Thank you and goodbye BJJ

[Mattt]

You don't know the gym environment he was in. Guys in my gym are very respectful of each other, and I've still had injuries from things that got cranked.

Maybe he was in one of those meathead type of MMA gyms where everyone does everything like they have something to prove. You don't know, and it's silly to assume that you know his situation better than he does.

In all fairness, the gym i was at was a very good gym. The instructor was the nicest guy in the world, and there were lots of good guys in the gym.

I don't want to say much about the gym situation because i wouldn't want to create a falsely negative impression (nor piss off the people who've made the club what it is!!!), but needless to say, around the time my brother got injured there was an influx of meatheads who wanted to be 'cage fighters' and they constituted a very significant proportion of the class population. It's hard to avoid rolling with them when your instructor groups you up with them, how do you be assertive and say "No." to someone you're suppose to trust with your development? I'm told that is no longer the case now and those guys are gone; i haven't been there for years and have no reason to doubt that fact.

Regarding my own injuries though, i don't blame meatheads. I'm sorry it i created that impression. I just think i was one of the unlucky ones. Perhaps i have some genetic disposition towards poor joints. Perhaps it was a build up of abuse from doing martial arts since a young age. It's funny to note that a large proportion of female ballet dancers also get lateral subluxation of the ilio-tibial band... no doubt because of years of abuse from a young age too. My injuries in class came from rolling with normal and considerate guys. Your limbs get moved in all sorts of ways and bend in all directions even with simple things like pinning someone or having your guard passed.

I'm not slating the sort of people who do BJJ. I have found them much more friendly that the people who play football, rugby, and so on. I just think that it can't be denied that it's an inherently dangerous sport (compared to most sports) and most of the people i know who've been doing it for a while carry injuries around with them.

I would still be doing it if i could...

 

[Verdis]

Matt, you live in Swe outside Gothemburg? You remind me a lot about two brothers I trained with as well as the gym that was packed with self-awarded cagefighters.

Crazy morons to be honest, no defense (I suppose waving slaps in front of you while your eyes are closed is some kind of defense though), no fall technique or anything of the kind.
I guess they're good members though since they buy all the gear and helps the club financially. Thank god our teacher keeps putting their pleas on ice.

 

[HIMBOB]

That sucks,

Youngens will give you shit for calling it a day but they also give guys like Chuck Liddell shit for not knowing when to do the same.


You only get one you, and while I love BJJ if training for fun makes the rest of my life suck I am going to give it up.