Athlete safety in training: As a coach one thing I take very seriously is athlete safety in training. The single most common reason for derailed training programs is serious injury. We are all mature enough to realize that a combat sport that focuses primarily upon breaking limbs and strangling people carries a risk of injury. We also accept that as long as the risk is inside acceptable parameters the benefits of Jiu jitsu skills are absolutely worth whatever the risks of injury are. My question as a coach is always to ask how to keep those parameters acceptable. This week I filmed in conjunction with BJJ Fanatics a video on training safety and how to reduce the risk of severe or catastrophic injury in Jiu jitsu. Periodic minor injuries are all part of the fun of the game – we all accept that – but no one wants to go to hospital or worse, send a friend to the hospital with an injury that was entirely avoidable. I am going to release this video for free as a guide to avoiding unnecessary injury that I have observed over the years and which made a concrete difference in my training room. A few simple training protocols can really make a difference. Pareto’s principle applies in so many aspects of life – including Jiu jitsu injuries. A few moves cause the overwhelming majority of severe/catastrophic injuries and removing them and replacing them with safer and more effective alternatives makes a real difference in gym safety. I will announce when editing is done and it is released. We all love training and we all accept that accidents happen – BUT UNNECESSARY ACCIDENTS DON’T HAVE TO HAPPEN – to keep your progress strong you need to be in the gym – and severe injuries will keep you out of the gym – so let’s train hard but also train SAFE to maximize your progress!!