Diabetics CAN do Jiu Jitsu!

I am a Jiu Jitsu fan boy. I think it’s not only an incredible martial art with real self defense capabilities but also a great work out. I don’t think I’m one of those people who believes Jiu Jitsu is the answer to life or a ultimate “cheat code.” I do believe that in my short time with Jiu Jitsu I have reaped fantastic benefits. I’ve definitely been getting in better shape due to martial arts. I’m stronger, faster, and have much better cardio than when I started. There’s also an element of mental toughness associated with martial arts. In Jiu Jitsu you train by fighting. Now, there’s no striking but there is still the very real feeling of a struggle. What’s great about this, is that it is in a controlled environment, meaning there is less chance of injury. The benefits can only be truly appreciated if you have experienced a Jiu Jitsu class.
Now for the juicy stuff. As a diabetic, adapting to Jiu Jitsu has presented unique challenges. Jiu Jitsu is an incredibly physical sport that provides a bunch of aerobic exercise, cardio is the name of the game but strength certainly helps. This intense amount of exercise has the possibility of causing my blood sugar to crash. On the flip side, Jiu Jitsu requires one to grapple with an opponent in order to drill. Basically, you have to enter into a “fight” with your training partner. Obviously there are rules an no one is trying to cause their partner real pain, but the stress is still there. This stress can cause my blood sugar to increase substantially. It’s a delicate balancing act that can quite literally lead to a crash. I’m able to manage this performance by using a continuous blood glucose monitor and by going in to training with a stable sugar. Keeping my BG around 150 mg/dL seems to work nicely.
In conclusion, sign up for a class! The only way you’ll know it is or is not for you is too try it out.