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Category: Jiu Jitsu

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Adductors and Jiu Jitsu , posture and stuff!! :)

We love to Roll, we love to play various guards, the squeezing and holding space tightly with our legs makes them strong and sturdy, which allows for effective control. While this is all true, there is something which if not addressed could be detrimental to your ability to move correctly with balance and strong posture.

You see, not to make this too long or boring , I hope you stick with me my dear reader to the end, as this will only benefit you. Please think together, optimal alignment is when the knees track over the 2nd and 3rd toes while standing. However, a I will discuss some compensation which may occur.

The knees not staying in line with the toes, which could result from a muscle imbalance……
In the case of Jiu Jitsu, one may conclude that this happens due to the adductors being overly tight from constant squeezing of the thighs while grappling as this is a huge component of control in many positions (closed guard, mount, half guard, deep half etc).The adductors pull the femur into adduction when over active and makes it difficult to keep the knees aligned over the toes. Therefore, what ends up happening is that the Glutes become less strong due to constant squeezing of the thighs, and not enough Glute engagement. This causes the knees to not stay in proper alignment and throws off the center of balance in your body, due to the fact that biomechanically speaking , the body wants you to strive for proper alignment while standing, sitting and moving, and this muscle imbalance throws a monkey wrench into the whole thing.

Lastly, if you add in the fact that in todays work force we spend much time sitting, which further deactivates the glutes, and shortens the hip flexors. now our standing posture is even more thrown off. Our glutes are weakened and cannot properly assist in stabilizing our Lumbo Pelvic Hip Complex, our adductors are overly tight which pulls our knees inwards which throws off our alignment. Also, the hip flexors are shortened due to constant sitting which pulls the hips into an anterior pelvic tilt, and also throws off our center even more.

Tying this into Jiu Jitsu, or any other sport which requires posture, along with daily living. This imbalance causes us to shift our weight incorrectly. The body will now try to fight to keep us functioning and fix the problem, however this problem cannot get fixed on its own, the body will just compensate in other ways by placing stress on other parts of the body to keep us moving.

This creates a problem while grip fighting, as well as trying to get our posture to fight out of any situation. As the problem is biomechanics and no matter how hard we posture up, the problems in the joints which are coming from previously mentioned things create a much bigger problem.

In Conclusion, if we recognize these signs, in order to enjoy our loved sport, enjoy our body in motion along with a pain free mobile lifestyle: Kindly follow this rule :
Stretch the overactive, strengthen the underactive. Then we will have a much easier time with our movement in base and balance, and may prevent future problems.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more,
Best,
Wetek Personal training and Massage Therapy

Jiu Jitsu wetek

Muscle Imbalances in Jiu Jitsu from Guards, Posture Rehabilitation

One HUGE thing about Jiu Jitsu Practitioners that we all have in common, WE LOVE TO DO IT! However, it comes with a price just like any other sport or repetitive movement. Oftentimes in my observations in the field of training Jiu Jitsu, studying Corrective Exercise and Personal training, along with anatomy and Massage Therapy, a few things became clear…..
Overuse of the same muscle groups causes muscle imbalances, if you are a young person who does not sit behind a computer all day, or due to your age recovers fast, its one thing, unlike those dedicated practitioners, others may have a full time job which causes stress not only mentally, but in their posture. The two common muscle imbalances I notice from individuals are : Tight Hips and Hip flexors, Hamstrings and Chest, rounded shoulders and anterior pelvic tilt, along with lateral shifting of the hips and forward head.
This is due to them sitting most of the day, which results in tightening of these groups of muscles , and their opposing groups often times get weak : such as the glutes,
Think of it this way: Some get overactive and others underactive, which makes the joints in the middle suffer, they either become jammed together or hyper immobile:

As a Jiu Jitsu Practitioner, we spend so much time in the same positions which place very much the same tension onto the same muscle groups while training as in the sitting posture. Example: Constantly activating our hips and hip flexors to play various guards, forward head from constant neck tension, rounded shoulders from constant reaching and gripping. This perpetuates the cycle of tightening the ones which are ALREADY tight from sitting and keeps the ones which are weaker …weak: Glutes, Lower back, Rhomboids , neck extensors, lower back and Transverse S. etc
This may lead to things such as :Lower back Injuries due to :
1,Iliac Joint,2. Lumbar Facet joint,

Posture effect:
1. Lower Crossed Syndrome

Gait: 1.Decreased Hip extension, 2.Increased compensatory lumbar extension,3. Excessive toeing out, 4.Excessive prolonged pronation

I believe, based on my research and studies under NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), that once we can identify based on simple tests which muscles are underactive, overactive, along with a look at your Jiu Jitsu Game and your lifestyle, then begin making changes using the correct stretching for the tight tissues, strength training routines for the weaker (underactive) along with myofascial release………. over time in the long run, this will not only increase your performance due to the restored range of motion , also lessen your discomfort, which will lead to an overall healthier mental state elsewhere, as it is all connected, and the body works as a integrated unit. Therefore, optimum alignment and function of each component of the kinetic chain is a cornerstone to a functional program which will help with rehabilitation and movement, increase your Jiu Jitsu Game, provide a healthier feeling along with better movement. :

Thank you For Reading and please Stay Tuned For More

Jiu Jitsu News wetek

Jiu Jitsu : How pulling/gripping effects your posture and how to fix

A huge part of training Jiu Jitsu is learning how and when to make grips. We use these grips to off balance our partner in order to execute a technique. However, through constant gripping and pulling , many muscles get worked. Primarily these muscles tend to be the same ones we often use throughout the day. The action of Pulling effects the rotator cuff, which if over worked effects the neck, shoulders and upper back, and leads to discomfort. This in turn leads to posture distortions and may through off your own balance . When combined with daily life, the chores and tasks we already find ourselves performing, this overload could cause permanent damage, if not addressed. .
Good news is , there is a simple thing we recommend , after training , do not leave the mat! Right after training, take a baseball or a lacrosse ball, and lay on the floor on your back. Find the tender areas in the back, upper neck or shoulders. Finding these will not be too difficult, all you should do is place the ball on the floor, and lay on the areas of the upper back and shoulders. Wherever you feel a tender spot, stay on that area for 1-2 minutes and allow the tenderness to melt away slowly. while doing so focus on taking a 2 second inhale, hold for 2 seconds, and exhale for 2 seconds. Doing this regularly will allow you to feel better in training and make your grips strong . The reason is because this will allow the muscles which are always getting worked from gripping and pulling, to unwind and relax, that way they may be strong and pliable for next training and not over tighten , which will make it so they do not create additional stress on your bones and joints.

Thank You for reading and please stay tuned for more .