Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and injuries - I need a pep talk

[Red Ryder]

I spent a lot of years in martial arts schools and had some friends and students ask about going full contact competitively. If they had an IQ over 3 digits, I asked 'why?". The long term risk of damage or CTE outweighs any money or fame and the competition leaves you less capable than when you started. I knew guys who thought old Karate guys were cool when they broke their knuckles to have bigger hands. Not cool when you get older I am sure! Ego should not be part of training decisions.

It sounds like our OP is way better than average at ground fighting, so how is your knife work? Team tactics? Low light gun fighting? My point is that there is ALWAYS something else to learn and sometimes we hyper-focus on an area at the cost of all others. If BJJ at that particular school is leaving you injured, pack it in and move on.

As the story goes: "Old bull and a young bull on a hill"...be the old bull.

[Brent Yamamoto]

In my opinion, the main thing you need for ground fighting is the ability to access and use your pistol.

Easier said than done of course. That involves being mobile, being able to escape holds, being able to cover up and minimize the damage you receive, and knowing how to create the space to draw your weapon.

The skills to out wrestle a jujutsu person is not necessary.

Training in jujutsu absolutely helps develop those skills of course. But I don’t think one needs to be a ground specialist is necessary.

[Warped Mindless]

Even in your 40s you should not be continuously getting injured doing BJJ unless you are at a school with a strong competition focus and/or bad culture. Easier said than done but seek to find a school that focuses more on self defense and has an older instructor. Also, don’t go “ball to the wall” every roll.

truthfully, if not looking to compete and you have a decent base already, you could just get the Gracie combatives dvds and a grappling dummy. Practice an hour a week on the dummy and take a private lesson or two every month and you should keep your current skill level, he’ll you may even get better.

[UNO]

There’s a lot of assholes out there these days. When I apply heel hooks I do so slowly. There’s no need to injure someone needlessly.

Heel hooks at my gym are only after close instruction with the professor, and are a "catch and release" affair. I got my tib/fib misaligned with a heel-hook that was applied slowly, properly, and released as soon as I tapped. I did not sit there and mess with it, either, nor was my training partner being a dick at all. Chiropractor realigned it, no issues. That said, heel-hooks are a zero margin game. IMO, they should only be a "catch and release". I don't need BJJ. I do need to be able to walk.

[UNO]

In my opinion, the main thing you need for ground fighting is the ability to access and use your pistol.

Easier said than done of course. That involves being mobile, being able to escape holds, being able to cover up and minimize the damage you receive, and knowing how to create the space to draw your weapon.

The skills to out wrestle a jujutsu person is not necessary.

Training in jujutsu absolutely helps develop those skills of course. But I don’t think one needs to be a ground specialist is necessary.

Mix BJJ/Catch Wrestling/Etc. with some Shivworks type training, and you get exactly what you're describing.

[Brent Yamamoto]

Mix BJJ/Catch Wrestling/Etc. with some Shivworks type training, and you get exactly what you're describing.

Or come to a Suarez International Pistol Groundfighting course.

[Papa]

Or come to a Suarez International Pistol Groundfighting course.

What he said.

[Francisp]

If its any consultation I had my ACL severed in a beginner friendly BJJ take down class in 2019 (less than 2 montjs into a 3 month trial contract) and I still have troubke going dowm the stairs and get a burning sensation in my knee. Consider the risk vs reward of your personal situation. If youre not in a high risk profession consider if its really worth it to do something where you risk life altering injuries.

[Gabriel Suarez]

TBH (to be honest), if you are continually getting injured find somethingvelse to do. At 62 I dont train ground fighting becausexan injury...if it doesnt involve surgery will take way too long to recover from. Not to say I dont know enough of it to

Avoid a take down
Protect from the ground
Maneuver to position for a draw, etc.

I have been in alot of fights. To say they all go to the ground is false. If a man tries a takedown on me on the street I look atvthat as deadly force and will respond in kind.

All that said...once BJJ was no longer a secret weapon in the UFC, the importance of striking returned. So get good at striking and at not being struck.

Id also ask about muscle mass. Do you have some? Natures body armor. Not only does it protect from injury...but it sends a message to others about you and what you might bring to the table.

[Oscar01]

Some guys are not malicious, but when they are strong, have low skill, and have more muscle than judgment, you can get hurt. It seems funny to say but when you’re practicing these things, you have to protect yourself. There are little things you do with how you position yourself, how you set your joints, how you maximize cover for vulnerable spots...but sadly some of that just comes with experience...usually AFTER getting hurt making a mistake.

Bold for emphasis.


It's one thing to be injured when we were younger and didn't have other responsibilities. But now an injury is more costly, it takes away from work and other training.


As someone who has injured training partners and been injured by, I'm carefully vetting instructors and training partners. Likewise keeping my own power/speed under control so I'm not one of those guys...again. I'm there to train and improve.

Id also ask about muscle mass. Do you have some? Natures body armor. Not only does it protect from injury...

This as well.


My physical therapist just recommended to me to do more hypertrophy to better protect my joints during training. I was primarily power/functional.


SI is definitely ahead of the curb.