How to Help Combat Soreness and BJJ Related Pains

We all know how much pains and soreness are associated with bjj.  There’s an old saying in Jiu Jitsu “If you train Jiu Jitsu and wake up without pain, you’re probably dead.” This couldn’t be truer.  There are so many pains that come as a result of hard training;some people actually stop training due to these pains or injuries.

The most common pains that stem from bjj are back pain, neck pain, hip pain, and tendinitis in the forearms or knees.  All of these pains can be reduced with strategic approaches.  The problem with these pains is that people rarely try to prevent them, and they let them get out of hand.  There are several ways to combat common bjj soreness and even prevent it.

Back and Neck Pain

Back and neck pain are by far the most common pains associated with bjj.  We all know those bjj practitioners that suffer from some type of chronic back pain. Commonly, back pain stems from lumbar damage, potentially herniated or bulged discs, and pinched nerves.  Neck pain is commonly the same, the muscles around the neck may be sore, or you may have minor disc damage and nerve damage.

How can we prevent this?  A great way to prevent problems before they occur is to do strength and conditioning that focuses on the areas used in bjj.  Do low back work out, and neck work outs.  Check out our article “Killer Kettlebells for Conditioning” to see some exercises.  Another phenomenal way to deal with low back or neck pain is by stretching and doing yoga. 

If you train bjj rigorously, you should be doing two stretch sessions a day that focus on the pain points, and you should also try and implement a yoga session twice a week.  Yoga is the best thing you can do if you suffer from low back or neck pain. Check out this video of a yoga session for bjj.  It is an EXCELLENT resource to get stretches off of and a good routine to do weekly.

Hip Pain

The hips are the most exercised muscles in bjj. Although the hips are strong, many people will experience pain in the hips.  People will also experience referred pain in their low back as a result of hip pain.  You have to know your anatomy and find the cause of pain, and for many people, the hips are the main cause of many pains associated with bjj and the other pain is referred pain from bad hips.

What can you do for your hips?  A great thing to do for your hips is static stretches, and yoga.  The hips need long and direct stretches that pinpoint the exact source for all your pain.  The pain can come from your hip flexors, or psoas.   There are a variety of stretches dedicated to opening you psoas and hips.  Check out this video below of some good stretches and yoga.

Tendinitis in the Arms and Knees

Tendinitis is another common nuisance that comes as a result of hard bjj training.  This comes from grips, active hooks, and more.  These pains can be debilitating if not taken care of.  You will feel pain going up and down stairs, opening doors, and more.

You have to prevent tendonitis and a great way to do that is strength and conditioning.  Although many bjj guys don’t like strength and conditioning, it is important to do light strength and conditioning for longevity.   Jiu Jitsu is about the journey, not the destination, so if you want to do this for a long time, you should strength train just once or twice a week. Check out our article “To Condition or Not to Condition” to learn more.  Also, check out this video below showing some functional bjj strength and conditioning work outs.

If you want to rid yourself of back, neck, hip, and tendinitis related pains, try and do a lot of stretching, yoga, and implement functional bjj strength and conditioning program.  Check out the 4 DVD Set “The Diamond Protocol” by Ethan Benda.  It is also and E-book.  These are incredible workouts designed to help you through your bjj journey.