3 tips to avoid hand injuries in Jiu-Jitsu

July 29, 2023

Sport is health, but high performance requires care. When we talk about athletes who seek competition, the pace of training is more intense and the possibility of injuries also increases. In the case of Jiu-Jitsu, one of the first and most common injuries throughout a career is in the joints of the hand.

An essential tool in the gi game, firm grips cause inevitable wear and tear on finger joints and hand musculature. To avoid premature injuries in the hand and finger region, we separate some tips that can work in your training routine. Worth mentioning the importance of seeking a physiotherapist specialist in case of serious injuries or more details on how to prevent them. Check out our tips in the lines below!

Intensify forearm workouts

A classic example of injury prevention, muscle strengthening is a key part of not getting hurt or reducing the intensity of the load on more sensitive muscles and tissues. In the case of the hands, good forearm work is a great option. For this, exercises with light weights and repetitions for the forearm can help to build up the musculature. Another classic exercise is the barbell turn, in which the athlete uses the fingers and the palm of the hand to turn a heavy barbell, sometimes with a rope attached to a tied weight, in which the practitioner has to screw the bar so that the weight rises, rolled by the string. The fingers and forearms will be heavily worked in this exercise. It's worth a try.

Modify your game and give the grips a rest

Planning your game to win is a usual recipe for championships. However, outside tournaments, players need to diversify their game in order to expand even further. In the case of guard players, who constantly use strong grips in the spider guard, lapel guard, lasso guard, and the like, one option is to try to change games throughout the week and rest the grips a little. Another tip is, when your opponent incessantly brake your grips, leave the grip loose and look for a new grip, avoiding the burst that wears out your hands. Play loose, practice other bases, and strengthen your Jiu-Jitsu.

No-gi, no problem: Hang up the gi and recover

The only way to get your grips to zero in Jiu-Jitsu training is to also zero the gi factor. In no-gi training, in complement to adding different positioning timing to your game , you inevitably rest your fingers and hands for the next training session with grips. Take the opportunity to better understand your body positions, and add this knowledge to your gi training. One style can improve a lot to the other, and vice versa.