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Interview w/ Dr Pete Goldman, Chiropractor to Rickson Gracie & BJ Penn

Interview w/ Dr Pete Goldman, Chiropractor to Rickson Gracie & BJ Penn

 

 

If you train Jiu-Jitsu, you are sure to have some spinal problems.The spine is the life center of the human body. It controls every human function, such as, digestion, hormonal balance, muscle contraction/recovery, gallbladder and liver function.

With a tough sport like Jiu-Jitsu you will very often get your neck cranked, get stuck in a triangle or a guillotine or get stacked. There is a big chance that you have a misalignment.

Dr. Pete Goldman is a BJJ black belt and a chiropractor serving San Francisco and the world. He runs his own clinic SFGoldman.com and counts many famous Jiu-Jitsu legends among his clients such as Rickson Gracie, BJ Penn, Jake Shields, Rigan Machado, Clark Gracie, Rolls Gracie Jr., Denny Prokopos, Carley Gracie, Kenny Florian, and many many more . Dr Pete uses  The Zone Technique which was created by Dr. Thurman Fleet in 1931. In addition to aligning the spine to allow for proper nerve flow, the application of The Zone Technique stimulates the spinal cord in specific places to balance the centers of the brain. This allows the brain to properly communicate with the cells of the body so that the body can be balanced.

Check out what Dr Pete had to say to BJJ Eastern Europe about benefits of chiropractic for Jiu-Jitsu:

 

1. Dr Pete, many of your clients are grapplers. What are some of the most common injuries that grapplers suffer from and what usually causes them? How different are Jiu-Jitsu injuries to let’s say Judo players, Wrestlers or strikers?

Grapplers often come to me with neck, low back, knee and shoulder injuries. Once we get the healing going on these they learn that real chiropractic can help the digestion, circulation, nervous system, immune system, and much more than just musculoskeletal issues.
The causes of injuries are physical, emotional, and chemical stresses. Many people think it’s just physical causes, but the emotions can play a huge role.
The various types of grapplers (BJJ, Judo, wrestlers) have pretty similar injuries. Strikers often have neck and shoulder injuries.

dr pete

2. As a chiropractor, what do you usually do to help the healing process?

There is a Power that made the body. There are many names for this Power. Some call it Energy, some call it Nature, some call it The Creator.
This is the only Power that heals the body. When the body is balanced this Power can flow more efficiently throughout the body in order to heal it. Proper chiropractic adjustments are an amazing way to balance the body. Healthy eating/drinking, proper exercise, proper physical and mental rest, and awareness of the Spiritual dimension of Life all can help balance the body too.

3. Let’s say you had a client with a cervical hernia, c6 and c7. What would you recommend they do to treat the problem?

In most situations, a series of proper cervical adjustments can do wonders.
Also, exercising during the healing process can be beneficial. A good thing to keep in mind during exercise is this: pain is a signal from the body to stop. So if pain occurs during exercise, stop.

4. Who are some famous grapplers that you have treated?

Too many to name all, but here are a few:
Rickson Gracie, BJ Penn, Jake Shields, Rigan Machado, Clark Gracie, Rolls Gracie Jr., Denny Prokopos, Carley Gracie, Kenny Florian, and many many more.

dr pete1

5 You are also a BJJ black belt, tell us about your BJJ journey?

I was a very serious full contact karate (kyokushin) fighter in the early 1990s. I competed around the world at the highest level. I still train in it now.
I started BJJ training in 2001. I have been fortunate to have had some amazing BJJ teachers over the years including John Machado, Carley Gracie and Carlos Sapao.

6. In your opinion why should grapplers and athletes regularly see a chiropractor?

It’s hard for me to imagine being a grappler of athlete and not getting adjusted regularly. Having a balanced body can make one much less susceptible to injuries too.

7. Is weight training a good idea for preventing injuries?

A balanced body is the best way to prevent injuries. If proper weight training is an ingredient to balance the body then I’m all for it.

8. Feel free to give a shout out to sponsors or friends

Thanks to my good friend Professor Adem Redzovic for connecting us for this interview.

Thanks Dr Pete and all the best

Thanks!
And to you too!