Hurt vs. Injured vs. Damaged

“The last class I attended pain-free was my first.” This is an unfortunate reality for many jiu-jitsu practitioners. If you postpone training due to nagging aches and pains, you simply will not train. Therefore, you should differentiate between being hurt and injured. This is a personal decision and may require a medical consultation. Worse yet, you may suffer from ongoing ailments that require significant medical intervention (ex. neck or back surgery, hip or knee replacement, shoulder surgery, etc.). Can you train through it, or better yet, should you train through it? 

Learn to train with and around limitations.

Once you are medically cleared to train, and if you are comfortable discussing your physical ailment, you could advise your partners of your limitations. In kind, your partners should avoid purposeful contact with the afflicted area. 

Set realistic goals when returning from injury.

Anyone who has trained in combat or contact sports will attest that returning from injury too soon increases the risk of re-injury or a collateral injury. Work with your coach to establish achievable benchmarks when you return to the mats. You must acknowledge your injury and accept that you are in a stage of recovery. The stage of recovery will determine your real-time capabilities. As an example, a student in the early stages of recovery may have the goal of observing three classes per week just to reestablish their training routine. As they recover more range of motion or capabilities, perhaps they can begin participating in the lesson. Then, as recovery continues, the student can participate in drilling and positional sparring at graduated levels of intensity, with the ultimate goal of being able to spar without limitations. By achieving small, progressively more difficult goals with the support of their coaches and teammates, the student will develop patience and confidence.

Listen to your body.

There are options if a student is in a state of disrepair. Skipping class occasionally will have no appreciable effect on a student’s performance. If you are fatigued, over-trained, aching, or nursing various physical limitations, you should consider taking a "rest day."