Hurting a Brother

I'm fortunate enough to have my younger brother train with me at 10th Planet Montreal. But this has nothing to do with him. Besides, he doesn't feel pain because he can't feel pain due to the excessive meatball sandwich and steroid intake. What this thread actually has to do with is the other unrelated brothers I have made at 10th Planet MTL. Approximately one month ago during a very light roll (43.25%/100%), I broke one of my training partners nose throwing up an armbar. It happens, its apart of the game, I know. But I instantly felt terrible. Like sick to my stomach terrible. My night was ruined. Every time I saw him sitting on the sidelines for the next couple of weeks, I felt like shit. Well, tonight during another light roll(52.67%/100%) due to an arm injury of his, I managed to knee him in the head while passing his guard. I split his eye open. Once again I felt like shit. You see, put me in a fight, MMA or on the street and blood and injury wouldn't bother me. But when one of your brothers (whom is already discouraged from repeated injury) gets another hospital visit on your behalf it never feels easy to deal with. Once again, I know its apart of the game but... there always this hint of "Really!...Really?...Again...But we were rolling so light...How the..." after. All I want to say is sorry Danny. I really hope it heals quick and you get back soon.

Which one of you is that guy at your school? The one who accidently hurts someone all the time?

Luckily we havent had too many injuries where i train. Just little things like jammed toes or maybe a busted lip, nothing that would sideline anyone. Although now that i think about it, we had a guy blow out his knee when i first started. He was going for a hip toss or something and the other guy was pulling guard and it totally tweaked his knee. He freaked out in pain and went to the hospital of course. He took months and months to recover and will probably never be the same. The guy who pulled guard felt so bad, he hardly ever rolled again after that. Its super shitty, but like you said, its part of the sport :/ needless to say, we have a "no leaping into guard" rule now.

First of all, I'm glad that you feel bad about it. Shows that you have compassion and that you are not a Jersey douchebag. Having said that, ask yourself why your elbow/knee or whatever, hit him so hard in the face. Are you being a little too jerky with your movements? Or was it maybe his fault? Is he sticking his face where it shouldn't be? I didn't actually see it, so I can't comment on the specifics.

Man, for me it's always the little players. One of my ladies is just Hell on two legs and really good. You can't take it easy with her at all. She's only about 100 lbs, but if you relax, she'll crush you. She knees me in the face all the time. Other than that, I have a couple of beginners/kids that are just spaz's. They go WAY too hard with EVERYONE and they either hurt someone or wind up getting hurt. They're not malicious, just not aware or meticulous. They want to get the tap so bad, they just bypass all good technique. You have to be mindful of that when rolling with them. I take them aside and speak with them. About half the time they get it. Eventually, after getting crushed a bit by everyone, they get it naturally.
Going with what Louis indicated-look at what you may be doing (uninntentionally) that could be causing this. Are you going as easy as you think? Are you paying attention to everything you're doing? Remember, part of JJ or martial art in general is being aware not only of your opponent/partner, but yourself and where you're at.

Yeah i noticed that too John. When someone first starts, they are very spastic and doing everything as hard and as fast as they can to make up for a lack of technique. I was the same way at first. Once you start to learn more, you take your time and set things up perfect. I've noticed that the more experienced guys almost never get hurt from the random stuff (but that may also be a complete coincidence)

In the gym Im in at the moment many people go too hard. Theres a big sign in my home gym saying "no egos on the mats" and everybody rolls well, some are aggressive but always controlled and the brain is never playing catchup to their movements. I think the fact we all do standup as well. Full contact "hit as hard as your comfortable being hit" sparring teaches you rein in your ego and temper.

Iv got stitches on the inside of my right knee and they used a chisel on it to get a screw out, so its a bit tender. I roll still, off my back only, and I say to guys "Im cool if you just go easy on my right leg". Attack the left one to your hearts content.

Two seconds in and absolutely everyone passes my guard by putting their knee on the place on my knee I showed them was tender, forcing it to the mat, which is easy because Im desperately trying to release the pressure, then the kneel right on the wound and pass. Even the instructor did it although he realised and apologised profusely. Iv had to admit defeat and stop rolling.

Everyone should watch Eddies ego video.

(not suggesting this is what you did Jesse, just ranting/venting).

yea it's better to have new guys roll with more experienced players because experience and supreme technic allows you to always be relaxed and in control

Derrick is dead on. New players to jiu jitsu will have 'jerky movements'. It USUALLY has nothing to do with intent but rather not knowing how to move smoothly. It is inexperience. In my opinion, injuries most commonly occur when 2 newer people go at it.

Having said all of that above, there is some intent there as well. New players don't want to lose (they haven't had enough time at the dojo to hear the instructor talk about the 'invisible jiu jitsu' aka Rickson Gracie) and will use power over technique. A white belt under 12 months (usually) has 2 gears-1st and 5th. As time goes on, you discover more gears and learn how your body moves and works.

It becomes a question of kinetic awareness.It takes time.

any sport like ours will see injurys....but to be honest jiu- jitsu seems to have a lower percentage of injurys then karate or judo..ive seen way more people get hurt in those sports

Yeah like when new guys come in to a gym to do striking and they never want to spar with the best people, because "that guy will kill me" so they spar with spaggie uncoordinated new guys like them and leg clash and punch each other too hard and walk out half crippled. The good guy, they would have learned more and got hurt less.

Im a white belt, with less than six months experience. Im off to look up this "invisible Jiu Jitsu" concept.

I feel like this became too much about "spastic" "jerky" "inexperienced" stuff. We were going very slow and egoless. We were both allowing the other to go for something. Like I said he had an injured arm so I was being as gentle as possible. I am recalling what happened now though and heres what I think may have happened...

I had a knee in while in his guard. I used my forearm to push his leg to the mat and I passed with the knee in. Now instead of passing to scarf or with the hip on the mat, I just brought my other knee through to perfect side control. But as he was defending turning towards me and keeping his head close to me I managed to connect the worst part of my knee with the tenderest part of his brow. The impact wasn't too hard, like he wasn't rocked. It just cut him.

Basically I need to pass without worrying about someone getting my back. When I drive my knee through I should worry about getting to scarf before moving to perfect side. This is my guess.

Jesse,

It sounds like the injuries you've inflicted were more accidents than anything. It's sucks to hurt someone but you should feel ok about it. Not that a black eye is such a big deal, but bumps like that happen a lot, I know I managed to get a black eye and then, as it was healed, got elbowed in the same place and given another one. If you weren't smashing him with power or anything, it's the luck of the draw...

Now if you were going 100% in training and end up destroying one of his legs, then yeah you've got some soul searching to do.