How To Be A Good BJJ Partner When A Teammate Is Injured

Any BJJ addict will tell you that there is nothing worse than having an injury that prevents you from training. That being said, often times an injured BJJ addict will attempt to train through the pain.

What can you do as a good training partner to help someone who is injured to be able to roll safely? Below are a few thoughts to consider.

– First and foremost, drop the ego. It is only one five minute match with a teammate. You don’t have to “win” against someone who is injured. There is no glory to be gained.

– Let your teammate initiate where the roll goes. They may normally be a pressure passer but because of a knee injury may be forced to play more open guard. Allow them to get into a position and then work from there. Be like Rickson Gracie and “flow with the go”.

– Be mindful of their injury. If their right shoulder is hurt, don’t go for Kimuras, Omoplatas, Americanas, etc. I would like to say that this is stating the obvious but believe me, people will attack an injury. Most times it is not done intentionally, but in the heat of a roll, movements can become reactionary.

– I know this may sound crazy to some of you, but you can even give up position for an injured teammate, and give them a chance to be offensive! Wild sounding, I know. Doing this will give you a chance to work on your defense, without having the pressure of having to do so.

– If you know someone is injured and know how to practice arte suave (the gentle art), help out the injured person by calling them out a few times in a sparring session, to prevent them from possibly furthering their injury by rolling with an overzealous beginner.

If you are the injured person listen to your doctor and take heed their advice!

When you get to the point like you feel you can begin training again, be sure to pick the right people to roll with. Stay away from the spazzy, explosive types. It is not necessarily a size issue, most larger advanced belts have learned how to roll with smaller people over the years.

If you get called out by someone to roll and you feel that rolling with them might not be the best idea, simply tell them. They can quickly re-injure you if both you, and they, are not careful. Academies are generally filled with people who all get along and consider each other extended families. Saying something shouldn’t be an issue.

Also be sure to talk to your coach so that he can give you some extra attention when it comes time to spar. He can anticipate potentially dangerous situations while watching you roll and give you a warning if needed.

Again, always listen to your doctor. I am not one. This is an opinion blog from a laymen. Click here for full disclaimer.

Hope this post is helpful to some of you and I hope you remain injury free!