New to BJJ as an older adult

Discussion in 'Brazilian Jiu Jitsu' started by clarky75, Nov 12, 2019.

  1. clarky75

    clarky75 New Member

    Hi All,

    I am 44, and I have done many martial arts over the years, and I have always wanted to do BJJ, time now allows so I am looking to start.

    Would like to hear from others about tips or tricks or things you have learned that could help out a beginner especially as an older adult.

    What should I look out for or do, any recommendations or advice would be much appreciated

    Thanks All

    Clarky
     
  2. axelb

    axelb Master of Office Chair Fu

    welcome to MAP :)

    I'm not familiar with gyms at Melbourne, a quick search and I can see a lot of well known named BJJ gyms available.

    I would recommend going to all that fit within your schedule/distance - try them all out and see what you think :)
    The attitude of each place may vary, and the best one is going to be the place you want to keep coming back to.

    I'm 39, and not that old, but not that young, I always say ( to myself mostly) tap early, and tap often - if something is hurting (even if you don't think it's a submission attempt). Injuries delay time on the mat, which is less progress.


    Once you find a place, build it up gradually - there will likely be the "honey moon" phase where you want to train more, but your body won't let you - find the balance for what you can cope with.
     
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  3. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    ^what he said. Find the ones that are available to you as an option, visit them all, try out their free sessions and see what fits best with your schedule.

    Best of luck! Welcome to the grind!
     
  4. clarky75

    clarky75 New Member

    Thanks for the advice, will try and get to as many as I can. I am fortunate enough to have a place right across from where I work, it is pricey but for convenience wise cant be beat.

    I have mostly done standup arts, so this will be a big change, but many people get hooked, so I hope to be one of those, seems to become a real lifestyle.
     
    Pretty In Pink likes this.
  5. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    Yeah, for a lot of people it's very lifestyle-ish. Much like other sports. Some places get a bad rep such as Gracie Barra places for forcing students to wear one uniform and it's a bit cultish. Not that Gracie Barra is bad. My gym is technically one too but my instructor vehemently opposes forcing people to buy only club gis. I've always been allowed to wear what I like the only requirement being that the gi top and pants are matching. I.E if the top half is pink the bottoms better be pink too.

    If you encounter a place that's STRONG Gracie Barra and only let's you wear one gi be wary. Some people love it but for me personally it's too much.
     
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  6. clarky75

    clarky75 New Member

    Thanks Pretty In Pink for the advice, much appreciated, good advice thank you.
     
  7. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    1) congratulations!
    2) it's a marathon not a sprint
    3) put aside any other arts you've done before whilst on the mats for at least the first few years, I wasted a lot of time trying to make material from others arts work when I first started. (Although I now love using judo attacks during rolling)
    4) if you Show up, try and do what your taught, and wait a few years you will get better, but you won't ever think it, everyone thinks the same, just ignore it.
     
    axelb likes this.
  8. Dunc

    Dunc Well-Known Member Moderator Supporter

    Welcome to MAP
    As an older grappler I'd recommend
    a) Choosing your partners wisely
    b) Be the first to tap when you roll with someone new, gets the egos out the way and the learning can begin
    c) Be consistent, once or twice a week isn't really enough, but as an older person this means you have to pace yourself during class
    d) Focus on defence for the first few years
    e) Tap early

    FWIW I train at a place where everyone is expected to wear the standard gis. I think it looks nice and professional and as long as they're not overpriced I don't see an issue with it
     
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  9. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    The Gracie Barra Gi's are definitely overpriced, it's a way to enforce a franchise model on a gym, which generally ends up taking money away from the gym and booting it up the chain/pyramid.

    Sometimes it's ok, but sometimes it's not, it's a bit like bowing to pictures of helio etc the act itself is fine, but the deeper reasons why don't sit well with me.
     
  10. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    You don't train at a Gracie Barra gym though do you? You train at a famous bjj players gym. Not the same. It's mostly Gracie Barra and the red shield crowd I take exceptions with. I know some good guys from there and the standard is really good but I dislike the model.

    Another place that enforces gis is AoJ in New York. Aesthetic gym too.
     
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  11. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    I believe RGA do the Gi thing too,

    Gi's cost about 15 quid to buy in bulk, but when franchises sell them for hundred plus quid, they only keep 20 odd quid themselves, the rest goes up the chain to the head.
     
  12. Dunc

    Dunc Well-Known Member Moderator Supporter

    Don't really know about the different teams/groups etc so can't comment
     
  13. clarky75

    clarky75 New Member

    Thanks for all the info and advice some very helpful tips and insight here
     
  14. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    Even Ricky G? Hahaha
     
  15. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    Rickson doesn't represent Red shield one gi lifestyle does he? I mean, we are Gracie Barra but we don't do all the one gi stuff or upselling contracts etc
     
  16. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    Sorry my bad, Gracie Barra Edinburgh, ricky gillon!

    Gracie Barra is a full on franchise, so you can have Gracie Barra blackbelts who run non affiliated schools, but then their students arnt Gracie Barra belts.

    You get the same with the Machado's, Hauter is a Machado lineage blackbelt, but his schools arnt Machado schools.

    Is Rick's gym an official GB school, or is it just his lineage that's GB?
     
  17. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    Haha, there was only one GB franchise place and it was only here for about a year when it opened up 200 meters down the road from us. (Absolute cheek like). By the end I'm told it was a white belt teaching before it did eventually close.

    I've honestly no idea. There's definitely a GB thing on the wall but it's the old one. I think it's fairer to say we're not one of the franchise schools.
     
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  18. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    A lot of schools are going the franchise route now, but they're is literally no benefit to it once your a second degree black belt.

    I expect it will fracture a lot in the next few years, and we'll be better off for it, the only reason people should represent other people is because they have a honest training relationship, not because they're giving them 5k a year!
     
  19. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    Yeah. Pretty much what I plan on doing. Doubt it will cost me as much as that.
     
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  20. Mushroom

    Mushroom De-powered to come back better than before.

    There's a certain facebook group (you know which one I mean, wont mention it further here) that's been giving the GB lot some grief about it. I wonder how as club members feel about it though? And I know of a club, £60 for patches. Another £20 to pay for like a dry-cleaners to sew it on properly.
    I personally don't understand the £150-200 kimonos. There's some I look at and go.. "oh that's cool" and there's others were its totally a brand thing.
     

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