First, understand the difference between being SORE and being INJURED. Especially if you are newer to Jiu-jitsu, you WILL be sore. Even if you are in great physical shape, your body is not used to moving in the ways demanded by Jiu-jitsu practice. Even for those who have been training for a long time, occasional soreness, bumps, and bruises are a reality of training from time to time. If you are new, take it slow. Your body will naturally adapt to the training, and you will find that, in general, your overall soreness level should decrease the longer you train. Sometimes, the best way to deal with this soreness is to get back on the mat and train. This will usually reduce the duration of any residual soreness. However, you have to listen to your body. Overtraining is a thing. It is ok to take a day or two off from time to time. In some cases, you may need to take a week off to recoup. Try to avoid taking multiple weeks off the mat. The longer you are out of training, the harder it becomes to get back on the mat. Training is a habit. So is not training. All too often, I've seen students who take an extended "break" from training ultimately quit altogether, despite the best of intentions.
Now, if you are injured, you need to determine the severity of the injury. For minor injuries and soreness, use the RICE formula-Rest, Ice, Compression, & Elevation. A major injury will likely need to be seen by a medical professional. I recommend finding a good sports medicine doctor, who is familiar with these types of activities and injuries, and can give you a realistic expectation of what your limitations are and if you need to take time off completely or if you can work around the injured area. Keep in mind, most doctors lean towards being ultra conservative with regard to taking time off of training. More than anything, you know what you are capable of, so let common sense and experience guide you. A good general physical fitness regimen, proper hydration, supplementation and a proper stretching routine can help to prevent many injuries and manage chronic injuries.
If you do have a major injury, make sure to talk to your instructor and let them know, and see what recommendations they have. In most cases, you can still do something productive, so don't automatically assume you need to take weeks off of the mat. It is very likely, with most injuries, that your instructor can help guide you in ways that you can work around the injured area without further aggravating it, while still making progress and staying on the mat. If this is the case, make sure that you take reasonable measures to protect the injured area (tape, braces, etc) and make sure to inform your training partners, so that they know to help you protect the injured area as well. In some cases, it may not be prudent for you to participate in live sparring, but you can often still drill technique at a controlled pace. I personally have been on the mat in crutches; I've been on the mat in a cast... Obviously, use common sense and don't further aggravate an injury. However, don't let it become an excuse to miss training either. Show up to class, put your gi on, step on the mat, and do what you can, within reason.
It is very often the case that students who find a way to safely train through an injury will find that the injury actually benefits them in the long run. Sometimes if forces them to work on other areas that they may not be as comfortable with, or to work on the other side of the body. For example, if you have a leg injury, you may not be able to safely work on takedowns or guard work. But, you CAN work on defending from bottom side mount. Usually there is SOMETHING that you can do.
In the rare circumstance that you feel you are unable to physically participate at all, I HIGHLY recommend still showing up to class. Don't make it an excuse. Even if you can't physically train, you can still learn a tremendous amount by watching class and taking notes. Often, it will give you a different perspective. Watch how the instructor teaches the class, pay attention to the details. Sometimes only being able to watch and visualize yourself going through the move in your head will actually help you to pick up on small details you may have otherwise missed. Watch as the instructor goes around the room and makes corrections to other students during drilling. When you're on the mat physically practicing the move, you are usually only focusing on yourself and your partner. You probably won't see the small correction that the instructor gives to the people on the other side of the room that you may very well be able to benefit from as well. When you are watching class, you get to see all of this.
In addition, showing up when you are injured helps keep you engaged with the rest of the team, and keeps you in the habit of coming to the academy. Remember, you are not just training for yourself, you are training for your teammates as well. So don't skip class just because you're injured. We should always be training with a mindset of mutual welfare and benefit. Be there for your training partners. You may be able to help them out even if you are physically limited.
Roberto "Gordo" Correa, a well known Jiu-jitsu black belt, is widely credited for the development of the modern half guard position, to a much higher level than it had ever previously been utilized. What some people may not know, however, is that this development was actually due to an injury! When Gordo was a purple belt, he sustained a serious knee injury that could have kept him out of training entirely. However, he decided to return to the mat and make the best of his situation. Because he was not able to effectively utilize the full guard position, he instead adapted his training from the bottom position to focus on controlling only one of his opponent's legs, and thus developed a highly effective system of attack and defense from the half guard position, which is now a staple of most Jiu-jitsu practitioners arsenal. Without having sustained this injury, it is unlikely that he would have been forced to think outside the box in this way and developed this position to such a degree.
So, the next time life on the mat gives you a bunch of lemons in the form of an injury, try to find creative ways that you can adapt and overcome, and turn it into a positive. Learn to make lemonade!
Now, if you are injured, you need to determine the severity of the injury. For minor injuries and soreness, use the RICE formula-Rest, Ice, Compression, & Elevation. A major injury will likely need to be seen by a medical professional. I recommend finding a good sports medicine doctor, who is familiar with these types of activities and injuries, and can give you a realistic expectation of what your limitations are and if you need to take time off completely or if you can work around the injured area. Keep in mind, most doctors lean towards being ultra conservative with regard to taking time off of training. More than anything, you know what you are capable of, so let common sense and experience guide you. A good general physical fitness regimen, proper hydration, supplementation and a proper stretching routine can help to prevent many injuries and manage chronic injuries.
If you do have a major injury, make sure to talk to your instructor and let them know, and see what recommendations they have. In most cases, you can still do something productive, so don't automatically assume you need to take weeks off of the mat. It is very likely, with most injuries, that your instructor can help guide you in ways that you can work around the injured area without further aggravating it, while still making progress and staying on the mat. If this is the case, make sure that you take reasonable measures to protect the injured area (tape, braces, etc) and make sure to inform your training partners, so that they know to help you protect the injured area as well. In some cases, it may not be prudent for you to participate in live sparring, but you can often still drill technique at a controlled pace. I personally have been on the mat in crutches; I've been on the mat in a cast... Obviously, use common sense and don't further aggravate an injury. However, don't let it become an excuse to miss training either. Show up to class, put your gi on, step on the mat, and do what you can, within reason.
It is very often the case that students who find a way to safely train through an injury will find that the injury actually benefits them in the long run. Sometimes if forces them to work on other areas that they may not be as comfortable with, or to work on the other side of the body. For example, if you have a leg injury, you may not be able to safely work on takedowns or guard work. But, you CAN work on defending from bottom side mount. Usually there is SOMETHING that you can do.
In the rare circumstance that you feel you are unable to physically participate at all, I HIGHLY recommend still showing up to class. Don't make it an excuse. Even if you can't physically train, you can still learn a tremendous amount by watching class and taking notes. Often, it will give you a different perspective. Watch how the instructor teaches the class, pay attention to the details. Sometimes only being able to watch and visualize yourself going through the move in your head will actually help you to pick up on small details you may have otherwise missed. Watch as the instructor goes around the room and makes corrections to other students during drilling. When you're on the mat physically practicing the move, you are usually only focusing on yourself and your partner. You probably won't see the small correction that the instructor gives to the people on the other side of the room that you may very well be able to benefit from as well. When you are watching class, you get to see all of this.
In addition, showing up when you are injured helps keep you engaged with the rest of the team, and keeps you in the habit of coming to the academy. Remember, you are not just training for yourself, you are training for your teammates as well. So don't skip class just because you're injured. We should always be training with a mindset of mutual welfare and benefit. Be there for your training partners. You may be able to help them out even if you are physically limited.
Roberto "Gordo" Correa, a well known Jiu-jitsu black belt, is widely credited for the development of the modern half guard position, to a much higher level than it had ever previously been utilized. What some people may not know, however, is that this development was actually due to an injury! When Gordo was a purple belt, he sustained a serious knee injury that could have kept him out of training entirely. However, he decided to return to the mat and make the best of his situation. Because he was not able to effectively utilize the full guard position, he instead adapted his training from the bottom position to focus on controlling only one of his opponent's legs, and thus developed a highly effective system of attack and defense from the half guard position, which is now a staple of most Jiu-jitsu practitioners arsenal. Without having sustained this injury, it is unlikely that he would have been forced to think outside the box in this way and developed this position to such a degree.
So, the next time life on the mat gives you a bunch of lemons in the form of an injury, try to find creative ways that you can adapt and overcome, and turn it into a positive. Learn to make lemonade!
