Two of my coaches will also be competing next month. Aaron “Tex” Johnson, my Brazilian Jiu-jitsu coach will be competing in the World Championship November 5th and 6th in Daly City, California. Tex won the black belt heavyweight division at the 2015 New York summer open so I will be rooting for him to take 1st place in November as well. Jay-Quan Jackson will be defending his 155-lb title on November 5th in Times Square, Manhattan.
The MMA and acupuncture worlds collided publicly earlier this year when, on the last season of the Ultimate Fighter, Cory Hendricks was injured and they brought an acupuncturist on the show to treat him. In episode 8, Cory starts to have issues with his neck, shoulder and arm and decides to take it easy over the next few days. However, it progresses to where he can’t perform simple movements or sleep well because of the pain. He is visited by a professional acupuncturist who gives him acupuncture, cupping therapy and gua sha. The treatments seem to help to some extent, but unfortunately the pain comes back to such a degree that Cory doesn’t continue to pursue acupuncture treatment and goes to have an MRI and have further diagnostic testing done.
Having personal knowledge of the movements involved in combat sports enables me to treat training and fight injuries very effectively. I believe Cory would have benefit greatly from acupuncture more had he been able to get more than one session before the pain was so severe. I’ll share a few tips for high-intensity athletes, particularly those that train leading up to a single event such as MMA fighters and marathon runners:
Treatment Integrated in Training
I recommend weekly acupuncture treatments in the training period with the last treatment being a few days before the event. Many times, people report the greatest benefits somewhere between the third and the fifth session when tension or pain has been building up over a period of time. Weekly sessions clear up any tension or pain that surfaces in the training period without disrupting intensive, almost daily training.
Recovery
Acupuncture treatment as soon as the day after the event will also greatly speed up recovery. Many sports injuries are completely preventable and treatable, so weekly sessions in the training period are highly recommended to prevent injuries prior to or during the event. I have treated many people who left sports that they loved due to injuries that are then easily successfully treated so that they can get back into the game. I would encourage anyone who has limited their activity because of an injury to explore a few acupuncture sessions as soon as possible. The sooner injuries are treated the more quickly they are resolved.
