Concussion

[fa_jing]

How do you fighters reconcile the reality of concussions with the goal of longevity?

[SevenStar]

cautiousness. if you're KO'ed/choked out, etc., you don't roll for a few classes. Don't spar full contact any more than once of twice a month.

[fa_jing]

I've come to the conclusion that striking arts are out for me. I need a break from MA entirely. If I come back, it will be for BJJ or a weapons art like escrima. I may just find a new hobby entirely, like building model airplanes. Brain damage is just too high a price to pay for the fun of sparring and competition.
Somebody suggested working on forms, drills, etc. But I never did forms for the sake of doing forms, while a sport like WuShu forms might be fun for a lot of people, since I've already seen the pugilistic side of things this would never be fulfilling to me.

[fa_jing]

Oh, in case y'all are curious, I am suffering from a nasty concussion right now. I got TKO'd a couple weeks ago in a tournament, but felt fine after a couple days. Then this last Sunday my Sifu's friend stopped by class and we did some light sparring. I took some real light hits and felt hurt. It didn't really hit me until the next day, though. Now I'm slowly getting better but I could barely even do my job this week. I can't even smoke a joint. :****ed

[ewallace]

I hope you either have or plan on seeing a doctor. I'd be kind of concerned about possible brain swelling at this point. But I'm no doctor either.

[fa_jing]

Yeah, I plan on seeing one next week. But since my car has died, that is going to be a pain. I'm sure my brain was swelling or bleeding cause I felt pressure, however, it's getting steadily better. Also the treatment of swelling is to drill a hole in your f.ucking skull so as long as my symptoms aren't outrageous I'm not going to trip out about it.

[SevenStar]

was it at SG lee's tournament? I'm sorry to hear that man. moving on to grappling would be good, as you still train, learn an exceptional amount of stuff and stay in shape, but the same hazards will be there...People may get rough and you catch forearms and elbows, accidental headbutts, getting choked out, not tucking your head when you fall, etc. Just be careful no matter what it is that you train in.

[fa_jing]

It was at SG Lee's tourney that I got TKO'd in my second fight. However like I said I felt fine after a couple days. Then sparring, real light sparring, in class this past Sunday, which was two weeks after the tournament. All of a sudden I woke up feeling like crap. Then my car died.

Thus, building model airplanes. Worked for me as a kid. Seriously, I need to get away entirely from the MA for a least a few months. Then, I'll re-evaluate.

[SevenStar]

Don't quit man, just tone it down a few notches.

[SevenStar]

or maybe go internal. Aren't you close to choi?

[fa_jing]

Thanks for keeping up the conversation with me, Sev.

Yes, I'm near Choi. Yes, I think traditional internal/soft-style training will make you an effective fighter, if you are intelligent and patient enough to grasp the concepts.

But, what's the point? If I can't put on the gloves and go a few rounds, where's the fun at? I don't do this for self-defense. I don't do it to wear Chinese silk PJ's. I like all the exposure to Chinese culture, etc, but it's no more fulfilling than Yoga unless - you actually get to apply it!

If I were to go study the internals, I think I would have to throw my 3 years of Wing Chun and JKD away. What for? It might be better for me to join one of those "no-sparring" wing chun schools. Either way, I'm going to be missing the most important element to me - the action! I foresee frustration here.

After I take a few months off, I may feel differently. Now I don't even want to think about doing MA. I'll still hang around this board, though.

[fa_jing]

After the tournament, I was excited about coming back the following year and being equal to all of the top guys. The toughest thing about this is walking away from the challenge. The second toughest thing is leaving this particular path of self-development, which was bearing fruit. I was really starting to get a hang of what I was doing.

[Liokault]

this is so depressing.


I am only a few years younger than you.....guess i will have to start thinking about this sort of thing soon to.

[fa_jing]

UH, you're older than me, bro. I'm 28.

Chalk it up to bad luck, and maybe predisposition to this kind of injury. Protect yourself, especially your head and your groin, it's more important than winning.

And if you stay in the ring too long, you will pay the price.

[Qi dup]

Ah yes concussions. Well, first of all how many concussions have you had?