Why I Quit Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu After Years of Training
As an Olympic boxer and former undefeated professional, I never thought I’d say this, but I’ve made the difficult decision to quit Brazilian jiu-jitsu after years of dedicated training. It’s a sport that has changed my life and my family’s life for the better in so many ways, but ultimately, the toll it has taken on my body has forced me to walk away.
I started training jiu-jitsu a few years ago at the age of 37, and from the very beginning, I was hooked. I was training 4, 5, even 6 times a week, driven by the belief that if I trained twice as much as my peers, I would learn and improve twice as fast. And it worked – I was making rapid progress, earning my blue belt, and even winning a gold medal in competition. But that intense training schedule also took a major physical toll.
The Neck Injury That Changed Everything
In October of 2024, after a particularly grueling jiu-jitsu session, I started to feel something off in the back of my neck and shoulder area. At first, I thought it would just be a minor soreness that would go away after a day or two of rest. But as the days turned into weeks, the pain only got worse.
I started experiencing tingling sensations in my fingers and numbness down the right side of my body. It got to the point where I was struggling to walk for more than 5 minutes and I had to severely restrict my neck movement, bringing my whole shoulder around just to turn my head. I knew this was something serious, so I went to see a chiropractor, a physiotherapist, and consulted with people at my gym, but I was getting conflicting advice from everyone.
After about 6 weeks of waiting and trying various treatments, I finally got an MRI scan that revealed the true extent of the issue – disc bulges at multiple levels of my cervical spine, causing nerve compression. One of the nerves was being crushed every time I turned my neck, leading to the debilitating symptoms I was experiencing.
Trying to Heal the Injury
The doctors recommended that I wear a neck brace to keep my neck upright and limit movement, in the hopes that this would take pressure off the bulging discs and allow them to heal. I dutifully wore the brace for 4 weeks, and also tried using compression machines to stretch and decompress my spine, but nothing seemed to be providing lasting relief.
During this time, my life felt like it was on hold. I couldn’t do any exercise at all, which was incredibly frustrating for someone as active as myself. I teach boxing education on YouTube for a living, and I even had to wear the neck brace while filming my videos, since I couldn’t turn my head properly.
I sank into a deep depression, feeling miserable and hopeless. I did endless research, consulted with more experts, but the opinions were all over the place. It wasn’t until a black belt at my gym recommended I see a specific doctor in Olympic Park that I finally started to get some answers and relief.
The Nerve Block Injection
This doctor recommended that I get a nerve root block injection – a procedure where they use a CT scan to precisely inject anti-inflammatory medication and pain relief directly into the area where the nerve was being pinched by the disc bulge. It was an unpleasant experience, but after the injection I had to wear a cast on my arm and rest in bed for 3 days.
Remarkably, the injection worked. The pain and tingling sensations in my neck and arm disappeared, and I was finally able to start training and living my life normally again. In fact, just 10 weeks later, I attempted and achieved the Guinness World Record for most punches thrown in 24 hours – a feat I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to accomplish after my debilitating injury.
Why I Decided to Quit Jiu-Jitsu
With my neck finally healed, you might be wondering why I wouldn’t just jump right back into jiu-jitsu training. After all, it’s a sport I love and have found so much success in. But the truth is, I’m just too afraid of going through something like that again.
The months of pain, immobility, and depression were absolute hell, and I don’t ever want to risk putting my life on hold like that again. I’m 40 years old now, and I don’t want to have to take any more steps backwards in my health and fitness. I lost so much strength and muscle mass on the right side of my body during the injury, and it’s been a real struggle to regain that.
Even when I’ve tried a few jiu-jitsu sessions since the injury, I’ve been so paranoid and cautious, afraid of getting choked or put in a position that could re-aggravate my neck. The competitiveness and intensity that I loved about the sport is just not worth the risk anymore.
And while I don’t blame jiu-jitsu entirely for my neck issues – my years of boxing and now desk work have certainly contributed as well – the final straw that broke the camel’s back was that one jiu-jitsu session where I felt something go wrong. I take full responsibility for that, knowing that I could have warmed up better, trained with less ego, and tapped out sooner when I was in trouble.
But at the end of the day, I have to prioritize my long-term health and wellbeing, especially as I get older. I don’t want to risk another debilitating injury that could prevent me from being able to play with my kids or live an active lifestyle. So with a heavy heart, I’ve made the decision to walk away from jiu-jitsu for good.
What I’m Doing Instead
Just because I’m quitting jiu-jitsu doesn’t mean I’m giving up on physical activity and training altogether. In fact, I’m more motivated than ever to find new ways to stay active, learn new skills, and challenge myself.
One of the things I loved most about jiu-jitsu was the constant learning and skill development. When you’re just lifting weights or running on a treadmill, it can get pretty boring. But with jiu-jitsu, I was always working on perfecting new techniques and strategies, which kept me engaged and motivated.
So I’m going to try to find other activities that provide that same sense of skill acquisition and progression. I’ll definitely continue my boxing training, as that’s been a lifelong passion of mine. But I also want to explore some new avenues, like incorporating more strength training and potentially even trying some lighter, more technical jiu-jitsu rolling, if I can find a way to do it safely.
The key for me is finding physical activities that challenge me mentally as well as physically, without putting my neck and overall health at risk. I’m open to trying new things and seeing what sticks. The most important thing is that I keep moving, keep learning, and avoid falling into the trap of a sedentary lifestyle, which I know can be just as detrimental to my wellbeing as a serious injury.
Lessons Learned
Even if you’re an elite athlete, your body can only take so much abuse before it starts to break down. It’s important to listen to the warning signs and make adjustments before a minor issue becomes a major injury.
When it comes to your health, it’s crucial to seek out multiple expert opinions and not just settle for the first diagnosis or treatment plan. Be your own advocate and don’t be afraid to keep digging until you find the right solution.
Ego can be a dangerous thing, especially in combat sports. Sometimes the smartest move is to tap out and live to fight another day, rather than pushing through an injury or dangerous situation.
As we get older, we have to be more selective and cautious about the physical activities we engage in. It’s not about giving up, but rather finding ways to stay active and challenged that align with our current capabilities and long-term health goals.
Quitting jiu-jitsu has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, but I know deep down that it’s the right choice for me at this stage of my life. I’ll always have a deep love and appreciation for the sport, and I’ll continue to follow the journeys of my friends and training partners who are still competing at the highest levels.
But for me, it’s time to close that chapter and focus on finding new ways to stay active, healthy, and fulfilled. Who knows, maybe I’ll even revisit jiu-jitsu someday in a more limited, technical capacity. But for now, I’m excited to explore the next phase of my fitness journey, and I’m grateful to have the support of my family and fans along the way.
If you’re a fellow jiu-jitsu practitioner, I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. And if you’re curious to see some of my past exploits in the sport, be sure to check out these videos:
And if you’re looking to take your boxing skills to the next level, be sure to check out myMaster Effortless Boxing Footworkcourse, as well as myMaster Boxing Course. I’m always here to help fellow combat sports enthusiasts improve their technique and reach their full potential.
Thanks for following along on my journey. I’m excited to see what the future holds, and I’m grateful to have such an amazing community of supporters like you.
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