Injuries in BJJ are pretty common and also preventable. It’s easy to chalk it up to “It’s a combat sport!” But that doesn’t really address the real problem of why does this even happen? By understanding why this happens, we can prevent it. Remember, you didn’t start this sport so you could wreck your body. You did it because it’s fun, challenging and it can make your life even better!
Poor Flexibility – Having poor range of motion is one of the most common reasons people get injured. As we age our flexibility tends to decrease and become more limited. This is especially true if we are carrying extra weight or have been inactive for a number of years. However, don’t despair as you can make improvements and keep your body safer on the mats. The thing that stops almost everyone from pursuing a flexibility routine is either a lack of good information or the discipline to just do it. If you invested 15 – 20 minutes every night to stretching before bed, you would have results in a short period of time. You don’t need any real equipment, just gently move your body. You can mix between static stretching (holding a stretch) and dynamic stretching where you add movement (like BJJ). Keep it simple, gentle but consistent. Never over-stretch either.
Lack of a proper warm-up – Everyone needs to warm up before training – even you purple belts! *infamous for missing warm ups* Some schoosl will offer a more comprehensive warm up phase, while others will jump in cold. I don’t ever recommend training (grappling / drilling) cold. This is the surest path to an injury. Hold fast to this rule! If needed, arrive early and warm up on the side lines. Start at the top of your head and work your way down your body doing a full scan as you stretch and move. Pay close attention to any areas that are tight or sore. Give them a little extra attention and be mindful when you’re training to not exasperate something. You can also take some time at home to loosen up when you have extra time. This can be a stretch, biking to your academy (my personal favorite)… the key is to get loose and find your range of motion with your body. Which can vary from session to session based on how sore you are that day. Listen to your body!
Poor Technique – Grinding it out and pushing through can build grit, but can also lead to injury. When Jiu-Jitsu techniques are applied properly there’s a high degree of safety. When you use poor or sloppy technique the consequences can be dangerous to you and your partner. Stay away from techniques that require extreme physical elements for them to work. For example: “The Buggy Choke” It’s a cool looking technique where you entangle your partners neck from bottom-side control with your arms and legs. This move requires a high degree of flexibility. There’s been instances of practitioners breaking their own arms and legs doing this move. Your body should never be at risk or injury from performing a move!
If you’re a beginner, keep it simple and try to focus on mastering the fours steps of every move. Use the elements of leverage, timing and technique. These don’t require strength, speed and flexibility (all physical elements). You can’t discount these physical elements completely. They are there to back up the technique, but ARE NOT the technique alone. Use them sparingly. Focus your time and energy on flawlessly and efficiently executing moves.
EGO – Leave your ego at the door… well maybe. There’s no “I” in TEAM. I know you’ve heard it a million times. Sometimes we forget that BJJ is a team activity and when we break our toys we don’t get to play with them! The toys in this instance can be our own body or our training partners. The best advice I’ve ever heard is, “don’t try to win in practice!” Then what am I trying to do? you may ask. LEARN! You are trying to learn and apply those lessons on and off the mats. Beginners should leave their ego at the door. You don’t know what you don’t know. When reach blue belt and have a better understanding of the risk / reward ratio and you can sparingly invite your friend ego back to the mats. Remember the ego is not the enemy. It can give us drive, desire, a sense of healthy competition, etc. But when left unattended, it can be dangerous. Whatever you’re doing on the mat (sweeps, escapes, submissions, take downs, etc.) they can NEVER be more important than your partners physical and mental well-being. (Newbies) Don’t forget that tapping is your new best friend. It’s not a form of punishment for failure. But rather a learning tool for success. When you tap you have an opportunity to adapt in the future and become better! Embrace a learning mindset.
Build Your Armor! You need strength training. You cannot dismiss the importance of lifting weights. It doesn’t / and shouldn’t be a full time gig either. 2-3 days per week is perfect. The goal is to build muscle endurance not kill yourself. Engaging in weight lifting is not about becoming a bodybuilder or dedicating all your time to the gym; rather, it’s about building a solid foundation of muscle that can protect your body from injuries commonly associated with BJJ. Incorporating strength training sessions 2-3 times per week is ideal, as this frequency allows for sufficient recovery and muscle growth without overtaxing the body. Keep it consistent and sustainable.
LOOK FOR PART TWO LATER THIS WEEK…
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