Injured at Judo? Now What?

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Matt_D'aquino]Matt D'aquino
Judo is a tough sport; there are times when doing randori or practicing technique that you are susceptible to attaining an injury. This is due to the fact that there is a lot of impact, falling and twisting going on each and every throw. It is important to make sure you are confident in your break-falls as well as being aware with what's going on around you. So often Judokas get thrown and then another person gets thrown on top of them, or sometimes people defend a throw with one hundred percent resistance and injure themselves. It is very rare to get hurt if you go with the flow and let someone throw you. By resisting and not letting yourself be thrown cleanly you risk landing awkwardly and maybe twisting a joint.
Common Judo injuries include sprained fingers and wrists, bloody noses and tennis elbow. The more serious injuries are broken collarbones -and torn ligaments in the knees or elbow. When you are injured it can be very frustrating as you may be preparing for a big competition or grading and you need to be in the best shape possible.
If you become injured there are a few things you can do that will still keep you involved in judo. The first thing to do is come to terms with the fact that you are injured. This sounds easy but I recommend that you visit a good sports doctor who can diagnose your injury and get you on the road to recovery. If you are dying to get back on the mat but scared of re-injuring yourself then I encourage you to do something to keep yourself active. This may include attending a Judo class and taking notes about the techniques your Sensei is teaching. I always encourage injured Judoka to attend practice because you might pick up a few useful tips. Depending on your injury you may want to attend class and do the techniques that don't further injure you. You could work on some turnovers or sweeps from guard. You may want to assist the lower grades in learning and drilling techniques. You could even attend a kid's class and help out teaching break falls or basic judo techniques.
Use your injury time to attend a yoga or stretch class and recover from the stresses of judo and everyday life. It doesn't matter how good an athlete you are yoga, Pilates and stretching are fantastic forms of exercise and have fantastic benefits. In the end it is important to stay positive. There are plenty of things to keep you entertained, just persevere through your time off, stay focussed and you will be on the mat before you know it.
Author: Matt D'Aquino http://www.workoutsforjudo.com/
Matt is the founder of Beyond Grappling fitness and conditioning. He is a 2008 Beijing Judo Olympian as well as nationally ranked freestyle wrestler and National Champion in Brazilian Jujitsu. Matt has a passion for teaching all aspects of grappling especially the fitness and conditioning aspect. Recently he has been traveling the world aiming to qualify for his second Olympic Games.
To learn more about Matt and his fitness and conditioning training visit http://www.workoutsforjudo.com/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Injured-at-Judo?-Now-What?&id=6582502] Injured at Judo? Now What?