Leg breaks in fighting
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One of the most gruesome injuries in fighting is when the shin breaks after a kick. The most famous example of this injury is when Anderson Silva fought Chris Weidman at UFC 168, however there are other examples, such as Corey Hill and Tyrone Spong. Why does this injury happen?
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Anatomical structure of the shin: The lower leg is composed of two bones: tibia and fibula. The tibia is the main weight bearing structure (90% of the force) and the point of contact for round kicks. The fibula is a thinner bone that absorbs some force from the tibia (10% of the force). The tibia is a bone that is triangular shaped so the “blade” of the tibia or tibial crest is very strong and resilient. While the tibia is resilient there when the point of contact of the tibia is on a flat edge the bone is significantly less resilient.
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Technical faults:
1️⃣Offensive angle fault: When attacking with a kick the attacker has to step out to open up their hips or turn their hip over to make sure they use the thick point of the shin.
2️⃣Mirrored Stance: Fighter with opposing stance low kicks the opponent. Many fighters stand with their lead leg slightly inward so it was much easier for defending fighter to check with the tibial crest while kicking fighter did not get the correct angle and connected with the flat part. While the mirrored stance does increase the likelihood of injury, it does not always happen this way as Spong vs. Saki both stood in an orthodox stance when Spong injured his leg.
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While combat sports are entertaining to watch fighting is still a dangerous activity. These type of injuries often involve a prolonged recovery period that can take several months before the athlete is able to resume normal activities.

The hip flexors are a muscle group that can get overworked and can be notoriously tight and painful in jiu-jitsu practitioners and in anyone that sits a lot throughout the day.

There are numerous ways to stretch the hip flexors, and this technique uses the extension of the hip by using the foam roller to stretch the hip flexor instead of the traditional lunge technique where the leg is stationary and the body lunges forward.

This is just a different way to elicit a stretch than the traditional means of stretching the hip flexor. This technique also requires increased control of the hip and leg to provide a comfortable and appropriate stretch.

I’m always trying to learn and explore new ways to get the most out of my body and to help preserve the body to allow for high level function and performance.

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

If you are in the Louisville area and interested in working with me for your recovery or injury-prevention needs then head over to https://mbodilouisville.com

More videos and exercise tips at https://jiujitsutherapist.com

Check me out on The Chewjitsu Podcast with my co-host, BJJ Black Belt Nick “Chewy” Albin of www.chewjitsu.net for some great jiu-jitsu conversation and interviews! http://chewjitsu.libsyn.com

Check out the knee braces I recommend for BJJ https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fshareasale.com%2Fr.cfm%3Fb%3D706061%26u%3D1416655%26m%3D58066%26urllink%3D%26afftrack%3D&redir_token=8Lgzsd08IwdEhtgt_HQqjdYACLR8MTU0MjMyNTY2N0AxNTQyMjM5MjY3&v=uDTBbV-9vIc&event=video_description

The concept of creating dilemmas is essential for high level jiu jitsu. Here Jiu jitsu wizard John Danaher demonstrates a leg lock attack on my friend @fiorejosh .
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Repost @dynamixmma with @get_repost
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@danaherjohn taught a sold out seminar on the cross ashi garami position this past weekend. Here’s a look at his powerful “dilemma” technique where we combine positional control with simultaneous achilles lock and inverted heel hook attacks.
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Full technique video in bio ➡️ @dynamixmma

Improving shoulder stability
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Stability does not mean immobile. For proper stability the humeral head should be centralized in the glenoid while the arm elevates. When someone lacks stability they may have inadequate centralizing of the humeral head during elevation. .
How do we improve shoulder stability? .
End-range rotational inputs.
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“Ihashi et al. demonstrated internal rotation and external rotation will activate all of the rotator cuff musculature including supraspinatus (Wilk 1997).” A healthy shoulder will have an appropriate balance between force couples: deltoids and rotator cuff. This is why proper proprioception is essential. How do we improve shoulder proprioception?
1️⃣Compression: “Increasing the joint compressive load appears to “center” the humeral head within the glenoid and, subsequently, reduces the magnitude of aberrant translations (Wilk 1997).”
2️⃣End-range movements: “Guanche et al. (1995) found the presence of mechanoreceptors in the capsule, creating reflex arcs via capsular afferent nerves, resulted in muscle contraction (Hess 2000).” “Terry et al have theorized that stretch-sensitive mechanoreceptors within the capsular ligaments could be activated by tension, thus, producing a muscular contraction to protect the ligaments at the extremes of motion (Wilk 1997).”
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Won’t extreme ranges of motion put stress on the joint capsule?
“The joint capsule collagen fiber orientation is comprised of radial fibers. The cross-linked capsular collagen structure assists in providing joint stability. During rotational movements, such as internal and external rotation, the collagen fiber bundles tighten, thus centering the humeral head and reducing humeral head displacement (Wilk 1997).”
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References:
1️⃣Hess, S. A. (2000). Functional stability of the glenohumeral joint. Manual therapy, 5(2), 63-71.
2️⃣Wilk, K. E., Arrigo, C. A., & Andrews, J. R. (1997). Current concepts: the stabilizing structures of the glenohumeral joint. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 25(6), 364-379.
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@functionalrangeconditioning @functionalrangerelease @drandreospina @drmchivers

Do you have difficulty getting underneath your opponent or pulling your opponent on top of you to get the sweep?

This exercise is not only a great way to strengthen your hips and ankles, but is also a useful way to build musce memory in the legs in order to be more effective and achieve greater success with the sweep.

You use a theraband around your feet and start in a “90-90” position with the hips, knees, and ankles at a 90 degree angle. Then apply a gentle tension against the band. Work your legs forward and back, eventually start to move the legs in different directions maintaining those “active feet.”

This exercise will:
1. Actively warm up the legs to prevent injury.
2. Build strength and endurance in the legs.
3. Promote muscle memory for a higher percentage sweep from bottom.

If you are in the Louisville area and interested in working with me for your recovery or injury-prevention needs then head over to https://mbodilouisville.com

More videos and exercise tips at https://jiujitsutherapist.com

Check me out on The Chewjitsu Podcast with my co-host, BJJ Black Belt Nick “Chewy” Albin of www.chewjitsu.net for some great jiu-jitsu conversation and interviews! http://chewjitsu.libsyn.com

Check out the knee braces that I recommend for BJJ https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fshareasale.com%2Fr.cfm%3Fb%3D706061%26u%3D1416655%26m%3D58066%26urllink%3D%26afftrack%3D&redir_token=8Lgzsd08IwdEhtgt_HQqjdYACLR8MTU0MjMyNTY2N0AxNTQyMjM5MjY3&v=uDTBbV-9vIc&event=video_description

Did you know there are breathing programs for BJJ on Yoga for BJJ? Yep. This here is a simple and effective technique that can induce meditative states, promote faster recovery and enhance focus.

You can use this exercise to quiet your mind, learn to connect with internal processes of the body and actively control your stress response.
The over-breathing phase of this exercise can induce respiratory alkalosis which means that you become less acidic and speed up your recovery. Breath-holding phase can lower your blood oxygen saturation which brings similar beneficial effects that altitude can have on your body.

Get access to all the breathing technique videos through https://www.yogaforbjj.net/start-for-free

Take a closer look at one of the breathing programs here – https://www.yogaforbjj.net/breathing-program-two/

Neutral spine does not exist in athletics
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Alexander Karelin, perhaps the best Greco-Roman wrestler, executing a gut wrench. Essentially he is forced to deadlift a man his size who is fully resisting him. Why is his back bent so much?
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Neutral spine has a place but in the world of athletics you will not find a perfect position. While this is only one example he had probably performed this move thousands of times in training and competition.
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Most stable position for the spine:
Neutral spine with braced abdominals.
Least stable position for the spine: fully flexed spine without bracing.
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The spine is a flexible rod that was designed to move. When attempting to overcome a load (ie lifting) for training purposes having the spine in an optimal position is ideal. I would also recommend preparing your spine for non-optimal positioning so when you are forced to go there your spine will be resilient.
. “You will regret not training in the position that you were injured” – Andreo Spina.

Let me start by stating that in my opinion, the best way to build stronger grips for jiu-jitsu is to train jiu-jitsu.

Supplementary strengthening exercises are a great to adjunct to improve the grip strength.

In this video we focus on specific gripping with thumb and finger pinching and dynamic gripping activities such as a plate catch and release.

On a side note, its also important to strengthen the fingers into extension (example would be to open or spread the thumb and fingers against a resistance band), the wrist, forearm, and elbow.

Also a wrist warm-up as well as stretching are key to a full and complete grip strengthening protocol.

Linked is a video on wrist and forearm stretching which is a useful addition to this video as well!

If you are in the Louisville area and interested in working with me for your recovery or injury-prevention needs then head over to https://mbodilouisville.com

More videos and exercise tips at https://jiujitsutherapist.com

Check me out on The Chewjitsu Podcast with my co-host, BJJ Black Belt Nick “Chewy” Albin of www.chewjitsu.net for some great jiu-jitsu conversation and interviews! http://chewjitsu.libsyn.com

Thanks to my sponsor Defense Soap. Check them out at http://www.defensesoap.com/

Check out the knee braces that I recommend for BJJ https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fshareasale.com%2Fr.cfm%3Fb%3D706061%26u%3D1416655%26m%3D58066%26urllink%3D%26afftrack%3D&redir_token=8Lgzsd08IwdEhtgt_HQqjdYACLR8MTU0MjMyNTY2N0AxNTQyMjM5MjY3&v=uDTBbV-9vIc&event=video_description

One of the dirty tricks from Sebastian, a counter to the counter from back mount.
You probably heard this one many times ”don’t cross your ankles when you’re taking someone’s back”. That’s still the safest option, but you might also like this nasty counter. Just take care not to break your ankles!!

Speaking of breaking ankles…if you’re by any chance stuck with an injured ankle – hope you know rehab programs exist. Go to https://www.yogaforbjj.net/rehab-programs-on-yoga-for-bjj and fix your injured limbs!

If you want to see all of Sebastian’s 30 Dirty techniques, go to https://shop.yogaforbjj.net/products/30-dirty-digital-download-by-sebastian-brosche

Lateral epicondylitis, also known as “Tennis Elbow” is an injury that can really hinder your Jiu-Jitsu game and also make doing daily tasks very difficult.

Due to the vast amount of repetitive gripping in BJJ, practitioners are more prone to overuse injuries that can lead to inflammation, pain, and ultimately time off of the mats.

The technique in this video uses a “Therabar,” which is a rubber bar that is used in strengthening and stretching the injured area through a negative (eccentric) contraction of the muscles of the forearm.

This technique allows for strengthening of the forearm and wrist as well as the grip without putting extra stress on the tendon. Over time this will help with recovery and can be used as a great tool for both injury prevention and recovery from an injury.

If you want to pick up a Therabar, they are available on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/TheraBand-Tendonitis-Strength-Resistance-Tendinitis/dp/B01A58F934/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1544712208&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=therabar&psc=1

If you are in the Louisville area and interested in working with me for your recovery or injury-prevention needs then head over to https://mbodilouisville.com

More videos and exercise tips at https://jiujitsutherapist.com

Check me out on The Chewjitsu Podcast with my co-host, BJJ Black Belt Nick “Chewy” Albin of www.chewjitsu.net for some great jiu-jitsu conversation and interviews! http://chewjitsu.libsyn.com

Thanks to my sponsor Defense Soap. Check them out at http://www.defensesoap.com/

Check out the knee braces that I recommend for BJJ https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fshareasale.com%2Fr.cfm%3Fb%3D706061%26u%3D1416655%26m%3D58066%26urllink%3D%26afftrack%3D&redir_token=8Lgzsd08IwdEhtgt_HQqjdYACLR8MTU0MjMyNTY2N0AxNTQyMjM5MjY3&v=uDTBbV-9vIc&event=video_description

Check out one of the kimura trapping techniques from Sebastian Brosche and Miha Perhavec! This one is Sebastian’s bread and butter, try it out!

This technique is just one of the many from their product – Krazy Kimuras DVD. See what else is in there here – https://shop.yogaforbjj.net/products/krazy-kimuras

And if this is coming at a bad time (if you’re dealing with a shoulder injury atm), Yoga for BJJ has a rehab program for you.
Click here – https://www.yogaforbjj.net/rehab-programs-on-yoga-for-bjj/

See you in the videos or on the mats!

Tight shoulders are an issue for almost everyone who trains jiu-jitsu or even sits at a computer desk at work. This technique is an easy way to improve range of motion, decrease muscle tension, and also improve posture.

Its really easy and quick and can be performed pretty much anywhere.

10-15 repetitions for 1-2 sets will get the shoulders warmed up and decrease stiffness which can lead to better posture and less injuries in jiu-jitsu.

If you are in the Louisville area and dealing with injuries, reach out at https://mbodilouisville.com to see how we can help you get back to training.

More videos and exercise tips at https://jiujitsutherapist.com

Check me out on The Chewjitsu Podcast with my co-host, BJJ Black Belt Nick “Chewy” Albin of www.chewjitsu.net for some great jiu-jitsu conversation and interviews! http://chewjitsu.libsyn.com

Thanks to my sponsor Defense Soap. Check them out at http://www.defensesoap.com/

Check out the knee braces that I recommend for BJJ: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fshareasale.com%2Fr.cfm%3Fb%3D706061%26u%3D1416655%26m%3D58066%26urllink%3D%26afftrack%3D&redir_token=8Lgzsd08IwdEhtgt_HQqjdYACLR8MTU0MjMyNTY2N0AxNTQyMjM5MjY3&v=uDTBbV-9vIc&event=video_description

#Repost @electrum_performance with @get_repost
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Specificity Series: Hip Thrust
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One of the foundational principles of Jiu-Jitsu is the idea of using larger, stronger joints to compromise the smaller joints of your opponent. Since the hips are one of the strongest joints in the body (and the glutes the largest muscle group) it comes as no surprise that they are often used as the fulcrum in various joint locks.
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The ability to produce force in terminal hip extension can best be expressed in the barbell hip thrust. As we’ve observed time and time again with @bretcontreras1, prioritizing the hip thrust for even a short period of time will result in it being your heaviest barbell movement.
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In this video, we demonstrate the similarities between hip thrust patterns in the weight room with various joint locks (knee bars, arm bars, and a scorpion lock). In these scenarios the breaking power comes from terminal hip extension, but the similarities hardly end there. You can also notice that the T-spine often stays in a flexed position to secure the end of the lever in a submission. This parallels proper hip thrust form, where the head and shoulders face forward to prevent excessive extension of the lumbar spine. We’re aware that many athletes may not have proper coaching in the barbell hip thrust.

The importance of breaking mechanics
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Jiu jitsu is a martial art designed to control an opponent with effective pins and using joint locks to disable an opponent. While in class it is very important to not hurt your training partners but it is also important to be competent with finishing the techniques correctly.
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Remember that Jiu jitsu was designed to break your opponent, not to elicit a tap.
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This is why understanding proper breaking mechanics are essential for practitioners and competitors. At the highest level competitors may risk injury for the chance of victory.
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A great example of this was At @f2wbjj . Talented prospect @keithkrikorian had his opponent in a very deep heel hook. His opponent stubbornly survived the next 22 seconds but managed to avoid tapping. I do not doubt that Keith knows how to finish a heel hook, but this is an example of someone willing to let his knee rip apart so that they can win.
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Commonly many practitioners employ a “catch and release” strategy while using heel hooks. But others argue without understanding the finish the technique might not be nearly as effective. @gordonlovesjiujitsu , one of the best submission grapplers in the world, discussed how many of the DDS members emphasized proper breaking mechanics which led them to achieving a very high finish rate.
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How do you training submissions and what are your opinions?
@flograppling