Since I’ve been injured a few months, I took the advice on one of friends and went ahead and found a few friends who train either Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, and/or MMA, and have had some run ins with injuries. Injuries are part of life and training. It’s nice to know others out there are going through injuries, tough times, but are working through it at all levels.
So enjoy, and a big thanks to my friends all of the US that made this possible!
Greg McNamee
What Martial art do you do?
I grew up training Tae Kwon Do from age 5 to 21. I obtained a second degree black belt before the times of the dojo on each corner era, where you basically bought your black belt. I have trained Muy Thai and boxing and dabbled in other traditional Japanese style Karate arts.
But now I train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. 4 or more days per week. The more the better.
Who do you train with, what is your rank?
I am a mid level blue belt and train under Bill "The Grill" Cooper at Paragon Academy in Agoura Hills, California.
What is the injury you are currently working through?
Currently I am nursing an ankle injury that I sustained a year ago while competing at the IBJJF Vegas International Open. It just will not go away and becomes aggravated every once in a while. Plus I have a "something" going on in my left shoulder. Neither one prevents me from training or competing. I just have to favor both, and adjust my game plan a bit. I have 2 blown discs in my lower back. And had neck surgery back in 2004 for my nerve to my right arm. The nerve was crushed into / against the cervical area, and the doctor cut bone off of two vertebrae to release the nerve pressure.
How did it happen?
I am a Detective with the Los Angeles Police Department and sustained the injury on duty during a physical altercation with a gang member. I was laid up for 8 months. I went to P.T. and the chiropractor 4 times a week. I had three batteries of injections on two disc levels during that time. And eventually had to have the surgical procedure done.
Have you been able to train with your injury?
I was out of BJJ for several years and slowly began cadio and weight training after my rehab period. Now, years later, I have been back in BJJ for almost two years. And I am loving every minute. I am 36% disabled over my neck and spine and was predicted to be crippled in my right (dominant) arm. But I am going strong, with very minor disability. I am in pain every day of my life. It just depends on the day as to how much pain I am in. But training eases the pain. And it keeps my core strong, my neck loose and my body in good shape.
How has it affected your game?
Because I was so inexperienced in BJJ when I sustained my injury, I don't honestly know how it affected my game. I was only training for a little over a year. So I all but had to start all over. I'm sure I have my limitations, flexibility and range of motion, but as far as how it plays a role on my game, I am not sure. I am still coming into my game as an artist of the art and as a competitor.
Is there anything that you cannot do because of the injury?
I am not a young kid anymore. And I have to watch my neck and lower back when I train. But limitations, for me, are only in my head. Especially now that I have a new lease on life and my body. It was extremely scary to hear at age 33 that I may have been crippled in my right arm. I can not fight MMA or compete every week end. But I feel that the sky is the limit in my BJJ career.
What is the plan for recovery?
This may sound serving to our art form, but honestly, the more I train, the better I feel. When I am inactive for more than a day or two, due to work or other obligations, I start to feel the pain creep in.
What are you most excited about doing normally again?
I am just glad that I am not crippled in my neck, arm and back. I have permanent nerve damage (slight) in my right arm and have constant neck and back pain. But I get by with training and VERY little pain medication. I'm just happy to be doing what I'm doing. And doing so at a great level.
Any suggestions for the people out there who are working through an injury?
Never give up on your goals. Train smart and train consistently. Be aware of your physical limitations and train with solid partners who understand your limitations. But train. Inactivity is the worst thing for your injury, your body and your mind.
Jeremy May
What Martial art do you do?
I train in BJJ & Muay Thai...
Who do you train with, what is your rank?
I train under Renato Tavares (5th degree black belts in bjj and muay Thai under Joel Garcia. I am a purple belt in bjj.
What is the injury you are currently working through?
Fractured and sprained my left wrist in my last fight (may 27th) & fractured my neck in Feb of 2009...
How did it happen?
3rd round of the fight I landed wrong on my wrist and messed it up....
Have you been able to train with your injury?
I have trained some, the main thing is icing as often as is healthy and light workouts for the injured area...
How has it affected your game?
My neck injury has made me work on standing more and the wrist injury has sharpened up my punches so I'm landing them better and more controlled....
Is there anything that you cannot do because of the injury?
I'm limited when it comes to standing on my head or lots of push UPS... I'm right handed so I get by, but still like I said earlier have to ease up on the left side... Bench press kills it...
What is the plan for recovery?
Recovery is simply rebuilding strength around the joints slowly and carefully so I can function like normal asap...
What are you most excited about doing normally again?
Sparring HARD... I love to brawl and spar mma...
Any suggestions for the people out there who are working through an injury?
Take your time, let the injury heal and listen to your doctor... I have old injuries that haunt me to this day because I just didn't give them enough time to heal properly....
Brad Maddox
What Martial art do you do?
I train brazilian jiu-jitsu
Who do you train with, what is your rank?
I train under marcello c. Monteiro. Im a black belt.
What is the injury you are currently working through?
I have 2bulged herniated disks with a part of the herniation broke off in my spine.
How did it happen?
It happened by getting hit with a forklift in 2003.
Have you been able to train with your injury?
I teach and train 5 days a week.
Is there anything that you cannot do because of the injury?
My back will never be the same but as long as i continue to stretch and not over due it it will be fine.
Any suggestions for the people out there who are working through an injury?
The best advise i can give to someone with a injury is to take it slow at first. When it feels great thats when ur at ur weakest so dont jyst jump in and give 100%. Take ur time start slow and build urself back up. Jiujitsu is for life and u have all the time in the world to do it. If u cant perform the way u used to try to adapt ur game /style to your injury..
Christopher Dealy
What Martial art do you do?
I have been studying and training the grappling arts since 2000 starting with wrestling(freestyle, collegete, and greco thru my high school years and one year of college), submission grappling since 04', brazillian jiu jitsu since 2007, and judo since 2010
Who do you train with, what is your rank?
I am currently the brazillian jiu jitsu instructor and head coach of the grappling competition team at touch m up mma in Vancouver, WA, I am currently a purple belt in bjj.
What is the injury you are currently working through?
I have been dealing with a reoccuring bulging disc between c6 and c7 in my neck.
How did it happen?
The first time it happened was during a training session in 2009 while sparring with a larger opponent whom stacked me while having him in a triangle, and again in january of this year when it reoccured believe it or not while i was sleeping and i woke up with my head tilted at a funny angle and literally couldnt get out of bed.
Have you been able to train with your injury?
each time it has happened i have been out of training for roughly 3 months and only doing physical therapy and some instructing
How has it affected your game?
Ive never recovered back to 100% strength in my neck so it causes me to tap early in certain situations neck cranks etc and it has hindered any of the times where ive needed to go inverted.
Is there anything that you cannot do because of the injury?
as far as training goes it jjust limits my ability to play inverted that often or to hang out in stacked positions. the only real thing that i cant do any more that bums me out is being able to hold my son on my shoulders like i used too..
What is the plan for recovery?
continue with my chiropractic visits and physical therapy check ups as well as doing my neck stretches and exercises, i also do strength training that targets the muscles around the area to strengthen it up as well.
What are you most excited about doing normally again?
it seems likely that my neck will never be back to 100% while i am still actively training which is something that ill have to live with as this is a lifestyle for me and wouldnt be able to slow down if i tried. like i said the only real thing id like to be able to do again is be able to hold my son on my shoulders when were walking somewhere.
Any suggestions for the people out there who are working through an injury?
only thing i can say is to stay positive throughout the process, the human body is made to heal itself so trust in your doctors, therapists, coaches, friends, and family as they are always looking out for whats best for you. something really important as well is to keep training mentally if you cant physically: watch tech vids, comp footage, and any other material you can get your hands on and take notes( i used to search for active competitors who were my height and build and would study what they were doing and took notes.) and also when youre able make sure you at least get into class and drill technique even if you cant spar or roll..drilling is so over looked now a days and is a key to success and can be done even if you’re not 100%
Kaitlin Carlucci
What Martial art do you do?
I currently train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Who do you train with, what is your rank? I am a purple belt, I received it from Marcello C. Monteiro when I lived in Indianapolis. I am currently living in Olympia WA, and I train with Robert Owens and BJJ of Olympia
What is the injury you are currently working through?
Torn meniscus, fractured knee, and torn ACL
How did it happen?
During no gi a teammate jumped guard while sparring, she slipped, dislocated my knee, and the damage was done.
Have you been able to train with your injury?
I did a little of technique, and right before surgery, I flow rolled a few days before surgery.
How has it affected your game?
I don’t know yet. When I did flow roll I had to open guard immediately. I couldn’t use my left leg much at all.
Is there anything that you cannot do because of the injury?
At the moment? no BJJ, lots of watching, and only doing the upper body part of techniques. If I tear the graft, I need another surgery.
What is the plan for recovery?
Well I had surgery about a month ago, I have 5 more months of physical therapy/ recovery. Then I will be allowed to start actually doing jiu jitsu again.
What are you most excited about doing normally again?
Training, sparring, competing, at this point straightening my leg and getting it to bend fully.
Any suggestions for the people out there who are working through an injury?
Listen to the doctors, if you get injured, get it checked out, you don’t want it to get worse, or get to the point where it’s so bad you can’t train. Martial arts are a journey, and injuries are just little speed bumps.
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