Damage Control: 3 Easy Ways to Manage BJJ Injuries

Martial arts are a fantastic hobby. They keep you fit and in shape, strong and flexible, and can develop your focus and discipline. However, training does involve a certain amount of risk. After all, you are participating in a combat sport. And eventually, sooner or later, injuries are going to occur. Most of the time, they’re minor. Other times, they may be more severe. 

Knowing how to manage your training injuries is essential regardless of their severity. It can help you heal faster, so you don’t lose more training time than necessary. Here are 3 easy ways to manage your training injuries. 

1. Take Time Off (But Not Too Much)

So this seems like an obvious one. However, you’d be surprised how often people prefer to train through injuries in BJJ. And while there’s nothing wrong with this (if your injury isn’t severe), it’s essential to take time off when you initially hurt yourself. The amount of time will depend on the type of injury you’ve sustained. 

However (and this is counterintuitive for most people), you don’t want to take too much time. Doing some light drilling and sparring with an injury can be helpful. It keeps you in practice and helps ensure the injured body part doesn’t atrophy—provided you don’t overdo it. 

2. Try Massage Therapy

Depending on the injury, you may want to try some therapeutic modalities. Massage therapy is a great option. For example, if you develop a kink in your neck or knot in your shoulder, massage therapy may help alleviate some of the tension. 

It can also help with: 

• Easing pain associated with muscle aches
• Improving energy and awareness 
• Improving immune functionality 

All of these benefits will go a long way when you return to martial arts training. 

3. Work Around the Injury

An injury doesn’t always require taking time off. Of course, if your doctor or physician recommends it, you should listen. However, most injuries can be managed simply by training around them. For example, if you sprained your wrist, work on guard retention. If you pulled a hamstring, work on grip fighting. The idea is to strengthen other parts of your game you may be weak in while your injury heals. 

And when you look at it from that perspective, certain injuries can (almost) be seen as a good thing. This is not to say you should actively seek them out. Instead, it’s just seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty. 

Final Thoughts

Injuries are a part of training; after all, BJJ is a combat sport. But by properly managing them, you can continue training and enjoy the many benefits jiu-jitsu offers. At Affinity Academy, we provide a safe training environment for novice and veteran martial artists alike. 

Moreover, our experienced staff is here to answer your questions and concerns. So contact us today to start your martial arts journey. 

Writer Bio:

Alex Brown is a self-improvement writer specializing in health & fitness, goal setting, self-discipline, and quality living. – See more at: https://alexbrownofficial.net/about-us/