Bart Gill is a physiotherapist, a founder of Grapple Therapy and a jiu-jitsu practitioner who specialises in helping grapplers prevent and recover from injuries. His unique experience as both a clinician and athlete gives him insight into what really works on the mats. He shares performance tools, injury protocols, rehab breakdowns, and training insights across Instagram and in his work with BJJ athletes.

We dive deep into the world of jiu-jitsu injuries, recovery, and long-term resilience with a specialist physio who works directly with grapplers. Whether you're a seasoned black belt or a brand-new white belt, this conversation offers practical, science-backed strategies to train smarter, recover faster, and stay on the mats longer.

We explore why knee injuries are so common in BJJ, how to build true joint resilience, what physios wish more coaches understood, and the mindset shift needed to train for longevity. From ego to sleep to strength training—this is the injury prevention masterclass every grappler needs.

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You can find more about Bart here:

https://www.instagram.com/grappletherapy/

In this episode, we discussed:

00:00 – Why people get injured in jiu-jitsu

3:08 – Most common jiu-jitsu injuries

7:00 – Why ACL injuries happen before you realise

8:07 – Improving mind-muscle connection to avoid injury

12:01 – Common neck injuries from bad habits

13:01 – Gi vs No-Gi: which causes more injuries?

15:03 – Switching between Gi and No-Gi styles

18:05 – Bone injuries vs muscle recovery

19:16 – The mindset that speeds up recovery

20:00 – Why some coaches neglect injury prevention

24:00 – The problem with Instagram rehab content

25:01 – What does “feeling better” really mean?

26:34 – Why pain ≠ progress, and how to track recovery

34:35 – Sleep hygiene & realistic routines

36:08 – Best gym exercises for grapplers

42:11 – Are you training for ability or aesthetics?

46:02 – How to avoid burnout & overtraining

51:30 – Best ways to train grip strength (gi/no-gi)

58:00 – Hydration: are electrolytes necessary?

1:06:00 – How to know when to rest vs push through

1:13:45 – Managing ego in sparring

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Hey tribe! - Can I ask you a favour? See, we're completely new to the podcasting game, and any feedback would be appreciated, positive or negative, as we're looking to improve as we go. Thanks!

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