Any BJJ practitioner or wrestler who has spent enough time on the mat will eventually run into at least Ringworm and potentially even a Staph infection. It’s one of the most frustrating experiences in grappling and it’s actually a dire encounter with it that led to the creation of the Combat Sports Hygiene spray. These things can be life-threatening if left untreated but even when treated quickly, they still result in time out of training and some restrictions in the rest of your life too. For one of the founders of CSH, it was not being able to hold his son without risk of passing it on that encouraged him to look for answers.
That’s the whole point of the spray, to provide grapplers with a way to limit the risk of infection and the negative effects that come with it. The BJJ community as a whole has turned a corner in the last few decades and is significantly more aware of how to combat these problems, but CSH takes things to the next level. Hygiene is something that every academy should take seriously, and thankfully most do, but individual practitioners also need to shoulder some responsibility. Arriving to class clean and showering after is the bare minimum, but using a barrier spray is an excellent additional layer of protection.
Combat Sports Hygiene Spray Review
Although a barrier spray seems like a fairly simple solution to the problem, it’s also remarkably effective and not very widespread. Even the most experienced and knowledgeable practitioners in the sport might not be aware that there are steps that can be taken to limit the risk of infection, outside of basic cleanliness. This is also one of the reasons that skin infection is so widespread, even though most academies keep a clean environment and most practitioners maintain good hygiene. I was able to get my hands on the Combat Sports Hygiene spray and spent a few weeks using it so that I could put it to the test.
How It Works
The main ingredient in the spray is Hypochlorus Acid, which has been shown to eliminate 99.99% of harmful microbes without damaging the skin barrier. The actual science behind it can be found here but put simply, it means that it’s effective in dealing with skin infections without causing any further problems. Combat Sports Hygiene recommend using the spray before, during, and after training so I followed the directions to get the full experience. Applying it beforehand is pretty quick because it only needs to be done on exposed areas of skin, so a gi or a long-sleeve rashguard with spats and shorts doesn’t leave much to cover.
Spraying during training isn’t strictly necessary, but it’s definitely useful for those moments when you notice broken skin or matburn. Applying it then will help reduce the risk of infection immediately and although this only happened twice during the time I was testing it, it didn’t sting or smell at all and wasn’t even noticeable when finished. After training is the most important time to apply it, but only after you’ve already towelled dry rather than immediately when the class ends. This is where the CSH spray is really valuable, as many academies don’t have showers or practitioners simply don’t have time to queue for them before heading home.
Conclusion
Jiu-Jitsu is a sport that doesn’t require a whole lot of equipment, particularly no gi, but there are a handful of things that you’ll find in most long-time grapplers’ kit-bags. There always seems to be an abundance of athletic tape and usually some kind of support for a knee or an ankle. One of the smarter additions you’ll find is a pair of nail-clippers, and now the CSH spray as well. Even if you don’t have the intention of using it as a barrier before class, treating scrapes and burns when you notice them is actually an important part of keeping yourself on the mats.
Then for anyone who isn’t able to shower immediately after class, especially those who are about sit in a car for twenty minutes, it’s an absolute necessity. It’s hard to appreciate just how inconveniencing something like Ringworm or Staph can be if you’ve never caught it, but it’s not something you want to experience if you’re lucky enough to have avoided it so far. For those that do have firsthand experience, the CSH spray is a very quick and easy way to limit the risk of having to go through that again.
Click here to find out more about Combat Sports Hygiene and their game-changing spray.
