You already know the benefits of jiu jitsu, but do you know how to avoid injury in this contact martial art? It’s a good question that has several good answers. If you are practicing martial arts, or are a parent to an aspiring jiu jitsu master, then keep these tips in mind.
Avoid Injury
There are several things you must do so that you leave the gym as healthy as when you entered. This list is not exhaustive, but it is necessary and useful nonetheless:
- Warm up: The first rule of athletics is you must warm up. This is also true for martial arts including. Get your limbs loosened up and break a sweat. These little exercises at the beginning of class are not to make things rote, but to stretch you out, which will help you avoid injury in your jiu jitsu class.
- Move in a controlled and measured manner: You are not fighting your sparring partner for money; you are practicing an art. Michelangelo was intentional in his art, and so should you be. Your jiu jitsu practice is for learning, honing, and advancing your skills. It is not for “explosive” movements on the mat.
- Be less explosive when rolling: Similar to the previous point, it’s easy to think that you should “go for it” at all times on the mat, but that is not the best way to roll. If you are familiar with yoga, you should “flow” rather than explode in your movements.
- Strengthen your muscles: In between your jiu jitsu practice, you should strengthen your muscles and joints with body weight exercises or other non-contact strength training exercises.
- If you are able, choose wisely your sparring partner: Do not choose the guy who thinks he is the next Anderson “Spider” Silva and wants to prove it on the mat. Choose someone who understands that it is better to roll less aggressively today, so that you can live to fight another day.
One of the benefits of jiu jitsu is that it provides an excellent source of physical activity. Congratulations, you are among the less than 5% of adults that exercise for more than 30 minutes per day.
However, to continue practicing martial art such as jiu jitsu, you need to stay healthy. The points above list some of the strategies, although not all, that you should incorporate when practicing jiu jitsu. Other items not mentioned include taping up your ankles or any other injury prone joint and letting go of your ego when sparring. If you use these techniques in your jiu jitsu practice, you will find the martial art more productive, enjoyable, and fun
Enjoy the benefits of jiu jitsu by always staying healthy and safe!