Interviewer: Today we are talking with Sebastian Brosche, founder of Yoga for BJJ, who has trained through multiple knee injuries over 20 years and still competes at 41. Sebastian, are knee injuries just part of BJJ?

Sebastian: They are common. But they are not inevitable. The problem is not BJJ. The problem is how most people train BJJ.

Interviewer: What do you mean?

Sebastian: BJJ puts your knees in compromised positions. Guard play, leg locks, takedowns — all of it twists and loads the knee in ways it was not designed for. A recent study found that 30 percent of BJJ practitioners have had a knee injury. That is higher than soccer, basketball, even judo. The MCL is the most commonly injured ligament. Most of these are sprains from twisting during leg locks and throws.

Interviewer: So BJJ is bad for knees?

Sebastian: BJJ is hard on knees. But "bad" depends on how you train. If you play De La Riva, Lasso, and Rubber Guard every day, you are asking for problems. Those guards put your legs directly in the line of attack. Your opponent is grabbing, twisting, and loading your knee constantly. If you spend most of your time on top — passing, controlling, pressuring — your knees are much safer.

Interviewer: Should people with bad knees avoid guard completely?

Sebastian: No. But they should be strategic. I tell people with knee issues to develop a top game first. Learn to pass. Learn to maintain side control and mount. When you do play guard, use closed guard or half guard. Those positions protect your knees better than open guards where your legs are extended and exposed. And tap early to leg locks. Ego is the real knee killer.

Interviewer: What about training with an existing knee injury?

Sebastian: I have done it. Many times. The key is knowing what aggravates your specific injury and what does not. For me, deep knee flexion under load — like certain takedown entries — hurts. But controlled movement, stretching, and strengthening around the knee helps. I do not train through sharp pain. I train around it. There is a difference.

Interviewer: What is the difference?

Sebastian: Training through pain means ignoring your body until something breaks. Training around pain means modifying your game, your intensity, and your recovery to let the injury heal while you keep moving. If your knee hurts when you play butterfly guard, stop playing butterfly guard for now. Switch to closed guard. Drill instead of spar. Do positional rounds instead of full rounds. Ice after training. Do your mobility work. Be patient.

Interviewer: What mobility work specifically?

Sebastian: For knees, you need to address the joints above and below. Tight hips and tight ankles both increase knee stress. I do hip openers — pigeon pose, 90/90 stretches, deep squats. I do ankle mobility — calf stretches, ankle circles, toe work. And I strengthen the muscles around the knee — quads, hamstrings, glutes. A stable knee is a protected knee.

Interviewer: How long does knee recovery take?

Sebastian: Most BJJ knee injuries are sprains, not tears. A mild MCL sprain takes four to six weeks if you are smart. A moderate sprain might take eight to twelve weeks. Surgery is rare for sprains. The mistake people make is coming back too early. They feel okay after two weeks, they roll light, they re-injure it, and now they are out for three months. Patience beats bravery every time.

Interviewer: Any final advice for someone with bad knees who wants to keep training?

Sebastian: Three things. One: modify your game. Play top. Avoid the guards that expose your knees. Tap early to leg locks. Two: do your mobility and strength work. Ten minutes a day. Hips, ankles, quads. Three: be patient. A month off now beats six months off later. Your jiu-jitsu journey is decades long. One month is nothing.

Interviewer: Thanks, Sebastian. Where can people find your knee-friendly routines?

Sebastian: I recorded a 20-minute follow-along routine specifically for people with knee issues. No impact, no deep flexion under load, just smart movement that helps your knees recover and get stronger. Link is below.