One of the main positives of training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is that unlike striking martial arts, you’re less likely to get concussed. It goes without saying that as you can’t hit people or get hit with punches or kicks, that this makes BJJ pretty safe in comparison to disciplines such as Muay Thai or boxing.
At the same time, accidents can and do happen. Although concussions are rare in BJJ, they still happen. There are several situations that are more dangerous whilst rolling compared to others. Also, it depends on how you train and the nature of your sparring partners. In this article we shall discuss how common concussions are in BJJ, as well as how to avoid them.
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Concussions in BJJ are rare
Whilst concussions do happen in BJJ, it’s fair to say that they’re rare. Most of the time, they fall into the category of being freak incidents or accidents if something goes badly wrong. For instance, during a scramble, if someone got badly elbowed in the head then they could get concussed. Sometimes in grappling, you will take accidental blows to the head. However, the chance of getting concussed by a blow to the head is still very slim.
Even though there are no published statistics on concussions in BJJ, it’s a safe assumption that most black belts have not been concussed whilst training. As most black belts have trained well beyond 10 years on a consistent basis, this shows just how rare concussions are. Arguably, you’re more likely to get concussed playing soccer compared to training BJJ. Still, there is always a chance of danger when you’re doing combat sports.
How to avoid concussions when training BJJ
So far, we’ve established that concussions do happen in BJJ, albeit they’re very rare. If you’re worried about getting concussions from training BJJ then carry on reading. Thankfully, there are steps to take which should minimize your chances of getting hurt. Some of these solutions may sound obvious and sensible, whereas others may be a little surprising.
Train with safe rolling partners
Perhaps the best way to avoid concussions in BJJ is by sparring with safe partners. There’s no shame in this and not every spar has to be a fight until the death. Neither does it have to mimic a competition roll. Of course, it’s good to test yourself a push your limits against physical training partners.
The point is that this can be done whilst also still rolling technically, and safely. Sadly, some gyms have an overly-tough ‘culture’ which is based on raw aggression more than anything else. If you roll with people who go too hard then this means you’re more likely to get hurt. This goes for broken bones as well as concussions. We’re not saying to go too soft either. However, there is a healthy balance to be found.
Don’t go crazy and slow things down
The same logic can be given to yourself. Even if your opponent isn’t going wild, it doesn’t mean that you should either. Too often, you’ll see beginners trying to go too hard in an attempt to make up for technical deficiencies. This doesn’t help anyone.
Even if your training partner is sparring safely and you’re not, you could end up accidentally hurting yourself. For instance, you could be caught in a submission and instead of going the correct way, you jump deeper into it which causes more pain. The same goes for moments that could cause concussions. If you train slower then it will literally give you more time to think ahead and avoid hurting yourself by giving yourself time to stop.
Avoid takedowns and learn how to fall properly
Legendary coach John Danaher once said that takedowns formed the bulk of injuries in BJJ. According to Danaher, this was because people would land awkwardly and this was made even worse if your training partners body weight fell on top of you as well. As well as this, it’s probably a good idea to learn how to breakfall properly to lessen the damage of takedowns on your body.
Although most botched takedowns result in broken bones, they can also lead to concussions. For instance, if someone slams into a double leg or gets dropped on their head, there’s a decent chance of a concussion. Because of this, you may want to attempt safer take downs such as foot sweeps and less dangerous moves. This may not be what everyone wants to hear. Nonetheless, if you’re priority is safety then you could always pull guard and avoid the dangers of take downs completely.
Spar with weaker people
This could be seen as a cowardly approach to sparring – but seriously, rolling with weaker opponents means you’re less likely to get hurt. For example, if there’s a much smaller, weaker opponent going crazy – then they’re still less likely to injure you compared to a bigger, stronger person. This is for two reasons.
The first reason is that if they hit you with a floating knee or elbow, then it’s less likely to carry the same force as if someone much heavier was to hit the same strike. Secondly, if you’re larger and stronger, you can pin and restrain smaller opponents easier. Although you won’t always want to spar like this, from a safety perspective it should lessen your chance of a concussion.
Compete less
Competition is a big part of BJJ culture. In fact, it’s universally believed that competing helps you improve more in the long run. Not only this but it’s also generally a fun experience to compete. The issue is that it’s also inherently more dangerous than training in the gym.
The reason for this is that in competition, everyone goes hard and doesn’t hold back. For instance, instead of going at say 50% like in the gym, both people are going 100%. Understandably injuries are more likely to happen in this setting. Remember, no one is forcing you to compete and it’s not compulsory.
Train with an ear guard
Whilst not the most visually appealing piece of clothing in the world, the ear guard is designed to protect your head. Primarily, it is meant to stop cauliflower ears from forming. However, it can provide a cushioned base for your head. This means that if you’re caught with a glancing elbow, or if you fall onto your forehead then the ear guard will hopefully minimize some of the impact.
What to do if you get concussed whilst training BJJ
If you get concussed whilst training BJJ, then obviously you should not continue training. A concussion could be quite obvious such as a knockout. However, it could also be more subtle, such as general grogginess. Regardless, it’s best to play it safe and sit out and then go home without any training, this includes drilling.
After this, you should take a few days off. If you feel completely fine then you could return to light training to see how you feel. If not, you should go to a doctor to get checked out properly. When you’re given the all clear, then you can return. Ultimately, you should never rush back as this could turn something fairly minor into something major in terms of injuries.
Conclusion
For most of the time, concussions in BJJ are so rare that they’re barely worth thinking about. In general, other injuries such as broken bones and chronic injuries are more prominent. Nonetheless, if you’re paranoid about getting concussed then it’s certainly something to look out for.
As seen above, there is some good news though. If you train smartly and avoid hard rolls with dangerous people, then you’re far less likely to end up with a concussion.
