Training through Injury

**NSLightsOut** · Posted On: 5/19/2005 10:36pm

Out of curiosity, how many of you have actually improved your game by training around an existing injury that limits your ability from various positions?

I ask this because currently I'm nursing some damaged ribs, a legacy of a very large Brazilian blue belt who decided he didn't like me very much (after a failed armbar attempt of mine from guard) and shoulder charged me while I was recovering, dropping all 95-100kgs of weight on my ribs, which occurred in mid February.

Funnily enough, my guard has never been better.

As I can't fight from the bottom of side control, I've really been limiting my practice to passing/sweeping drills, from both the top and bottom of guard, with anybody willing to train, and quite frequently, with my instructor, and I've improved my half and full-guard games by a huge margin. Enough to give a few good purple belts and my instructor difficulty in passing. I'm having a ball.

Anyone with any similar stories/training advice for injuries?

**Judah Maccabee** · Posted On: 5/19/2005 10:43pm

Assuming your injury is one that allows you to train around it, it's admirable that you improved on other areas of your game. I've had back problems, and since everything uses your back, I've had to be more sedentary.

**NSLightsOut** · Posted On: 5/19/2005 11:07pm

Os: This is a long term injury to my upper back/ribs, that I can train with in a limited way whilst rolling light. It's actually helping my recovery, and my game.

I probably should have worded the title differently. I'm training around the injury rather than through it. My body doesn't allow me to do some things, but other things are fine. Therefore, I will do those other things, in order to keep my mind and body in the game, and improve myself in the process. If I get to a position where I feel any discomfort or pain whilst training, I'll call it quits for the day.

Look at Gordo. During the period he was developing the modern half-guard, he was unable to use the full guard. That didn't stop him from training, thinking, and working on other things whilst he was unable to train properly. This inability to use his body to the fullest improved his game greatly. Following his example, if I can train to a limited extent (light rolling, passing/sweeping drills) why should I not if it doesn't interfere with my recovery?

**katana** · Posted On: 5/20/2005 1:58am

When my right arm was badly hyper-extended during sparring practice I had to rely more on the guard because keeping top was difficult. Because I could only defend the guard with one arm for a couple weeks I became much better using my legs to keep people from passing and could launch submissions with one/no hands depending on the person. So yes, like you, I trained around an injury and came out better. I don't always do this though, it depends on what is going on. Recently I had separated a rib and that pretty much took me out for four weeks. Any type of bending or hard exertion was too painful and caused the rib to pop out again.

I know some people who train no matter what the injury is. This can work I guess but I don't think it's prudent. I won't train if I think an injury is going to become a chronic problem if I don't let it heal. I'd rather be out a few weeks than regretting my choice ten years down the road. IMHO.

**Yrkoon9** · Posted On: 5/20/2005 9:59am

Depends of course on the injury.

But I'll agree with osiris...again.... just not worth it in many cases.

My rib injury I took time completely off, came back and injured it again.

Now I don't want to 'bring you down', but if I am training with someone with a fairly serious injury I take it real easy on them. I don't want to be the guy to really **** them up. So if you think you are doing really well...it might be that people are just trying real hard not to hurt you.

**Gumby** · Posted On: 5/20/2005 1:04pm

Not so much me, but my instructor-

He had injured his knee when he was like 19 or 20 and just started BJJ (torn meniscus I believe). It was bad enough that he could play full guard, which bothered him because his armbar from there was great.

So, the choice was to either play half guard or dont train at all. This was about 10 years ago, so half guard wasnt as popular then as it is now. As a result though, his half guard is one of the strongest points of his game.

**Ronin** · Posted On: 5/20/2005 1:09pm

When I damaged my right knuckles, my left reverse punch became all the better for it.
Because of damage to the left knee ( soccer injury coupled with malformation of kneecap), my left leg kicks have always been "less snappy", but have more follow through.
Due to a sligth curvature of the spine, I ALWAYS make sure that, even in grappling, both sides get an equal workout.

**paper-samurai** · Posted On: 5/20/2005 2:23pm

i got bruised rips at the moment two,but personaly i also feel that you can better wait a few weeks and totaly recover then start training again and bust it up again.
But its a good thing to defend youre weak points thats true,but i feel BJJ is to much of an overal game to fight from a singel position..

**Kungfoolss** · Posted On: 5/22/2005 1:52am

Originally Posted by NSLightsOut

I ask this because currently I'm nursing some damaged ribs, a legacy of a very large Brazilian blue belt who decided he didn't like me very much (after a failed armbar attempt of mine from guard) and shoulder charged me while I was recovering, dropping all 95-100kgs of weight on my ribs, which occurred in mid February.

This is the primary problem training with amateurs in the stylistic arts, emotion and immaturity blinds reason.

Funnily enough, my guard has never been better.

As I can't fight from the bottom of side control, I've really been limiting my practice to passing/sweeping drills, from both the top and bottom of guard, with anybody willing to train, and quite frequently, with my instructor, and I've improved my half and full-guard games by a huge margin. Enough to give a few good purple belts and my instructor difficulty in passing. I'm having a ball.

Anyone with any similar stories/training advice for injuries?

Have you ever considered swallowing your pride and allowing your injuries to heal?

**NSLightsOut** · Posted On: 5/22/2005 4:33am

Originally Posted by Kungfoolss

This is the primary problem training with amateurs in the stylistic arts, emotion and immaturity blinds reason.

Why limit problems with emotion and immaturity to stylistic martial arts? They're a problem in every facet of life that involves dealing with other human beings. Get over it.

Have you ever considered swallowing your pride and allowing your injuries to heal?

Why do I need to swallow my pride? I see my physiotherapist on a weekly basis at the moment, and he has cleared me to train numerous times. I took two months off training, and the injury has healed up considerably, just not completely at this point. I don't see pride as having anything to do with the fact that I am still training.

Originally Posted by Yrkoon9

Now I don't want to 'bring you down', but if I am training with someone with a fairly serious injury I take it real easy on them. I don't want to be the guy to really **** them up. So if you think you are doing really well...it might be that people are just trying real hard not to hurt you.

Yrkoon9, I'm a fairly experienced blue belt. I think I have a pretty good handle on when people are rolling easy on me.

Comparing the pressure I usually get from my training partners, and the pressure I get now, I've felt no perceptible difference. Whilst my training partners do know I am injured, I make it very clear that I feel no pain in guard, just from under side control. As such, they leave it to me to tap or let them know when I feel pain.