BJJ and deformed ear lobes

[Sihing Tom]

Greetings,

Someone I know is interested in studying Brazilian JuJitsu. He is concerned about disfiguring his ear lobes through continuous training. His concern is due to the fact his professions require him to meet clients on a regular basis. Can someone please explain their experience with this. Thanks!

[Starchaser107]

Sumo wrestlers and hardcore grapplers face this problem. its not necessarily a guarantee that one will sustain this kind of injury. but one should get involved wihth martial arts with the expectation of sustaining a few injuries every now and then.. it is the nature of the game.

[chen zhen]

since im only a beginner, i dont know of this problem. But I dont think he will get it unless his ears will be mashed to the mat all the time..;)
your friends just gotta be good:D

-cz

[T'ai Ji Monkey]

Cauliflower Ear (http://www.medicinenet.com/Cauliflower_Ear/article.htm)

[Kristoffer]

I hate people who whines about how a black eye or a cut here and there will make them look bad in the meetings at work. I truly do. Martial art isn't a game, u should see injuries as someting that could happen and not whine about it. As for the ear thing, it's pretty normal and almost all grapplers get it. The ears isn't 'deformed' :rolleyes: .. it's hardend. Seriously if he sees this as a huge problem he should switch to aerobics.

[chingei]

Originally posted by chen zhen
since im only a beginner, i dont know of this problem. But I dont think he will get it unless
-cz

He probably will get it.

[chen zhen]

STFU beeyaach;)

[T'ai Ji Monkey]

Originally posted by chingei
He probably will get it.

He shouldn't if he wears the right head-gear/ear-protection.

One of the reasons why you now see many wrestlers sporting those "cute" little head-pieces.

Wrestling gear (http://www.gablestore.com/gear.html)

But than of course REAL men wouldn't wear sissy gear like that and rather get deformed to show of their manliness.
;)

[Kristoffer]

of corz :D

[chingei]

Originally posted by T'ai Ji Monkey


He shouldn't if he wears the right head-gear/ear-protection.



Naw, probably get it anyway.

[apoweyn]

Originally posted by Kristoffer
I hate people who whines about how a black eye or a cut here and there will make them look bad in the meetings at work. I truly do. Martial art isn't a game, u should see injuries as someting that could happen and not whine about it. As for the ear thing, it's pretty normal and almost all grapplers get it. The ears isn't 'deformed' :rolleyes: .. it's hardend. Seriously if he sees this as a huge problem he should switch to aerobics.

Cauliflower ear isn't a black eye or a cut. It's a permanent condition requiring surgery to correct. And even that option is only available for a certain period of time. After the fluid hardens... well, those are your ears now. And they are, quite literally, deformed. (Ears have a form. Cauliflower ear undoes that form. Ergo... )

I agree with you about injuries. They're part of the game. And I'm not going to whine about bruises or even breaks. But if wearing a simple headgear is enough to prevent something that'll radically affect your appearance (regardless of whether your appearance is part of your livelihood), why wouldn't you do it?

Just to prove that you're too "manly" to worry about such things? Feh. Training hard doesn't preclude concerning yourself with your appearance. If you think you have to be disfigured to be "serious" have at it. Personally, I'd like the best of both worlds.


Stuart B.

[MasterKiller]

I bet you $10 these same guys making fun of people who wear head-gear have no problem with putting on a cup.

[apoweyn]

Originally posted by MasterKiller
I bet you $10 these same guys making fun of people who wear head-gear have no problem with putting on a cup.

I'm not going to take that bet. ;)

And if they don't wear a cup, I wonder how a few badly placed kicks in the jumblies might affect their judgment of what's manly and what's not.


Stuart B.

[Kristoffer]

Actually, were not allowed to use cups unless it's competition.. Head gear is on but not in fullcontact or Shuai Chiao. That don't mean I make fun of the cute little girly helmets though. ;) Hmmm.. Honestly I didn't know that cauliflower ear is bad for you, I just reacted to the original post of
His concern is due to the fact his professions require him to meet clients on a regular basis.
...that kinda made me look red




peace

[apoweyn]

...that kinda made me look red

I can understand that. People complaining about getting tagged too hard in martial arts make me see red too. It's a combative study. Getting hit is part of the deal.

But there's a big difference between that and not using a piece of equipment designed to protect you. Coming off of a motorbike is "part of the deal" too in that it's a very real possibility (if not likelihood). That doesn't make helmets senseless.

Cauliflower ear isn't dangerous, to my knowledge. But it is obvious. If you don't mind it, no worries. I know wrestlers who are quite proud of them. But if you study martial arts as part of a bigger context (you're a fighter, an accountant, a father, a husband, etc.), perhaps you want to avoid doing something in one endeavor that marks you in all the other endeavors.

Seriously, if most people had to choose between dealing with the guy that looks well maintained and the guy that looks like he fell into a combine harvester (black eyes, facial cuts, bloody knuckles), the real world result is very often going to be that the first guy gets the deal.


Stuart B.

[Kristoffer]

Yea I understand. If the MA that you do had you wearing protections you should by all means use the protections. That's just logic. (On the other side of the coin, I can say that people who try to act more macho than necissary makes me see red aswell.)



Cauliflower ear isn't dangerous, to my knowledge. But it is obvious. If you don't mind it, no worries. I know wrestlers who are quite proud of them. But if you study martial arts as part of a bigger context (you're a fighter, an accountant, a father, a husband, etc.), perhaps you want to avoid doing something in one endeavor that marks you in all the other endeavors.

Seriously, if most people had to choose between dealing with the guy that looks well maintained and the guy that looks like he fell into a combine harvester (black eyes, facial cuts, bloody knuckles), the real world result is very often going to be that the first guy gets the deal.




IMHO I feel that what makes us different as athletes is that MA is part of our daily life too. Philosophys and mindset etc. We are supposed to be fighters. Like, we don't have long hair. Short haired, often shaved. (Just look at the Judo championships, there's no long hair there is it?). Uhmmm.. ok I'm rambling now :) But I know u get my point.

Don't get me wrong, I can understand why suits wants to look decent to make some more money but if that's the case are they capable of becoming a well versed MA without the sacrifices?

I dunno

[Yung Apprentice]

Some ppl are more prone to it then others. at my BJJ school, I know a guy who gets it a lot, and he told me that he has wife you an insulin needle to remove the fluid. Don't know if this is true or not, but he one of the more respected guys at my school.

You can always wear ear guards like the do in wrestling, or head gear.

[T'ai Ji Monkey]

Originally posted by Kristoffer
Don't get me wrong, I can understand why suits wants to look decent to make some more money but if that's the case are they capable of becoming a well versed MA without the sacrifices?
I dunno

How about people that rely on their looks to make money like models or similar.
Does this preclude them from enjoying wrestling or even becoming good at it?

I work in the IT industry and how we look and act is very important in client relations, this goes so far that we are even given courses on how to dress, etc.

For many professions your Image is what sells. What pays your bills your MA or your job.
You need to get those priorities right, and look after your assets correctly.

That's why there is protective gear available and I think it is the people with foresight that use them.


I don't think many people would pay to watch MA-stars that had dis-figurements either. e.g. jet-Li with cauliflower ears I reckon would have proplems getting a movie deal.


Just some thoughts.

[chen zhen]

hell, if I get that **** im outta there.

Ill rely on standup from now on:o;)

[chingei]

Originally posted by T'ai Ji Monkey


Just some thoughts.

you have no thoughts, you cowardly worm

[apoweyn]

Kristoffer,


IMHO I feel that what makes us different as athletes is that MA is part of our daily life too. Philosophys and mindset etc. We are supposed to be fighters. Like, we don't have long hair. Short haired, often shaved. (Just look at the Judo championships, there's no long hair there is it?). Uhmmm.. ok I'm rambling now But I know u get my point.

Don't get me wrong, I can understand why suits wants to look decent to make some more money but if that's the case are they capable of becoming a well versed MA without the sacrifices?

I dunno

No, I think you have a good point. Certainly, martial arts manifest themselves in other aspects of my life. But in subtle ways. You're right. I have short hair, because it's practical. (And because I'd look like a member of the Bee Gees if I let it grow.) But there's some danger of letting an occupation define you. I don't really need people to take one look at me, nod knowingly, and think "now there's a guy who's wrestled a lot. Just look at those ears!"

Being a father is a part of daily life too. But fathers still put a towel over their shoulder so the baby doesn't vomit directly onto their dress shirts, right? They don't walk around with baby vomit on them, saying "yep, I'm a father."

Fact is I'm a lot of things. And not one of them defines me in my entirety. As an editor, I don't walk around with red ink all over my hands. As a former English major, I don't quote Yeats in everyday conversation (as if I could). And as a martial artist, I don't really feel the need to look worse for wear.

Know what I mean?


Stuart B.

[Kristoffer]

lol yea I understand exactly what you mean. Good post.



Being a father is a part of daily life too. But fathers still put a towel over their shoulder so the baby doesn't vomit directly onto their dress shirts, right? They don't walk around with baby vomit on them, saying "yep, I'm a father."

:D

I guess I'm to young to think this way as I havn't settled for a job that I want to make a career in yet so the job part is not something I care looking good at. I'm million years away from being a parent aswell. I guess my view of this might change when these things accure.

[SevenStar]

not everyone involved in grappling gets it - I think it will vary on several factors, from hard hard/often you train to possibly how flexible your ears are. My ears are very flexible, and I've never managed to get it, thank goodness. Several of my training buddies have though -they just go get the fluid drained. The few guys I know that use ear guard complain about them not properly staying on.

[chen zhen]

whaddya mean flexible ears? that they are easy to bend?
if so, thats good news for me.:)

[Kristoffer]

I think my ears are pretty flexible too. Guess that's good..

[chingei]

Originally posted by SevenStar
not everyone involved in grappling gets it -

odds are you'll get it to a certain degree though

[Ming Yue]

nice turn of thread,

Ap has caught the correct in a butterfly net and pinned it to a board with a descriptive label.

:D

what's an ear guard? hard plastic covers for your ears?

[Serpent]

Now you see, I grew up in England and now live in Australia. If I saw a guy with cauliflower ears I'd probably assume he was a rugby player. Unless he was a really little guy I suppose, then I'd just be confused.