Gracie Barra Mansfield | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Tag: Gracie Mansfield

How to Handle Injury in Jiu Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is often called the “gentle art” because it can be practiced by any age, but like any sport, injuries can happen. Since BJJ is not a striking sport, broken noses and knocked out teeth are not nearly as common. But, BJJ is physically demanding and comes with its share of strains and sprains. At Gracie Barra Mansfield we offer fun for the whole family in a safe environment, but this is a sport and well…stuff happens. So, when stuff happens. When we overdo it or maybe push way too hard, what do we do?

Preventing Injury

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Since we know we are engaging in a full contact sport, there are some ways we can avoid injury, which is obviously preferable.

Flexibility

Stiff muscles are strained muscles (or torn). I know I work a sedentary job that has me leaning over a computer all day which makes me stiff. This means it is up to me to add in flexibility training (yoga). That 10 minutes of warmup at the beginning of class is the bare minimum to get warm. If you know your flexibility isn’t that great, it would be a good idea to work on this outside of class.

Being flexible will not only improve your rolling, it will help you avoid injury. Supple, flexible muscles and joints have a far greater range of motion and this lessens the chances for injury.

Strength Training

Again, sometimes we need to add in additional training outside of the dojo. When we roll regularly, we are taxing all kinds of muscle groups, but we may not be working them evenly. A good way to keep our bodies injury-free is to make sure we are training all muscle groups. It is easy to overtrain certain areas at the expense of others.

If we work biceps, then we must also work triceps for balance. Work abs? Make sure to work the lower back as well. When I roll I tend to use the right side of my body more (being right-handed). Thus, I need to make sure that I train the left side (at the gym) to avoid overtraining one set of muscles.

Don’t Be a Hero

I’ve talked about this before but it bears mentioning again. When in doubt? Tap out. I used to fight every single submission and, yes, a lot of them I could wriggle free from, but was the pain and soreness worth it? The strained pectoral I have had to baby for months because I didn’t want to admit my opponent had gotten me in an arm bar? Live and learn and move on. This is not the UFC.

Now if I even think someone has a submission, I tap out and war-game how I landed in the bad spot to begin with so I can learn.

White belt is a long…long journey. No need to make it any longer.

Slow Down

Again, we’ve talked about this before, but this is an especially tough lesson for white belts. I am still learning it. When we grapple, we need to learn to do it with control. Going too quickly or lurching or flinging into moves is just a good way to get hurt or hurt someone else.

What to Do When Injured

Ouch.

STOP

I’ve been the idiot who just kept rolling even when I knew I’d probably strained something. In Jiu Jitsu we have to learn to listen to our bodies early. If you think you hurt yourself when rolling, just stop. Better to miss 30 minutes of rolling than a month.

ICE

I HATE ice. It is wet and uncomfortable and whiiiiiiiine. But, ice is key for reducing inflammation. Heat might feel good, but it will make inflammation even worse and when the tissue is gorged with blood and swollen? It isn’t going to heal. This means for a new injury, stick to ice. Wait a good three days before using any heat.

When we injure a muscle, ice shrinks capillaries stemming any blood flow to minimize swelling, and it numbs nerve endings which will help with pain. I use bags of cheap frozen vegetables wrapped in a thin kitchen towel. Peas are my favorite because the bag can be molded to conform to the injured area.

ROTATE ON 5s

If you have a more significant injury, you can use heat after three days, but rotate it with ice. Always start with ice and then end with ice. Five minutes ice then five minutes heat.

5 Ice–> 5 Heat –> 5 Ice –> 5 Heat –> 5 Ice

Heat is good for adding some suppleness back into the muscle. So if you are stiff, feel free to use some heat to get the blood flowing into that area before working out.

We just have to be careful with heat. Heat is going to dilate capillaries and increase blood flow. This is good for getting stiff muscles moving and for getting rid of soreness but if we have a strain or tear we could be doing more harm than good.

ELEVATE

Again, the key to speedier healing is to make sure to contain inflammation. Inflammation is bad juju. So if you’ve injured an area that you can elevate? I.e. an ankle. DO IT.

REST

This is a tough one. Lately, I’ve had a strained pectoral and it has been a serious pain (literally) to rehabilitate. My physical therapist has told me to rest, but I will be the first to admit that I am a lousy judge of when I am okay to get back in the game. I believe I’ve rested enough but…yeah. No.

Take it slow. BJJ will be there when we return.

Natural Remedies

Tumeric can be used to ward off inflammation. I use this for cooking, but it can also be taken in capsule form or made into a poultice to take down inflammation and ease joint pain. I also HIGHLY recommend Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath for soaking away pain.

Just remember that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a fantastic workout that can keep you lean, fit, flexible and healthy. Like any sport, it comes with bumps, bruises and strains but by being careful and listening to our bodies we can ensure we can continue to enjoy the sport for years to come!

September 30, 2015
Grappling for Dummies—5 Tips to Improve Your White Belt Journey

Here at Gracie Barra Mansfield, we are your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu connection. We are here to help you stay safe and have fun doing it. I am Dojo Diva and I am not a real MMA fighter, I just play one on XBox 😀 . Also, I am a 41 year old mother who’s been practicing BJJ for over a year and a half so I am living proof that Jiu Jitsu really IS for everyone.

I’ve taken other forms of martial arts, but what makes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu highly unique is that you stay a white belt for a long…long…looooong time. The difference between a new white belt who still has the creases in his new gi and a four-stripe white belt who’s been training for a year or more is pretty amazing.

Especially when you’ve been on the journey yourself.

I am hovering on the precipice of earning my blue belt, which is why I am always hesitant to give any kind of martial arts “advice.” I know I am NOT a black belt and don’t pretend to be. Every moment on the mat is a reminder of all I still have yet to learn.

But, since the most common belt for those practicing Jiu Jitsu is the white belt, I thought maybe I could give some tips to help shorten the learning curve. As much as I love Jiu Jitsu, the simple reality is that not everyone who starts training as a white belt ever makes it to blue. Sometimes it is just life, time, finances, but it could also be burnout or injury. I confess there were times I considered “tapping out” and it had more to do with my mind than anything else.

So I’ve listed the top five things I wish I would have known a heck of a lot earlier and I hope it enriches your BJJ experience and improves your game…

Tip #1 Slow Down

When I started in BJJ a year and a half ago, I had no skills and less smarts, but I did have strength. I used brute force but really all it earned me was far too many minor injuries and I ran out of steam quickly. This made grappling far tougher than it needed to be.

Powering through might work for one round or even two, but after that? I wouldn’t have the gas to continue. In a competition? Though could be a big deal.

Also by going too quickly and relying on strength, I wasn’t slowing down enough to SEE places where I might gain advantage.

Tip #2 Breathe

These days, whenever a newer white belt gets red in the face and sweaty, I make him slow down and remember the breath. Breath is critical for mental calmness that makes for better Jiu Jitsu.

Tip #3 Keep Your Elbows IN

Seems like a no-brainer for the upper belts, but when I was new, I’d get so scope-locked, that I wouldn’t notice my elbows were flared and I was getting arm-barred CONSTANTLY. These days, I am still a white belt and no Ronda Rousey, but I am at least staying in the game. I might not yet be winning as much as I’d like to, but I am holding my own.

I’ve learned in the last year and a half that if I slow down, remember my breath, and keep my elbows in, I can often outlast a far larger and far more skilled opponent.

Tip #4 THINK

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a highly unique form of martial arts. It is not as reliant on size and strength as other forms of martial arts. It is a very cerebral sport and part of the growth process of being a white belt is to mature from being purely reactive to thinking tactically.

It’s hard when an opponent has you smashed in side-control to resist the urge to do SOMETHING! ANYTHING to get out of that seriously uncomfortable place. But Jiu Jitsu is CHESS, not Tiddlywinks 😉 .

Often, just being still and focusing on the breath forces our opponent to change tactics and move. Any movement provides opportunity for a reversal. Once we get more advanced, we can start predicting (or even directing) what that move might be and then using it for advantage.

Tip #5 Tap

Since I am a Type-A overachiever, this was one of the hardest things for me to learn in the beginning. Now? I have no pride. If someone gets the arm bar? I am not going to try and wrestle out of it, because even if I could get out of it? Often I strain something along the way and it isn’t worth the downtime.

These days? The second I feel someone might have the submission, I tap. Then I ask if we can backtrack a bit so I can war-game what I did wrong so that, hopefully, it won’t happen again.

Jiu Jistu isn’t an event, but a process. If we relax and learn to slow down, relax, and pay attention? The journey is far more enjoyable.

We hope you will join us on the mats here in Mansfield. In the meantime have fun and stay frosty!

Dojo Diva

September 19, 2015
TSA Friendly Weapons for the Zombie Apocalypse—Because an Apocalypse is Never Convenient

Dojo Diva has been down for the count with a nasty case of POISON IVY. I fared okay doing Jiu Jitsu with my peeps at Gracie Baarra Jiu Jitsu Mansfield even though I was itchy and my legs looked like I was Patient Zero of the Zombie Apocalypse. My friends were kind enough not to mock me or shrink away. Then last week I went through withdrawal from the steroids and was siiiiick…which meant I spent a lot of time in bed. Which meant I spent a lot of time thinking.

This is bad juju.

My head is a strange place to be. I decided I needed a vacation but I have these strange fears that go with taking any break away from home.

Kristen’s Top Three Irrational Traveling Fears

1) The ONE time I don’t leave my home clean enough to perform open heart surgery will, of course, be the trip where I die in a fiery crash. Thus, as a good luck talisman of sorts, I have this compulsive need to make sure every stitch of dirty laundry is clean and put away. It’s my psychotic-and-pretty-much-fully-delusional-insurance against plane crashes.

2) If I wear cute, impractical shoes, the plane will have to make an emergency landing in some desert and then I will have to hump it out of Death Valley in those Betsey Johnson Iron-Maidens-for-the-Feet. In my mind I die not because I didn’t have a way out, but because I foolishly chose fashion over function.

We miss dear Kristen, but she left this world looking ADORABLE!

3) The Zombie Apocalypse will strike when I am away.

Every single trip, I have the same fear (I blame this on being a Gen-Xer). All I can think is, Gee, I hope the Zombie Apocalypse doesn’t start when I’m away from Hubby, Spawn and all the guns. I know normal people don’t think things like this, but I’m a writer and so the Normal Ship left a LONG time ago without me on board.

Ya dig?

And everyone should be prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse anyway. I mean we take Jiu Jitsu ~~to be fit~~ ~~have fun~~ ~~make friends~~ ~~learn self-defense~~ to be totally bad@$$ during the apocalypse.

Hey, I am not judging. I think it is smart! If one of the undead tries to bite your face off, that omoplata will TOTALLY be a game changer. If a horde of brainless freaks hit the streets of your town, you will be thinking, I didn’t know the presidential campaign was coming HERE.

Ooops. Inside words stay inside.

Zombies don’t like politicians anyway. They’re empty calories.

Where was I? Oh, yes. You will be thankful that ~~weirdos~~ people like me thought this stuff through because it is impossible for me to travel without thinking of the Doomsday Zombie Separated from Home Scenario.

Am I wrong to be a little freaked out when leaving home? In Texas, I HAVE a plan.

***Granted, I have no plan for flood, tornado or fire, but Z-Day? Our survival plan is tighter than Kim Kardashian’s Spanx.

We have weapons, ammo, a fallback point and lots of GF food. We can also raid the burned out shells of Central Market, Sprouts and Trader Joe’s as we flee to the ranch. But to leave out of town? I can’t bring nail clippers on a plane, so this presents a new challenge.

This is what always happens in the movies. The hero leaves for some innocuous business trip, and that is precisely the moment that some corporation trying to create a new kind of permanent Botox screws up. Then the protagonist is in for a cross-country zombie-fest with only the hope of being reunited with loved ones to cling to.

YES, I do have an overactive imagination. It is why it was better I become a writer than an accountant.

I am a really odd duck. Yes, that’s a nice “shocked face.” Thank you for being polite. No, seriously. I think these things through. I am the person who gives SAS Survival Guides and Jiu Jitsu lessons as Christmas gifts.

But I am in a bit of a conundrum since the terrorists ruined travel FOREVER. What can I pack in case of the Zombie Apocalypse?

The people in the movies are never prepared, which is why I am then required to shout expletives at the screen to make-believe people who can’t even hear me.

Anyway, since my life is not a movie…yet :D…I’ve had to get creative. Here are my Top 5 TSA-Friendly Zombie-Killing Weapons. Make it through airport security and rest assured that you will be prepared should the Zombie Apocalypse strike when you are on vacation or business travel, because you just know that an apocalypse never strikes at a convenient time *rolls eyes*. I think AAA and the airlines should give these kinds of travel tips, stuff we can actually use.

Top Five TSA-Friendly Zombie-Killing Weapons for the Apocalypse

1. Justin Bieber CDs

Being attacked by a horde of brainless freaks? Play some Justin Bieber and they are guaranteed to start dancing and crying and believing that Justin like seriously like looked right at them! SQUEEEEEEE! This method is guaranteed not only to distract the zombies, but it might even attract some Justin Bieber fans to give the zombies a snack so they aren’t busy chasing you.

The TSA isn’t crazy about Justin Bieber CDs, but they aren’t yet officially listed as weapons of terror.

Yet.

2. Cheap Hairspray

I would go for the industrial size can if you check a bag, but also at least 40 bottles of the travel size. They are under 2.5 ounces, so the TSA can’t exactly stop you, and if you wear big Texas hair they might not even bat an eye.

Hairspray, of course, is easy to make into a flamethrower, and also to do your hair. Duh.

Everyone has camera phones these days so it is a pretty safe bet that people will be taking pictures of the Zombie Apocalypse. And on any footage captured? Naturally, you want to be looking your best while triangle choking one of the undead.

3. Bubble Wrap

To the TSA, bubble wrap just looks like you are OCD about packing your stuff and making sure it doesn’t get jacked up. What they don’t realize is bubble wrap can serve as a Zombie Early Warning System. Scaling fences and cars running from mindless monsters can be tiring, so you need to get your rest. Just use the bubble wrap to form a perimeter. When they step on it? The noise can wake you up and then, when they are distracted playing with the bubble wrap–because, seriously who can resist freaking BUBBLE WRAP?—you can bust cap in their @$$. Not exactly a weapon, but the zombies end up dead–er, so who cares? Close enough.

4. Lady Gaga Meat Dress

It’s like a Ghillie Suit for slaying zombies. Just make sure you wrap this in the bubble wrap to keep it from leaking on your other stuff. And I might advise freezing your meat dress.

Not only will freezing your meat dress keep it fresh for the flight, but wearing freezing cold meat can a) help you stay cool while running for your life b) serve as a cold compress for any injuries you might sustain c) makes excellent body armor d) will keep anyone of the opposite sex from remotely hitting on you, thus preventing the sexual distraction that normally comes before a zombie rips your skull open e) can be used as food until it get’s that greenish slimy look f) but once it does get green, slimy and stinky, you will fit right in with the zombies, thus the Lady GaGa meat dress becomes the perfect zombie camouflage.

The downside is the zombies might not eat you, but you could die of e-coli, so make sure to fully cook your meat dress before consumption

The TSA might be iffy on this one. I know we can’t transport produce across state lines, but no one at the airlines would answer my questions about the meat dress. And now my phone is clicking. I think it’s been tapped.

5. A Bag Full of Legos

Need to trip up a pursuer? Toss a bag of Legos on the stairs and listen for the scream. To the TSA agent, you look like a loving family member bringing a child a toy, but little do they know Legos have a dark side and sharp edges.

Well, those are the Top Five TSA-Friendly Zombie-Killing Weapons. Any TSA friendly weapons you would like to add? I’d love some additional suggestions to add to the bag.

Do you have weird travel rituals? Do you have a fear of dying and loved ones finding your house a mess? Why would we care anyway?

July 6, 2015
Summer Travel Tips for a SAFE and SANE Vacation

We are heading into Fourth of July Weekend! *happy dance* We at Gracie Barra Mansfield, Texas want you to have a safe and relaxing summer and we hope it is memorable for the right reasons. I’ve been blessed to do a LOT of traveling for fun and for work. Some trips were fantastic and others? Very close to being an episode of “Locked Up Abroad.”

I could tell some stories!

Not only am I going to give you just some general tips to make traveling easier, but then we will talk about ways to be SAFE.

Some General “Make-Life-Easier” Tips

Arrive 90 Minutes Early for Your Flight (~~TWO~~ THREE HOURS for ANYTHING International)

Yes, I used to be one of those people running practically onto the tarmac yelling, “Don’t shut the door!” Those days are OVER. The airports now have a labyrinth of security we have to maneuver and on top of that the airlines have fewer planes in the air, which means almost all flights are overbooked and if we miss our flight?

Expect to get routed through Katmandu to get there (and that is if they can even GET you a connection). Missing a flight is a NIGHTMARE, so get there EARLY.

You need that extra time. Summertime is heavy for travel because not only do we have all those business people who already fly year-round, we also get the influx of those going on vacation. So, this means there are a lot of people.

Because this is the time of year that people who are not seasoned travelers fly, it slows things down. These are the people who have lived in a cave and don’t know that they need to pack all toiletries in ONE QUART-SIZED BAG. They also never heard of the shoe-bomber and probably wore something super-complicated with LACES…and buckles.

This means we have to give plenty of buffer for getting through security. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

You might not get stuck behind the large family who all wants to bring a Big Gulp on board and not take off their shoes, but?

You might. Just plan for it.

Carry-On is Our FRIEND

When I fly domestically I NEVER check luggage, EVER. It is too easy for it to get lost, especially if there is a connection involved. But, if you DO need more stuff than what can fit in a carry-on, that’s fine but pack a change of clothes, medications and toiletries (ESSENTIALS) in the carry-on. This way, if your luggage takes a separate vacation, you are okay until the airport wrangles it back to you.

You DO NOT want to be in a resort location and have to buy essentials. It might require a small business loan. And don’t you want to spend your money on something FUN like a monkey made of coconuts instead of shaving cream?

Our Backup Plan Needs a Backup Plan

Photocopy all IDs, car rental agreements and credit cards and then keep them in the safe at your hotel. I was once in LA and lost my wallet with all my ID and my credit cards, but because I had photocopies, it was easier to get the cards frozen and I could make my case to the TSA WHY I didn’t have my driver’s license. Yes, I had to go through a ton of additional security layers to prove I was ME, but having a photocopy of my license minimized the drama.

Now the SAFETY Part. Safety is what what we at Gracie Barra Mansfield DO.

There are the obvious things we can do to stay safe. When traveling in a crowded location, wear something BRIGHT to make it easier to keep up with one another. Have a rally point established in case the group gets separated. Don’t flash around a bunch of cash and carry valuables in a travel wallet that is close to your person.

Some of the less obvious tips.

ONLY Use Resort-Approved Transportation

This is advice that really applies to traveling abroad. Once we leave the US, we are NOT in the US anymore. And while that sounds laughable, the news is always full of stories of naive tourists who became victims. Places like Jamaica and Mexico are beautiful destinations, but they also have a very dark underworld and Americans are prime prey for extortion and abductions so it is our job to not be a target.

Resorts WANT to maintain a sound reputation. It is how they MAKE MONEY. I know it might cost more to use an approved taxi, but it is way cheaper than being ransomed out of Central America.

When I was in Jamaica, taxi drivers running cheap island tours would take unwitting tourists all the way to the other side of the island and then demand thousands of dollars to take them BACK to the ship. They ran these types of scams constantly and continued to MAKE MONEY DOING THIS because tourists would try to save some cash and ignore this advice.

BE CAREFUL OF PHOTO-OPS

There are some destinations where one might see people dressed in character wandering around to make for memorable photos. If you happen to be in Boston, Massachusetts I am not really worried about getting a picture with “Ben Franklin” just pay attention to your valuables.

But there are destinations like the Coliseum in Rome, Italy where you will encounter Roman Centurions roaming around for a photo op. What many tourists don’t realize (until it is too late) is that many of these folks are pickpockets or scam artists. So enjoy, but be careful. Whenever we let strangers in our personal space, we should be extra vigilant.

Situational Awareness

One of the reasons tourists make for excellent targets is they get so caught up in taking selfies and pictures and gaping at the sights that they aren’t being aware of their surroundings. Pay attention.

Stay in the Popular Tourist Areas and Stick to the TOUR

We all want to venture off the beaten path, but this can be very dangerous. In some places, we just don’t want to wander into that back alley where we are a good target to be robbed or abducted. Remember, we are not locals so we don’t know when we are meandering into a bad part of town.

Additionally, there is a reason that wildlife tours stick to a certain path and there is a REASON they have trained guides. We underestimate nature at our own peril.

There was a story of a couple from Dallas who took a tram ride up to the top of the San Jacinto Mountain and then decided to take a stroll away from the well-traveled area with a gift shop. Even though they saw hikers and climbers in full gear, they believed they could go hiking around “for fun.” What began as a quick jaunt off the path turned into being stranded alone in the desert with no food or water or wilderness training. And they nearly DIED.

Do NOT Volunteer That You Are An American

Whether we like it or not, this is a scary world in some scary times. Americans are premium targets. Most of the time, it is pretty clear we are an American, but we should try to keep things low-key. As a novelist, my books involve Mexican and South American drug cartels and that is some SCARY stuff. Cartels are known for preying on tourists and they have a special taste for “Americans”, so just be aware…and tell them you’re Canadian 😉 .

Seriously. Strangers don’t need to know THAT much about us.

I’d say I am sorry if any of this frightens you, but I’m not sorry. The world is fabulous and beautiful, but we need to respect it is also dangerous. Whenever we vacation we are in an unknown and we are vulnerable. Our job is to stay frosty and limit the opportunities for the bad guys to do us harm.

Enjoy your vacation. Get some R&R and then join us here at Gracie Barra to work off those frozen beverages from that all-inclusive resort 😀 .

Stay smart and stay safe!

~Dojo Diva

July 1, 2015