First BJJ class last night....

[theprophet]

And I loved it

I have never done any grappling arts. Some Arnis with the locks and such but this was waay different. I completely enjoyed myself, bruises to prove it. It was much more of a workout than I had imagined, I was covered in sweat by the time the hour was over, but that didn't stop me from going right into and hour class of Muay Thai. Does anyone wear knee protection for BJJ? If so any suggestions? Mine got pretty banged and scraped up on the mat. Anyways, I will be sticking with the MT and BJJ classes together and loving it.

[cakegirl]

That's great! Congratulations on your first class!

I used to do BJJ/MT back to back at one of the schools I trained at, but I don't train there any more, so I don't have that option, although my BJJ school is next door to my karate school, and occasionally I do BJJ and then go next door to train in karate or to teach a class.

As for knee protection, there are a lot of options out there. My coach (who has a history of knee problems) and some of the students in my school have some fancy gel ones... I used to use the cheapo Warrior knee pads. (They look like this .) I'd wear them out, but they were cheap, so easy to replace. It was funny, the guy I used to buy them from has a hard time committing new things to long-term memory, and every time I've gone in there to buy them, he comments about how good they are, and how they'll last forever, and I'm always like "Right... This is the 6th pair I have completely worn through!"

[47MartialMan]

Good for you. Keep at it. I dont know if your instructor would want you do wear pads, youll have to ask.

[theprophet]

Thanks for your reply's. I will ask my instructor if he allows it.

[RYO9]

Have fun. that's all that can be said. if you think your first time was fun wait until they show you the real stuff. keep with the MT, it'll help you keep going when you roll for extended periods of time. as far as pads... wally world sells a pair of these light white colored pads for your knees, they help a lot and aren't expensive.

Mullins

[Tom Yum]

Check out fairtex.

Hey prophet, congratulations on your start in the martial arts!

[Ahoym8e]

Congratulations. I hope you stick with it.

I wear knee protection, but not with pads. they are just little "sleeves" that protect my knees from mat burn during no-gi. during gi class, the gi pants protect my knees.

early advice: try to be as relaxed as possible. The less tense you are, the better you'll do, the less hurt you'll get.

[theprophet]

Originally Posted by Ahoym8e

Congratulations. I hope you stick with it.

I wear knee protection, but not with pads. they are just little "sleeves" that protect my knees from mat burn during no-gi. during gi class, the gi pants protect my knees.

early advice: try to be as relaxed as possible. The less tense you are, the better you'll do, the less hurt you'll get.

Thanks for the advice, I think I will get the "sleeves" you are talking about. All I want is a lil protection from the mat burn. Can I get those at any sports store?

[47MartialMan]

A little carpet/mat burning maybe needed to get used to.

For sure, there wont be any on the ground in the real world.

[Sensei Saki]

Little as in not too much, or not too big?"There you go again."--Reagan

[Penance]

Work on passing the guard every other class nonstop and your knees will toughen up quite fast. I had the same problems at first. Bruises. Pain, Scratches, Bleeding. They toughen up eventually. Still bruising, but no pain or bleeding and I don't notice any mat burns anymore.

Pads aren't something to be ashamed of though. If they make you more comfortable, hey, go for it.

[theprophet]

Originally Posted by Penance

Work on passing the guard every other class nonstop and your knees will toughen up quite fast. I had the same problems at first. Bruises. Pain, Scratches, Bleeding. They toughen up eventually. Still bruising, but no pain or bleeding and I don't notice any mat burns anymore.

Pads aren't something to be ashamed of though. If they make you more comfortable, hey, go for it.

I'll give it a try. I've gone a month so far in my MT training without using shin guards (although I ordered some so my lumpy shins can heal and I can still train without doing more damage). I can prolly handle a lil mat burn

[cakegirl]

Yeah, Penance, I don't get so many of those niggly injuries now... We've changed venues, and now have thick rubber mats over a sprung floor at the main place I train (bouncy), and vinyl mats at my coach's house (quick sliding), so I don't get "stuck" the way I used to... I used to get bad carpet burn on my knees and elbows from the inside of my uniform...

I still bruise a LOT though... Usually on the inside of my biceps... I got kneed in the eye socket a few weeks ago and had quite the shiner for a while there...

[Penance]

My biceps, wrists, shins, knees, and some spots around the chest are almost always bruised. I notice they heal much more quickly than they used to, though.

Friends and family think I'm crazy. But, what can I say, I've got the bug!

[Ahoym8e]

you should train "soft" if you know what I mean. Jiu Jitsu class is not the UFC, and if you move fluidly and move with the opponent instead of against him/her, you won't bruise as much.

I used to be a walking bruise, until I got sick of it, and now I work on training softly, and closing the distance between myself and the opponent and staying tight so that there is no real room for the knee or shin or whatever to accelerate and cause a bruise.

With time you will learn to move in ways that don't cause mat burn. if you put your knee up in the open guard, you'll find a way to do it effectively without putting a big burn on your foot.

Rolling with my coach is like rolling with someone who is taking a nap, except that you find yourself all twisted into a knot and tapping every 30 seconds. He almost never has bruises. That's what I want to be like.

But I'm just a white belt, so I don't really know what I'm talking about..

Oh, and regarding the knee protection: McDavid makes the "sleeves" I use. you can get them in foam or cloth. the foam ones are tad bulkier, but don't burn the back of your knees (on the tendons) like the cloth ones do. you can get them at academy, or Oshmans or Gart, wherever... (I use them only for No gi, by the way. My gi protects me form the mat when I have it on...)