Welcome to the A's Dojo Mixed Martial Arts Academy blog. Here I will try and answer common questions, discuss martial arts and write about various experiences on and off the mats. Let’s start by looking at a very common question I receive from our training grounds; Should I train when I am injured?
Let’s take this as a case by case approach. There are some injuries that simply require rest and rehabilitation. The unpredictable movements in combat sports can prevent the healing process, and a training accident that would have proven dismissible to a healthy individual could sideline an injured participant for months.
This does not mean you need to avoid training completely. In addition to your rehabilitation exercises, our members are always welcome to come into the Dojo, sit, observe and even write down the techniques of the evening. Our members remain part of the tribe and often learn the intricacies of movements, they may have missed when physically tired. As such, my philosophy remains; it is not about what you can't do but about what you can do.
To provide an example, one of my students recently presented with an elbow injury. Considering movement restrictions, we began to explore other methods to continue Kickboxing training and technique progression. Rather than focus on the inability to properly use a limb, we were able to improve other areas of their game. The result was a killer jab and push kick to compensate for the lack of a right cross.
One might consider this a handicap, preventing development in the injured body part. Contrarily, upon healing overall performance increased significantly. What we did here was focus on the weak points of the game while allowing the dominant (and injured) arm to heal. This increase in performance will not happen every time and once again, scenarios like this should be dealt on a case by case basis.
To close, I shall repeat my mantra of the day; It's not about what you can't do, but about what you can do.
