Do Wrestlers get injured as much as BJJers/Judoka

[Bruce Calavera]

There have been a few threads lately about injuries in BJJ/Judo although I haven't seen too many specifically on wrestling. Do wrestlers not get injured as often due to the fact that their victories aren't absed on submission? From the little I know about wrestling it seems as if they would get injured way more often due to the intensity and emphasis on takedowns. Maybe they just don't bitch about it as much lol?

 

[skey91***]

Yeah I don't see to many wrestlers typing up a thread on an injury it is just a part of the game you deal with.

There is difference between being banged up and injured.

Also you don't talk about injuries because you don't want your opponent to know your injured

 

[catch.wrestler]

They do. They just dont whine about it like BJJ.

In all seriousness though..... I went to my sons wrestling scrimmage this last season and I saw bandaged heads, tissue up the nose, and plenty of wrapped knees and elbows on both teams. It's a contact sport so your gonna get banged up.

 

[FLoWitheGo**]

Probably a lot more than guys in bjj do. They cut weight and compete sometimes 3 times a week.

 

[Balto]

Consider the average ages involved here.

Very few people on here continued to wrestle seriously into college and beyond. Most people did their wrestling in high school. Also, not as many people on here did BJJ seriously in high school. Most people doing BJJ are college age at least.

So it's not really a surprise that high school kids are reporting less injuries than middle aged guys.

 

[knoxpk]

I too think they hide it more. I will say that I agree with being banged up is different that being hurt and I have seen only a few HS age kids really be hurt but i have seen plenty that were "banged up".

 

[Dirty Deeds]

No, wrestlers don't get injured as much, but are banged up all the time. When the goal of one sport is to manipulate joints, and it's illegal in the other, there are likely to be less injuries in the sport that it is illegal.

 

[georgejjr]

Wrestlers about the same as judo (which is no surprise considering they both deal a lot with throws/takedowns). For both you don't include bruises and minor twists as injuries, that's just normal day to day life.

Not sure how they compare with BJJ really - as someone pointed out, BJJ'ers tend to start at an older age, where injuries are more of an issue (ie miss work, body doesn't heal as quickly etc).

 

[Brian2]

My friends son is in wrestling and it seems like he's injured all the time.

 

[Ropes]

No, wrestlers don't get injured as much, but are banged up all the time. When the goal of one sport is to manipulate joints, and it's illegal in the other, there are likely to be less injuries in the sport that it is illegal.

True about the big difference in rules and the attacks in BJJ are more injury prone than attacks in wrestling overall (no real option to tap in wrestling as you're getting turned or taken down). However, the positions that are contested in wrestling (ex: low-level single leg defense) are much more physically taxing to wrestlers than the positions that are contested in BJJ. So when Wrestler A attacks on a single leg in a wrestling match, wrestler B doesn't have the option to pull guard for obvious reasons. Wrestler B often has to manipulate his own knee (as his opponent is torquing it in an opposite direction) to avoid being scored on, which is where many injuries occur. Also, top/bottom wrestling is tougher on both guys bodies than being in guard is.

I feel there is an opposing correlation between wrestling and bjj in regards to competition injuries according to experience level as well. I feel higher level wrestling competitions result in more injuries, as high-level wrestlers fight positions harder than low-level inexperienced wrestlers do to avoid getting scored on. High level BJJ practicioners are often at a level where they can take effectively take the path of least resistance to avoid getting scored on/subbed, and when they do get caught they know well-enough when to tap compared to an inexperienced BJJer. So IMO the correlation (not causation) is: more experience=more injuries in wrestling competitions, whereas more experience=less injuries in BJJ competitions.

 

[Dirty Deeds]

True about the big difference in rules and the attacks in BJJ are more injury prone than attacks in wrestling overall (no real option to tap in wrestling as you're getting turned or taken down). However, the positions that are contested in wrestling (ex: low-level single leg defense) are much more physically taxing to wrestlers than the positions that are contested in BJJ. So when Wrestler A attacks on a single leg in a wrestling match, wrestler B doesn't have the option to pull guard for obvious reasons. Wrestler B often has to manipulate his own knee (as his opponent is torquing it in an opposite direction) to avoid being scored on, which is where many injuries occur. Also, top/bottom wrestling is tougher on both guys bodies than being in guard is.

I feel there is an opposing correlation between wrestling and bjj in regards to competition injuries according to experience level as well. I feel higher level wrestling competitions result in more injuries, as high-level wrestlers fight positions harder than low-level inexperienced wrestlers do to avoid getting scored on. High level BJJ practicioners are often at a level where they can take effectively take the path of least resistance to avoid getting scored on/subbed, and when they do get caught they know well-enough when to tap compared to an inexperienced BJJer. So IMO the correlation (not causation) is: more experience=more injuries in wrestling competitions, whereas more experience=less injuries in BJJ competitions.

Alright, in low single defense, all that you do is turn and rip your foot out. With a single where the knee is bent at a funny angle, "potentially dangerous" is called, and there is a restart, either in neutral or partier (sp) position. In high level competition, when a takedown is unavoidable, you belly down, so that you don't get pinned. On the mat, it's just pressure, because if you are manipulating a joint it's deemed potentially dangerous or even illegal in folkstyle, or punishing or illegal in freestyle and greco. The pressure may not feel good, and a weak minded athlete may allow themselves to get pinned to relieve, but there is very little actual risk of injury.

 

[InfiniteWit]

They do. They just dont whine about it like BJJ.

This. When wrestlers get hurt they don't take a few weeks off and let it heal properly, the season's finite time limit makes it impossible to take that time off and stay repetitive. Unless something cannot move you will practice with it. Our coach actually tells us to go see the trainer and not a doctor, the trainer will wrap it and ell you how to work around it and a doctor will bench you for a month.

 

[MMABullrider]

Western wrestling has tons of rules to help mitigate injuries. For example, the 3pts of contact rule limits how hard you can slam an opponent. Accessive leverage against a joint is also prohibited, i.e. how far you can pull an arm back (shoulder locking), how far you can pull an ankle up (on a prone opponent-causes knee torque), or scissor locking the head, or figure 4ing the body, etc.

Additionally, the goal of joint manipulation in wrestling is to gain advantage/control, not to do damage. Simple switch reversals, arm bar or chickenwing pinning combinations, japp-wizzer shoulder throws, etc etc all isolate specific joints to control the opponent. Elbows and shoulders take a beating in western wrestling.

Knee problems from aggressive ankle control, or from odd angled takedowns are also pretty common, but again, it's an accident, not the objective.

Another difference for me is repetition. In wrestling, I might take a hard torque on my elbow 3 times a week if I'm stupid and give up a switch or armbar, whereas in BJJ, my elbow gets hammered pretty much everyday in drills. The same force applied on a fresh joint might not do the same damage as it can on a hammered joint.

Timeframe also plays a role. Wrestling seasons are only a few months long, and you only have so many years to participate. Missing 1 wk might cost you 8 matches on your record, which can be a HUGE difference in your rankings. Missing a month can cost you a year. Ignoring substantial injuries (let alone little strains) or putting off surgery on a torn elbow or knee until after season is really common.

So, moral of the story, the injuries are probably less often because the joints aren't getting beaten on all the time, and because there are rules to prevent injury. Then add to that the shorter time frame, it's less likely that wrestlers will sit out even when they DO take an injury.

 

[DaRuckus337]

Without a doubt, I was injured more when I was wrestling than I am now training mostly in bjj (with the exception of a few rough months last year). Whenever I go have a few days of wrestling at my bjj gym or elsewhere, I am always more banged up after those sessions than I am after bjj sessions. Ground work just doesn't result in as many injuries as stand-up grappling. Can judoka vouch for this as well?

 

[shouldercharge]

most wrestlers can't type or use a computer

 

[MMABullrider]

I really dig Ropes post. His second comment about the experience level correlation to injury was one of those "Duh" moments. I've been trying to express that same logic to wrestlers I've coached for a few years, but never could come up with the proper words for it. Thanks for the insight.

I also really agree with Rope's first comment about the top/bottom positions being much more taxing. I've always thought that western wrestling was much more dynamic on the ground than BJJ. Control can change hands several times in a period, often changing elevation repeatedly. I always love seeing new wrestlers after the first few weeks of two a days, when the rolling catches up to their ribs/guts and they're hurting so bad they think they'll die. One of my coaches used to call that "turning iron into steel".

 

[phillys-finest]

Wrestling is more txing imo. BJJ is slower and you can't get slammed on your head(greco). Our noses are constantly bleeding also. But idk lol

 

[nkosifrost]

Alright, in low single defense, all that you do is turn and rip your foot out. With a single where the knee is bent at a funny angle, "potentially dangerous" is called, and there is a restart, either in neutral or partier (sp) position. In high level competition, when a takedown is unavoidable, you belly down, so that you don't get pinned. On the mat, it's just pressure, because if you are manipulating a joint it's deemed potentially dangerous or even illegal in folkstyle, or punishing or illegal in freestyle and greco. The pressure may not feel good, and a weak minded athlete may allow themselves to get pinned to relieve, but there is very little actual risk of injury.

very little risk of injury? i've had 3 shoulder surgeries and 2 knee surgeries from wrestling. just pressure? you haven't wrestled too much at all. my buddy is a blackbelt in bjj and walked on at a div 1 college and he told me it was way harder on his body to wrestle than do bjj

 

[Iranwarmachine]

wrestlers get more injuries and much worse ones, especially knees.

 

[Iranwarmachine]

They do. They just dont whine about it like BJJ.

This, you get less pussies in wrestling, the amount of bitching and whining i hear at bjj and wrestling about injuries is on two different sides of the scale, wrestlers with a broken hand doesn't say nothing he probably gets back on the mat and finishes the session some bjj guys have a sore forearm and he's taking a break and whining for weeks.