Stay in the Fight: A Martial Athlete's Guide to Preventing and Overcoming Injury

Teaching martial arts practitioners how to maintain and extend their athletic career in a healthy, proactive, and positive way, this engaging guide provides a comprehensive blueprint for health and healing. Divided into five distinct sections, all essential concepts regarding a fighter’s well-being are covered. From the probability of injury and the important dos and don’ts to the value of knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses, this overview also explores a holistic approach, reviewing the concept of recovery—bridging the gap between physical therapy and athletic training. Illustrating how to maintain a positive mental attitude, this survey demonstrates how a martial artist’s inspiration and perseverance are key to overcoming obstacles. This manual also addresses the issues of martial career shift, when a practitioner cannot return to training due to severe injuries or natural aging. Each chapter contains a companion “fightsheet,” which together comprise a customized and well-rounded plan for optimized recovery.

Danny Dring is a master level martial artist holding the rank of 7th degree black belt in Taekwondo, Weeping Style Jujutsu, and the Bill Wallace Superfoot Fighting Systems. He has won six international gold medals, is a four-time national circuit champion for the United States Taekwondo Federation, and has fought on ESPN’s PKA series. He is a certified defensive tactics and pistol instructor and has served as a reserve deputy for the Pulaski County Sheriff’s office. He lives in Little Rock, Arkansas. Johnny D. Taylor is a Christian minister who has been involved in martial arts for seven years, holding a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo. He teaches fundamental martial arts and fitness and is a contributing writer for Black Belt magazine. He lives near Texas City, Texas.