As part of the warmup tonight, we did some partner carries. Janet had come in to train, so I got to use her. (She couldn’t do them on me because of her back issue, but was okay with being lifted and carried.) I can’t remember the last time we did partner carries, and I probably got to use one of the other girls then, but I guess I’ve been training with guys so much in the interim and she just felt so light. Holy cats, it’s so nice to have people your own size so that you can do the drill for its own self without struggling with the difference in body size.
Earlier in the warmup, we’d also done duck walks, and my quads seized up after those and were not enthusiastic about this whole “walking” thing afterwards. And then later during rolling, my calves were cramping up at odd times. I was popping glucose tabs during class, as well, because I was getting light-headed with all the takedown work (even though light-headed = low sodium, not low sugar). My ribs were decidedly unhappy about pressure, which was interfering with that breathing thing. I was also too tired to chew after practice, so I had to go with a protein shake rather than actual food when I got home. Oh, the joys of coming back after a layoff…
I’m not wearing my brace now when I roll. I’m okay with guys grabbing that leg and working on something, but as soon as I feel uncomfortable with what’s going on or feel that I can’t escape or think that maybe it will get wrenched, then I tap. I have no desire to sit out with a bum knee ever again, as far as it depends on me. But I think I’m freaking some guys out because they don’t know which knee to attack and so keep attacking that one and then I tap earlier than expected and they worry that they’ve hurt me. Nah, man, I’m cool. I still need to re-learn how to bridge, or at least how to incorporate it into my game again. I feel pretty silly now, not remembering how to do such a basic jiu-jitsu movement. Oh well.
BJJ Grrl 
It might be a good idea to wear a soft cloth knee brace just to designate which knee is the bad one. I have a few regular partners with a bad knee, and I always have that anxious moment- “Was it her right knee or her left knee? Oh heck, I’d better just not touch either one!” I like to have a visual aid.
When I was doing kung fu with a broken finger, I colored the finger in question with a red sharpie before I went to class, to remind classmates to not grab that one.
Good point — I have a knee sleeve that I can wear by itself. Although, it doesn’t do as well for gi — the guys used to grab my knees and feel for the clunky cyberbrace, lol. The sleeve is likely too soft for that.
i hear you with the knee issue. I injured both my knees pretty bad to the point where I was hesitant to do certain techniques on my teammates because I was being super aware of their knees too. Time only helps, sucks thought right when it feels better training makes it worse. Lately I’ve been doing a lot of kettle bell squats and squats, squats with the resistance band, along with riding my bike (running is no bueno) and it has helped strengthen my knee leaps and bounds. Look forward to seeing how your healing progresses
Yeah, mine’s been an issue since March, when I tore the MCL. I’ve been doing some strength training, and it’s been slowing getting better. And yes, I’m super-aware of my teammates’ knees, too, even when they’re not.
What about carrying a rock of salt and a sugar rock that you can lick for whenever you have one problem or the other?
Or more realistically, a few of the fast food mini-packets of salt in addition to the glucose tabs?
I think I do need to have some kind of electrolyte solution closer to class, to ensure that that isn’t an issue. We’re doing a lot more level-changing and stand-up work right now, and that’s usually where I notice that I have an issue.