Xande Ribeiro, at 45, reveals he wakes up in pain every day
In an interview, the multiple-time champion explained how he deals with the wear and tear of more than three decades of jiu-jitsu and what changed in his routine so he could stay on the mats.
Xande Ribeiro said jiu-jitsu takes a daily toll on the body. In an interview with the BJJdoc channel, the 45-year-old black belt said he wakes up in pain every day, mainly in his shoulder and neck.
Xande started training at age 10. From 10 to 18, he trained about five hours a day, from 16:00 to 21:00, after school. Along the way, he broke his knee in 2002 and in 2004 and even competed at the 2003 ADCC with a leg infection.
What keeps Xande on the mats
For the Brazilian, the secret to lasting so long lies in technique, especially defense, which he considers one of the strengths of his game. He also mentioned the balance and self-knowledge he has built over the years.
In his current routine, Xande says he prioritizes recovery:
- Yoga, massage and physical therapy are part of his week
- Varied movements instead of heavy strength training
- Less load at the gym: he says he can no longer bench press 80 kg because his shoulders hurt
His story is a reminder for anyone who has been training for many years: taking care of recovery is part of training.
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