45 years old. 5 month white belt. My biggest beast to tame was my anxiousness. Ive slowed down and can go a whole 1.5 hour class or session. At this point I don't think about the belts, really, I'm having fun and it's changed my life. Jiu-Jitsu is for everyone who is seeking inner peace.

Even as a 25-year old blue belt watching this, I've taken away so many lessons on longevity. Thank you Rick! I definitely am guilty of wasting my gym and yoga membership

I'm a 50 year old 3 year white belt and a third degree black belt in karate. My training partner is a 3 stripe blue belt a 6th degree black and 12 years younger than me at the same weight. We trained together for almost 2 years and I never tapped him. All that to say I watched your video on OLD man jiu jitsu. I slowed down, lasted longer, and it was the first time I was able to tap him.

I would look for: 1. A great environment 2. Find out the promotion criteria (must have stripes/must be merit based) 3. Train no-gi to avoid hand injuries and grip problems ( or use universal grips) 4. Stay with gym until Black Belt (cross train if needed) 5. Work through and talk through problems... 6. Train at least three times a week/5 times if low on obligations 7. Never stop training (keep going even if injured/watch or teach if that's all you can do)... No gaps 8. Teach/When you have to know it, you learn much more... 9. Learn how to roll responsibly (so you can prolong your grappling career) 10. Learning is your responsibility... You must train like other sports train...

46 year old white belt with a few stripes. I realized that slowing down younger more athletic folks required me to get more technical rather than faster. I am the oldest white belt there and started a year and a half ago. I am competing in my first comp this Saturday and calmness is a super power. I train with the heavys due to my size (6'2" 265) but they are all upper belts. Been a humbling and ego crushing experience but gaining small victories. I appreciate your channel. Inflammation from YEARS of basketball has taken its toll. I am now focusing on mobility and flexibility. Oss

Thank you Professor. I just turned 48. Body isn't healing anymore from not only jiu-jitsu but all the yrs of hard labor. I feel good after training but prior just inflammatory full body arthritis pain. I was white belt little over 2yrs. I noticed later years in jiu-jitsu epiphany so to speak I was given blue by my Professor when I was no longer getting tapped. I was blue for roughly 6yrs. Just like you I wasn't good at just one thing. I had an "grammatical sentence" by then I was good at defending, then passing guard to side control then north south bc it became natural. Now I've been purple for little over 2yrs. I'm definitely not as in shape as I was when I started, but as good of shape as I was in, I got tapped in 30 seconds couldn't even finish full round. Now I'm less in shape but can do several rounds even 10 minute rounds with bigger stronger opponents. They dominate me but can't tap me and it takes me 8 minutes to catch their mistake and begin to work my offense and I usually get the tap around 9 minutes. But my arthritis has me not even working out off the mats anymore. I am thankful you came out with this video as I'm now 48 internally stressing how it's impossible for me to fulfill all three that you pointed out beginning of video. I am learning thru experience that I was having to have to pick two, although I couldn't put it into words as clearly as this video. I was actually doing the opposite attending class less but more competitive so I could try and heal as much as possible. So I'm going to show up more and sit out a roll in between. But going straight to defense while immediately setting up offense and catching them is where I'm most comfortable today not only bc I've gotten comfortable on my defense but to avoid injury, and soreness. Sorry long read but this video is exactly where I'm at in my jiu-jitsu journey. So thanks again, Professor, for the content!

I went through your journey in the opposite order. I trained weights, mobility, and recovery and only got into BJJ at 40. I am now 42 and have noticed that unlike other students my age, I don't get injured and can definitely roll for a lot longer. Thank you for the video.

I started when I was 58, now 62 year old 130lb blue belt. The winter blues is real, feels like it has been with me all my life. Sometimes I struggle to get to class 2 times a week Nov - Feb. When I first started I tried to do weight training and BJJ, but after 3 months I realized I just couldn't sustain that. I did gain about 4 good lbs, which was good for me. What I have developed instead are consistent, disciplined home flex, mobility, and body weight exercises, including a pull-up/dip bar, and some small dumb bells. Before even watching your video I have established goals for training more often and more efficiently. More lighter, "flowy" sessions, less tense, competitive rolls or drills. Sometimes it is a bit out of my control, but that's what I strive for. It's the only way I'm going to survive and be able to train for the foreseeable future. One thing that is helping me so far is my new school has more newer (white belts) closer to my size. I have more opportunities to control the intensity and speed of a roll, although sometimes it is still a challenge to get the younger, quick, "scrambly" guys to slow down. In either case, I prioritize being a good training partner, trying to make the roll or drill beneficial for both of us. That's a whole subject in itself. With larger or more experienced partners, the fundamentals, especially defense, are my focus. Learning to avoid or escape bad positions quicker can mean the difference between me having opportunities for offense or just surviving smashed under mount/side-control or defending my back from RNC. It's now a constant struggle to balance between trying to get more mat time vs. enough recovery. These last couple of weeks I've been dealing with a re-aggravated injury, and seasonal illness/allergies.

Great video and in formation Rick I’m a 57 year old white belt and I train 4 to 5 days a week. I’m passionate about BJJ and I agree with your ideas, frequency, mobility, intensity, weight and cardio training outside of BJJ and also recovery. Im in Whittier and may drive down to attend your SD Summit in April. Jay😊

Hi Rick, Really like the channel. I started Bjj about a year and 5 months ago at age 61. I brought with me the physical baggage of 10 yrs of football, 5 yrs of motocross, 39 yrs of rugby, 42 yrs of track and field, 5 yrs of powerlifting, and a lifetime of idiocy. All competitively. All told 11 surgeries (7 knees alone). I'm just starting to see some things click on the mat, but I still struggle with slowing down and controlling my younger less broken partners. I am still a lot stronger than many, but my grappling cardio is not up there with the 20 and 30 yr olds I train with. I try my best to use technique and not strength when training, but when a younger, more explosive partner is attacking with seemingly endless energy and equal or better technique, I can't avoid getting gassed to the point of exhaustion. I try to just accept that until I get better at chaining things together it's going to be tough, but at this point, I can't help but fall back on using strength and explosion to at least avoid getting mangled which exhausts me. I am a strength and conditioning professional so I've been doing everything you mentioned regarding recovery and mobility but I'm finding I can't train Bjj and still keep my lifting where I'd like it to be. After a few 5 minute rounds on the mat I feel like I've been run over by a truck (a feeling I love but is tough to recover from) to the point that I feel like more than 2 rolls a week might kill me. I never had the tumbling/gymnastics practice you mentioned and at this point, my joints are so impaired starting now would just make me more tired, creaky, and cranky. Any advice would be appreciated . Thanks

Started Judo at 59 BJJ at 60, could not have hung in there without a solid yoga, Pilates, and lifting background. What I would do different, start much younger.

Rick, I enjoy and learn so much from you. You are not only great at what you do but also a fantastic teacher allowing us to absorb things effectively. Ramon DeJesus,MD

Great stuff, Professor 🙏 Thank you

Great video! Very insightful

As a 54 year-old blue belt, your advice always resonates with me. Thank you.

All your videos hit home. Thank you for the great content…

thanks for posting and sharing this. it helps

I workout 4-5 days a week and train jujitsu mon wed fri . My strength training and cardio is non negotiable no matter how cold it is. I also use my Ice pod for cold water therapy 2 times a week. This helps with my inflammation and soreness. I am a 50 year old whitebelt.

Thank you for your insights!

Awesome video. Appreciate you sharing the knowledge. A suggestion you might think about is having themed classes. My Monday is Basics - No technique (Grips, where to grab, a solid triangle base, etc) Tuesday is Offense. Wednesday is Defense. Thursday is Dominant Position. Saturday is NO GI. Sunday is Refining - Taking the basic technique and modifying it to the student. Mon & Wed are 1 hr sessions. Tues, Thurs, Sat & Sun are 2 hours each.

I had no idea howie mandel practiced jiu-jitsu!!! Great video, thanks howie!

I'm 37 and I can't wait to be 40 to go to your seminar! 😂

You always have great advice - this video is no exception!! When I restarted almost 8 years ago, I would almost catch various submissions but not quite. Then I decided to focus on the Ezequiel Choke mainly due to its versatility - you could use it from so many positions, even bottom of mount. After having a lot of success with the Ezekiel, I started to feel like a one trick pony so I branched out and began improving other submissions. Now as a 3-stripe purple I almost never use the Ezequiel and probably am not that good at it anymore, but submissions that I could never get before are some of my most frequent finishers. It’s interesting how one’s game can change over time. 57 year old and been out 6 weeks due to a fractured cartilage connecting the ribs to the sternum. Apparently did it to myself with my own pressure against a 25 year old purple. 😂😂😂

Yes positional sparring usually goes 100%! Awesome video as always! Would love to hear a follow up, how would I train and work on things after getting a blue belt:)

Hey hey. 41 year old back belt here, 22 years of experience. I coach wrestling at the high school level as well. I’m 6’5” 290lbs and have been in the army the last 18+ years. I focus on calisthenics for fitness and positional sparring for newer people. I think positional/situational sparring is the number one way to improve quickly. And calisthenics builds actual body and core strength. My son just turned 15 in Jan and is 6’6” 280 and my daughter at 16 is 5’10” 190 so building their foundation was important to me. Anyways, I think your videos are a good look to the community. Keep killing it!

Really good points. Especially strength and mobility along with progressive resistance training. Finding partners willing to give progressive resistance to failure can be a challenge. Some upper belts will "let you work", others just smash. It feels like trying to learn how to deadlift, when all there is in the gym is a 500lb bar to train with. I hope the summit is a great success.

That's a great video.

I appreciate the insight. I’m starting at 54 so it’s good to hear these lessons

I hope you record the summit. It sounds like excellent content.

Love this video! Im a 35 Y/O white belt. Would you put sweeps and escapes in the “defensive” category? I was coached by a friend purple belt that I accept bad positions a lot. Like bottom side control.

This is all great information. I started training a couple months ago and i get smashed very regularly. It is disheartening being so vulnerable when i roll at this stage in the game. Maybe i need to shift my focus to defense and not worry so much about getting the submission but rather focus on not getting submitted

Learning takes days, by which I mean what you put in your head doesn’t really become learned until you sleep on it and process it, and try again. So by nature learning takes days. There’s only so much you can input into your brain in a training session. Hence, the advantage of frequency over volume. Intensity is overrated, this is why the latest trend in most martial arts is lighter sparring over high intensity sparring.

51 yr old blue belt here, strength training and flexibility are a must. Train smart, choose your partners wisely, tap early. Mantra: don't get hurt. Thanks for the video.

Second time watching this. 4months in makes more sense. TY. Be back in 6mos. 🤣💪🏼

Merci for the video, very similar to my 25 yers journey improving my cuban dancing. I will implement it in my bjj.

I live in NM, which is a state in the United States, not Mexico. Also, we have mountains and get all 4 seasons. 😆 With that out of the way, I feel exactly how you did once October hits. It's sweaters, chili, and using the gym less frequently than Spring through Summer. It made me laugh, because we got a cold weather return in April and here I am sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee instead of lifting in the gym.

I love your content and listen to your videos quite frequently. I am a 37 year old white belt with 2 stripes. I train usually about 3-4 times a week. I really like what you said about intensity however I find that guys at my club go hard, how can I dial down my intensity when someone else is going hard?

I always enjoy your videos, Rick. From this one I have a question: Regarding topic number five, I agree in principle, but as a white belt currently I feel that there are so many techniques that I have yet to be exposed to that I think it might be early in the game for that (like picking your college major in eighth grade). Would you recommend this idea for as early as you see a technique that clicks, or wait 'till you have a few stripes, or even until closing in on blue belt?

This is so true. I rolled alot with black belt in my gym.get Smashed everytime. I develop to stay comfortable from the bottom and know where to put my hands and knees.

What I would do differently is I would never do free sparring with training partners I don’t know and even the ones I do know, 90% of the sparring would be strictly positional training. I find 2 position positional training is the most effective and safest way to train there is for many reasons. It’s how Rickson and Henry do it and for good reasons. I’ve never been hurt training positionally but have been injured many times going full spare and it’s usually by a younger guys I don’t know. I am a 42 year old blue belt.

I started Jiu-Jitsu at age of 59 and I love this sport.

Thanks again for the great content Rick!😎🙏🏼 as a 52yo white belt I'll start implementing these things now, and hopefully avoid some pitfalls! BTW I'm in Maine and was curious if you trained BJJ when you lived here? And if so where/with whom?

Just started couple of months ago as a 39yro. I have a long background of sports, mostly gym and weights that have been very consistent. I can see how this would be way harder if i just came in without any fitness level prior to this. People that are younger and more experienced are obviously going to win most of the time, but i am eager to learn and hopefully its a life long commitment. Not gonna lie, my back hurts all the time, not nerves but muscles. If you go hard injuries are bound to happen, but i cant see anyone doing BJJ and not trying their best.

I only get one day a week, rest of the week I am working. I do shadow reps as part of mobility training but I definitely wish I could get more mat time as a 40 yo white belt.

where did you live in Maine?

As a 52 year old blue belt my defense is what I am known for at my gym. Now if I can get my offense to that level. Thank you for your wisdom professor.

Is always good to see you here. I feel that 2 days and an open mat is doing wonders for me. I am feeling that i am progressing well and give me time to do 3 days of yoga/workout . All this keeps me strong and gives me time to recover. I'm turning 43 this year. 2 years and 2 months blue belt 🙋‍♂️🤼 You and the Roys are my favorite online coaches , I have learned so much from you guys

As a new student at 55 yrs old. I want to be good. I am trying to figure out. How many times to go ea week.

I would like to see more grapplers who partner dance.

I like your shirt! Any plans to make a female variant for the "Old Women" who train? 😊

52 yrs old, been a blue belt since 2017. It hurts.

You can open a school as a brown belt?

You are always a white belt to someone. So, it is easy to experience this hahahahahaha

I’m 37. They say I’m too passive since my wrestling and size seems to help me sweep and wrestle up to top position often. But I feel there is a mental retardation with my offense. I think of going for something, and lose my position and control. I’m 6’3 235 lbs. I’m carnivore and I am a white belt 6 months now. My question is, how do I break past this mental block of falling apart as I go for offense?

If people used your approach more people would remain in BJJ instead of quitting from repeated injuries. Most of the real aggressive offense originated students leave with a year because their only interest in winning not learning.

man you move well ( not for an old guy just in general)

I actually have been doing almost all of these things and still suck balls. It hurts the most when I get my ass kicked by less experienced white belts, like yesterday. Bjj is hard.

Kids can get those gymnastic skills in a functional way practicing Judo I would say.

Ok Ellis, help me out...Please. PLEASE. This one thing most students and instructors fear when they watch me: my defense skills. I swear and they tell. Why? While sparring I will consciously and deliberately even hand you any of my limb, and almost say here, take it, submit me...Good luck. While the student or the instructor will try to tap me, I will literally pummel, juggle and play wing Chung kung fu with my grips and their grips. Nothing satisfies me more than to observe a solid skill level blue belt, stop his armbar attack on me, cause he's simply out of ideas to finish me. I do have a deadly clos guard guillotine, but I'm asked to not use it too often. So my defense becomes what puts lot of em to shame. Tell me if I'm in the wrong. Please. Anyone.

Pretty sure gymnastics makes kids shorter I feel like wrestling since a young age would be way better especially if you don't cut weight and overtrain as a kid

Unfortunately the intro and build up was long and I found nothing of interest in first 4 mins so I left