What is the ideal shape a BJJ fighter should have?

Question

I was wondering kind of body shape (Skinny, muscular, fat, flexible?) I should be aiming for as well.

Answer 1

Aim for great hip movement. That's it...

Answer 2

It really doesn't matter all that much. Taller people have an easier time locking triangles, armtriangles and many other things. Im very tall and thin and ive noticed that I can do things that short people can't. You always work on your flexibility and be muscular and thinish. Just start training and make adjustments.

Answer 3

Muscle is definitely better than fat. For some things, fat may seem to be an advantage (fat around the neck makes choking difficult) but this is better replaced my muscle. Lying on your back and raising only your head (not crunches) can be used to develop neck muscle which both protects your neck and allows you to contract it to avoid be choked. Obviously being skinny might be a disadvantage because you will weigh  more but have less muscle, and then putting on muscle could be a good idea. If you are skinny and feel strong, enough, there is no reason why you should need to, but it certainly wouldn't hurt. However, first and foremost is technique. If you aren't flexible enough to carry out the technique, your strength won't matter as soon as your paired with someone stronger or better than you! A lot of people who are jacked can pull their arm out of an armbar like nothing, but they'll never be able to get one on someone else because their muscles are so tight and inflexible. So flexibility, muscle and the absence of fat are ideal, but one without the other still leaves you at a disadvantage. Just make sure you stretch, watch what you eat (whether losing fat/gaining muscle), and work hard.

Answer 4

You don't wanna be too scrawny and flexibility helps at times. I know weight and strength aren't supposed to make a BJJ fighter, but both help.  obviously being fat isn't the biggest advantage... look at royce gracie, and if i remember right he was the champion of the first UFC before they had weight classes.

Weight helps in BJJ for doing stuff like pinning an arm down for the americana. you're supposed to use your bodyweight to pin the arm down before you do anything. It also helps to keep positions like mount and side mount.  Obviously it is harder to roll a 150 lb person off as a 100 lb person of the same skill level. Consider this:  if weight didn't matter, why would they have seperate weight classes in BJJ tournaments.

people who practice BJJ are taught to use their entire body for strength, but there are situations where you will be in a neutral position struggling for dominance, and if your skills are equal your strength may be the deciding factor.

That said, an experienced BJJ artist that weighs 100 lbs and is relatively weak will most likely dominate an inexperienced 250 lb BJJ artist that is pretty strong.  Again look to UFC 01... royce Vs. that big sumo

Answer 5

Be fit, above all else. Muay Thai should provide this.

Then ideally lean and muscular.