Can a 34 year old totally out of shape male join a BJJ school? I am not looking to compete, I am intrigued at the overall challenge. Anyone experience "older" "not fit" beginners in BJJ at their school? are you one? were you one? I always had the impression that BJJ students were wrestlers in high school and now in their 20's and want to compete. Help me dispel this myth. I am also afraid of passing out on my first day. But I am ready for a challenge, plus I want my kids to go when they are old enough (daughter is 3 and son is 6 months). I live in Sayville 5 minutes from a very reputable BJJ called Kioto...I am just afraid of not even getting through warm-ups or calisthetics.
Fear of starting BJJ
- Thread starter Glelas
- Start date
You are the ultimate arbiter when it comes to what you can do and what you can't. I suggest that you hit your first class and do as much as you can do. Push yourself, but don't kill yourself.
Nobody can "master" anything in a day. Just do the best that you can do.
Let us know how it goes!
Good Luck!!
Nobody can "master" anything in a day. Just do the best that you can do.
Let us know how it goes!
Good Luck!!
I have come across more than a few mid 30 year old to mid 40 year olds who have done very, very well when learning the ground game. (most of them did not have wrestling background either) Give it a try and see if you like it! Good luck!
FearlessFreep
Senior Master
Can a 34 year old totally out of shape male join a BJJ school? I am not looking to compete, I am intrigued at the overall challenge. Anyone experience "older" "not fit" beginners in BJJ at their school
Yes, definately. I was about 35 (and very out of shape..5'11" 210lbs) when I started Taekwondo. About a year and a half later I started some BJJ classes on the side. I now train in a combination of Hapkido and BJJ with some influences from Taekwondo, Muy Thai and other arts. (still 5'11" but now at 180lbs)
A friend of mind is in his mid 40s and joined our class. He started with the fintess and conditioning but is now doing the ground fighting as well. He's probably in his mis 200lbs and strong but also pretty chubby in areas.
34 and out of shape is not too old to want to start, you can get a lot out of it other than just competing with the 20 year olds
Yes, definately. I was about 35 (and very out of shape..5'11" 210lbs) when I started Taekwondo. About a year and a half later I started some BJJ classes on the side. I now train in a combination of Hapkido and BJJ with some influences from Taekwondo, Muy Thai and other arts. (still 5'11" but now at 180lbs)
A friend of mind is in his mid 40s and joined our class. He started with the fintess and conditioning but is now doing the ground fighting as well. He's probably in his mis 200lbs and strong but also pretty chubby in areas.
34 and out of shape is not too old to want to start, you can get a lot out of it other than just competing with the 20 year olds
Old Fat Kenpoka
Master Black Belt
I wanted to start BJJ when I was 41. I was more than 25 pounds overweight.
The things you worry about are partially true. Many of the guys are or were wrestlers, many of them are in their 20's and are very competitive. The warm ups can be quite exhausting. Most of the guys probably will not be experienced wrestlers in their 20's. There will be plenty of guys who are like you.
Like you, I was totally innactive before starting BJJ. I spent several months biking and exercising. I lost about 5-7 pounds before starting BJJ. Then, when I started, it was exhausting. I would stop frequently to rest during the warmups and I was totally spent by the end of class. My stamina improved rapidly. I lost 20 more pounds in about a year. Even after a year, I still had trouble keeping up with the 20 year olds. And I still had trouble sparring the 20 year olds with lots of wrestling experience. But I was feeling pretty good. I was in much better shape, and my Jiu Jitsu was improving.
I suggest that you start exercising before starting BJJ. Do something for your cardio like running, biking, swimming, aerobics. Do some strength training and some stretching. You can't expect to go from totally innactive to feeling good after a 1.5 hour or 2 hour intense workout.
I also suggest that you listen to your body and slow-down or rest when you can't keep up in the early classes. If you can't do the pushups as fast as the rest of the guys, don't. If you need to stop and catch your breath, do it.
People will respect you for trying and they will respect you for sticking with it and improving. You will have fun, make new friends, get in shape, and learn a great sport. Go for it.
The things you worry about are partially true. Many of the guys are or were wrestlers, many of them are in their 20's and are very competitive. The warm ups can be quite exhausting. Most of the guys probably will not be experienced wrestlers in their 20's. There will be plenty of guys who are like you.
Like you, I was totally innactive before starting BJJ. I spent several months biking and exercising. I lost about 5-7 pounds before starting BJJ. Then, when I started, it was exhausting. I would stop frequently to rest during the warmups and I was totally spent by the end of class. My stamina improved rapidly. I lost 20 more pounds in about a year. Even after a year, I still had trouble keeping up with the 20 year olds. And I still had trouble sparring the 20 year olds with lots of wrestling experience. But I was feeling pretty good. I was in much better shape, and my Jiu Jitsu was improving.
I suggest that you start exercising before starting BJJ. Do something for your cardio like running, biking, swimming, aerobics. Do some strength training and some stretching. You can't expect to go from totally innactive to feeling good after a 1.5 hour or 2 hour intense workout.
I also suggest that you listen to your body and slow-down or rest when you can't keep up in the early classes. If you can't do the pushups as fast as the rest of the guys, don't. If you need to stop and catch your breath, do it.
People will respect you for trying and they will respect you for sticking with it and improving. You will have fun, make new friends, get in shape, and learn a great sport. Go for it.
Plenty of people start MA at 40 or older. Sure, there are going to be things you can't do - or can't do as well as younger students - but so what? If you're getting into an MA for yourself, it really doesn't matter; if you were interested in competition at a high level that might be a different issue (lack of experience more than anything). Do check with a doctor before starting, and talk to the instructor(s) about any health issues you may have - any good MA instructor will make allowances for health and physical fitness in new students, and any instructor who won't make allowances probably isn't the instructor for you.
By all means, go check it out. You won't know until you give it a try!
You'll most likely run into a mixture of people..some that want to just train and some that want to compete. The most important thing to keep in mind is to go at your own pace. Don't try to keep up with the next guy. You will get a great workout and learn some good stuff, but again, do what you can. I'd concern myself more with getting the fine points of the techniques down. There will be lots of time to roll and mix it up.
Mike
Eternal Beginner
Brown Belt
I was just a couple of months shy of my 34th birthday when I started BJJ and I don't regret it for a second! You are definitely NOT too old. We have guys in their 40's, 50's and 60's training at our club, some of them basically walked out of the board room into the changeroom. In horrible shape and just stuck it out.
At first the warm ups can be a bit daunting. The thing to remember is to try your hardest but stay within your limitations. If everyone around you is running a zillion laps, you may only be able to do 1/2 a zillion and walk the other half. If they are doing 75 push ups, you may only be able to do 20, from your knees. It doesn't matter. They will all respect the fact that you are there and that you are trying. As long as you are giving it your all and not whining...you will be fine! You are also far more likely to throw up than pass out:barf::wink1:.
But seriously, don't let your age get in your way. It is just a number. And heck, 34 isn't even a very big number!! You will be fine and you will have tons of fun. Just remember to relax and breathe and you're set.
I forgot to add earlier that I also train multiple people in their fifties and even an eighty two year old. All are capable of grappling well and almost anyone can practice if the desire is there. Look at Helio Gracie, he is in his nineties now. Give it a shot and good luck!
charyuop
Black Belt
Hi and welcome to MA talk.
I am 35, well I will be in 3 days hee hee. Like you I started at 34 (just a couple of months ago) doing Aikido. I am 5'7" 240lb. completely out of shape and smoked till I started practicing...moreover never did any MA before.
Age and shape can be overcome. I still get exhausted and heavy breathing. Sometimes, when Sensei pushes hard, I reach the end of class that I can't even get up...actually Sensei sometimes calls the class off only when he sees that we are really on the limit. Getting used to work outs from a 0 activity takes some time, you might be still be getting heavy breath when other in the class are already getting used to the rythm.
The most important thing is start slowly. That doesn't mean you don't have to get tired, but start moving your body carefully, don't push your strectches to the limit, take time to know your body, what it can do and what it cannot do (for now, but later on it will).
If you didn't do much sport or any MA at all in the past, the main factor is your brain! Your mind will tell you many times "what am I doing? Just give up, it is not for me". Well it is not true, your mind wants you just go back to the lazy comy life on the couch.
Another factor, that I am still fighting to overcome (mine is rolling on my head), is fear. You will have to do movements that you haven't done since you were a teenager or many new ones. The idea of rolling on your head, falling in a certain way, stretching a limb in a certain way or other things are things kinda hard to "digest" by your body. Thus your body will use its natural way to tell you that there is danger and that is by creating fear...and you might not be aware of that, like for me it took quite some time to realize that my main problem in failing doing certain things was due to fear.
But I see it as everything belonging to MA training. It is a world worth exploring and when you get used to it you will enjoy it.
I am 35, well I will be in 3 days hee hee. Like you I started at 34 (just a couple of months ago) doing Aikido. I am 5'7" 240lb. completely out of shape and smoked till I started practicing...moreover never did any MA before.
Age and shape can be overcome. I still get exhausted and heavy breathing. Sometimes, when Sensei pushes hard, I reach the end of class that I can't even get up...actually Sensei sometimes calls the class off only when he sees that we are really on the limit. Getting used to work outs from a 0 activity takes some time, you might be still be getting heavy breath when other in the class are already getting used to the rythm.
The most important thing is start slowly. That doesn't mean you don't have to get tired, but start moving your body carefully, don't push your strectches to the limit, take time to know your body, what it can do and what it cannot do (for now, but later on it will).
If you didn't do much sport or any MA at all in the past, the main factor is your brain! Your mind will tell you many times "what am I doing? Just give up, it is not for me". Well it is not true, your mind wants you just go back to the lazy comy life on the couch.
Another factor, that I am still fighting to overcome (mine is rolling on my head), is fear. You will have to do movements that you haven't done since you were a teenager or many new ones. The idea of rolling on your head, falling in a certain way, stretching a limb in a certain way or other things are things kinda hard to "digest" by your body. Thus your body will use its natural way to tell you that there is danger and that is by creating fear...and you might not be aware of that, like for me it took quite some time to realize that my main problem in failing doing certain things was due to fear.
But I see it as everything belonging to MA training. It is a world worth exploring and when you get used to it you will enjoy it.
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