What If Recovery Was A Part of Training? | Dr. Diana Wang & Dr. Kris Martin of Open Mat Physio

If you train jiu-jitsu long enough, pain is not the surprise. The real question is whether you know how to recover intelligently and stay on the mats. In this episode of The Grappling Monthly Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Diana Wang and Dr. Kris Martin of Open Mat Physio to talk about injury recovery, overtraining, sleep, inflammation, strength work, nervous system regulation, and why so many grapplers stay stuck in the same cycle of flare-up, rest, and repeat. This is a practical conversation about longevity, not quick fixes. Guests Diana and Kris are the team behind Open Mat Physio, a physical therapy practice focused on helping jiu-jitsu athletes recover from injury, return to training, and build more durable bodies for the long term. Their work bridges rehab, strength, recovery, and sport-specific understanding for grapplers who want more than generic advice. Follow Open Mat Physio: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openmatphysio Website: https://www.openmatphysio.com Timestamps / Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:10 How Diana got into jiu-jitsu and physical therapy 04:20 Chris on growing up around jiu-jitsu in the South Bay 09:00 How Open Mat Physio started 13:20 Does jiu-jitsu experience help in physical therapy? 18:10 What physical therapy actually is, and how the field has evolved 25:00 Why grapplers often feel underserved by generic rehab 31:40 Social media, rehab misinformation, and the problem with quick fixes 39:20 Why so many grapplers stay inflamed and beat up 44:40 Volume and intensity in jiu-jitsu training 50:30 Sleep, stress, and recovery 56:00 Strength training for longevity in jiu-jitsu 1:02:30 Warm-ups, class structure, and preparing the body to train 1:11:00 Posterior chain weakness and common patterns in grapplers 1:17:30 Breathing, the nervous system, and downregulation after training 1:23:40 Nutrition, recovery basics, and keeping things sustainable 1:28:10 Addictive personalities, rushing back too soon, and return-to-training mistakes 1:35:40 Choosing training partners and managing risk 1:42:20 What Open Mat Physio actually offers 1:48:30 Workshops, online consults, and where to find them Social Links Follow Grappling Monthly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grapplingmonthly Subscribe for more interviews, features, and conversations from across the grappling world. #JiuJitsu #BJJ #NoGi #PhysicalTherapy #SportsRehab #InjuryRecovery #Grappling #OpenMatPhysio #BJJPodcast #JiuJitsuPodcast #Recovery #StrengthTraining #Longevity #GrapplingMonthly