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BishopBjj News

Common Jiu Jitsu Injuries And How To Deal With Them (Part 1)

common jiu jitsu injuries
By: Tyler Bishop
A few nights ago I was sitting on the mats talking with a few of my teammates from our competition team, and then I realized we had all actually been talking about our current injuries for the majority of the conversation. No, we certainly weren’t all sitting around throwing ourselves a pity party. We were sharing valuable information with each-other on how to get healthy again. Chances are, the injuries you experience in BJJ are not new. You likely know someone who has experienced the same injury. So it makes sense that you would take advantage of that social capital around you.
When you work out with intensity a lot – or simply train long enough – you are bound to develop some physical injuries. When you’re a jiu jitsu “junkie”, one day away from the mats can become an eternity. You begin to find ways to overcome injuries just to make it into class, and start making your body compensate for movements that are restricted due to soreness or injury. Unfortunately, some injuries can leave you out of commission. Many top competitors go crazy waiting to return to the martial arts mats. The good news is that some other obsessed individual has likely already experienced the same thing and figured out the fastest road to recovery. So it’s very important to tap into some of the collective knowledge around you in regards to common injuries. You can leverage others experiences about a speedy recovery, find out their treatment methods, and better understand the road to recovery. By utilizing the intellectual capital of training partners you will be back out on the mats in no time!
Note: We are not doctors, so don’t kid yourself. The information below is for educational purposes, and is not designed to diagnose or treat any conditions.

Outside Knee Sprain:

knees
As someone that has experienced a fair amount of knee injuries and surgeries, I can say that without a doubt that ice is your best friend. Other things that have made  a big difference for myself when dealing with this particular type of knee injury is the inclusion of collagen and hyaluronic acid supplements. Making sure that your legs are strong and balanced can help prevent future injuries, and when recovering from an injury, nothing helps more than improving flexibility and dexterity. Yoga poses have provided a tremendous benefit to myself. You may also want to look at methodologies like “Ginastica” as well. Loosening up your hips and IT bands can provide a way to address a common root problem. Foam rolling and stretching can be some of the best ways to address this issue.

Jacked Up Fingers!

jacked up fingersMy close friend and podcast co-host, Jon “the Queen” Perrine, recently shared some valuable knowledge with me about keeping my hands healthy. Jon often tapes his fingers (here) to save his grips and fingers from unnecessary damage. By taping your fingers correctly you can reduce your ability to squeeze, thus saving your hands and fingers from “over-gripping”. If you are the kind of guy that squeezes every grip as hard as you can, and then leaves class writhing in pain. You might wan to give taping a try. Again, ice is your friend when recovering from almost any injury. Finally, by improving grip strength by performing exercises like: farmers walks, dead hangs, and gi pullup’s, you can build a strong grip that will protect your hands in-of-itself.

Sore Neck

neck injuriesHave you ever heard anyone say, “I really messed up my neck at BJJ practice, but then “popped” it by twisting it with my hands and it felt 100% better after that!!!!!”? Yeah, me neither, so don’t mess with your neck when it feels sore and injured. It is injured, so treat it with respect. Roll out the muscles against a wall by using a lacrosse ball (available cheap online), and then use ice to help the muscles recover more quickly. Using menthol creams to warm up the muscles prior to exercise or training can also help when you are easing back into activity. Ultimately, you need to make your neck stronger as soon as it’s healthy again. Practicing bridges on the mat before class can help you build and strengthen these muscles.
What other injuries do you struggle with? Let us know, and we will tap into our network of peers and see if we can’t address them in Part II of this segment.

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Live Technique and Perspective Videos

Own Your Jiu Jitsu Techniques (Instructionals on Reverse De La Riva, 50/50, and more)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHJs1h6xrDo?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

Check out the video above and learn triangles from side control, lapel sweeps from de la riva, 50/50 armlocks, and back takes from reverse de la riva.

Recently, two of our guests on the BishopBjj.com podcast, Rafael Lovato Jr. and David Adiv, both mentioned how important ownership of a persons personal jiu jitsu can be. David describes how important you treat something that is yours. By developing a style of jiu jitsu that works, you can create a very close connection between you and the technique. Lovato Jr. describes the love that he actually has for his game, in part due to the amount of time and energy he has invested in it. How are you taking ownership of your jiu jitsu?
How do you invest in your techniques? Are you researching others performing these techniques, what alterations have you tried making to the technique, have you discussed this technique with your instructor? All of these questions should spark a drive that compels you to develop your jiu jitsu in a  personal way. Lovato Jr. recently mentioned the benefit of coming up as a black belt in middle America was that he had to take a close personal ownership of his style, because there was very others around him that could do so. This kind of focus is what we should all attempt to employ in our training. What techniques are you developing this week? Use the video above to gain some new perspectives.
Note: Make sure to utilize the powerful tools around you such as: black belt instructors, and healthy relationships with your training partners.

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BishopBjj News

Podcast 5: Rafael Lovato Jr. and Budo Jake

rafael lovato - budo jake

Check out our latest podcast featuring Rafael Lovato Jr. and Budo Jake as guests.

Listen To Podcast 

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"It's Science" Videos

It's Science: Guilherme Mendes

its science guilherme mendes photo
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZtTRrBPDOA?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
Welcome to another episode of “It’s Science”. We  continue our 2013 season with a quick look at Guilherme Mendes (2011-2013). Now on to the fun stuff…
Abstract: All matches observed of Guilherme Mendes used in this small sample occurred at IBJJF events, inside his weight division, and between 2011-2013. Only techniques, occurrences, and outcomes that were recorded are displayed in the data below (i.e. if no butterfly sweeps occurred, there will not be a representation of that in the sample data). Matches were selected at random based on available matches  – selected using a random generator from 18 total available IBJJF matches matches between 2011-2013. This is a limited sample – but given the estimated amount of matches in this time period – it is well above the percentage necessary to create a scientifically validated trend sampling.
So what did we learn?: Guilherme Mendes is an impressive competitor. Much like his brother, he is quite good at avoiding defeat. Inside this study – which took place between 2011 and 2013  – there was only one loss on his record. The best way to describe his style is, “insistent”. He insisted upon a handful of techniques, and was able to put himself in the exact position to execute these moves with absolute precision. Approximately 81% of his passes were executed in a very similar fashion – Half-Guard, knee slide, and nearly 88% of his sweep came from a  De La Riva to berimbolo-style of attack. His game was very effective. It saw him finish almost 60% of his matches by submission, and it him in position to be the first to score in 100% of the matches in that he was the victor. In observing his style and performance, I believe this is a very important metric for Guilherme. By being the first to score in his matches, he immediately put his opponent on defense, and was able to stay ahead and inside his own comfort zone. In his sole loss he did not score first, and was unable to build his normal momentum through out the match.
There is a lot that the average competitor can learn from Guilherme Mendes style and approach. While the techniques are far from “simple”, his approach and execution is very basic. He kept his attacks to a handful of techniques, and insisted upon them from the beginning. One thing to learn from his competitive approach, is that by building a match around your strengths from the start, you can put yourself in a consistently offensive game. This can help reduce hesitation and can ensure that techniques are executed properly under pressure.

Notable Stats:

    • 7:15 was his average match length
    • Won 58% of his matches by submission
    • Scored first in 100% of his wins (91% total)
    • Passed from the half-guard 81.5% of the time
    • 88% of sweeps occured from the De La Riva guard
    • He preferred knee-cut passes to leg drag passes 13/2
    • Approximately 77% of his submissions were from the side control position
    • When on the feet he preferred pulling guard – as he did so 85% of the time
Top Competitor Guilherme Mendes
Successes Side Control Submissions
Avoided… Mount
Top Technique 1 Knee Through Pass From Half-Guard
Top Technique 2 Berimbolo
Number of Matches Observed 12
Submits Opponent 7
Wins by Points 4
Minutes of footage watched 87
Scores First 11
Total Wins 11
Total Loses 1
Sweeps (Position)
De la Riva Sweeps 7
50/50 1
Sweeps (Type)
Ankle Pick sweep 1
Berimbolo-style (kiss of the dragon, etc.) 7
Total Sweeps 8
Passes (Position)
On Knees 1
Half-Guard 13
Standing 2
Passes (Type)
leg drag 2
knee through 13
x-pass 1
Total Passes 16
Taking the Back
side control 4
Total Back-Takes 4
Submissions (Position)
Back 2
Side Control 5
Submissions (Type)
choke from back 2
gi choke (Guilitine, Brabo, Basball Bat) 5
Total Subs: 7
Takedown/ Ground Establishment
Double-Guard Pull 3
Guard Pull 9
ankle pick 2
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BishopBjj News

BishopBjj.com Podcast #4 – David From The Jiu Jitsu Lab

podcast 4 image
Our 4th podcast has made in improvements in sound quality, sound FX, continuity, and fun! We hope you enjoy our show, and the stimulating interview with David from the Jiu Jitsu Lab.
The show will be up on iTunes very soon, but until then enjoy it by clicking the image or by using the link below.

Listen to: Podcast #4

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Uncategorized

3 Ways to Improve Your Jiu Jitsu Outside of the Academy

improve bjj
By: Tyler Bishop
Have you ever said to yourself, “there are only so many hours in the day”? I’m sure we all have. The same sentiment is true when it comes to jiu jitsu. The academy may only be open certain hours, you may have to work, your training partners may have to work, teammates could be hurt, you may be hurt, the list goes on and on. To develop quickly in jiu jitsu, time is of the essence. As it’s often said, it’s not how much time you have, it’s how you use it. To improve your training practices, it is vitally important to dedicate time outside of the academy towards developing your technique, physical condition, and mindset.
If you were in school and wanted to get an “A” in class it would take extra effort outside of class, right? The same is true with jiu jitsu. These three methods for improving jiu jitsu outside of the academy (listed below) can help you begin developing an “A” level game today.
1:)Improve your body mechanics: David Adiv talked about this at length in our most recent podcast, and for good reason. Body mechanics make up the basis for all of jiu jitsu. If you cannot perform the movements necessary for a half guard sweep, side control escape, or armlock defense on their own, how do expect to perform those techniques against a live opponent? Many of these body mechanics can be found online, and many academies do movements like this as a part of the class warm-ups already. So why only do them in class? You don’t need a partner for any of these, and can practice them at night before bed, in the morning before work, or when you are chilling and watching TV. I cannot stress enough how important it is to develop solid fundamental body mechanics. Without these movements it will be incredibly difficult to perfect any jiu jitsu techniques. We will post some more body mechanic movements in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.
2:)Use online resources to perfect techniques you are already good at: There have never been more online training resources available than there are today. You can learn directly from Marcelo Garcia, The Mendes Bros., Saulo and Xande Ribeiro, Andre Galvao, Draculinho, and more – all by making a few mouse clicks. Short on cash? Browse YouTube for a bit and find some quality videos from top-level instructors. However, there is one-catch. If you could learn jiu jitsu solely by watching videos on the internet there would be 3x as many black belts in the world than there are today. Jiu jitsu is largely based on feeling, accepting, and applying techniques in live training or drilling  scenarios. That’s why one of the most efficient way to use online resources is to use them to develop techniques you already understand.
Are you good at the deep half guard? How about triangles from mount? Try finding good video and supplementary material from qualified instructors that highlight the techniques you feel you are already pretty good at. You will learn to see new details that will further improve these techniques, and you may also learn some new transitions and grips that help you improve in other areas as well. This method of learning is much easier to apply because you already have a strong mechanical understanding of the techniques explained. If you can already understand what the technique feels like you will find it easier to appreciate and understand the new concepts the instructor explains in the technique. If you can efficiently use these resources to improve the things you are already good at it will make you an even stronger competitor as well, because you will have more tools that allow you to drag your opponent into “your fight”.
3:) Set goals: My instructor, JW Wright, has always been a huge proponent of his students writing down their goals. It gives them a way of outlining and thinking about where they want to go in jiu jitsu, and provides him a way of understanding how to prepare them and develop them through their jiu jitsu joruney. This seems very simple, but is very effective. In fact, research tells us that this is true in almost everything. By clearly defining our goals,we – as humans -typically do a better job of accomplishing things. In jiu jitsu it’s good to set yearly goals like: compete at the Mundials, win a local tournament, get a blue belt, or even win an IBJJF medal. But, you can take this one step further and begin defining your development towards these goals with weekly goals. By developing this into a micro-strategy you can measure and control your development on an even greater level.
So what does that look like? Start by determining your goals for the year, then work backwords. If you are preparing for some type of competition you will have to be in shape, have a gameplan, perfected techniques you plan to use, and prepared properly for the event. How can you move closer to those things on a weekly basis? Maybe you need to ensure some extra time at the gym each week, perhaps you need to drill your best techniques a few more times after class, or maybe you need to sit down with your instructor to define a gameplan. No matter the long term goal, sit down and figure out what weekly goals will lead you closer to the ultimate one. No matter your long-term goal there is always some defined efforts that you can start this week that will move you closer. Doing techniques in class, then rolling is not specifc to your goals – those things are specific to anyone who generally wants to get better at jiu jitsu. Take some extra time, and put forth that extra effort.
We will have some more information about body mechanics up next week. Until then, let us know if any of these practices work for you by commenting below.

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BishopBjj News

Podcast #3 Featuring David Adiv

david adiv podcast banner

Check out our latest podcast with special guest Master David Adiv!

Either listen to it on this page  or download using the link below!

(Chirbit will play in browsers, smartphone browsers, and can be downloaded in MP3 format)

Listen: podcast #3

Listen on Chirbit: http://chirb.it/mCkqqM

We will have iTunes and Google Play versions of the podcast up as soon as we can figure it out, haha.