Hi there. Do me a favor: look at your fingernails. Are they tiny, stubby things that would make any manicurist shake their head in dismay? If not, go cut them. Once you’re done with that, do the same with your toenails.
I know we all think that the little bit of white on our nails can’t do a lot of damage, but all it takes is just one slightly aggressive grab or swipe on the mats, and the next thing you know, your training partner is missing a chunk of their face or arm or leg. It hurts (especially when sweat inevitably makes its way into the wound), but beyond that, it’s dangerous.
We already know that there’s plenty of skin funk that can be passed around when a bunch of sweaty people are rolling around on the floor with each other. And if you’ve ever seen one training partner show up to roll with a cough or stuffy nose, you know how quickly viral illnesses can take out an entire gym. Well, when your untrimmed talons gouge a hole into your teammate’s outermost protective flesh layer, you are putting them at risk for whatever grossness has gathered under your nails, plus all the other grossness that can be found on those sweat-covered mats. Do you want to be the reason one of your training partners ends up in the hospital with some weird bacterial infection and has to tell their doctor about their wannabe-Wolverine friend who caused it all? Of course not.
Here are some tips if you just can’t resist having fingers that double as bladed weapons.
1. Cut your gosh darn nails. Keep nail clippers in your gym bag so you’re never without them.
That’s it. That’s the list.
Go forth, Edward Scissorhands, and free yourself from your sharp and dangerous prison. You’re already learning how to use your body as a weapon; there’s no need to overdo it.
