Wed Feb 6 MMA Safety 101

When you walk through the door at any training facility you'll be required to sign a waiver to acknowledge you accept responsibility for your safety. That covers the gym. Now let's work on covering you.

Any sport is dangerous. In fact, studies point to fishing as being the most dangerous sport there is--boating related incidences likely push that stat. However, let's be realistic, any sport that involves contact will demand your attention to safety. Even startups are aware of this. One of the first questions that new members will ask is simply, "What should I bring?"

MMA is at its essence a poor man's sport. All that your REALLY need are shorts and t-shirt. However, we encourage potential MMAists to gather up basic equipment. Mouthpiece to protect your teeth and jaw--also a useful tool to help you breathe when fighting chokes. An athletic cup--for obvious reasons. Beyond that I would look at some common sense equipment to help you along the way: Handwraps--at less than $10 a pair, if used properly can potentially save you thousands spent on treatment of hand injuries. A roll of tape--with an experienced trainer you can learn how to add support to ankles, wrists, fingers, toes, etc.(also see below for other uses of tape). As you build your toolbox, look to add your own gear: boxing gloves, mma gloves, head gear, shin pads, etc. Just like the technical aspect of the sport, the more tools you have the more things you can do.

Other essentials: Trim your nails--will protect your partners from scratches and also help you prevent your nails from catching (Personal note: I once had to lose a toenail from it snagging on the mats at another gym. It was painful. It is still not back). Keep your cuts/scrapes clean and covered. Shower often, especially immediately after training--some people actually eat before showering without realizing just how unsanitary it sounds.

Another important tip: As you accumulate your share of bumps and bruises you might run into the problem that many members have, pre-existing injuries. The majority of time this will involve injuries acquired from other sports. However, anyone with a problem should be advised that trainer partners and instructors are unaware of injuries until you share the information. If you know you have bad knees, wear a brace, don't wait for it to be re-aggravated. If your hands are hurt, then wrap them. Realize that when you wear a brace in training it is a sign to your partners that you have something bothering you. For example: simply wearing a knee brace will often ensure that your partners don't wrench a heel hook. In situations where you don't have a proper brace a simple piece of tape will suffice: If your ankle is hurt, at least have some sort of marker to let your partner know that they should take it easier on that particular area.

Of course when going into competition you might not want to give these same markers, but realize that training is about improvement and if you're out with an injury, well, you can't train.