Al Neyadi is now in his second month aboard the International Space Station.
Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi has made history by becoming the first person to practise jiu-jitsu in space.
Al Neyadi uploaded a six-minute video to his social media channels in which he is seen performing the martial art while wearing a UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation Gi, the traditional, kimono-style attire worn by the sportÂ’s practitioners.
In it, Al Neyadi explained how the martial art, which is a key pillar of the physical education syllabus in schools in the UAE, has helped foster the skills of discipline, focus and adaptability among young people, and how those skills helped him prepare for the six-month space mission and after he arrived at the space station.
Al Neyadi said: “I love jiu-jitsu, I have been doing jiu-jitsu for so many years. Jiu-jitsu helped me so much in my preparation for this mission and getting adapted to the environment on the International Space Station.”
Recalling pre-mission training drills in a centrifuge – a machine that simulates multiple types of G-Force that astronauts encounter during launch and re-entry – Al Neyadi added: “When I was encountering my weight times two, three, or even up to eight times, the first sensation was feeling an opponent on top of my chest. One of the first things I learnt in jiu-jitsu was to regulate my breathing, so this is exactly what I did during the centrifuge experience. I think jiu-jitsu really helped me overcome that experiment.”
Now in his second full month aboard the ISS, Al Neyadi reflected on how his lifelong passion for jiu-jitsu is paying dividends in the confines of the orbiting laboratory an eye-watering 420 kilometres above the EarthÂ’s surface.
He stated: “When I arrived here, I was surprised to find that we mainly use our feet to stabilise ourselves. One of the fundamentals is that we use our toes to establish a foundation, so the pressure is on the ground; the contact should be on your toes, not your heels. That’s why doing a jiu-jitsu posture when I am in space, with my toes positioned under a handrail, I feel very stable. I am using my toes to translate (my movement) everywhere and do all sorts of tricks. I can jump from one place to another, using my toes to stabilise myself. I’ve been doing a lot of front rolls and back flips.”
Discussing the connection between physics and jiu-jitsu, a floating Al Neyadi demonstrated bicycle-kick warm-ups practised in jiu-jitsu to explain the science behind how large gyroscopes help stabilise and maintain the attitude of the International Space Station.
Al Neyadi also had time to outline how jiu-jitsu helped him physically prepare for his history-making spacewalk earlier this week: “During jiu-jitsu training, we try to train our forearms and this was really helpful in the EVA (Extravehicular activity) mission, where I worked for several hours outside the International Space Station. ItÂ’s called a spacewalk, but we donÂ’t walk – we use our arms. Having trained in jiu-jitsu for so many years, and having really strong grips, it helped me accomplish that mission with no problems. I relate a lot of things from my jiu-jitsu experience to life here on the ISS.”
Reflecting on Al Neyadi’s historic achievement, Abdel Moneim Al Hashemi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, President of the Asian Ju-Jitsu Union and Senior Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, commented: “We are eternally proud of Sultan. His bravery, intelligence and humility are a credit and inspiration to the UAE, and all our citizens and residents. He is an example for the Arab and Muslim worlds, and to a global nation of jiu-jitsu athletes. He has put the sport of jiu-jitsu on an entirely new map, taking us from mats to stars.”
