What Is Old Man Jiu-Jitsu?

When one thinks of martial arts like jiu-jitsu, the idealized fighter is usually going to be someone in their 20s, perhaps their early 30s. You don’t normally think of someone in their 60s, their 70s, or their 80s. In fact, even among influential people within the jiu-jitsu community, the idea of people continuing to roll into their sunset years is absurd.

True, as people get older, they begin to face limitations with respect to mobility, strength, and speed. However, the idea that they cannot use jiu-jitsu effectively is misguided. As Rick Ellis explains in the below video, the adaptability of jiu-jitsu is part of the reason why it is so popular for people of all ages. It is also why people can continue using jiu-jitsu for self-defense even at an advanced age.

Two Ways to Win a Race

“For older athletes, you need to stay within your physical reality,” Rick says. This means recognizing your limitations rather than trying to overcome them because that’s a fight that you’re not going to win. Instead, you can play a methodical style that involves placing increasing amounts of pressure on your opponent. The rhythm of the fight may be slower, but the strategy is effective, particularly for an older person who may not be able to match a young fighter’s athleticism.

This kind of jiu-jitsu stands in contrast to what Rick refers to as a “move-based” jiu-jitsu. This is a younger person’s style, which requires more athleticism and is based on strength, speed, and agility. Again, if you’re an older person trying to match the strength or stamina of a person more than half your age, you’re giving them the advantage.

Rick likens it to the difference between competing in a race while driving a new Porsche versus a 1971 Lincoln Continental. It is possible to win a race driving the latter, but you have to learn how to be a perfect driver. The car is not forgiving. With the Porsche, you don’t have to be perfect. There is more room for error because the handling, acceleration, and braking systems are all top of the line.

Are Those Really Your Only Options?

As clean as the car metaphor is, it’s not accurate. Just because you favor one style of jiu-jitsu does not mean that you have to rely on it every second that you’re on the mat. Even if you are a deeply methodical fighter who prefers to move slowly and to gradually push your opponent into a corner until they defeat themselves, there will be occasions where you will need to be explosive. Conversely, even a fighter who has been gifted with amazing genetics needs good technique to be effective.

For Rick, all skilled fighters drift between the two extremes, but older people need to rely more on technique, precision, and (most importantly) efficiency.

Efficiency Are Key to Successful Old Man Jiu-Jitsu

That is the number one word that Rick would use to describe good old man jiu-jitsu is efficiency. Why? As an older person, you’re going to naturally have less energy and endurance than younger opponents, but that’s only true if you’re using that energy at the same rate. If you can be extremely economical with the amount of energy that you use, you can neutralize the fight for endurance. When old man jiu-jitsu is at its most effective, there’s no wasted motion. You are precise with your moves, transitions, and even grips.

Older fighters need to be precise with their timing, as well. By recognizing when a window of opportunity is opening and immediately taking advantage of it, this helps to conserve energy.

Step Minimization and Efficiency

Rick closes out his video with a demonstration of how step minimization can help to conserve energy and maximize efficiency. As he shows at the 7:50 mark in the above video, more technically proficient students of jiu-jitsu can consolidate the many steps involved in setting up something like a triangle choke, whereas newer people tend to do them in a sequence (i.e., step one comes before step two, step two comes before step three, and so on). By turning those steps into compound movements that occur in one motion, you can advance the move far more efficiently.

“If you can move with a lot of efficiency and good timing, you’re not going to have to be as fast,” Rick says. For older jiu-jitsu fighters who want to continue to roll, this is a lesson to take to heart.