The Ten Commandments of BJJ Over 40 – Part I
Rick Ellis of The Art of Skill often talks about what he refers to as Old Man Jiu-Jitsu. While it’s pretty obvious what he’s referring to, some of his insights into the kinds of modifications that people in their 40s and 50s should make when training jiu-jitsu can be very helpful, especially for people who are just starting jiu-jitsu in middle age.
In addition to facing some physical limitations when compared to people who are in their teens and 20s, older practitioners of jiu-jitsu also need to think about training a little differently. In this two-part series based on Rick’s below video, we’ll go over what he refers to as the Ten Commandments of BJJ Over 40.
Commandment One: Train with Intention
“Always go to class with something that you’re actively trying to improve upon,” Rick says. You should arrive at class with an idea of what you want to dedicate your time to, you should work on it while you’re there, and you should think about it when you leave. As you get older, you need to take a more proactive approach if you want to get better.
Figuring out what to focus on should never be that difficult. Maybe there’s a move that you’re slipping up or maybe one of your training partners keeps managing to pass your guard. Whatever it is, you should take a mental note, go home, and then spend some time studying. This could mean reading jiu-jitsu blogs, talking with people on forums, or watching instructional videos. When you come back, have specific questions and work with your instructor to resolve the issue.
There’s also an important caveat here. If your only reason for coming to class is to burn some calories and see the friends you’ve made in class, then this isn’t really necessary. However, if you want to get better and to be able to challenge opponents who are ten or even twenties years younger than you, you need to be able to counter their speed, agility, and strength with exceptional technique and strategy.
As Rick concludes, you need to focus on improving your technical skill. “The way that you accelerate that is by always having something that you’re working on when you go to class.”
Commandment Two: Manage Expectations
Managing expectations is all about lowering expectations to be happier with outcomes. Such a perception of the world can lead to cynicism pretty quickly, but this can be avoided with a sense of detachment. In other words, you can avoid disappointment and frustration by not putting a ton of pressure on yourself to reach what might be an unattainable goal.
If you have a really good night where everything is clicking for you—your defense is on fire, you’re getting taps, and you really feel like you understand everything—and then you have a terrible night, it’s easy to go from riding high to thinking that you stink. The goal is to avoid riding the rollercoaster of emotion. Show up and don’t place extreme expectations on yourself.
Commandment Three: Stay Within Your Limits
Understanding your limits, especially as you get older, is not just about ego control but safety. Jiu-jitsu is very physical and very competitive, and it is easy to get caught up in the moment and to push yourself over the edge. This is especially true in gyms that are very competitive.
This kind of environment can be really nurturing for a 20-year-old who wants to take their training to the next level. For someone in their 40s or 50s, giving 110% every single class is simply going to lead to injury or immense amounts of soreness. It’s ultimately going to make jiu-jitsu less fun and it’s going to be difficult to keep up.
Staying within your limits means a little bit of trial and error. You need to find out how many rounds you can go at a class without feeling like you got hit by a bus the next day. You need to experiment with how many days you can go hard each week without struggling to get out of bed in the morning. It’s ultimately up to you and what allows you to advance as an older athlete without being sidelined by injury or fatigue.
Commandment Four: Focus on Mobility
Training should not take place solely in jiu-jitsu class. You should also be doing some conditioning to improve your cardio, some weight training to improve and maintain your strength, and mobility exercises to improve your flexibility. As you get older, these mobility exercises should become more of a priority.
As a rule, older people are stiffer and less flexible than younger people, and this can lead to injury. Additionally, your joint integrity can also suffer as you age. For these two reasons alone, you should be spending more time doing mobility exercises. On top of staying healthy, they can also improve your jiu-jitsu as you’ll be able to move more fluidly.
Commandment Five: Hydrate Properly
Hydration is something that should happen in the hours during training. If you show up dehydrated and start sweating during practice, you’re not going to have time to drink enough water to replenish what your body needs. This is true for everyone, but older athletes are more susceptible to heat exhaustion than younger athletes, which is why hydration is even more important once you get into middle age.
Rick recommends not just drinking water during the day, but also electrolyte supplementation, which can help prevent cramps and keep you feeling clear-eyed and alert.