Hey guys, I'm a 24 year old Bjj practioner with type 1. medication Novorapid and levemir. I find that my diet is suiting me really well, the way I take my medication and test my blood glucose levels helps alot, especially losing the last few pounds for competition but every day can still be a challenge. I don't know any Diabetics in Ireland who practice BJJ, Judo or wrestling and I'm kind of hoping for bits of advice or information that could help me improve training or greater blood glucose control. Anything that could allow me and anyone else who reads this to gain greater insight would really be appreciated. :)
Hi Shane. I am a type I who does BJJ as well. Still on my honeymoon phase though, so I don't have a ton of great advice just yet. I do, however, find that drilling BJJ moves is about the best way in the world to drop my BG after a meal, plus it's a great way to improve.
Right now, I am sticking to MDI. I'll stay in touch though. I am sure we can share some good tips as we figure it out over time.
I just started up again after taking a number of years off. I wear an Omnipod so it's mostly been a matter of devising ways to keep from losing a pod everytime I train.
What I found out is that, while BJJ training, my BG drops faster than under practically any other circumstance that I can think of. For one session, I walked onto the mat with a BG of 190 and walked off the mat 30 minutes later under 70. I hadn't even begun live training at that point, just position drills. I've taken in up to 50g of carbs to keep me going through lessons and live training.
I haven't changed either my basal dose or anything else as of yet. I'm thining it may just be an adjustment period. I'm also starting to get my grappling legs under me so I'm getting my efficiency back. Today was much better for my BG. I still went hypo but it wasn't as dramatic and didn't require nearly as much correction.
How long have you been training?
I,ve been training in Bjj for two years next month, I got my blue belt in March. I did Taekwondo for 9 years before that and soccer and rowing since I was a kid, I only have time for bjj now.
I also find that my BG drops really quickly with drilling, but it also temporarily raises with strength training. I do find that nogi sparring is more of an effect on my BG than anything else probably due to the high cardiovascular output from scrambling. With gi however it tends to be a little bit more stable, again less aerobic exercise, more an aerobic. How long have you been training for yourself? With what club? (if you don't mind my asking...)
Glad you are getting back into it. I am surprised and encouraged that you are able to train with an Omnipod. I was figuring I'd have to stick with injections as long as I was training BJJ. Maybe that isn't true. :)
I started almost 15 years ago at the Gracie Jiujitsu Academy in Torrance with Royce and Rorion. I trained pretty consistently for a couple of years till I got my Blue belt, then kinda gradually burned out from the Blue belt grind. I got tired of the hour drive from my place to Torrance and just stopped going. At that time, there just weren't that many BJJ schools open.
Over the next five years, I trained closer to my home wherever a new school would open after the one I was at would close. I got completely away from it for ten years when I went to work full time and got tired of looking for schools nearby.
With the BJJ explosion in the last ten years, though, I guess it was just a matter of time until one opened up close enough. So, I started up at a Gracie Barra that opned up a 5 minute walk from my place. Convenient, great instruction, lots of training partners. Hopefully I can stick with it this time.
Thanks! Thanks for the friend invite as well!
Yeah, it's not easy keeping a pod attatched during training, but it's doable. I'll still lose one occasionally, but so far it hasn't been a real issue.
Here's a pic of the one I'm currently wearing. It survived a class yesterday and about 10 minutes of training from the mount. Whoever invented KT Kinesioilgy tape is my new best friend.
I have a class tonight with an hour of live training after. Hopefully it will survive!
Where do you train in HB?
Wow, that is quite a bit of work. Thanks for the photo. I'm eager for updates as you perfect your taping system.
I've been training in Oregon for the last four plus years with Roy Dean, Jimmy DaSilva and friends at Joint Lock BJJ. I officially move to Huntington Beach in two weeks where I'll have to find a new place to train.
There is so much to choose from in Huntington Beach that I am not sure where to go. I understand the Mendes Brothers are opening a studio nearby and that may be an option. In any case I'm excited about the change of scenery.
Funny that you started in Torrance. I used to work there and I remember looking for a place to train in some type of martial art and a friend was telling me about these amazing fighters at the Gracie academy. It was about a year later, after moving away, that I saw a grainy videotape of UFC1 and I finally understood what all of the fuss was about. I wish I would have gotten into BJJ sooner. :) In any case, in it for the long haul now.
What?? That doesn't look perfect??? ;)
Yeah, still have some refining to do, but it is definitely promising to get through a few training sessions with the pod stil intact and functioning!
I don't doubt you'll settle right in once you get down here. Ton of really good schools in the area. Definitely keep in touch. I'm not that far from where you'll be so hit me up when you get down!
:)
Keep us posted with any new innovations in pod control.
Will definitely get in touch when I'm settled in. Maybe we can cross-train at each other's schools a bit as well.
So I moved up to middleweight, won a nogi tournament and came in second place at two other tournaments. Shortly after I was graduates to purple belt under lucio Rodrigues of Gracie Barra and came 3rd in my first purple belt tournament. I’m using deep breathing/sports psychology visualisation to control my competition jitters and a good steady diet and no more weight issues!!!
Hey thanks for the update Shane. Glad to hear you are doing so well! I don't know how I'd manage Type I without BJJ as the centerpiece of my health.
I've been training the last year or so at AOJ with the Mendes Bros. Got my purple belt not too long ago as well. Send me a note if you are going to be at any of the big Southern California competitions which are local for me; would be great to meet up with another type I bjj practitioner.
I really have to step up my training! The guys who first started at the place I go to when it opened up a few years back are starting to get their purples as well. Makes for some great training but I can definitely feel myself falling behind!
@FHS No reason to rush. I only train four days a week as a matter of survival . . . so many of the guys I train with are half my age and spend all day training five and six days a week.
Thanks dude, if I can raise the cash ill be trying for the worlds next year, European champs in January first haha,so ill see how that goes, traveling from Ireland to so cal is a bit pricey but I’d love to drop in to the AOJ academy. I’m finding the heavier weight class means I can spend less time restricting my diet and more time focussing on competing and fueling myself.