I started jiu jitsu at 45. I’m now 48 and a blue belt. I’m also around 135 lbs. Pretty much everyone at my academy is bigger and stronger than me. I realized that there’s levels to this. There’s teenage phenom world champions at my gym. When I roll with these young bucks, I have no hope in trying to match their strength, speed or intensity. I generally try to frustrate them with becoming really hard to tap and allowing them to storm. When I roll with someone larger, I try to frustrate them by simply switching positions, allowing them to struggle and waste their energy. When they are tired and start making mistakes is when I either let the round run out or try for a sub. I’m a mediocre blue belt and had to come to terms with my reality. I’m just glad to be on the mats and being able to train regularly at my age!
Exercise physiologist here. Muscular strength is not just another on a list of physical attributes. It is the single underlying attribute that makes all of the other attributes possible.
We really need to stomp out the myth that BJJ is purely based on technique. I cannot shrimp to make any amount of space if someone is preventing me from moving.
I started at 56 6'3 220, 67 now black belt. I rolled pretty hard starting out, but I dont enjoy the younger crazier grapplers anymore. Id rather roll with people who are higher belts that are more efficient and slower. But Ive been enjoying teaching more so maybe thats a good transition.
I like that this keeps it real! I am that older beginner, 47 years, and as much as I wish I started sooner, I’m glad I did start. Within the 3 months since I started, I am eating better and losing weigh since I was sedentary for many years. With that in mind, I do have a light weightlifting program that I am doing as well, since muscle is metabolically better for weight loss. I am experimenting to see what will optimize my overall wellbeing. With that in mind, I want to be the most mobile 60/70/80+ year old guy when it comes to it because I took care of myself. And I do intend to keep rolling as long as possible.
I’m a 55 Y.O. 150 lbs brown belt physical therapist who just returned to BJJ after a 9 year layoff! All points made so far are great but for me, mindset has been the most important! When I rolled in my 40s I was trying to always win. It was as if I was trying to prove to myself that “I still had it”. This attitude ramped up my self imposed pressure with each higher belt that I acquired and sapped my enjoyment. I was also always super sore (despite rolling only 2x/wk). Now I prioritize my gratitude for just being lucky enough to still train in a sport I love. Also I roll a lot lighter and take joy in helping younger less experienced grapplers improve. One more thing, I used to cross train to bulletproof everything except my neck which was my weakest link. Now that I’ve prioritized my neck in my physical training outside of Bjj, it’s no longer a problem.
47 year old 1 stripe blue belt here. I train strictly self defense jiu jitsu so it’s a little bit different of a game but all of this applies to me First step of getting my jiu jitsu healthy was getting my cardio up. When I first started and hadn’t started rolling yet, there was a parents day at kids class and they gassed me out shrimping across the mats. The next day I got a gym membership and started working on my wind. 3 years later and I’ve developed an incredible habit of about 18-20 miles a week 🏃♂️ Right now I’m outlasting all the young bucks who aren’t serious about their cardio. I also nurse a sciatic issue so there’s a ton of stretching involved. Kratom, thc, cbd and lots of sauna time. 🥋
40s now, had about 6 years off the mat. It took about one year until my body started to keep up. Everyday I'm doing Yoga, Qi Gong, Gongfu, and other body weight exercises in addition to: eating actual healthy, lifestyle change etc. This allows me recovery from rolling/randori 2-4 hours per week. Thank you for your education and motivation to be better on and off the mats!
I started at 34, 3.5 years in and I’m blue now at an intense comp school. I’m a hobbyist and I’ve learned through several injuries that I’ve had to apply rigorous calisthenics, flexibility and resistance training to maintain my progress. There’s less room for error if I want to maintain my effectiveness. Great video! The discipline of intentionality, constant stretching, drilling, and working out in a way that specifically benefits bjj has been mandatory. The road narrows!
Physician here, I loved your curves and diagrams and that resonated. I'm also 44yo blue belt who started training 4 years ago. I've gotten really good at starting in bad positions and getting on top, and sometimes that takes all round.
Great 👍🏼 video, Rick!! I started to wonder about this very issue at purple belt - I had been going toe to toe with young wrestlers, marines, and the like in my mid to late 50’s. I decided to change my game. I’ve added pull ups to my barbell routine on days in between Jiu Jitsu days - Danaher talks about focusing on skill development as you can always keep improving technique whereas physical improvement is limited - I actually did a private with Roy and he told me you cannot redline (like in a car or on a motorcycle) for extended periods. This really got me thinking and I keep my rpms much more under control now at brown. Thinking about this video as I walked my dog tonight, I decided I need to improve my technique or skill set at at least the same rate as my body is degrading with age. I turn 58 in March. Thx 🙏
57 years old, and 6 months into judo and BJJ. I lifted a lot before starting, but my tendons will not allow lifting and grappling. I love the classes and challenges so much that I have put lifting on the side for now. And I must admit to giggling when the videos talk about the 40s being old! I hope to still be laughing ten years from now about the 50s.
Greatly appreciate your knowledge and insight for an older player, I’m 55 and beat prostate cancer over the summer, came out of martial arts retirement over a 20-year span during my diagnoses, dropped 65lbs, gained 15lbs of muscle after treatment, began training Sayoc Kali and resumed JKD, all of my partners all cross trained BJJ, 1st month in BJJ and being in shape, having a healthy diet, sleeping well and yoga has helped my transition. I also just finished a cycle of BPC 157 and TB 500 that was extremely beneficial for an older gym rat. Additionally, I’m only doing privates for 3 months before going into an open class since they don’t really have a beginner’s class format, most of members compete at a high level. Overall, I’m doing everything I can to increase the learning curve and still having fun, maybe down the road I’ll add weekly messages.
I just turned 65. Blue belt. I’ve been doing jiu-jitsu for three years. I definitely agree 100% with the mobility aspect. When I see the younger guys, and even the older guys sitting on their heels and I can bend my knees to about 80° I understand how limited that makes me in a whole lot of movements. Just have to do what you can with what you have and try and fight off the decline while improving as fast as possible. The young guys have a lot of advantage with strength and mobility, so I don’t feel bad when I get tapped out a lot. I’m still having fun and learning.
49 year old, one stripe white belt here. I’m about 10 months in and I’m seeing a lot of progress! I’m a big guy 6’4” and 270 (need to be 230 tbh) and I’m strong. I’m also a professional firefighter/paramedic so I’m comfortable in uncomfortable positions. My main struggles are mobility and my reflexes are just a hair behind my 20-30 year old training partners. Also, my recovery is twice as long as those young guns! So my plan is to clean up the diet, drop 40 pounds, focus on bodyweight workouts and mobility drills. I can do a lot to improve and I will. Love your channel!
Phil Migliarese founder of balance jiu-jitsu in Philadelphia also developed yoga for fighters and said that maintaining his mobility is what has kept him at such a high-level for so long in the sport above anything else?
46 years old now, and maybe I'm a lucky one but last year when I was 45 I finally started to feel what everyone was always talking about. Recovery is a slow bitch. I'm really embracing quality sleep AND sleep patterns, relatively decent diet, layoff that extra evening beer, stay at least consistent with weight training mixed with some form of cardio and take time off when your body isn't healing enough quickly enough. Had to take an entire week off a couple weeks ago because my biceps tendon was continually nagging. Hated taking the time off, but it worked and I'm back to almost 100%. Dad always said when he got older he didn't hurt more, he just hurt longer.
46 yo black belt. Up until several years ago I could still explode and use a lot of strength so I relied mainly on Judo, fast guard passing, and muscling deep half sweeps. I've had to focus much more on closed guard and lasso these days, looking for "legs vs arms" opportunities and lots of grip control. My main workout adjustments have been running several days a week to train zone 2 cardio outside of rolling, lots of grip strength exercises that I copied from arm wrestler routines on youtube, and vastly reducing exercises or rolls that redline me.
9:30 being real big and strong also correlates with having a little gas tank. If their attacks can be defended, they’ll gas out and we have our way with them I shoot for 2-4 rolls after class and going just hard enough I’m not so sore to go again the next day. I’m averaging 5 classes a week and around 90 rolls a month. Being 42 now, I’m getting in as much as I can stand knowing in the not too distant future I won’t be able to keep this kind of schedule
Love your channel I grew up striking started BJJ aged 50 i’m 57 ( just got purple belt ) Big difference and true effectiveness of BJJ over striking arts for me is what to you just described….. Meaning I can roll with younger faster fitter opponents and can seriously slow them down survive and be competitive through technique and ( for me most importantly as still a beginner) learning to relax and breath . Very different in boxing / kick boxing sparring ( which I still do ) where you can use experience and technique but ultimately conditioning and cardio are king . I LOVE BJJ for this reason It’s a true martial art 🥋
Started training at 46. First competed at 47. Now at 48 and in the best health I’ve been in for decades. I strength train but also conditioning. Work with a physiotherapist
I’m 55. I do Judo and BJJ weekly. I’m usually more worried about injuries at my Judo school than at my BJJ school. Both schools have seem to compliment my tachi waza or my rolling. It’s much easier, obviously to execute a sacrifice throw than a standing throw.
Hi! I am a blue belt.43 years old 80 kilos.i stop the gym and i do only calisthenics and I found out it's better for me and for my bjj.i am not sore anymore i do also animal movements and i don't skip stretching!i am more flexible and i have better mobility!
52 year old 188 lbs purple belt started at 47 and have competed at every color belt mostly smart training learn to say no and not go 100 percent always focus on technique and smart rolling , lift weight and have some prior judo training .
I'm a 53 year-old blue belt and my shoulders hurt all the time when I train jujitsu. Does anybody know of a joint supplement formula that actually works other than injecting peptides?
"You need knowledge to gain skill." This one line is actually causing a lot of debate in the Jiu Jitsu community now between Eco and the traditional teaching methods. It does seem to be the other way around though if you think about it. If you need knowledge to gain skill, how did anything happen at all? Before there was Jiu Jitsu there was no knowledge of it so how did it come to be? It was through the playing around and experimenting with fighting and observing what worked and what didn't that the knowledge started to emerge.
Question for you sir, ive been watching your content for a while now and have pondered going to the grapplers summit. But im a 37 year old blue belt. Am i too young?
Technically it's an over 40 event, but in the past we've let a couple eager under-40ers sign up. Let's just say there's no cop checking IDs when you sign up, haha.
I started jiu jitsu at 45. I’m now 48 and a blue belt. I’m also around 135 lbs. Pretty much everyone at my academy is bigger and stronger than me. I realized that there’s levels to this. There’s teenage phenom world champions at my gym. When I roll with these young bucks, I have no hope in trying to match their strength, speed or intensity. I generally try to frustrate them with becoming really hard to tap and allowing them to storm. When I roll with someone larger, I try to frustrate them by simply switching positions, allowing them to struggle and waste their energy. When they are tired and start making mistakes is when I either let the round run out or try for a sub. I’m a mediocre blue belt and had to come to terms with my reality. I’m just glad to be on the mats and being able to train regularly at my age!
Exercise physiologist here. Muscular strength is not just another on a list of physical attributes. It is the single underlying attribute that makes all of the other attributes possible.
We really need to stomp out the myth that BJJ is purely based on technique. I cannot shrimp to make any amount of space if someone is preventing me from moving.
Great advice for this middle aged dude who just went to my first bjj class this week!
54 yo purple belt. Tempered ego and smart rolling... emphasis on angles and timing is what I focus more on.
I started at 56 6'3 220, 67 now black belt. I rolled pretty hard starting out, but I dont enjoy the younger crazier grapplers anymore. Id rather roll with people who are higher belts that are more efficient and slower. But Ive been enjoying teaching more so maybe thats a good transition.
I like that this keeps it real! I am that older beginner, 47 years, and as much as I wish I started sooner, I’m glad I did start. Within the 3 months since I started, I am eating better and losing weigh since I was sedentary for many years. With that in mind, I do have a light weightlifting program that I am doing as well, since muscle is metabolically better for weight loss. I am experimenting to see what will optimize my overall wellbeing. With that in mind, I want to be the most mobile 60/70/80+ year old guy when it comes to it because I took care of myself. And I do intend to keep rolling as long as possible.
I’m a 55 Y.O. 150 lbs brown belt physical therapist who just returned to BJJ after a 9 year layoff! All points made so far are great but for me, mindset has been the most important! When I rolled in my 40s I was trying to always win. It was as if I was trying to prove to myself that “I still had it”. This attitude ramped up my self imposed pressure with each higher belt that I acquired and sapped my enjoyment. I was also always super sore (despite rolling only 2x/wk). Now I prioritize my gratitude for just being lucky enough to still train in a sport I love. Also I roll a lot lighter and take joy in helping younger less experienced grapplers improve. One more thing, I used to cross train to bulletproof everything except my neck which was my weakest link. Now that I’ve prioritized my neck in my physical training outside of Bjj, it’s no longer a problem.
47 year old 1 stripe blue belt here. I train strictly self defense jiu jitsu so it’s a little bit different of a game but all of this applies to me
First step of getting my jiu jitsu healthy was getting my cardio up. When I first started and hadn’t started rolling yet, there was a parents day at kids class and they gassed me out shrimping across the mats. The next day I got a gym membership and started working on my wind. 3 years later and I’ve developed an incredible habit of about 18-20 miles a week 🏃♂️
Right now I’m outlasting all the young bucks who aren’t serious about their cardio.
I also nurse a sciatic issue so there’s a ton of stretching involved.
Kratom, thc, cbd and lots of sauna time. 🥋
Well said! Can totally relate to everything mentioned by Rick. Accepting the reality and adjusting to new challenges!
40s now, had about 6 years off the mat. It took about one year until my body started to keep up. Everyday I'm doing Yoga, Qi Gong, Gongfu, and other body weight exercises in addition to: eating actual healthy, lifestyle change etc. This allows me recovery from rolling/randori 2-4 hours per week. Thank you for your education and motivation to be better on and off the mats!
I started at 34, 3.5 years in and I’m blue now at an intense comp school. I’m a hobbyist and I’ve learned through several injuries that I’ve had to apply rigorous calisthenics, flexibility and resistance training to maintain my progress. There’s less room for error if I want to maintain my effectiveness. Great video!
The discipline of intentionality, constant stretching, drilling, and working out in a way that specifically benefits bjj has been mandatory. The road narrows!
Physician here, I loved your curves and diagrams and that resonated. I'm also 44yo blue belt who started training 4 years ago. I've gotten really good at starting in bad positions and getting on top, and sometimes that takes all round.
Great 👍🏼 video, Rick!! I started to wonder about this very issue at purple belt - I had been going toe to toe with young wrestlers, marines, and the like in my mid to late 50’s. I decided to change my game. I’ve added pull ups to my barbell routine on days in between Jiu Jitsu days - Danaher talks about focusing on skill development as you can always keep improving technique whereas physical improvement is limited - I actually did a private with Roy and he told me you cannot redline (like in a car or on a motorcycle) for extended periods. This really got me thinking and I keep my rpms much more under control now at brown. Thinking about this video as I walked my dog tonight, I decided I need to improve my technique or skill set at at least the same rate as my body is degrading with age. I turn 58 in March. Thx 🙏
Another excellent video Prof. Rick.
57 years old, and 6 months into judo and BJJ. I lifted a lot before starting, but my tendons will not allow lifting and grappling. I love the classes and challenges so much that I have put lifting on the side for now. And I must admit to giggling when the videos talk about the 40s being old! I hope to still be laughing ten years from now about the 50s.
Greatly appreciate your knowledge and insight for an older player, I’m 55 and beat prostate cancer over the summer, came out of martial arts retirement over a 20-year span during my diagnoses, dropped 65lbs, gained 15lbs of muscle after treatment, began training Sayoc Kali and resumed JKD, all of my partners all cross trained BJJ, 1st month in BJJ and being in shape, having a healthy diet, sleeping well and yoga has helped my transition. I also just finished a cycle of BPC 157 and TB 500 that was extremely beneficial for an older gym rat. Additionally, I’m only doing privates for 3 months before going into an open class since they don’t really have a beginner’s class format, most of members compete at a high level. Overall, I’m doing everything I can to increase the learning curve and still having fun, maybe down the road I’ll add weekly messages.
I just turned 65. Blue belt. I’ve been doing jiu-jitsu for three years. I definitely agree 100% with the mobility aspect. When I see the younger guys, and even the older guys sitting on their heels and I can bend my knees to about 80° I understand how limited that makes me in a whole lot of movements. Just have to do what you can with what you have and try and fight off the decline while improving as fast as possible. The young guys have a lot of advantage with strength and mobility, so I don’t feel bad when I get tapped out a lot. I’m still having fun and learning.
Great video Rick! I loved that graph.
49 year old, one stripe white belt here. I’m about 10 months in and I’m seeing a lot of progress!
I’m a big guy 6’4” and 270 (need to be 230 tbh) and I’m strong. I’m also a professional firefighter/paramedic so I’m comfortable in uncomfortable positions. My main struggles are mobility and my reflexes are just a hair behind my 20-30 year old training partners. Also, my recovery is twice as long as those young guns! So my plan is to clean up the diet, drop 40 pounds, focus on bodyweight workouts and mobility drills. I can do a lot to improve and I will. Love your channel!
Great tips 👍
Phil Migliarese founder of balance jiu-jitsu in Philadelphia also developed yoga for fighters and said that maintaining his mobility is what has kept him at such a high-level for so long in the sport above anything else?
46 years old now, and maybe I'm a lucky one but last year when I was 45 I finally started to feel what everyone was always talking about. Recovery is a slow bitch. I'm really embracing quality sleep AND sleep patterns, relatively decent diet, layoff that extra evening beer, stay at least consistent with weight training mixed with some form of cardio and take time off when your body isn't healing enough quickly enough. Had to take an entire week off a couple weeks ago because my biceps tendon was continually nagging. Hated taking the time off, but it worked and I'm back to almost 100%.
Dad always said when he got older he didn't hurt more, he just hurt longer.
46 yo black belt. Up until several years ago I could still explode and use a lot of strength so I relied mainly on Judo, fast guard passing, and muscling deep half sweeps. I've had to focus much more on closed guard and lasso these days, looking for "legs vs arms" opportunities and lots of grip control. My main workout adjustments have been running several days a week to train zone 2 cardio outside of rolling, lots of grip strength exercises that I copied from arm wrestler routines on youtube, and vastly reducing exercises or rolls that redline me.
Well said.
9:30 being real big and strong also correlates with having a little gas tank. If their attacks can be defended, they’ll gas out and we have our way with them
I shoot for 2-4 rolls after class and going just hard enough I’m not so sore to go again the next day. I’m averaging 5 classes a week and around 90 rolls a month. Being 42 now, I’m getting in as much as I can stand knowing in the not too distant future I won’t be able to keep this kind of schedule
That can go both ways. A big strong person uses less of their gas tank to hold someone down than someone who’s smaller.
@ true, and it’s in their transitions where I seek an escape route or reversal, tho success is never guaranteed 🙃
Nice!
Love your channel
I grew up striking
started BJJ aged 50 i’m 57 ( just got purple belt )
Big difference and true effectiveness of BJJ over striking arts for me is what to you just described…..
Meaning I can roll with younger faster fitter opponents and can seriously slow them down survive and be competitive through technique and ( for me most importantly as still a beginner) learning to relax and breath .
Very different in boxing / kick boxing sparring ( which I still do ) where you can use experience and technique but ultimately conditioning and cardio are king .
I LOVE BJJ for this reason
It’s a true martial art 🥋
Started training at 46. First competed at 47. Now at 48 and in the best health I’ve been in for decades.
I strength train but also conditioning. Work with a physiotherapist
I’m 55. I do Judo and BJJ weekly. I’m usually more worried about injuries at my Judo school than at my BJJ school. Both schools have seem to compliment my tachi waza or my rolling. It’s much easier, obviously to execute a sacrifice throw than a standing throw.
Hi! I am a blue belt.43 years old 80 kilos.i stop the gym and i do only calisthenics and I found out it's better for me and for my bjj.i am not sore anymore i do also animal movements and i don't skip stretching!i am more flexible and i have better mobility!
52 year old 188 lbs purple belt started at 47 and have competed at every color belt mostly smart training learn to say no and not go 100 percent always focus on technique and smart rolling , lift weight and have some prior judo training .
I'm a 53 year-old blue belt and my shoulders hurt all the time when I train jujitsu. Does anybody know of a joint supplement formula that actually works other than injecting peptides?
Just posted! :)
Give this guy a stripe!
I'm 45 just got a blue belt, took me 4 years. I have bad knees, moderate arthritis that I became aware of through training. Any advice? Thank you
"You need knowledge to gain skill." This one line is actually causing a lot of debate in the Jiu Jitsu community now between Eco and the traditional teaching methods. It does seem to be the other way around though if you think about it. If you need knowledge to gain skill, how did anything happen at all? Before there was Jiu Jitsu there was no knowledge of it so how did it come to be? It was through the playing around and experimenting with fighting and observing what worked and what didn't that the knowledge started to emerge.
Question for you sir, ive been watching your content for a while now and have pondered going to the grapplers summit. But im a 37 year old blue belt. Am i too young?
Technically it's an over 40 event, but in the past we've let a couple eager under-40ers sign up. Let's just say there's no cop checking IDs when you sign up, haha.
Appreciate you man🙏💪💪
Studying John Danaher’s AGELESS JIU JITSU video instructionals has really helped me down the right path!
You calling me an old fat guy!