Knee problems

[Isaac Atley]

i was going to be sarcastic but it looks like a serious thread so heres my ten cents.

stretch constantly four hours a day without a break. you want to be looser than a 70 year prostitute. eat lots of gluten products and things with high sugar content. this will give you the energy to last all the stretches. if you want to become flexible fast, you will have to do it right and that involves the mega stretches, try and get your foot behind your head, if you cant get it there alone, get someone else to push it there for you, if it hurts, endure. eventually things will work out. once youre comfortable with that. work towards the triangle behind the head stretch. like youre triangle choking yourself. try this for a week and your flexibility will have changed so much people wont even recognise you anymore. Oh and last but not least. tense your muscles and exhale really fast while doing all stretches. only pussies dont tense stretch.

[Rockanrollin]

You have to protect your knees especially when you work a lot of leg locks like many of us do here. It does not take much to hurt yourself as you have found out..I don't mind fighting hard to get a position when I train with my partners but when a sub gets caught I slow down and ease off the strength.

[Andrew Sarasin]

jesus crist please tell me u r joking..

i was going to be sarcastic but it looks like a serious thread so heres my ten cents.

stretch constantly four hours a day without a break. you want to be looser than a 70 year prostitute. eat lots of gluten products and things with high sugar content. this will give you the energy to last all the stretches. if you want to become flexible fast, you will have to do it right and that involves the mega stretches, try and get your foot behind your head, if you cant get it there alone, get someone else to push it there for you, if it hurts, endure. eventually things will work out. once youre comfortable with that. work towards the triangle behind the head stretch. like youre triangle choking yourself. try this for a week and your flexibility will have changed so much people wont even recognise you anymore. Oh and last but not least. tense your muscles and exhale really fast while doing all stretches. only pussies dont tense stretch.

[Andrew Sarasin]

I do the samething, but i cant say the same for others. the JJ guys are fine, but the mma guys not all but like 15% don't have much control.

You have to protect your knees especially when you work a lot of leg locks like many of us do here. It does not take much to hurt yourself as you have found out..I don't mind fighting hard to get a position when I train with my partners but when a sub gets caught I slow down and ease off the strength.

[Josey Ince]

1st post, newb training under Passini with Chicago. My recent experience with knees/joints, flex/dex, and overtraining...

At 36 I'm high mileage damaged goods. Time, not on my side. Maintaining fitness (avoiding injury and knocks) is my most important objective. I'm more susceptible and if I do take myself out, the mending period will be prolonged. Humility, patience, balanced training... keys to achieving my goal of 1st competition in Sept.

Over the last 3 months my body has slowly adapted to grappling and the physical task. It's a fine line between pushing myself and exceeding current limitations. Especially difficult for me personally has been the pride and ego check in such a competitive atmosphere.

Current fitness allows me to train JJ 2.5-3hrs a night Mon-Thurs., recover over the weekend and study MTS. R.I.C.E. after each session. Come Monday, the elbows and knees are still tender to touch, but cause no pain in function. My breathing and stretching sessions are a solid half hour every morning followed by a swim. I skip rope a few hundred times prior to stretching, never cold. Stretches are greater than 30sec each, emphasis on the exhale. I also stretch while in the steam, sauna, and jacuzzi; heat makes you more pliable. Dan Hardy wrote an article on Bikram Yoga and its an avenue I'm venturing down in the next week or so. I believe the yoga will not only improve the flexibility but also strengthen overall body control and dexterity.

Recently had the pleasure of meeting Bollinger, answered my questions regarding improving flexibility. A practical useful bit that could be applied immediately... when stretching the hips, keep your ankle in a boot instead of extending it and grabbing/pulling the toes or top of foot; removes the stress from knees. It's the little things eh?

The most important factor in shortening my learning curve, my team and my mentor. Direct access to wisdom and experience, only a fool would shun them.