Whilst Brazilian Jiu JItsu is often considered a fun activity for all, there is a darker side which is Ringworm. This is a contagious, fungal disease that doesn’t actually involve a worm and can spread all over your body. The issue with this is that it can be very itchy, whilst also looking pretty gross. Thankfully, if you treat it correctly and catch it early on then you should be ok.
However, if you ignore it and it spreads throughout the gym then you can possibly cause an outbreak. Theoretically, this could result in the entire gym shutting down for a few weeks to stamp out the Ringworm infection which is not good for anyone. So, read on if you want to learn more about Ringworm and how to treat it.
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Can you train BJJ with Ringworm?
In theory, you could still train BJJ whilst carrying Ringworm. Having said this, the act would be incredibly selfish and morally questionable. Basically, if you had Ringworm on your arm but covered it with a rashguard then no one would know. This wouldn’t hinder your performance on the mat either as Ringworm won’t make you lethargic like a cold either.
However, under no circumstances should you train BJJ with Ringworm. As mentioned earlier, this is highly contagious and can shut down a gym for weeks. Imagine if you train and pass it to someone, then they give it to someone else and from there it spreads out.
Soon enough, the entire gym closes. The problem here is that sometimes the gym may re-open, only for the outbreak to flair up again. In short, Ringworm is highly contagious so its potential to spread is huge. As a result, it’s best to stay away from the gym whilst you’re infected.
How long is Ringworm contagious?
Ringworm is contagious for as long as you have it. In other words, if you can physically see it on your body, then don’t train. Like many diseases, it’s meant to be at its most contagious roughly 48 hours after you first get infected. Worryingly, you may not even be aware that you’re infected at this point.
Usually, with over the counter treatment, you can get rid of Ringworm within a couple of weeks, so during that time, it’s best to avoid people as much as possible. Another thing worth mentioning is that it also likes to spread by bedsheets. Therefore, outside of BJJ it’s probably best to clean them as much as possible to avoid giving it to others.
Let’s imagine your Ringworm completely vanishes and is no longer visible. To be safe, it’s probably best to still leave it a few days before training, just in case the disease is still active yet invisible. The last thing you’d want is for it to re-emerge.
What is Ringworm guard?
Ringworm guard is a BJJ position that was created by Keenan Cornelius. This is an adaptation of his Worm guard which also uses the lapels. As you may have figured, this is a tongue in cheek play on words that uses Ringworm as its title, but really has nothing to do with the infection.
The idea of Ringworm guard is to wrap your opponent in their far lapel, just like you would with a regular Worm guard. From there, you then want to wrap it under their leg but use a slightly different grip variation from the regular Worm position.
At this point, you can attack various sweeps, armbars, or even go shin-on-shin to set up back takes. Basically, it’s yet another fancy lapel guard with another weird name. If ever you’ve been caught in this position though, it’s undoubtedly tricky and very difficult to get out of.
Why is Ringworm common in BJJ?
Ringworm isn’t just common in BJJ. It’s also found in wrestling, Judo, and sometimes MMA. Basically, grappling can be a breeding ground for Ringworm. However, it’s mostly formed out of bad hygiene. In other words, if Ringworm reoccurs several times in your gym then you need to seriously question its hygiene policies.
Of course, someone could catch it from an outside source and bring it into the gym, however this is uncommon. What’s more likely is that the mats aren’t cleaned properly with disinfectant which leaves bacteria on the surface. From there, someone trains on the mat and gets Ringworm in their system and then it spreads.
This is why it’s important to clean your mats before and after training if you own a gym. In other words, you should shower and wash your gi as quickly as possible. Remember, BJJ is quite a dirty activity in terms of sweat and bacteria, so if you don’t clean your body and the mats after training, it makes sense that bacteria like Ringworm can form quickly.
How do you cure Ringworm quickly?
Ringworm can be cured by a few means. One of the best ways is to get an anti fungal cream and apply it on the appropriate areas. As Ringworm is a fungal bacteria, it can be attacked directly by anti fungal creams that directly attack the surface. After a few days, you should hopefully see a difference. Sometimes, you can also use anti fungal shampoo which is especially useful if it has attacked your scalp.
Another method is to use antibiotics that are given by a doctor. Usually, this will be the next step after using creams or if your condition is pretty bad. Although some people don’t like antibiotics, they can attack Ringworm quickly and get rid of it faster than anti fungal cream. These are usually given in the form of Itraconazole and Griseofulvin pills.
Generally, these are the two most common ways to defeat Ringworm, by creams or antibiotics. There are other methods such as cleaning your clothes regularly and avoiding wet clothing, however these techniques can take much longer and may not guarantee results.
How to get rid of Ringworm with bleach
One method of Ringworm removal is to use bleach. However, this is pretty desperate and isn’t advised by the scientific community. If you’ve ever bleached your BJJ gi, then you’ll see what it can do to cotton. Now, imagine doing that to your skin. Put another way, bleach isn’t meant to come in contact with the skin as it burns it.
Whilst it may kill Ringworm, it could cause long-term damage to your skin and body by causing a chemical reaction. In other words, using this method may work to remove Ringworm but it’s still not advised.
Imagine trying to cut off acne with a knife. It may remove it some of the time but there are way better methods of removal. In the case of Ringworm, your first solutions should be creams and antibiotics. Generally speaking, it is not advised to use bleach to remove Ringworm for obvious reasons. Sadly, some people still try this.
If you’ve got Ringworm and you’re reading this article then fear not. Thankfully, Clotrimazole is one of the best creams on the market and can clean it up quickly.
