she should be the one to create a program for women just like her.

“There’s no guidance,” Sam says. “I’m not accepting the [recommended] wall walks or little range-of-motion exercises. I don’t think that’s enough.” After all, she reasons, the shoulders and arms are connected to the rib cage, so it doesn’t make sense to work them in isolation. Instead, Sam incorporates moves that mobilize the entire torso.

As she began working weights back into her regimen, Sam took copious notes of what worked and what didn’t. After a year of tinkering, tweaking, and tracking, a structured fitness program emerged, which she called HER Journey. The 12-week program, which incorporates both strength and cardio, takes women through three progressive four-week phases, each building towards the next.

The healing phase focuses on mobility and range of motion. “You’re not having to lift heavy weights,” Sam says. “You’re just doing reps and getting the volume in. You’re getting back into your squats, into your presses.”

Next comes rebuild, which begins focusing more on strength-training. “That is more loading—or decreasing the reps and increasing the weight,” she says.

Finally, comes empowerment, which adds explosiveness to the movements. “The new exercises that they learned, we’re going to do it with heavy weight and we’re going to work on doing it fast,” she says.

The program is designed to be done with a handful of equipment like bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, and medicine balls. And while it’s meant to take three months, Sam stresses that there’s a lot of flexibility built into the plan. If a woman feels like she needs an extra week or two in the healing phase, for instance, she can take it. The program is about building both strength and confidence.

“I really want to educate through this program, so women feel empowered and confident to know, I can lift this weight, if I do it safely and do it correctly based on how Sam’s teaching it—and I can go heavier,” Sam says. “That is when the transition from a fragile to an anti-fragile mindset begins to happen.”

And a woman can feel like her body is, finally, once again her own. One user who tested Sam’s program said that the plan made her feel more confident.

“The program was easy to follow and progressed at a speed that didn’t feel overwhelming but was still challenging,” she says. “I was so happy to see the difference it has made in just one week and I’m excited to continue this journey.”

Amy Wilkinson is an entertainment editor who also specializes in health and wellness. When not editing or writing, she can be found teaching Pilates as a comprehensively certified instructor.

Related Topics:content-type: How-to & Service displayType: standard article locale: US

Click to comment

Fitness

Expert-Approved Workout Gear, Apparel and More Award-Winning Products From the Women’s Health Fitness Awards

Published

10 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Expert-Approved Workout Gear, Apparel and More Award-Winning Products From the Women’s Health Fitness Awards

The start of a new year always brings with it lofty goals, inspiring resolutions and promises to oneself about prioritizing health and fitness. It’s overwhelming, to be quite honest, with social media feeds swarming about all the “it” gear, apparel and workout classes that promise to elevate your fitness routine.

Luckily, Women’s Health is here to help: Their annual Fitness Awards dropped earlier today, showcasing innovative at-home gear, a clever water bottle (that will truly help you drink more water), sports bras that actually stay in place and more.

Women’s Health Executive Health and Fitness Director Jacqueline Andriakos and her team spent the entire year trying out everything they could get their hands on in the fitness space. Their list of 60 winners promises to level up your routine in the new year.

See their top picks below across multiple fitness categories, starting at just $19.

Women’s Health Fitness Awards 2026 winners seen on TODAY

Level up your at-home gym with these dumbbells that feature an easy-to-grip exterior that’s soft on the palms, helping to prevent calluses or rough skin. Not only are they great for your palms, but Andriakos calls out a feature that offers support for your wrists too.

“The real hero feature is the square heads — they prevent wobbling and rolling, which is so important for wrist protection when you’re in high plank, doing renegade rows, or doing any stability-based training,” says Andriakos.

Oner Active SoftMotion™ Straight Leg Pants

“We’re seeing a trend away from classic leggings toward slightly flowier gym-to-street pants, and these are such a comfortable, functional version of that,” says Andriakos referring to the Women’s Health pick for ‘Best Straight-Leg Bottom.’ “They hug in all the right places, come in tons of colors, and — bless them — they offer short, regular and long inseams, which I appreciate as a tall girl.”

This truly versatile shoe can be your new go-to for any activity — no matter if you’re an avid ClassPass user or prefer hot girl walks.

“They look sleek, they’re super bendy and comfortable, and they’re truly a hybrid shoe,” says Andriakos. “While you can tie them like regular sneakers, I love that they’re easy to slip on thanks to the heel loop—perfect for those moments when I’m holding my daughter and don’t have hands free to tie laces.”

This “no-frills” tote bag won for ‘Best Gym Tote,’ and is washable, meaning you can rid it of any gym-related odors alongside your used workout clothes each week. “It has all the functionality and compartments you’d want whether you’re going to and from the gym or just running around town,” says Andriakos, speaking to the bags’ versatility.

These were named the ‘Best Running Sock’ by the Women’s Health team, for their “lightweight and low-profile yet cushiony” fit.

“The biggest mistake I’ve made in the past with running socks is wearing ankle-cut and ending up with blisters or open wounds on the back of my ankles or heels,” says Andriakos. “The quarter rise on this pair means your ankle stays fully protected no matter your distance.”

“I really believe even the most mundane items can make daily habits — like hydration — feel more enticing,” says Andriakos, adding that the “window” on this water bottle helps give you visual cues on how much you’ve consumed.

Plus, you can switch out the caps for either a screw-off or straw lid, depending on your preferences. And, while the brand praises the bottles’ durability, if you happen to break it within the first year of ownership, they’ll send you a replacement.

More Women’s Health Fitness Awards 2026 winners to Shop

Beyond Yoga Featherweight On The Down Low Tee

This super-stretchy, uber-lightweight tee was named the best for workouts, per Women’s Health. It provides a little more coverage compared to your average workout top, yet remains breathable for yoga or HIIT sessions.

“This bra is hands-down the best high-impact sports bra I’ve ever tried,” raves Andriakos, further calling it her holy grail. “I can’t stand dealing with hardware, clasps or removable pads, and this one eliminates all of that — you just slip it on with zero fidgeting. It does have adjustable straps, though, so you still get a bit of customization in the fit. I also love the scoop neckline. It’s flattering and pretty without being too low-cut, and it gives enough coverage that I never feel like I’m spilling out the top when I’m jumping around during workouts. It has supported me through different life stages, too — my chest has changed sizes during pregnancy and postpartum, and it’s fit me perfectly through all of it.”

While this bra can double as a workout tank in some ways, Women’s Health awarded it ‘Best Crop.’ It offers medium-support, that the brand says will aid you in any run, rep and even during recovery.

Bala prioritizes “comfort and convenience” in this mat, that they created to be a one-and-done solution for when you need a basic mat for floor workouts, or an assist during planks, lunges, step-ups and more.

“It is genuinely beautiful — and I know that sounds funny when talking about workout equipment, but you really do use the gear that appeals to you,” says Andriakos. “I love aesthetically pleasing equipment, and this mat has those chic curved edges and comes in that trendy foldable style.”

Vuori is a viral brand — with searches for store locations spiking 180% over the past month alone. These leggings are designed with recycled materials, but that doesn’t mean they compromise on moisture-wicking and multi-stretch features.

“They’re incredibly comfortable (and flattering) with the perfect mid- to high-rise waist, and there are no uncomfortable elastics or drawstrings,” says Andriakos.

Lululemon Wunder Train High-Rise Tight 25

Want a versatile pair of leggings that will carry you through any and all workouts? Women’s Health recommends this now award-winning pair, for its moisture-wicking fabric, range of sizes and comfortable, high-rise fit.

Free People Mountain High Half Zip Fleece

“I get a comment every single time I wear this fleece,” says Andriakos. “I’ve washed it dozens of times now, and it still feels just as soft, even after going through the washer and the dryer. I also love the elastic at the waist because you can cinch it for a more flattering, cozy look while keeping in extra heat. It’s stylish, eye-catching and helps me feel put-together in my activewear life.”

Chirp is also a Shop TODAY-favorite brand (their roller was a Gift We Love in 2025!), so its safe to say we weren’t surprised to see it earn another award, this time for their miniature massage gun.

“The Chirp Mini massager blends the percussion of a massage gun with the rolling motion of a foam roller,” says Andriakos. “It provides targeted relief to sore body parts and with three adjustable speeds, it’s gentler than other techy massage tools but still allows you to get meaningful relief.”

“The Power Pilates Kit from BetterMe is a bit an investment, but it is a worthwhile one — you get so much bang for your buck!” exclaims Andriakos. “The kit includes mini loop bands in both fabric and rubber, hand weights, grip socks, a Pilates ball, a Pilates ring and a weighted power ring. Basically everything you’d need for a traditional strength-focused resistance workout or a Pilates-sculpt session. It’s all compact equipment too, so if you’re traveling or packing a few things for on-the-go workouts, this bundle is incredibly versatile, so you never need to miss a workout.”

Women’s Health Fitness Awards 2025 previously seen on TODAY

Does sweat drip into your eyes or your hair get disheveled while working out? The Gymwrap 2.0 Headband promises to wick away sweat as you exercise. That way, you don’t have to worry about sweat getting into your eyes or your hair falling loose. The headband also has Evapocool fabric to keep it breathable, cool and ventilating while you wear it.

If you’re like us and have a growing collection of water bottles, you might want to add this Bala Bottle to your round up. Not only will it keep your drink cool, the booster ring on the cap can be used to mount your phone.

Remain hands-free during your runs with the SPI Running Belt. According to the brand, it’s a favorite amongst marathoners. And unlike some running belts on the market, the belt offers ample space and no bounce as you run.

According to the brand, this sandal absorbs 37% more impact than traditional footwear. Meaning, you should experience less stress on the knees, ankles and other joints as you recover. There’s also sizing for men, too, here.

Rhone’s Revive Pocket Leggings promise movement with ease. From its stretchy fabric, anti-odor technology, supportive waistband and oh, the phone pocket (of course!), these leggings should help you move about confidently during your workouts. Choose from this bright plum color above or one of their 15 shades, including black and navy from their core line.

Although the brand doesn’t have an option for men, they have some workout joggers available.

Meet the experts

Our team features a range of qualified experts and contributors in our broadcast segments to reveal the latest in trends, remarkable sale events and all things shopping across a variety of categories. These items were independently chosen by members of the Shop TODAY team along with Jacqueline Andriakos and the Women’s Health team.

Jacqueline Andriakos, NASM-CPT, is the Executive Health and Fitness Director at Women’s Health, certified personal trainer and former group fitness class instructor.

How do you add Shop TODAY as a Preferred Source on Google?

Google’s new Preferred Sources feature allows users to manually select their favorite publishers and news outlets for a more customizable experience tailored directly to the reader. Once you’ve opted to receive our content, you’ll begin seeing more of our recent and trending articles displayed within your Top Stories news feed.

The easiest way to add us as a preferred source is to click here and type in “TODAY.com.” Once the box is checked and you’ve refreshed the page, Shop TODAY content will start appearing in your feed.

How we chose

The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews and even use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers. For this particular article, the Women’s Health team submitted a list of their Fitness Awards winners, from which we chose products to feature on the show.

As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. Learn more about Shop TODAY.

Fitness

Physical Fitness Movies and Shows to Keep You Motivated Toward Your Goals

Published

22 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Physical Fitness Movies and Shows to Keep You Motivated Toward Your Goals

The New Year is a time when many of us feel motivated to think more about our physical fitness. Lift heavier weights. Run longer distances. Shave a few seconds off that mile time. Whether you’re looking to hit a new PB or simply incorporate more movement into your daily routine, it’s easier to reach your goals if you surround yourself with positive affirmations about staying consistent and practicing discipline.

Lock in by watching these movies and shows that celebrate a good sweat session. You can stream these titles while climbing the Stairmaster, foam rolling after the gym, or enjoying a well-deserved rest day in a cozy, horizontal position. After all, visualization is one way to gear up to get moving — and it can be done from the comfort of your couch.

Final Draft

It’s never too late to restart a fitness journey. This Japanese series gathers together twenty-five former professional athletes — some of whom had no choice but to walk away from their respective sports, and others who retired on their own terms. They take part in a high-stakes survival competition, and the winner is awarded 30 million yen to kick-start their second-chance career. Among the participants: baseball legend Yoshio Itoi, soccer icon Yoshito Ōkubo, and three-division boxing world champion Hozumi Hasegawa.

Lorena, Light-Footed Woman

The sport of running is hard enough, but tackling a long-distance race without some good sneakers is a whole new kind of challenge. This short documentary introduces Lorena Ramírez, the member of Mexico’s Rarámuri community who earned the world’s attention in 2017 by competing in the Cerro Rojo UltraTrail, an ultramarathon of over 30 miles. She did so while wearing huaraches — traditional Mexican sandals — as well as her trademark long skirt and other customary indigenous garb.

The Other Shore: The Diana Nyad Story

Diana Nyad first gained acclaim in 1975 for swimming around Manhattan in record time. This documentary follows the long-distance swimmer as she pursues a perilous goal — swimming from Cuba to Florida without the use of a protective shark cage — a journey she attempts repeatedly, up until the age of 63. Afterward, queue up Nyad, the dramatic take starring Annette Bening as the athlete and Jodie Foster as her best friend and trainer, Bonnie Stoll.

Physical: 100

This search for the ultimate physique in Korea caught the attention of fitness lovers worldwide — for good reason. In this unique tournament, 100 athletes, bodybuilders, and military professionals take part in daunting challenges that test raw strength, speed, endurance, and technique. They face off in various trials until there’s only one competitor left standing. Want even more rivalry? Queue up Physical: Asia, the continent-wide spin-off in which athletes compete in teams representing their countries of origin.

SPRINT

This docuseries closely follows the world’s fastest athletes as they ready their bodies, minds, and spirits to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Created by the same team behind Formula 1: Drive to Survive, these episodes zoom in on American sprinters Gabby Thomas, Noah Lyles, Fred Kerley, Twanisha ‘TeeTee’ Terry, Kenny Bednarek, and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, as well as runners from the UK, Ivory Coast, Italy, Jamaica, and Kenya. Watching these elite runners prove what the human body is capable of is apt inspiration for athletes at any level.

Tour de France: Unchained

Go behind the scenes of the world’s most thrilling race on two wheels: the Tour de France, the famed road cycling competition that spans approximately 2,200 miles over a period of three weeks. In each of its three seasons, the series embeds with multiple teams as they race while dealing with terrain, injury, and other setbacks. These episodes track the annual men’s competition in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Ultimate Beastmaster

After countless hours of training, contestants take on the supersized obstacle course called “The Beast.” Produced by and featuring Sylvester Stallone, the international competition made history when it debuted with six localized versions in various countries, all featuring different competitors, hosts, and languages of origin. (The U.S. edition is hosted by Terry Crews and Charissa Thompson.) Also available to stream: Ultimate Beastmaster Mexico, hosted by Inés Sainz and Luis Ernesto Franco.

Fitness

Brazilian jiu-jitsu helped me find joy in movement again—here are three of my favorite solo moves you can do at home

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Brazilian jiu-jitsu helped me find joy in movement again—here are three of my favorite solo moves you can do at home

If you’re looking for a way to move your body that builds strength, boosts your mobility and improves your mental agility, you need to try Brazilian jiu-jitsu (also known as BJJ).

Many people assume martial arts aren’t for them. I certainly never thought it was something I would enjoy. Working as a fitness writer, I’ve tried countless forms of exercise over the years, but grappling on the floor with a stranger had never appealed to me.

But when I recently tried BJJ, I discovered there’s much more to it. Not only did I learn lots of new skills in one session, it also challenged my strength, fitness and mobility—and I was laughing almost the whole time.

I now believe it’s one of the best ways for people of any age to move, especially if you have longevity in mind.

What is Brazilian jiu-jitsu?

BJJ is a martial art involving grappling, which often looks like rolling around on the floor with a partner. But it isn’t about sheer force—it involves specific sequences and techniques, like chokes and headlocks, to come out on top.

What are the benefits of Brazilian jiu-jitsu?

BJJ can be beneficial at any age.

“One of the best parts of jiu-jitsu, especially at the beginning, is body control and body awareness—you start to become conscious of your weight distribution, like where you’re placing your feet,” says Nia Blackman, a black belt and coach at ARMA, a BJJ gym in Clapham, London.

It’s also great for cognitive function, setting it apart from other forms of exercise. “In combat sports, there’s a lot of decision making,” says Blackman. “Jiu-jitsu really helps with staying calm under pressure, too.”

It’s also a fantastic way to develop your range of motion and flexibility. “It very much ties into mobility because the more mobile you are, the more you can flow,” Blackman explains.

My experience of Brazilian jiu-jitsu

I was lucky enough to have a one-to-one session with Blackman.

I was nervous about training with a black belt—would I get hurt?—but this wasn’t the case at all.

“A lot of people hear jiu-jitsu, think of Marvel film stunt sequences and think I can’t do that,” Blackman told me. “But the beginning of the journey is about learning basic movements rather than full-on sparring.”

In fact, Blackman started the session by teaching me some solo exercises, including how to fall to the floor and get back up.

“The biggest thing, especially when you start jiu-jitsu is learning how to fall, how to break your fall and how to get up safely,” says Blackman.

We then went through sequences together, starting in a closed guard position with Blackman sitting on her knees and me lying on my back with my legs around her waist. From there, she taught me how to maneuver both our bodies in order to tackle her or get her into a hold.

Writer Alice Porter being taught a sequence by Blackman

(Image credit: ARMA)

The session challenged my mobility and strength as much as a typical strength workout. Instead of using weights as resistance, I was using another person. It required more mental energy too, making BJJ a great way to keep your brain active as much as your body.

I also had more fun than I’ve had exercising in years. “It’s kind of like letting out your inner child,” Blackman told me. I 100% agree.

Three solo beginner-friendly Brazilian jiu-jitsu-inspired moves

You don’t need a partner to start practicing BJJ. If you’re interested, but don’t have anywhere nearby to practice, or want to prep at home, Blackman has shared three BJJ-inspired moves to help you work on mobility and skills.

“There are a lot of basic moves that you don’t do in everyday life that you’ll have to learn before you start actually doing jiu-jitsu,” says Blackman.

1. Technical stand-up

Getting off the floor efficiently isn’t just key to this sport—it’s useful for everyday life too. The technical stand-up is how you do it in jiu-jitsu.

Sit on the floor with your right leg stretched out in front, and your left leg bent, foot flat on the floor.
Place your right hand on the floor behind you, connecting your left elbow to your left knee.
Shift your weight onto your right hand and lift your hips, balancing with the left arm out in front.
Bring your right leg behind your right hand, coming into a wide squat position. You can come into a kneeling position first if you prefer.
Slowly stand up, taking your hands off the floor and bringing your feet into a parallel position.
Complete 10 repetitions.

2. Hip escape

A hip escape is a defensive move in jiu-jitsu. “In jiu-jitsu as a whole, you want to create angles,” Blackman says. “If you want to escape from under someone, then hip escapes are really helpful.”

Lie on your back with your feet close to your hips.
Bend your arms so your hands are hovering over your chest, palms facing up.
Thrust your hips up, then turn onto your side, shifting your weight onto your shoulders and sidebody.
Then push your legs out to drive your hips behind you.
Repeat on the other side.
Complete 10 repetitions.

3. 90-90

Hip mobility is essential to jiu-jitsu and working them through this range of motion will help with a variety of moves. You might have come across this move before.

Sit on the floor with one leg bent in front at 90°, the other leg to your side, also bent at 90°.
Keeping your torso upright, rotate your legs so the opposite leg is forward.
Then push up through your hips onto your knees.
Pause at the top, then return to your starting position and repeat on the other side.
Complete 10 repetitions on each side.