Jiu Jitsu is bad for your body.

[MaxMMA]

I disagree, all though a lot of these nagging injuries do add up and can even make life difficult if they are aggravated or go to long untreated. Overall Bjj is going to keep you mobile/flexible and keep your heart/lungs in decent condition.

 

[mataleaos]

And something else I do is, when class is over and the rolling has begun, if something gets hurt, not just a little twinge, but actually hurt, I'm done for the day. I just stop, I don't care if I wanted to get five or six rounds in. Even if it's the first minute into my first round.

Loved your entire post but this in particular is something I really need to work on. I pulled my hamstring in the 2nd to last roll last night and pushed through and did that final round. Today I'm wishing I hadn't done that.

 

[mataleaos]

I disagree, all though a lot of these nagging injuries do add up and can even make life difficult if they are aggravated or go to long untreated. Overall Bjj is going to keep you mobile/flexible and keep your heart/lungs in decent condition.

Compared to a non-active lifestyle yes, and compared to a lot of other martial arts/combat sports, yes. But there are other forms of anaerobic and aerobic exercise that are easier on the body than this.

I mean I love grappling. I will do it forever or until I physically can't. But I do think I could've found a healthier form of exercise.

Honestly I think the biggest health benefits from grappling come from the tribal nature if it, and the bonding, and the fact that human beings need touch, and need to play. I think a lot of mental health related benefits in some of those areas are even more beneficial than the physical health benefits.

 

[WarriorMonk7]

Honestly - if you are worried about this (I am), then you should refuse to roll with people who are likely to injure you.

I read that other post about this athletic purple belt using an ankle lock too aggressive. Look - if your intuition tells you this guy is out to hurt you knowingly or unknowingly, don't roll with that guy.

I think it is also highly gym dependent. Some gyms are full of bullies. Others are super chill and value safety.

I for one think that injury prevention should be the number 1 focus in BJJ. It just isn't worth it for me if I get injured from it. I learned this the hard way when someone almost completely f**ked up my supraspinatus with an americana using his legs from the kesa gatame position. Had to get an MRI and everything and couldn't sleep on that shoulder for 8 weeks because of the pain.

Also, look at some of the greats. I believe Rickson Gracie has like 8 herniated discs or somethng. Now I really admire Rickson and would love to be as skilled as him - but not in exchange for 8 herniated discs. Rener Gracie has several herniated disc, too - I believe. Khabib has several huge injuries that he had surgeries for. And countless of judoka and jiu jitsu fighters have had knee surgeries. Not worth it. Sorry. So I choose to roll very carefully and avoid certain people. If that offends them, so be it.

 

[MaxMMA]

Compared to a non-active lifestyle yes, and compared to a lot of other martial arts/combat sports, yes. But there are other forms of anaerobic and aerobic exercise that are easier on the body than this.

I mean I love grappling. I will do it forever or until I physically can't. But I do think I could've found a healthier form of exercise.

Honestly I think the biggest health benefits from grappling come from the tribal nature if it, and the bonding, and the fact that human beings need touch, and need to play. I think a lot of mental health related benefits in some of those areas are even more beneficial than the physical health benefits.

I hear you. Except for maybe wrestling, I actually believe bjj to be one of the most high impact martial arts. To train*
Obviously competing in boxing or MT is going to be a lot of wear on your body, but if we are talking strictly training then I put bjj at the top of the heap in terms of impact on your body. I mean, you're never going to go to boxing practice and have some 280lb dude crushing you in side contro/scarf.

 

[Cappy Goodtime]

I disagree, all though a lot of these nagging injuries do add up and can even make life difficult if they are aggravated or go to long untreated. Overall Bjj is going to keep you mobile/flexible and keep your heart/lungs in decent condition.

Out of curiosity, how old are you?

 

[WarriorMonk7]

I disagree, all though a lot of these nagging injuries do add up and can even make life difficult if they are aggravated or go to long untreated. Overall Bjj is going to keep you mobile/flexible and keep your heart/lungs in decent condition.

No man. BJJ is a good way to get osteoarthritis if you are not careful. If you want to be flexible, do yoga.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

Also, all the forum regulars on here are old now (for BJJ at least). We were all in our 20s when we started posting and now we're all bitchy middle aged men complaining about chronic injuries. I know I certainly am.

Lmfaooo, so much true in this... we’ve been posting for a freaking decade... so much has changed in my mind... i remember someone said one time... I used to think there was no life without Bjj... now I see there’s much more... i was like “blasphemy!!!”

As you get older, yes there’s life after Bjj, i might start running a bike or something...

 

[Big Nasty Edison]

Lmfaooo, so much true in this... we’ve been posting for a freaking decade... so much has changed in my mind... i remember someone said one time... I used to think there was no life without Bjj... now I see there’s much more... i was like “blasphemy!!!”

As you get older, yes there’s life after Bjj, i might start running a bike or something...

I think there can be old man injured life WITH BJJ, just maybe not hardcore super athletic tournament competition focused BJJ.

 

[MaxMMA]

Out of curiosity, how old are you?

35

 

[BJJ_Rage]

Bjj is not a healthy type of exercise once you get into your 30s 40s... it’s good for your mind, and for life in general, because it’s pretty damn fun and people need to have fun in life...

Now, if you are into to get in better shape? Swimming is probably the best choice you have...

 

[mataleaos]

Lmfaooo, so much true in this... we’ve been posting for a freaking decade... so much has changed in my mind... i remember someone said one time... I used to think there was no life without Bjj... now I see there’s much more... i was like “blasphemy!!!”

As you get older, yes there’s life after Bjj, i might start running a bike or something...

I hear you.

Man I've been hardcore into lifting weights recently and I love it. I hated on it for so many years and didn't want to skip BJJ to lift and any free time to work out I just wanted to roll. After lifting for a few months I feel so much better. I look better, feel better, have a testosterone boost, my posture has improved, and I had no idea how much technique was involved on the actual lifts. It's also a cool way to meet new people.

My BJJ buddies think I've left them behind but I'm just excited to be passionate about a different form of exercise now. BJJ will always be my first love and I won't leave it behind. But right now I'm primarily enjoying lifting.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

I think there can be old man injured life WITH BJJ, just maybe not hardcore super athletic tournament competition focused BJJ.

It will certainly be, but having to stop training all together suddenly doesn’t seem like finding out you got aids or cancer or something like that, life goes on, I’m doing this to have fun, and I can’t have fun if am a cripple... that’s what I’m thinking right now..

 

[BJJ_Rage]

I hear you.

Man I've been hardcore into lifting weights recently and I love it. I hated on it for so many years and didn't want to skip BJJ to lift and any free time to work out I just wanted to roll. After lifting for a few months I feel so much better. I look better, feel better, have a testosterone boost, my posture has improved, and I had no idea how much technique was involved on the actual lifts. It's also a cool way to meet new people.

My BJJ buddies think I've left them behind but I'm just excited to be passionate about a different form of exercise now. BJJ will always be my first love and I won't leave it behind. But right now I'm primarily enjoying lifting.

Going through the same process man...

 

[mataleaos]

Going through the same process man...

This may be suited for another discussion but I also am starting to see why a lot of black belts I know either get into other passions or go all in and open up schools.

 

[ZOD66]

Just don't start drinking or you will say goodbye good trainings forever and be like Bisping who didn't training without that shit and he would be much better

 

[BJJ_Rage]

This may be suited for another discussion but I also am starting to see why a lot of black belts I know either get into other passions or go all in and open up schools.

yep.. Ive been teaching for like 5 years or so... I dont see my self teaching unless I roll though. I dont see mysefl as an old coach whos sitting sidelines and giving advice without rolling. So I think the day im done rolling, I will need to fnd another hobby.

 

[Uchi Mata]

We are all complaining a bit but the bolded is true. I know people in their 60's that are able to roll with at least moderate intensity and I don't know how doable that would be in Judo or striking arts.

There's a way that BJJ is tough on the body that no one talks about much. Everyone talks about how no-gi can be rough and even though it's more athletic and people are more likely to eat some elbows and knees, I think that having your gi used against you in leg drag/leg weave style positions where your spine and ribs can be twisted up and held there by someone else is rough after a while. That aspect of someone being able to just fucking hold you in a leg drag position with your head facing one way and your hips facing the other way for extended periods of time is the shit that adds up and really causes pain and aches for me. If I were at a school with a more extensive no-gi program I would honestly choose to probably do 2/3rd no-gi and 1/3rd gi going forward. Right now it's 2/3rds gi and 1/3rd no-gi.

I find no-gi to be much easier on the body than gi. It's easier on your fingers and your neck and spine, because unless inverting is a big part of your game you rarely get stacked. It's also much easier to make small adjustments to relieve pressure whereas in the gi as you correctly note people can put you in a terrible position and just hold you there. I find the sort of constant tension that's necessary in the gi much more stressful than the more fluid positions in no-gi, even though no-gi can often require somewhat better cardio as opposed to isometric strength (though of course you need quite a bit of both for either type of training).

 

[mataleaos]

I find no-gi to be much easier on the body than gi. It's easier on your fingers and your neck and spine, because unless inverting is a big part of your game you rarely get stacked. It's also much easier to make small adjustments to relieve pressure whereas in the gi as you correctly note people can put you in a terrible position and just hold you there. I find the sort of constant tension that's necessary in the gi much more stressful than the more fluid positions in no-gi, even though no-gi can often require somewhat better cardio as opposed to isometric strength (though of course you need quite a bit of both for either type of training).

Yessir. The only real isometric stuff I feel without the gi is applying strangle holds or doing body triangles from the back. That's a good point re: inverting. And when I do invert I find it easier to do without being compressed because no one can grab fabric as I'm inverting to pressure in and squash me.

That's interesting you mention cardio. I can roll longer doing more of a Tonon heavy movement but relaxed style than I can by rolling more like Roger grinding and positional style.

The most frustrating part of no-gi to me is the knees and elbows. I seem to eat more knees and elbows from even advanced grapplers no-gi than gi. Not sure why.

 

[Uchi Mata]

I've noticed changes in my 30s.

I still feel I can roll with just about anyone, and I still do. The difference is though I no longer feel I can always dictate how I roll with them.

Sometimes I just have to resign myself to the fact that I need a break that day. Accordingly, I won't do as well in the roll as I potentially could if I went with a more aggressive strategy. I might need to just play slow and defend more than I usually would. And playing slow + defense = losing most of the time.

I feel like I am better than ever in my 30s. But it's a different kind of better than how I felt in my 20s.

I hear that. Some days I still have my highest gear, some days I don't. And it takes a lot less to throw me off my game than it used to. A few drinks or a late night with the kid or working deep into the night can make me roll like shit the following day which never happened in my 20s. Luckily I've been rolling hard as a habit for a long time so I can usually power through on autopilot, but there are definitely moments (especially rolling with young MMA pros) when I can feel the gulf in physicality and energy between myself and my opponent and while it's depressing it just has to be managed. I can't make it go away.