10 BJJ Solo Drills W/ Heavy Bag (Top Pressure And Movement)

Key points

• Keep the shoulder firmly glued into the bag to simulate top-control pinning pressure
• Step legs over the bag sequentially without letting the upper body disconnect
• Stay active on the balls of your feet and keep hips mobile

Common mistakes

Lifting the chest or shoulder off the bag while stepping legs across.

Key points

• Anchor hands on the bag to maintain rotational axis
• Circle rapidly around the bag pivoting across knees and active toes
• Keep hips low and centered over the bag

Common mistakes

Letting the bag slide away by posting with dead weight rather than active framing.

Key points

• Drive the shoulder point down into the bag as a fixed pivot anchor
• Stay entirely on the toes with knees elevated off the mat
• Circle around the bag continuously, changing directions fluidly

Common mistakes

Dropping knees to the mat or losing downward shoulder pressure during the spin.

Key points

• Start on active toes with hands gripping the end of the bag
• Pop up quickly into an athletic passing stance
• Shuck the bag laterally and step quickly around to secure side control

Common mistakes

Standing straight up instead of keeping hips low and loaded in a passing crouch.

Key points

• Anchor upper torso and forearms across the center of the bag
• Hop both legs explosively over the bag together
• Land with active toes and immediately rebound to the opposite side

Common mistakes

Letting the chest lift off the bag, losing upper-body base during the hop.

Key points

• Keep the lead knee/shin glued across the top of the heavy bag
• Step the trailing leg deep behind in a wide back-step arc
• Switch hips and rotate immediately back across to repeat on the other side

Common mistakes

Disengaging the lead knee contact completely during the back-step transition.

Key points

• Switch hips smoothly while maintaining continuous upper chest pressure on the bag
• Step the trail leg cleanly over the bag into a tight, stabilized mount
• Dismount to the opposite side control and repeat the sequence seamlessly

Common mistakes

Rushing the mount transition and lifting your chest off the bag.

Key points

• Keep hands posted on the bag carrying partial upper-body weight
• Wipe the shins dynamically across the top surface of the bag
• Switch leg positions cleanly from left side to right side in a rhythmic cadence

Common mistakes

Dropping feet flat to the mat instead of keeping shins and knees driving over the bag.

Key points

• Slide the lead knee high toward the head and tuck the rear heel tightly to the hip in S-mount
• Control imaginary arm grips and sit back smoothly into the armbar extension
• Use leg rocking momentum to pop back up into mount and transition to the opposite side

Common mistakes

Leaving space between your hips and the heavy bag during the S-mount transition.

Key points

• Maintain heavy chest and hip pressure driving directly into the bag at all times
• Stay exclusively on active toes without letting either knee touch the mat
• Flow dynamically through all previously drilled positions in a continuous circuit

Common mistakes

Allowing knees to rest on the mat or floating off the bag and losing pressure.