The ankle is not only one of the most mobile joints of the body, it is often commonly attacked in competition in hopes of seeking a submission. If you are a longtime reader of GRACIEMAG, I am sure you have seen many photos of top Jiu-Jitsu players engaged in a ankle submission battle for a victory. As Renzo told me many years ago, “the ankle, although we don’t always attack it, doesn’t mean that it isn’t always available.” Since this vulnerable joint is also not often trained for strength and performance, ankle injuries during Jiu-Jitsu are a common occurrence. If you have spent time on the mats, I am sure you have suffered some sort of ankle injury at some point. Unfortunately, taping up or hoping the injury will, “just go away with time” is not the best way to take care of this important area of the body. If your ankles lack strength, mobility, and proprioception (the ability to feel yourself in space and the ability to react) and you have strengthened the rest of your body so that the force that will be put into the ground through those ankles is increased, you’re asking for trouble. The goal of this article is to help you bulletproof the ankles from damage, and if injury does happen, give you the tools to get you back on the mats putting “your best foot forward.”

You may never have thought about it, but your feet are the only part of your anatomy that touches the ground to transmit all the force that you spend so much time developing in the gym from areas like your arms, legs, chest and back. Without healthy and strong ankles, however, you cannot properly run and jump, shoot for a takedown and go for a dynamic throw, play from spider guard or defend against an ankle submission. Even though this is easy to understand, most Jiu-Jitsu practitioners spend little to no time developing strength, mobility and proprioception in the ankles. (Or at least before an incapacitating injury takes place, that is!)

Not convinced you need to spend time on your aching ankles? A good test to check the reactivity of your ankles is a single leg proprioception test. Take your shoes off, balance on one foot and then close your eyes. If you all of a sudden feel like you can’t stay balanced, it may be time to work on your proprioception. Even worse, if there is pain or your balance on one side is much worse than another, you may need the following exercises.

Ankle Specific Workout

The following 4 exercises are easy to perform and can pay big dividends in your training. The only requirement is a piece of Theraband. This is simply a thin sheet of rubber that can purchased online or found at your local therapist. It is very affordable and transportable anywhere in your training bag or pocket. Depending on the strength of the band that you select, the following 4 exercises can be very demanding.   For each of the exercises, repeat for 3-5 sets of 10 reps depending on your ability and potential soreness.

1.Plantarflexion

Begin by sitting with the band looped around the ball of one foot and the knee straight. Pull the band to create the desired resistance and push the toe downward as far as possible. Hold and slowly return to the original position.

2. Dorsiflexion

Begin with the feet flat on the floor and the band wrapped around the ball of one foot and held in place with the other foot. From flat on the floor, pull the toes up as high as possible and hold for 1-3 seconds. Lower under control.

3. Eversion

Begin with one foot wrapped in the band with the other foot standing on the band. While keeping the pressure on the band, point the toes up and out to the side as far as possible. Hold for 1-3 seconds, and return to the original position under control.

4. Inversion

Begin with one leg crossed over another and the top foot wrapped with the band while the other foot holds the band down. Pull the toes of the top foot toward the ceiling as high as possible. Lower under control and repeat.

Martin Rooney is the founder of the Training for Warriors system and has trained champion fighters for the UFC, Pride, ADCC and Olympics. His TFW fitness program is used in over 185 facilities in 25 countries around the world. Martin has been writing for GRACIEMAG for the past 15 years. Information about TFW certifications at trainingforwarriors.com.

Roberto Cyborg in action at 2011 No-Gi Worlds / Photo by John Cooper/IBJJF

The No-Gi champion of the world in 2011, Roberto Cyborg is holding a series of seminars around the United States and isn’t yet sure if he’ll be putting in an appearance at the Long Beach Pyramid this November 3 and 4 to fight for a second world title.

Also known as Mr. Tornado, our GMA in Miami put together the following video, where he demonstrates some excellent exercises for getting an unbeatable guard and hips.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLyXY-LTXew

Now to get in on the 2012 No-Gi World Championship, click here.

Can you keep your feet? Be careful not to hurt yourself, and may your training be fruitful.

Cobrinha always stood out for his lithe movement. Photo: John Lamonica.

Before the career that netted him four Jiu-Jitsu World Championship titles, Rubens “Charles” Cobrinha was a msaterful capoeira stylist, having gotten his start in the martial arts by practicing the native-Brazilian style developed by slaves prior to emancipation.

In the video below, our GMA at Alliance Los Angeles demonstrates how he incorporated the capoeira “ginga” into the gentle art. The exercises build strength and improve movement.

Jiu-Jitsu, inspiration and health / Photo: Vulkan publicity

Our buddies with the twitter account @BRblackbelt, responsible for some of the most interesting and exotic Jiu-Jitsu camps in Brazil and abroad, issued this poll a little while ago:

#BJJ is not about who you beat, but what you conquer. What have you conquered so far?

GRACIEMAG agrees and applauds the query, and it echoes the question here: what have you conquered in Jiu-Jitsu thus far, dear reader?

Discipline? Confidence? Patience? Trimmed some pounds off the belly? More muscle in the right places? Share your conquests with us in the comments section below, so the rest of the site’s readers can see Jiu-Jitsu conquering even more fans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CpXnoQnUF4

Gene Pace earned his black belt at 78 years of age last Thursday.  Photo: Don Leach/Daily Pilot.

Gene Pace, a good-natured 78-year-old grandfather, has been training Jiu-Jitsu at Gracie Barra Costa Mesa, California, for the last 15 years.

Upon earning his black belt last Wednesday, Gene was featured in the “Daily Pilot”, newspaper in an article by Sarah Peters with photos by Don Leach, and with the story came some lessons.

Gene trains at GB twice a week, which seems about right for an elder practitioner not to suffer too many injuries.

The promotion ceremony gathered around a hundred of the new black belt’s friends and fans.

“It was pretty touching,” admitted Gene with a chuckle.

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START JIU-JITSU

Mike Buckels, a teacher at GB Costa Mesa, highlighted the greatest quality of the senior 5 black belt (because there’s no such thing as a senior 8 or 9 division).

“He’s Mr Consistency. He never misses a class, ever,” says Buckels, who only had one black belt under him before Gene. “He does exactly what he’s taught. If you show him a position, he’ll perform the movement perfectly.”

Buckels says he’s judicious when pairing Gene up with a sparring partner but stresses that he is not to be underestimated.

GIVING UP HALFWAY IS WEAK

Gene can hang with me in training—I’m over 80 kg—and takes me down. He usually trains with guys about 55 years younger than he is,” says Mike, pointing out one of the peculiarities of Jiu-Jitsu, a gentle martial art where technique can overcome stamina and brute strength.

Gene Pace started practicing martial arts as a way to exercise and to give his grandchildren something to get excited about.

“I thought to myself, ‘They’re not going to kill me, and I might just learn something new.’ Once I got started, I thought, “Am I going to give up and embarrass my grandkids? No way, I’m not going to disrespect them like that. And everyone kept training,” recalls the burly granddad.

Pace’s finish-what-you-started attitude was key in making it to black belt.

Now how about you, dear reader, have you been finishing what you start? Or is there some Jiu-Jitsu missing from the way you see things?

Comment below on what the main thing you learned from Gene Pace is and if there’s someone with a similar story at your Jiu-Jitsu school.

Reinaldo, at top of podium, at another event in Europe. Photo: Carlos Ozório.

Reinaldo Ribeiro is still at it teaching Jiu-Jitsu in Europe. The black belt with great performances in IBJJF events doesn’t keep from keeping in shape while in the Old Continent and tests, in the video below, all his skills through fit ball exercises, which is great for working on dexterity for the gentle art, among other things.

Can you do the same?