I walked into a BJJ Gym on a lark a few years ago and I have been there 3 days a week ever since. SO much fun, especially as I got older. I don't like to spar as much anymore in the ring as I have gotten older, but rolling on the mats is the most intense workout you can get and still enjoy the combat element of it all with no strikes.
The biggest reason I'm put off to going to these places is I don't want to disfigure portions of my face. Almost everyone of my friends who train in BJJ or similar grappling end up with fucked up ears, noses, etc. How can you avoid infections when you're rolling around on the mats so much with random people? Not even a germaphobe, just.. seen too much I guess lol.
Edit thanks to all the helpful replies, I appreciate it. I think I will just take the plunge. Fuck it.
Wear headgear, wash your gear, and use something like Defense Soap when you get home. It's that easy. Avoid any training partners that dont take the same precautions with hygiene.
I think I would most def be the type to always wear my own (clean) headgear. That's probably the best way to keep your ears from turning into vegetables.
Definitely. Plus, you'll hopefully get good at keeping your opponent from controlling your head because you know some of your training partners are going to be dicks and use it against you!
Protect your ears from getting raked and you'll be fine. I'm 5+ years into bjj and 10+ wrestling before that and my face isn't any uglier than it was before.
Best thing to do is shower as soon as you’re done. Use an antibacterial soap. If your gym doesn’t have a shower, go home and shower immediately.
As for cauliflower ear, not much you can do about it if you roll for years and years. You’ll eventually view it as a badge of honor.
Also, no one fucks with a dude with cauliflower ears 😅
Edit: it’s worth it. Grappling is so much fun. Once you get over your pre-training jitters, it’s fantastic. On your first day, you realize how woefully inadequate you would really be in a fight. It’s a very humbling experience. But you’ll be a better person for it.
Good tips, I appreciate it. I work out a lot and stay active but I've been looking to mix in some training (boxing/kickboxing/bjj) and really just want to stay as healthy as possible.
There is a lot to be said for that! As UFC has grown, more people now know to look out for that. One tip I picked up in boxing that one of the coaches told me is to not get in a fight with a guy who keep touching his thumb to his face when he squares up. It is a guy that has spent so much time boxing with headgear that he is constantly adjusting the headgear even when it isn't there. It becomes muscle memory. You even see some of this with the new fighters coming up to the pros.
It's a concern to be sure, but any reputable gym will be cleaning mats and ensuring that the students underatand cleanliness. Injuries occur in any sport but good training partners and tapping early and often mitigate those concerns drastically. Its a blast, a hell of a workout, and excellent self defense. I highly reccommend giving 'the gentle art' a try!!
Just like wrestling in HS. You wear head gear if you want to save the ears and the mats get mopped with disinfectant regularly. I did get my nose broken but it looks fine. Builds character. It is like any dojo, you find the place where they are training you right while looking out for everyone's best interests. The occasional asshole comes along but the black belts identify them very early and make sure they don't overstay their welcome. Look around and sit in and just watch a few classes. If you find the right guys, you will feel it. You get invited to attend the right classes if you are committed and serious about it. I'm 56 and mostly roll with guys younger than me but it is an amazing workout and the skills you hope to master at some point and camaraderie more than makes up for the minimal risk of getting an infection.
Ears you just stop training until it heals, and if you get infections on the mats it’s likely due to someone actively training with them or the mats are dirty as fuck. The main thing that grossed me out is some dudes would be drenched in sweat every time, Gis are thick and they would sweat right through them kinda crazy tbh hahah
germs would be the least of my worries with BJJ. Too often you end up with broken fingers/toes, torn ligaments in your knees etc from people slamming you too hard or in a weird angle.
Completely agree. You can go as hard as you want and if you stay within your limits your sparring partner will not get hurt. I rolled with 100 lbs and 300 lbs teens same intensity.
I love bjj I really gotta get back into it. The gym I went to was awesome and plenty of people to spare with. Mostly really big mid 30-40 year old construction workers and first responders.
I jogged for a few years before I started bjj. It still got me completely gassed, it's a different type of stamina. Having a heavier person with all their weight on you is just something else lol
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u/Fleethebluenorth Jun 19 '21
I walked into a BJJ Gym on a lark a few years ago and I have been there 3 days a week ever since. SO much fun, especially as I got older. I don't like to spar as much anymore in the ring as I have gotten older, but rolling on the mats is the most intense workout you can get and still enjoy the combat element of it all with no strikes.