BJJ injuries

[VaE39]

Ive been doing BJJ for about 4-5 months now and Ive been starting to get pretty major aches. Ive never had this with MT or Boxing but I can understand why. Im only 19 and I dont think I should be feeling like an old man. A few of my knuckles hurt, my knee hurts, my shoulders ache to the point where I cant do anything but lie there. There hasnt really been one major event that started this but mainly just an snowball effect thing. Its like I have arthritis on my joints. What should I do? Ive tried ice, icy hot, and heat pads but it keeps coming back and I think its getting worse.
I went for my yearly physical about a month ago and I told my doctor that I feel that my shoulder is bothering me a little. He pushed on it and didnt really do anything about. So now Im asking you BJJ veterans what should I do and how can I prevent it from going further?

[Penance]

Take a few weeks off and just rest. Take things slower.

If you have to tell people to take it easy, then do so.

Try going with people your own weight. At 4-5 months you shouldn't be going 110%. Focus more on improving technique than on improving speed, power, or getting more wins. If you lose, you lose. Everytime you lose you learn something.

I used to feel like a cripple for days after class. People would get me in side control and I'd try to power out of it. I'd do the techniques wrong. I'd only try 1 technique over and over instead of setting people up for what I wanted. My lower back was screwed up, my shoulder was screwed up. It sucked. After I slowed down and worked my technique, things got better. I pulled off escapes more and more often and could actually walk the next day, too!

Also, don't try to power out of submissions. That just makes people go crazy, get tunnel vision, and rip your limb off. Try to escape the correct way using technique. If it doesn't work, you'll still have time to tap because they won't be attacking as hard and fast.

[sapatiero]

I agree with Penance. 90% of BJJ beginners 'fight' in class. But watch the brown & black belts & see how relaxed they are. I know it's easy said than done (especially with a limited submission/counter repertiore), but don't fight - try not to worry about who's tapping who & focus on relaxing & learning.

You'll not only find that you've got more gas & are learning more, you'll also find the aching reduces as you're using more technique as opposed to strength.

Don't worry - it's a process everyone goes through

[GrendelX]

Ive been doing BJJ for about 4-5 months now and Ive been starting to get pretty major aches. Ive never had this with MT or Boxing but I can understand why. Im only 19 and I dont think I should be feeling like an old man. A few of my knuckles hurt, my knee hurts, my shoulders ache to the point where I cant do anything but lie there. There hasnt really been one major event that started this but mainly just an snowball effect thing. Its like I have arthritis on my joints. What should I do? Ive tried ice, icy hot, and heat pads but it keeps coming back and I think its getting worse.
I went for my yearly physical about a month ago and I told my doctor that I feel that my shoulder is bothering me a little. He pushed on it and didnt really do anything about. So now Im asking you BJJ veterans what should I do and how can I prevent it from going further?

Take penances advice. I have been training for alittle over a month now and I am going through the same thing.

[SweepEm]

Ive been doing BJJ for about 4-5 months now and Ive been starting to get pretty major aches.
I'm only 19 and I dont think I should be feeling like an old man.

Sh it! Just wait until you REALLY are an Old Man, then you'll REALLY be hurting.

As with swimming, in BJJ, you use many muscles you don't use in other sports and other martial arts.

Since you're new to BJJ, I'd guess you're spazzing too much, trying to use too much strength in your sparring and training.
As you get more knowledge, you'll feel the need to use more CORRECT technique than using brute strength.
As was said, if you keep training, when you do get old, you won't have the aches and pains like you do now since you're train smarter.

It's ok to get caught and tap. Just keep going.
It's like a game, game over and you start over again.
Just train smart, don't get hurt and you'll be able to train another day.

You get hurt, you watch from the sidelines or stay at home.

[danfaggella]

This stuff troubles me. Aren't there 80 year old guys doing Judo everyday? What's going on here with BJJ? I'd like to practice this stuff until I'm old, but then again I don't want to train super-light all the time.

[blitz]

Helio is 90 and still practices!!! Don't worry these injuries will stop coming when you're more experienced, right now you rely too much on power because your knowledge is limited. When you know your moves and have good technique you won't have to worry about injuries as much. Most of your injuries come because you're doing something incorrectly and it isn't your opponents fault. I'm still a white belt but I've noticed this.

[grappler-jordan]

Good advice all around... Like Blitz said alot of the injuries you are enduring are self inflicted from trying to power through techniques instead of perfecting the actual movement. Try to slow down, relax, don't try to rip through everything let the technique do the work, if it doesn't, you are not doing it correctly; so re-evaluate and ask for further instruction from your Coach or a Sr. Belt on the finer details of the techniques. Thats what will make the difference. Not only will this help you avoid those injuries sustained from "spazzing" while rolling but you will find it will increase your endurance greatly. Good luck....

Jordan

[Bjjexpertise@be]

I hate to make this topic about me but, all I have to say is I've never had any of those problems when it came to Bjj, maybe I'm just a freak :-/.

Stop trying to fight a submission when it's really sunk in, try to learn how to feel if a submission is too deep to resist and just tap before they put too much pressure on your joint, if you don't you're probably going to end up with tendonitis and such.

[SweepEm]

I hate to make this topic about me but, all I have to say is I've never had any of those problems when it came to Bjj, maybe I'm just a freak

You've never had any of those problems...YET

If you train on a consistent basis, eventually you'll unfortunately have an injury.
Accidents happen all the time.

I don't know one person that has been in martial arts for at least a few years if not longer that hasn't had an injury

How long have you been training?

[yoshinkan]

Realistic

The same for me, Everyone will get an injury sooner or later, like in any other sport.

Don't be afraid to tap like said above, I remember when I started, it was a shame for me to tap, like I had the impression to lose a fight!

That thing was not possible for me...

But with expereince, I tap even if the man is a beginner now, I know what it takes to have a severe injury.

I don't know one person that has been in martial arts for at least a few years if not longer that hasn't had an injury

How long have you been training?