Is it possible to be a grappler and train injury free? By some reactions that I've received in the past, many tend to think that grappling "injury-free" is very possible. Some grapplers like to believe that most injuries could be avoided if training partners were more considerate and less competitive while training.
While I agree with that on some level, I think there's a point that's overlooked. Grappling, like any other physical sports activity, has the ability to inflict injury upon the participants in ways that can be considered deliberate (due to a reckless partner) and not-so-deliberate (unexplained things that just
happen). Unfortunately, those facts have to be hidden from new grapplers because it would probably discourage them from the sport. And even though they're not openly discussed in the beginning, all
grapplers have to face the reality of the fact that injury is 100 percent guaranteed (in varying degrees of severity) and, at some point, everyone will be forced to decide whether the pain being inflicted upon them due to grappling injuries is worth the effort.
Personal Injury
I'm sure some of you reading this are probably saying..."100 percent guaranteed, you're kidding right?" Well, I'd love to tell you that I was kidding, but I'm not. It's a reality that all grapplers have to face and learn to ignore while training, especially since there's no way to determine which injury will occur and how it will happen. It's easy to point out the obvious injuries that occur as a result of an overzealous partner, but then there are the injuries that can go unnoticed at times:
- Your partner doesn't hear you tap while drilling or training because you tap the mat instead of them
- A partner accidentally loses their base and stumbles forward while advancing a position, dropping their knee onto your hand or foot
- Slipping on a sweat spot on the mat while doing the warm-up
- Failing to warm-up and pulling a muscle
- Being exhausted and you don't respond fast enough to a submission
- Jamming or breaking your toes in between the mats when they separate and form gaps on the training surface
- Dislocating your fingers while getting them caught inside someone's lapel while gripfighting
Do I say these things to discourage grapplers from training? No, that's not my intent at all. My intent is to make them aware of the fact that injury can and will happen at some point. And when they do, it will test their resolve to be grapplers. If a person's training just to get out of the house a few nights out the week, they're probably going to quit when the injuries start to happen. But, if they've made up their minds that injuries come with the territory and that no injury (as long as it isn't completely
debilitating) will keep them from their goals (i.e. BJJ Black Belt), they will be successful.
The injuries may prolong the journey, but remember this is a marathon race...not a sprint. So, stock up on the Motrin, keep plenty of ice ready, and enjoy the race!
Is it Possible to Do Submission Grappling Without Getting Injured?
Paul M. Greenhill, "The Wise Grappler", is the creator of The Wise Grappler System and author of The Wise Grappler Ezine, a weekly ezine that provides martial arts training and personal development tips for the older (over 35) and non-traditional martial artists. To learn more about "The Wise Grappler" and to sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit his site at http://www.ihateyoungpunks.com or contact him at paul@thewisegrappler.com.
(c) 2007 Paul M. Greenhill
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