help needed for easy bruising

[rachel]

I tend to bruise easy in class when someone grabs my wrists for self defense techniques.I'm not a wimp. I just wonder if I need certain vitamins or if it's my fair skin(irish and english). Also i'm a vegetarian. Any ideas? I'd appreciate the input. Thanks.:)

[Matt Stone]

Well, right up until the vegetarian comment I was going to recommend more red meat in your diet... :(

May I ask why you are a vegetarian (and what kind? Ovovegetarian, vegan or other?)? Just curious...

You may need to rethink your sources of iron. If you are anemic or borderline anemic, bruising can be a real problem.

I am on the opposite side of the scale - a confirmed meat-eatin' monster. If I fail to consume a fair enough portion of animal protein daily, after about 3 days I start to crash big time... Inability to focus, difficulty staying awake, no energy, etc.

Consequently, with the amount of meat I eat, I hardly ever bruise at all!

Gambarimasu.
:asian: :tank: :asian:

[chufeng]

Vegetarians can get enough iron in their diets from green leafy vegetables...but the one thing they frequently miss out on, in their diet, is vitamin B12...animal protein is the best source.

If you choose not to eat meat you should consider vitamin B12 supplements...B12 is necessary for the formation of Red Blood Cells and their precursors.

Other questions I would ask:
Are you taking steroids on a regular basis?
and, are you taking non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs on a regular basis (ibuprofen, aspirin, ketoprofen)?

If you aren't taking these products and you are sure you are getting enough vitamin B12, consider having a CBC and coag studies done (labwork that requires giving blood samples)...

:asian:
chufeng

[Aikikitty]

Another thing to consider is some people just bruise easily! Both my mom and I do and we have a pretty balanced diet.

Robyn:asian:

[chufeng]

Oh, I almost forgot...

Certain herbal supplements can cause clotting problems, too.

High dose garlic and gingko-biloba, just to name a couple...
Are you taking any herb preparations on a daily basis?

:asian:
chufeng

[Nightingale]

part of it may also be your body getting used to it...

I used to bruise very easily, but now, hardly at all, even though I get hit just as much. I'll get a sore spot, but no bruising.

[rachel]

I eat tuna fish on occasion and I am trying to add chicken to my diet. I don't care for meat all that much. I never did. I'm a vegetable person pretty much. I may not be getting enough B12. No herbal supplements or anything.It's just my wrists that bruise up quick. Someone grabbing me over and over again in class by my wrists and I have to twist and snap my wrists to get out of it.It seems to be just that technique that does the bruising. My wrists are small and boney. Not a lot of meat on my arms.No other part of my body bruises like that so it must be the technique over and over. People aren't too rough but not gentle either and that's the way it should be. You're trying to fight your way out of a grip.My arms look like hell but I'm learning to defend myself and like some people have said"better to have bruises than to not get away on the street and have worse happen to you".Thanks for your help.:)

[Jill666]

Originally posted by chufeng
Vegetarians can get enough iron in their diets from green leafy vegetables...but the one thing they frequently miss out on, in their diet, is vitamin B12...animal protein is the best source.

If you choose not to eat meat you should consider vitamin B12 supplements...B12 is necessary for the formation of Red Blood Cells and their precursors.

Other questions I would ask:
Are you taking steroids on a regular basis?
and, are you taking non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs on a regular basis (ibuprofen, aspirin, ketoprofen)?

If you aren't taking these products and you are sure you are getting enough vitamin B12, consider having a CBC and coag studies done (labwork that requires giving blood samples)...

:asian:
chufeng

Second all of it! If tests check out fine, and you don't drink much alcohol (which abused over time can impair clotting) then that's all I'd think of.

[Mormegil]

Well, to get around the bony wrist thing, you might want to consider doing some forearm exercises. That might get more meat on them.

Wrist curls and reverse wrist curls with light barbells.

If you want to have really strong wrists, take up Aikido.

If you want stronger forearms, try Kali/Eskrima.

Those last two might be a bit much.

[old_sempai]

:asian:

You may want to boost your immune system with herbal teas. One that I use daily is known as Essiac Tea, and derived from a combination of Burdock Root, Slippery Elm bark, Sheep Sorrel, and Turkey Rhubbarb, originally an Ojibwa medicine.

Go to Google and do a search for Essiac, and read up on its benefits. If you want to know where I get my herbs send me a private message and I'll be happy to provide the info. I say this because I don't want any one to construe that I'm advertising. Far from it, I live on the east coast and the supplier is located in California. It is also important to never microwave or irradiated the herbs or the tea so don't by anything that has been treated in this fashion. It's best when its made from scratch, and isn't all that hard to do.

Now does it work? YES!!! Recently I came down with the tell-tale signs of a deer tick bite, the infamous Bullseye appeared about 2 to 4 round the area of the bite. Went to the Doctor for blood work, and they found no evidence of any toxin whatsover in my blood. I'd been taking the tea for about a month before this event occurred. I had used it for a time about years ago, but failed to maintain a daily routine with its use, but have returned to using it once more. Sleep better, and feel better as a result of its use.

:asian: :asian:

[white dragon]

I often have the same problem around the wrists, but have just put it down to being an english irish cross, and therefore naturally pastey! Think I'll have to start thiking more about my diet after reading all this! :)

[TKDman]

Yeh,

Creatine

lmao!

[Master of Blades]

Choke it up and take it like a man!.........or woman in this case :asian: :rofl:

[Johnathan Napalm]

Originally posted by TKDman
Yeh,

Creatine

lmao!

Actually, if you are a vegan, that is a good idea. Red meat is the main source of creatine. So, you might want to supplement that with creatine powder. Then just add a mulit-vitamin/multi-mineral pill daily. Your health would be in good shape.

[rachel]

MOB,I don't mind the bruising.It's that they come up so quick. My friends at work are like what are you doing to yourself? I just tell them I'm training as hard as I can and not to worry.I'm not giving up something I love for a few bruises. As a matter of fact, I asked my instructor if we could start sparring because our rank doesn't spar . He said to ask the others and see what kind of interest is there. None of the women want to spar yet. Just me. :)

[Master of Blades]

Originally posted by rachel
MOB,I don't mind the bruising.It's that they come up so quick. My friends at work are like what are you doing to yourself? I just tell them I'm training as hard as I can and not to worry.I'm not giving up something I love for a few bruises. As a matter of fact, I asked my instructor if we could start sparring because our rank doesn't spar . He said to ask the others and see what kind of interest is there. None of the women want to spar yet. Just me. :)

I was kiddin with you lol :D I unfortuantly dont bruise easily at all. The first time I got a bruise from training was last week. I was complaining to my dad that I never got any bruises and my dad decided it would be funny to let everyone get a free shot to my forearms. Payback for all the time I beat them in sparring :rolleyes:

[Aikikitty]

One thing that can be a problem about bruising easily from your MA class is that some people might start to think that someone could be abusing you--and that can lead to all sorts of problems!

Robyn:asian:

[Elfan]

rachel, do you find excesive bruising to be a prblem with any other activities?

[Master of Blades]

Originally posted by The Opal Dragon
One thing that can be a problem about bruising easily from your MA class is that some people might start to think that someone could be abusing you--and that can lead to all sorts of problems!

Robyn:asian:

Is there a story behind that Opal or did you just come up with that off the top of your head :rolleyes:

[rachel]

MOB, i know you were kidding.:) I'm not used to bruising like this. I believe it's the repetitive blocking in class and my boney little arms.:D I don't bruise like this with other activities. Karate is the best thing I've ever done in my life(besides having my daughter)and a few bruises won't hold me back.

[Master of Blades]

Originally posted by rachel
MOB, i know you were kidding.:)

You lie! Your ruining my image as dark and mysterious! :wah:

[Matt Stone]

Rachel -

I, for one, am really happy that you find such pleasure in training. It has been my sad experience to have precious few women in training alongside of me... Too much testosterone, perhaps, too much senseless pain and violence also.

Keep with it. Think about the diet changes and such, and I am sure the bruising will eventually abate.

Gambarimasu.
:asian: :tank: :asian:

[TKDman]

Ha Ha Ha, very good... but vegetable not hit back.

[D.Cobb]

Is it just the wrist grabs that bruise you or do you bruise from excessive blocking as well?
With the wrist grabs, it may be that you are actually trying to muscle the technique, or doing your techniques incorrectly.
However with blocks, I have found that incorrect breathing techniques will affect the amount of bruising that happens during training. Could be worth looking into......

--Dave

:asian:

[jfarnsworth]

Originally posted by Master of Blades
Choke it up and take it like a man!.........or woman in this case :asian: :rofl:

Way to add to the conversation:shrug:

[jfarnsworth]

The Dit Da Jow might be something to look into.

[jfarnsworth]

Originally posted by Master of Blades
.. Your ruining my image as dark and mysterious! :wah:

I never thought that.:confused:

[Kroy]

I think through time your arms will adapt to the rigors of training and eventually you will see the bruising less and less. Don't quote me on that:D

[rmcrobertson]

First off, all the women I know who train go through a period that one of them, my original teacher, called, "Oh, honey, you don't have to stay with that man,"--as in little old ladies coming up to them on the street and saying, "Oh, honey, you don't have to stay with that man."

I used to bruise a lot easier than I do now, too. It's just that when you're a guy, little old ladies don't comment on your bruising. But other things being equal, they're just part of training. My sweetie started about six months ago, and she's been bruising pretty good--what's scary is that she finds it kind of cool, which probably suggests that she's going to be a future terror of kenpo.

There is the chance that other things may not be equal. You mentioned wrist grabs. Are you constantly working out with some big galoot who doesn't control what they do? Are you in over your head too early in your training--it took me a long time to get used to wrist grabs and joint manipulations, and I'm still not there yet. Is the instructor who's running the class keeping an eye on what's up?

I'd also check with the head of your school, and your doctor, if the problem keeps coming up. Personally, I absolutely wouldn't start loading up on supplements and obscure Chinese medicines (dit dat jow and ice, applied topically, aside) until I was darn sure that my doctor approved..she or he may even want to run some blood work to check for clotting issues.

And the posters who noted that sometimes veggies run into vitamin deficiencies were quite right.

Probably, though, it's just a matter of working through it. Fortunately, it's just bruises. Wear them proudly; they tend to mostly stop, after awhile.