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Clobbersaurus
01-04-2020, 01:07 PM
I’m sitting her staring at the gear below wondering what the heck I’ve gotten myself into!

https://i.imgur.com/GueN5kR.jpg

My two boys have been doing MMA (Kickboxing, wrestling and Jiu Jitsu) for a few years now. It’s progressed, at their request, to 5 days a week. I’m very proud of both of them, they have done well in local tournaments and their dedication is so great to see. I absolutely love watching them train and compete.

So I’ve been taking them to classes almost daily, sitting there watching them progress, and thinking about joining the adult classes that are held during the same time in other parts of the gym. I finally decided to push away the self doubt I had about it and just do it.

I figure it will be great for overall fitness, help me lose weight (which I have been working on), and help with my movement for shooting competitions. I’m also excited to learn new skills, the practical nature of these disciplines not being lost on me.

I’m quite nervous of injuring myself and have already talked to the instructors about taking it easy and working my way up to a more comfortable level. The Gym is a great space, very family oriented, with great instructors. They keep the atmosphere respectful and have done a great job keeping the egomaniacs away from their gym.

I start next week! I’m excited and nervous, and committed to giving it a few months to see how it goes. I’m going to go in with the attitude that I know nothing and really try to soak up as much knowledge as I can.

Clay1
01-04-2020, 01:18 PM
GOOD ON YOU!

Never stop developing the skill set.

Cory
01-04-2020, 01:20 PM
Awesome!

I have no wisdom or advice to give. Only that I'm hoping my schedule allows BJJ sometime in the spring. However at 28, I'm sure my worries of injury are overblown in comparison.

Things we're proud of are usually hard things. I think this could be one. Im certain your kids will love your involvment.

-Cory

Totem Polar
01-04-2020, 01:45 PM
Listen to your body, tap early, be aware of 20-something meatheads (who can be GREAT people, mind) with visions of being the next Connor McGregor, and you will be fine.

Clobbersaurus
01-04-2020, 01:52 PM
Thanks for the advice guys. I have not ego at all when it comes to fitness or MMA. I have a few weight goals to meet this year but with the MMA piece I just hope to not get injured, not injure anyone else and to be a good training partner.

45dotACP
01-04-2020, 02:38 PM
Good on you man! I'm about 4 years into it and trust me...its a great tribe to be in.

As far as injuries, don't be afraid to turn down a sparring partner if he doesn't have a grasp of how to control himself. There are dudes at my gym that I won't spar. I'll still cheer them on at a tournament and shoot the shit with them after class, but I've got a solid grasp of who goes too hard for me or who will crank a submission too hard.

Keep loose and have fun. There are no wins in the gym. Ya still gotta go to work the next day.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

GAP
01-04-2020, 02:43 PM
Wear headgear every time you spar. I had 12 MMA fights during my career and never experienced a knockout, concussion, or broken nose.

Consistency is where you’ll notice progress. A few weeks in the movements, drills, and even sparring will get easier as your body acclimates to the stress.

There’s a difference between sore and injured. If you are injured, ice up and rest. If you are sore, bite harder on your mouthpiece.

Keep your hands high, check kicks, and use technique rather than weight/strength advantages when you grapple.

Don’t be the goofy guy that jokes and giggles while rolling. The guys there to learn find it annoying.

Leave the ego at the door and don’t be lazy with drills. Do them with purpose to build muscle memory, rather than just going through the motions.

Good luck!

Clobbersaurus
01-04-2020, 03:17 PM
Thanks for the advice guys, all good points.

UNM1136
01-04-2020, 07:06 PM
The voice of experience....
JodyH.

pat

Cheap Shot
01-04-2020, 07:55 PM
OP's SN checks out.

Best of luck, and keep us posted!

KneeShot
01-05-2020, 02:44 AM
Fuck yeah for stepping over a threshold Clobber!... and GAP hit the nail on the head. To relate I’m 38, above the knee amp on one side and have been rolling for 2yrs.

You may have just bumped me into checking out the MMA classes.

Little injuries are bound to happen, ice up and rest like GAP said.

Thanks for the motospiration!

Cookie Monster
01-05-2020, 09:49 AM
My boys are 4, there is a BJJ place an hour from my rural location. Their program starts at 5 years old. I’m 44 so I am figuring I’ll get dragged to the mat here in the next few years. Oh man, it’s gonna hurt.

JodyH
01-05-2020, 09:55 AM
Have fun. I started MMA in my early forties and had a blast (I turn 50 this year and only train and do grappling tournaments now).
Tap when you need to (not necessarily when you want to LOL) and only train with people who respect the tap.
When you're older avoid dynamic takedowns (giving or receiving). Learn to wrestle them to the ground and how to avoid getting double legged.
Spar with full gear and preferably the heaviest gloves that can be worn.
As an older guy you'll never be quick. Don't even bother trying to use techniques that rely on speed, do learn how to counter them though.
Cardio, believe it or not us older guys can have insane cardio. Use cardio and economy of motion to grind down the younger faster guys.
Old boxers will tell you the last thing to go is power, you're going to be slow so you have to make the shots that do connect count.
I found that on the mental side we don't get nearly as amped up nor do we panic as fast when put in a bad spot as the younger guys.
Try to think your way into and out of situations because that along with cardio are the two biggest advantages older guys have.
Listen to your body and recognize the difference between being ridiculously sore and being injured, because you'll experience both.
If you're just sore work through it, If you're injured work with your coach so you can stay in the gym working on things that won't aggravate the injury.

Biggest thing is always make the effort to walk in the door and step on the mat, even if you don't feel like it.
Once you're in the gym listen to your body and walk out from there if you're not feeling it, but always make the effort to step onto the mat for every single scheduled workout.
You'll quickly learn there's a difference between a real and a fake "I'm just not feeling it today".
I have had the puking flu and still showed up (didn't shake hands with anyone, told the coach what was up) took my shoes off stepped on and then off the mat put my shoes on and went home.

Have fun, it's an adventure and one hell of a workout.

Clobbersaurus
01-05-2020, 10:54 AM
Have fun. I started MMA in my early forties and had a blast (I turn 50 this year and only train and do grappling tournaments now).
Tap when you need to (not necessarily when you want to LOL) and only train with people who respect the tap.
When you're older avoid dynamic takedowns (giving or receiving). Learn to wrestle them to the ground and how to avoid getting double legged.
Spar with full gear and preferably the heaviest gloves that can be worn.
As an older guy you'll never be quick. Don't even bother trying to use techniques that rely on speed, do learn how to counter them though.
Cardio, believe it or not us older guys can have insane cardio. Use cardio and economy of motion to grind down the younger faster guys.
Old boxers will tell you the last thing to go is power, you're going to be slow so you have to make the shots that do connect count.
I found that on the mental side we don't get nearly as amped up nor do we panic as fast when put in a bad spot as the younger guys.
Try to think your way into and out of situations because that along with cardio are the two biggest advantages older guys have.
Listen to your body and recognize the difference between being ridiculously sore and being injured, because you'll experience both.
If you're just sore work through it, If you're injured work with your coach so you can stay in the gym working on things that won't aggravate the injury.

Biggest thing is always make the effort to walk in the door and step on the mat, even if you don't feel like it.
Once you're in the gym listen to your body and walk out from there if you're not feeling it, but always make the effort to step onto the mat for every single scheduled workout.
You'll quickly learn there's a difference between a real and a fake "I'm just not feeling it today".
I have had the puking flu and still showed up (didn't shake hands with anyone, told the coach what was up) took my shoes off stepped on and then off the mat put my shoes on and went home.

Have fun, it's an adventure and one hell of a workout.

Thanks for the advice, I really do appreciate everyone’s responses in this thread. I’ve talked to several other older students at the gym about how to approach this, and in the beginning I will be doing one class a week. Hopefully that will turn into more, just like it did with my boys.

Either way I’ll report back here and let you all know how it goes.

Joshmill
01-06-2020, 02:57 AM
You're never too old to defend yourself and your loved ones. I'm 42.I still take firearms, stick/knife fighting, low light shooting, etc classes. It's unlikely you'll ever win an MMA title but you can still get in shape and learn some moves that will help you out in real life if the poop ever hits the prop for real. Plus it sounds like good quality time with the kids. Do it!

MK11
01-06-2020, 09:57 AM
Good for you. I started Muay Thai at 45 and a surprising amount of students were my age or older. Work hard but listen to your body. My classmates were supportive and willing to go as hard or as light as their partners wanted (except the women--they were headhunting all the time :)). Enjoy!

Cecil Burch
01-06-2020, 11:32 AM
You sound like you have the right mental attitude about it, and there is great advice in this thread. I don't have too much to add except keep in mind that it does not matter one bit how much better everyone around you is getting. You are not measuring yourself against them. Your measurement is the you of yesterday. If you are better than him today, than it is a win, even if it feels like everyone else is passing you by.

Clobbersaurus
01-08-2020, 12:18 AM
First class down. I took a fitness class, with more emphasis on cardio. It went okay, I worked a pace I was comfortable I would hopefully not injure myself.

Sprawls are hard. I need to work on those!

JodyH
01-08-2020, 08:05 AM
The stuff of nightmares...

"high knees now!"
"Go!, Go! Go!"
"Sprawl!"
"Up! Up! Up!"
"High knees! Go! Go! Go!"
"Shoot!"
"Shoot!"
"High knees! Go! Go! Go!"
"Sprawl!"

repeat for what seems like an eternity but is only a 3 minute round...

EPF
01-08-2020, 08:36 AM
I’m 46 and still train hard. I’m almost exclusively BJJ these days. I try to maintain the MT striking skills using a methodology Cecil B. explained to me at a class years ago using small windows of time to re-Inforce reps. But I can’t articulate it as well as he did and I would just mangle it if I tried 😀

IMO the number one rule for older people training is “DO NO HARM”. That applies to almost any age but for an older person just starting out it’s the golden rule. The number one goal is skill improvement. Anything I do that causes an injury or even overtraining sets me back in pursuit of my goals. If I can’t train tomorrow, winning the round today is meaningless. If a much larger less skilled opponent starts going to hard I just let him win or even tap. My goals are long term improvement.

To that end I’ve experimented with several different methodologies and settled on the classic tortoise and the hare. Rather than attend two of the advanced competition classes that are a high intensity fast paced 1:30 each week I make four one hour classes and use open mats where I can control my choice of partners, number of rounds, and drilling/sparring intensity.

For me, any more than that and the wheels start to come off. I want to be able to play with my kids hard and do family hikes etc. without pain. I don’t want to walk around sore all the time and nursing small injuries. Of course that’s not totally avoidable but I work toward that goal. I want to train at 60.

So my advice is find the correct intensity and frequency for your body and stick with it. Good luck, training is super fun and addicting.

Sal Picante
01-08-2020, 10:47 AM
BJJ sometime in the spring

Very nice! There are some excellent training opps in mid-FL too... Craig, RedBeard, DB Boon, etc...

Cecil Burch
01-08-2020, 10:55 AM
Very nice! There are some excellent training opps in mid-FL too... Craig, RedBeard, DB Boon, etc...

I will be there in the fall too

Cory
01-08-2020, 10:59 AM
I will be there in the fall too

Reee heee heelllly.... </ace ventura> I'll check on that.

I'm of course interested in seminars and workshops, however a shift in work schedule would allow a BJJ class with more frequency. That seems like the real long term win for me.

Dr. No
01-08-2020, 12:34 PM
I am late to the party too, started BJJ at 39. That plus mileage from the job and my body has been taking a beating. Plenty of minor injuries, nothing major yet. Big key is good training partners and tapping early. There are no medals in the gym. Good luck and enjoy the pain!

Cecil Burch
01-08-2020, 02:13 PM
Reee heee heelllly.... </ace ventura> I'll check on that.

I'm of course interested in seminars and workshops, however a shift in work schedule would allow a BJJ class with more frequency. That seems like the real long term win for me.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt. Grappling is so deep and broad a subject with so many variables that it just simple takes time to get decently proficient at it, so regular training is the key. I will indulge myself in a bit of ego stroking though to say that I can probably jump start someone and get them far more forward in their training than they will get in a weekly setting. I may be fooling myself, but I have had a pretty good amount of feedback the past 15 years to let me think that.

Clobbersaurus
01-10-2020, 01:28 AM
Day two in the books. Did a beginners kickboxing class. Super fun and quite a workout! I could really feel soreness in my glutes and hamstrings, doms was kicking in pretty good today. I’ve been doing lots of stretching and drinking a ton of water and the soreness is fine and manageable. The soreness went away during the workout but is back again pretty good now. :cool:

I bought a small canister of antibacterial wipes to wipe down my gear after the workouts and the mesh bag should allow the gear to dry much faster. Will take the rest of the week to heal up and hit it hard again next week.

Sal Picante
01-10-2020, 10:16 AM
I will be there in the fall too

46997

45dotACP
01-10-2020, 11:22 AM
Day two in the books. Did a beginners kickboxing class. Super fun and quite a workout! I could really feel soreness in my glutes and hamstrings, doms was kicking in pretty good today. I’ve been doing lots of stretching and drinking a ton of water and the soreness is fine and manageable. The soreness went away during the workout but is back again pretty good now. :cool:

I bought a small canister of antibacterial wipes to wipe down my gear after the workouts and the mesh bag should allow the gear to dry much faster. Will take the rest of the week to heal up and hit it hard again next week.

The wildest thing is how the soreness falls away when you start moving around.

I could walk into the academy smoked from doing deadlifts in the morning but if I get a chance to shoot for a double leg you'd best believe I'm gonna go for it.

The stretching is good and the antibacterial wipes is an AWESOME idea.

If you don't wrap your hands while wearing the big 16oz gloves I recommend it as well. Not just for protecting your joints (although they do that too) but you can throw hand wraps in the wash and it means less sweat in your gloves so hopefully you don't need to throw them in the garbage or burn them two years down the road (ask me how I know lol)

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Chance
01-10-2020, 03:55 PM
I’ve been doing lots of stretching and drinking a ton of water and the soreness is fine and manageable.

If you're a heavy sweater, you might want to consider taking some thermotabs before you start training. About 500mg of sodium (three tablets) can make a huge difference in endurance for heavy sweaters.

Clobbersaurus
01-10-2020, 11:02 PM
The wildest thing is how the soreness falls away when you start moving around.

I could walk into the academy smoked from doing deadlifts in the morning but if I get a chance to shoot for a double leg you'd best believe I'm gonna go for it.

The stretching is good and the antibacterial wipes is an AWESOME idea.

If you don't wrap your hands while wearing the big 16oz gloves I recommend it as well. Not just for protecting your joints (although they do that too) but you can throw hand wraps in the wash and it means less sweat in your gloves so hopefully you don't need to throw them in the garbage or burn them two years down the road (ask me how I know lol)

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

That’s a good idea. I wrapped my hands as I’m very concerned about damaging my hands/wrists and negatively affecting my shooting. The wraps were very damp when I took them off. The Everlast gloves I bought have a mesh material over the palm of the glove which is supposed to help them dry faster. I’m also using a mesh bag to aid in drying. I don’t want to be the guy with the stinky gear.


If you're a heavy sweater, you might want to consider taking some thermotabs before you start training. About 500mg of sodium (three tablets) can make a huge difference in endurance for heavy sweaters.

I’ll watch for this, thanks.

Polecat
01-11-2020, 12:15 AM
I started a couple years before you. Youll be fine, pick the right gym. I started in Muay Thai, Boxing, BJJ, Krav Maga. I love it all. I think a good “real” physical is most important. Be really careful with sparring. I used to spar much more regularly. I think if both parties are mature and careful youll be ok. A lot to be gained from the timing distance experience you get from sparring.

Good luck, I say go for it.

Totem Polar
01-11-2020, 12:23 AM
...so hopefully you don't need to throw them in the garbage or burn them two years down the road (ask me how I know lol)


I just gave my old gnarly extra stink glove pairs to southnarc to add to his traveling ECQC kit. For anyone taking that excellent course in the future, you’re welcome. :D

JodyH
01-11-2020, 09:45 AM
That’s a good idea. I wrapped my hands as I’m very concerned about damaging my hands/wrists and negatively affecting my shooting. The wraps were very damp when I took them off. The Everlast gloves I bought have a mesh material over the palm of the glove which is supposed to help them dry faster. I’m also using a mesh bag to aid in drying. I don’t want to be the guy with the stinky gear.

You'll quickly wear out those Everlast gloves if you train a lot (especially if you're a heavy sweater).
I use Ringside glove style "Gel Quick Wraps", super easy to just throw in the washing machine, plenty of support as well. I have two pair and alternate wearing them.
For gloves I have Top King Thai style 16oz. gloves. Damn things are almost indestructible and haven't taken on a funk like the cheaper gloves (and I'm a heavy sweater).
I always open them up fully and store them vertically where the sweat will run out.
Meister Glove Deodorizers go in my gloves anytime they're not going to be used for a few days.

Clobbersaurus
01-11-2020, 10:53 AM
You'll quickly wear out those Everlast gloves if you train a lot (especially if you're a heavy sweater).
I use Ringside glove style "Gel Quick Wraps", super easy to just throw in the washing machine, plenty of support as well. I have two pair and alternate wearing them.
For gloves I have Top King Thai style 16oz. gloves. Damn things are almost indestructible and haven't taken on a funk like the cheaper gloves (and I'm a heavy sweater).
I always open them up fully and store them vertically where the sweat will run out.
Meister Glove Deodorizers go in my gloves anytime they're not going to be used for a few days.

I found those gloves at a discount store for $25 CAD (so like $3 U.S.) and couldn’t pass them up. Plus, I didn’t want to invest too much at the start until I really know what I like for gear or if this is going to be a long term thing (I really hope it will be).

Thanks for the tips on the wraps and Glove deodorizers. I’ll check those out. The tip on the wipes and bag I got from this video:


https://youtu.be/0rNu0mNdAmw

Bratch
01-11-2020, 11:34 AM
If you're a heavy sweater, you might want to consider taking some thermotabs before you start training. About 500mg of sodium (three tablets) can make a huge difference in endurance for heavy sweaters.

I just do a ½ tsp of table salt before class and before bed, gives me 1200 mg of sodium per 1/2 teaspoon. Put the salt in a juice cup and add about an ounce of water a couple times until it is down. I’m not a heavy sweater but am a heavy cramper, seems to be helping I can’t remember the last time I woke up with cramps in the middle of the night.

JodyH
01-11-2020, 11:36 AM
Check out deodorizer/sanitizer products marketed to hockey players, there's some really good stuff out there.

I also buy Tea Tree Oil Soap from the local hippie dippy natural store.
It's a really aggressive anti-bacterial so I pretty much only use it on my upper chest, back of my shoulders and feet. Basically places where there's a lot of "foreign" sweat contact.
I've never had any issues with the various RTD's (Rolling Transmitted Diseases like ringworm and weird rashes) that seem to make their way through the gym on occasion.

Bratch
01-11-2020, 11:44 AM
Not sure if they ship to the North land but it’s worth signing up for the BJJHQ and MMAHQ emails. They do a daily email with one item on sale, you can usually grab good gear at a discounted price but you never know what is coming so you can’t be in a rush. I’m currently watching for a good pair of 16oz Thai gloves.

Jermzzzzzzz
01-12-2020, 12:01 AM
Started Muay Thai, Boxing, and BJJ almost two years ago. I really wish I started when I was younger and still in shape. Been doing BJJ on and off, only 2-stripe white belt so far. Definitely enjoy striking more. Always gotta watch out for the younger meatheads who have no control.

Totem Polar
01-12-2020, 01:02 AM
I just do a ½ tsp of table salt before class and before bed, gives me 1200 mg of sodium per 1/2 teaspoon. Put the salt in a juice cup and add about an ounce of water a couple times until it is down. I’m not a heavy sweater but am a heavy cramper, seems to be helping I can’t remember the last time I woke up with cramps in the middle of the night.


If you're a heavy sweater, you might want to consider taking some thermotabs before you start training. About 500mg of sodium (three tablets) can make a huge difference in endurance for heavy sweaters.


This stuff is awesome. Disclaimer: made in Spokane; the guy who bottles it is one of our oldest friends in the area, so we’ve watched the company build. Good dudes. Totally keeps me from cramping—no mean feat since I’m closer to 52 than 51 at this point, and I get all my hydration from coffee and manhattans.

https://www.amazon.com/Lyte-Balance-Electrolyte-Concentrate-Servings/dp/B009I4H25U

jc000
01-13-2020, 11:33 PM
Well into my 40s, I still train and instruct Muay Thai a few times a week, to include sparring. I feel like I should be slowing down at this point but I really don't seem to be too badly. I have lost a bit of reaction speed so I go pretty playful with the really tough guys in gym. Really for the most part I keep the contact stuff light and technical.

With grappling I will roll pretty hard, but I've also hurt myself quite a bit too (like with a really nasty groin pull). I think you can do ok with high volume training if you maintain the intensity down to simmer. Go easy, lose the ego, take hot baths, take rest days, accept the aches and stiffness, lol.

Clobbersaurus
01-17-2020, 12:15 AM
Tonights class kicked my butt! Wow!

Side kicks are harder than they look! I’m loving learning the new skills, and the cardio training is very valuable.

The instructor reminded me that I had to keep my stance open and wide, which has so much crossover for shooting. I’m looking forward to seeing how this may affect my shooting over time.

Clobbersaurus
01-23-2020, 11:54 PM
First wrestling class tonight. Holy crap, that’s a whole other level of cardio.

We worked on double leg take downs and sprawls and then did some wrestling at the end. Very, very, fun, and very, very hard. I had a blast, and will definitely be back for more on that one.