A reader messaged Jiu-jitsu Times with a very common question:
“Do you think it’s ok to start bjj at 42?
I’m relatively healthy no knee or joint problems – a little heavy 20 lbs or less.
Pretty athletic, always been interested in competition but don’t if I’m too old.”
Jiu-jitsu Times: Many students of bjj are over the age of 35, a time when a man’s athletic prime is considered to be past.
However, this does not mean that an over 35 beginner can not get very fit and learn a high skill level in bjj!
The jiu-jitsu press focuses a lot on the elite competitors (who inspire all of us with their incredible technique and athleticism) but it gives a distorted view of what jiu-jitsu is.
Look at the academy group photos and you will see the majority are just regular people who work a full time career and want to study and enjoy jiu-jitsu as part of a healthy lifestyle.
And you will see more than a few 40+ members of the academy!
Masters divisions are common in most larger bjj competitions, so competitors of a similar age bracket can be matched fairly.
The over 40 student of bjj has a few special considerations in starting to train.
Here are a few tips for you to get started training in bjj:
1) Look for an academy that fits your goals.
Some academies are filled with 20ish competitors who are trying to win major championships – and they train HARD accordingly.
It might not be the most comfortable fit if you just want to learn some skills and get in better shape.
Most bjj gyms have students who train for a variety of goals.
Best to call ahead and ask to come observe a class to get a feel for how the classes are run and the vibe within the gym.
2) Pay extra attention to nutrition
After adequate sleep, healthy nutrition is the biggest factor in your ability to recover from training sessions.
No special, expensive supplements are required here.
Most adults know what constitutes a healthy diet – lots of natural, unprocessed, fresh fruits and vegetables.
Consume more pure water than soft drinks etc.
You need to provide the best fuel for your training sessions and more importantly, the recovery between classes.
3) Basic positions vs. relying on flexibility
You should focus on the basic positions in jiu-jitsu (ex. closed guard, side control, mount) as opposed to inverted guards, berimbolo etc.
An acrobatic style of jiu-jitsu that works well for an uber flexible 22 year old may not work for you!
Here is one of my favorite quotes by Carlos Gracie Jr. (at age 60 and still training bjj)
“I don’t get this obsession with all of the acrobatic guards.
They are efficient, sure. But they’re fleeting. Your body has difficulty understanding them for too long.
I say this from my own experience. The lumbar region, for example, as strong as it may be, will never be armored against the passage of time.
Jiu-jitsu is for your whole lifetime, and by that line of reasoning you can rest assured that the basic techniques like the closed guard or this open guard I enjoy doing, will never abandon us.
At 70 we’ll still be capable of performing them with plenty of mobility.
That can’t be said of the tornado guard or the berimbolo.”
Master Carlos Gracie Jr.
4) Be patient
Nearly every student of jiu-jitsu secretly fears that they are progressing more slowly than all of the other students.
Obviously that isn’t true, but it can cause students to fail to enjoy the training process and feel their efforts are wasted.
Start with the philosophy that “jiu-jitsu is a marathon, not a sprint”.
It does little good to start out enthusiastically and train everyday only to burn out and quit within a month or two.
If you approach learning bjj as something longer term, you are less likely to feel discouraged when you experience plateaus.
Once you find an academy that feels right, don’t over think it…just put on your kimono and get started!
The post A Reader Question: “Is it ok to start training at age 42? appeared first on Jiu-Jitsu Times.