r/judo • u/MotorTentacle gokyu • 16h ago
General Training Constant pain and energy drain, not sure if I can do this
Figured I would write down my feelings right now, as I've hit a wall and I'm not sure if it's fixable. For context I'm 31 (32 in a few months). Whenever I train at full intensity I get the overwhelming need to throw up. I'm completely zapped of all energy and thought process, and sometimes I have to use every fibre of my being to not throw up.
This happens in competitions and in full intensity randori. I've been to two competitions where I was basically getting thrown around like a dirty towel. I didn't physically have the energy to be able to try anything, I spent all my time struggling to stay on my feet. Same with full intensity randori, I just get thrown around, I can't physically process what to try because it's all happening so fast for my brain.
After every session no matter how intense, I come home in pain. Back, legs, arms, neck. I find it difficult to climb into bed at night, and when I turn in the middle of the night I feel the pain. I think that between these two things, I'm just not cut out for martial arts. I'd just like to hear some opinions, maybe things I can try
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u/Uchimatty 15h ago
Most of these responses are bizarre.
You’re not old. There’s almost no difference in healing rate, tendon strength, and cardio between an active 22 year old and an active 31 year old. This isn’t normal. Are you eating before practice? If so stop. Are you peeing yellow? If so drink more water. If neither of these things fix it, then this is a medical problem - possibly gastric reflux - and only a doctor can help.
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u/MotorTentacle gokyu 15h ago edited 14h ago
I try to eat about 2 hours - 1hr 30 mins before a session. If it's 2hrs before, I'll usually have a light snack like an oat bar beforehand. Pee is supposed to be yellow anyway, just not dark yellow. I stay pretty well hydrated anyway because of my daily headaches that I try my best to get rid of
edit: I should also add that I try to eat something light and have a coffee maybe 30 minutes before, because I always feel weak and out of energy before even getting to training
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u/Uchimatty 13h ago
Oh yeah that’s definitely why. Don’t eat for at least 3 hours before training. Ideally 4. Pee “should” be yellow for normal people but not for athletes on an intense training schedule. Judokas need to pee clear or we’ll start having cramps/low energy/nausea.
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u/MotorTentacle gokyu 13h ago
I don't know if I can do that.... that's a long time without food
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u/Uchimatty 11h ago edited 10h ago
That’s not how it works. You don’t just run out of energy because you haven’t eaten for 3 hours. It takes 1-3 days for food to make it through your digestive system, and you will continue to absorb nutrients from it for most that period.
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u/Rodrigoecb 11h ago
Then eat light, easy to absorb food like fruit and white rice.
Low fat, low protein, before training
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u/fromlotusland 12h ago
The headaches, fatigue and pain make me want to suggest getting your thyroid (tsh) blood panel checked.
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u/MotorTentacle gokyu 12h ago
My mum has thyroid issues. I've been to the doctor about my daily headaches and he said they're probably tension headaches, and prescribed me with a strong dose of ibuprofen and paracetamol :(
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u/fromlotusland 11h ago
Even more reason to go check imo. I thought I was getting old in my 30’s turned out I was hypothyroid. The daily headaches were what sent me in saying I shouldn’t be feeling like this everyday. Advocate for yourself to get the blood work you want checked, it took me years for to get a diagnosis, in the mean time doctors told me to reduce stress, etc. All that to say, it wouldn’t hurt to know what your bloodwork looks like.
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u/Independent-Rip1722 10h ago
Don't have coffee. It acceralte your heart rate. If you are feeling weird, coffee might contribute to it. Avoid any energy drink 2 hrs before your practice for now.
Don't eat meat within 3 hrs of the practice. Quick carb only before 2hrs, and small portion.
Coconut water help a lot for regulate your energy level . Also have some salt a few hours before practice.
You are not that old at all. I'm almost 40 and I can do 8-10 rounds in a night.(3-4 ground, 5-6 standing, 4-5mins per round) with a banana and some cocoanut water 1 hr before practice
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u/No_Village_01 gokyu-Bjj blue 16h ago
Stop training hard? If you want to keep training then adjust for your body and lifestyle. We can’t all train like competitors. It’s a tough sport so if you’re going full blast trying to win all the time without putting significant time into your conditioning of course you’re going to gas out.
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u/Tuldoka 16h ago edited 16h ago
Focus less and less on speed, power, and general athleticism as your solution. Deepen your understanding of ju no ri strategic philosophy. Funnel your opponents into systems you control. What's your Ai yotsu vs Kenka yotsu game? What are your/their best grips? Whats the best range for your tokui waza? Is your general base understanding of fundamentals good enough to be considered a strength? Posture, movement, shoulder parrying, gripping/framing, and learning flow state should be in sync to make throw offense and defense easy
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u/MotorTentacle gokyu 15h ago
But I can't focus less on speed and power if my partners are going all in to where they're sweating buckets
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u/Tuldoka 40m ago
Your response is proving the salience of my point. People can beat speed with options and power with positioning and leverage. Your cup might be too full.
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u/MotorTentacle gokyu 17m ago
I've been doing judo for about 6 months
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u/Tuldoka 5m ago
You're supposed to train with the mindset that you're slower/weaker than all your opponents (even if you aren't). That will make you become more observant, and develop strategies/tactics that aren't reliant on having an athletic advantage. Observational skills needs training. You'll be able to ask your coach specific, better questions.
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u/Tasty-Judgment-1538 shodan 15h ago
This does not sound normal. You have to learn to listen to your body, and you need to have the knowledge to understand what it's telling you. When we push our body to(wards) the limit, whatever's not OK will show it's head.
If I were you, I'd consult 3 people:
Sensei. Maybe you need to reduce intensity for a while until you get better conditioned. In any matter he needs to be fully aware to how you're feeling.
Fam doctor to get some blood work. You'd be surprised of what it can reveal.
A sports nutritionist (who will ask for the blood work).
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u/MotorTentacle gokyu 15h ago
what might I be looking for in blood work? low testosterone maybe? Something else?
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u/Tasty-Judgment-1538 shodan 15h ago
Testosterone is one thing. Blood count is also important. If you have low hemoglobin for example you'll feel like crap and gas out in 20 sec.
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u/MotorTentacle gokyu 14h ago
That sounds like me. I've been told it's because I'm so unbelievably tense
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u/Tasty-Judgment-1538 shodan 14h ago
Could be. And it could be combined with something else. Being tense takes a lot of energy.
I can tell you I'm mid 40s, train 4 to 6 days a week with a competitive team. And I get blood work every 6 months. And it really helps me.
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u/someotherguy42 nidan 12h ago
I’m 48 and I get this happen to me. There are two factors that affect me.
Firstly when I’m going hard I forget to breathe and so I’ve worked on my breathing.
The other is that when I’m unfit this happens too. I have to get my fitness up to compete and to be thrown. I do road running and sprint training to work on this. Now I only push myself because I like competing. If your not interested in competing then just dial back. Go light during randori, wait a while to compete until you’ve improved your techniques and you’re using less strength.
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u/Ly-sAn 16h ago
Hi, same age as you. You may need to train less hard and manage your fatigue better. Know when to go all out in randori and pace yourself when you can. Take frequent breaks. Also, strength and cardio conditioning are of immense help, so maybe if you have time. Think about your nutrition too, light carb snacks one to two hours before training.
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u/MotorTentacle gokyu 14h ago
I'm sorry, I tried to reply to this but I'm such a mess of a person that I don't even know what to tell you. I may give judo up because even on a light session with no randori I get sore all over my shoulders, legs, neck and back
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u/Grand-While-8268 15h ago
Sounds like your just need to get fitter
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u/davthew2614 ikkyu 14h ago
What other training do you do aside from judo? Cardio, weights and mobility work might all help with this stuff. Also don't be afraid to say "let's go light" to your training partners. Then make sure you're also going light and not trying to kill them.
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u/MotorTentacle gokyu 13h ago
Jiu jitsu (not bjj) is the majority of what I do. I've been doing some 5k runs lately in the lead-up to a grading for that (which I've just failed). I traditionally don't like the gym because I have no motivation to go, and haven't really had any friends to go with in the past (different now)
About your comment on asking to go light, someone asked me for some light ne-waza one time and I've completely fucked my big toe ever since. I don't want to hold people back with my lack of abilities, so I'd prefer to just... fade into the distance and let people train with people who are better suited for them. I'm no challenge or fun to train with
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u/Libra7409 12h ago
Anyone who trains so much that they vomit is doing something fundamentally wrong. You make it sound like the overall package isn't right. Everyone is focused on your training. But I would think about whether your life is on track right now. When you're running at the limit, with work, sport, family, etc. then it can manifest itself like this. I had it a few years ago - with a nervous breakdown. And at the end of last year with heart problems. After I have rearranged my life and reduced stress, sport is fun again and I am fit, productive and healthy. Just think about your entire life situation and maybe you'll find the solution there.
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u/MotorTentacle gokyu 11h ago
I don't know if that's it for me. I don't really have stress in the same way normal people my age do
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u/Boomer-stig 7h ago
At a large competitive club you will be exhausted after class. At your age I was going all out at Tenri in LA for a year. I was exhausted when I got back home and I was sore the next day after a class. I was a brown belt at the time so a little more experienced than you. But after newaza my arms were like jelly and it I had to learn both not to be so tense during newaza and learn to use my body more and not my arms to produce kuzushi. Did this help in not feeling exhausted, no, the extra stamina meant I could go with more people during class.
After every tournament no matter what kind of shape I was in I always had minor injuries that would hurt for a week or so then improve. In a tournament you are going beyond your usual "high intensity" randori. You are going to apply strength to get you out of a jam or to try to complete a throw you didn't set up so well. I think what has happened is you have internalized the adrenaline rush (you need to learn how to control it) and now you have blown it out of proportion. Heck when I was young and competitive I would get an adrenaline rush just thinking about a previous or up coming tournament. It would make me laugh that a thought could affect me so much.
You don't mention how big you are but assuming you don't have a lot of body fat (since you are running 5Ks along with doing Judo) you may need to carbohydrate load. When I was going to tournaments with my kids there was a black belt from our area tall and skinny as a rail. As soon as weigh-ins were over he would start nibbling on bread or bagel he had brought with him. About every 5 to 10 minutes he take a very small piece and eat it. He did this through out the day while he had matches pending. I had asked him about it and he said if he didn't do this he would complete run out energy in the later rounds of the tournament.
For the nausea you can try some ginger capsules or ginger tea (even a good ginger-ale or ginger-beer). You can get them a health food store, Whole Foods, or online. take a capsule about an hour before you go. See if that helps. There is also Sea-bands they are wrist bands with a plastic piece that fits over the accurpressure point that is supposed to help with nausea. You can wear them while you are driving to Judo and probably keep them on up to the point of doing newaza or randori.
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u/Just_Ad3004 shodan 16h ago edited 14h ago
Also, make sure you are eating right/enough. I lost a lot of progress due to simply not eating enough. And make sure your sleep is solid. Dark room, consistent bedtime and rising time. If training hard, you need more sleep.
Another thing is to make sure your general physical conditioning is sound. Kettlebell or weights in addition to cycling, rowing, swimming can help. I do yoga for recovery. The yoga for martial artists book is great.
Good luck and let us know if you find something that helps. Judo can be painful. Especially after 30.