Training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Sensibly with an Injury

Author - Liam Clayton

When I was 18 years old, I experienced a life changing workplace injury where a 534kg coil of sheet metal fell and caused serious damage to my right leg and ankle. The damage was so significant that the surgeons told me I had a 90% chance that my leg would have to be amputated. Through a lot of determination, rehab, support, surgeries (up to 14 now) and frustration I was able to recover to the point I played competitive sports again and I was lucky enough to make several representative teams in Australian Rules Football and Touch Football, both heavily dependent on running, jumping and explosive movements. After 10 years of playing, my ankle deteriorated to the point I could no longer keep up with the rigours of these activities, but I still had plenty of passion to be challenged both physically and mentally. It was at this time that I found BJJ, and I never looked back. Unfortunately, due to my previous accident, I have always had to adapt and deal with the on-going impacts of those injuries in BJJ.  

BJJ is a physically demanding martial art that requires strength, flexibility, and agility. As with all sports, at times we will encounter injuries along the way. Training sensibly with an injury is crucial for both recovery and continued progress. Below are 7 ideas to fast track your transition from injury back to the mats.

Listen to Your Body, Not Your Thinking!

The best advice I got was when my surgeon told me “You are the only one who knows how your body feels so you know how far you can push it”. Listening to your body and understanding what it is telling you is the first key step to recovering from serious injury. It will tell you when to back off, when to go a bit further and when to rest. The trick is to listen beyond your own personal thinking and hear what your body is telling you. It is easy to confuse the two so be honest with yourself about your own fears and desires to recover quickly.

Movement is Crucial

Benefits of moving while injured include maintaining mobility, reduced stiffness, increased joint mobility, enhanced blood circulation, aiding the healing process, maintenance of muscle mass, a positive mindset and increased confidence.

The human body is designed to move and the more sedentary we are the worse we get. Therefore, even when injured we need to move! This is where it can get tricky because we often want to maintain the same standard of training we were achieving prior to our injury. Most of the time this is unachievable, and we need to adjust our goals and expectations. An example of this is my recovery from my latest surgery, where I was unable to use my left ankle on the mats at all. It would have been very easy to make a long list of the things I was unable to do and not continue to train, instead I chose to use it as an opportunity to focus on a specific element of BJJ. For around 12 months I had people start on my back and attempt to choke or armbar me and work on the hand fighting associated with this. Whilst challenging at first, it became increasingly interesting and motivating when I began having more success, all the while still training without aggravating my injury.

Skill Retention

Continuing to drill techniques, even in a limited capacity, helps to reinforce muscle memory and skill retention. Focusing on specific movements or isolated drills allows you to stay connected with your training and your training partners. Even in a limited capacity, coming to training assists you with your acquisition of skills.

Stay Positive

I have always felt that a positive mindset around recovery plays an important role in the recovery process. It sounds silly but being around training partners who will ask you how your injury is gives you the opportunity to practice a positive mindset about your recovery. When they say, "how's your leg?" I always respond with something along the lines of "it's getting better" or 'improving everyday". Even if you don't believe it at first you will teach yourself to be positive in those times where it is easy to become negative.

Proceed with Caution

BJJ is riddled with stories of people coming back from injury and going to hard to soon and finding themselves injured again. Ignoring the severity of an injury or pushing too hard can worsen the condition and prolong recovery so push yourself within your limitations and stop when you need to. If certain movements exacerbate existing injuries and hinder the healing process, then don't do them! If you can only do them with slight pressure, then just flow roll. If your body is still in recovery mode, you may find that you fatigue quicker and need more regular breaks. Remember you are the one who knows how your body feels so you know how far you can push it.

Communicate Your Limitations

Maintain open communication with your coaches and training partners about your injury and be honest about it. You are not winning any medals for toughness by potentially injuring yourself again. Establish clear boundaries and ensure that everyone is aware of your limitations and respects them. Have zero tolerance for anyone who doesn’t and stay away from the training partners who only have one speed.  You can also be a real asset for your training partners in this time as you will be able to observe their training and provide them with feedback that can improve their game.

Do Your Rehab

The exercises that you need to do to make a full recovery are usually very boring and repetitive but are essential to redeveloping the strength and mobility in an injured body part that will get you back rolling sooner rather than later. Make a plan, set a routine and follow it religiously. On low motivation days think of the benefits and why it’s worth the time.

Training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sensibly with an injury requires a delicate balance between staying active and allowing proper recovery. The benefits of maintaining movement are evident, but the risks should not be underestimated. By prioritizing open communication, adapting training methods and doing your rehabilitation exercises you can navigate the path to recovery while minimizing the risks associated with training with an injury. Remember, a thoughtful and patient approach to rehabilitation ensures a sustainable and fulfilling journey in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Stay safe, train smart and enjoy the process.