BJJ After 60: A Senior’s Guide to Safe and Effective Training (2024)

Let me tell you something amazing about training BJJ after 60 – it changed my life in ways I never expected. When I started at 68, I was looking to learn some ground fighting skills to complement my martial arts background. Now, a year and a half later, having earned my blue belt at 69, I’ve discovered that BJJ isn’t just about fighting techniques – it’s transformed how I move, think, and approach challenges in every aspect of my life.

The biggest surprise wasn’t the physical skills I gained, but how BJJ taught me to adapt, overcome, and keep growing at an age when many think it’s time to slow down. What I’ve learned on the mats about leveraging technique over strength, staying calm under pressure, and constantly finding ways to improve has carried over into everything I do. Even better, I’ve found a supportive community and a passion that keeps me excited to learn something new every day.

In this guide, I’ll share everything I’ve learned about making BJJ work for practitioners over 60 – from choosing the right training partners to managing recovery and adapting techniques for our bodies. While I’m writing specifically about BJJ after 60, you’ll find that many of these lessons apply to anyone who wants to understand the true essence of jiu-jitsu. It’s not about power or speed – it’s about learning to make the techniques work for your unique body while understanding what makes BJJ so effective.

New to BJJ? Check out our Complete Guide to Starting BJJ After 40.

All the good things you get from BJJ start with finding the right school. If you are new and looking for a BJJ gym then you will want to read my article How to Choose the Best BJJ Gym for Beginners: 10 Essential Tips.

Understanding the BJJ Journey After 60

I’ll tell you right now – starting BJJ after 60 is different from what younger folks experience. Even with my karate background, I quickly realized I needed to completely change my approach. That first week on the mats was a real eye-opener! My disciplined martial arts background helped, sure, but BJJ showed me a whole new world of movement I hadn’t explored before.

I remember thinking, ‘This is nothing like standing up and throwing kicks and punches!’ Everything in BJJ demanded a different kind of awareness – one that takes A LOT of time to develop. But here’s what I discovered: success at our age comes down to three things: how we adapt physically, how we develop technically, and how we manage our recovery. Skip any one of these, and you’ll feel it pretty quickly!

Building a Foundation for Success

Let me share what actually worked for me after a lot of trial and error. I found my sweet spot with two fundamental classes each week, plus one private lesson and a strike defense class. Why this combination? It gave my body enough time to recover while keeping me consistently moving forward.

Those private lessons? They turned out to be absolute gold. During these one-on-one sessions, I could really take my time breaking down techniques and figure out how to work around my limitations. Trust me, when you’re training BJJ after 60, having that dedicated time to solve problems makes all the difference.

Learn all about the pros and cons of private lessons, and how they fit into your BJJ joureny in my article Are Private lessons Worth It?

Safety and Adaptation in BJJ After 60

Here’s something I learned pretty quickly – when you’re doing BJJ after 60, you’ve got to be smart about safety. While our younger training partners might shake off a twisted finger or tweaked wrist, we need to be more careful. I remember early on, I jammed my fingers during a roll because I didn’t know how to grip properly. That taught me real fast about the importance of hand positioning!

You know what’s funny? One of the biggest lessons wasn’t about technique at all – it was about picking the right training partners. I had to learn to speak up about what I needed. Now, I’ll tell you straight up if I need to dial back the intensity. The best partners aren’t the ones who go easy on you – they’re the ones who can control their movements while still giving you the resistance you need to learn.

Technical Development and Progression

Let me share something interesting about learning BJJ after 60 – it actually follows two paths: the sport side and the self-defense side. While younger folks often dive straight into sport techniques, I found focusing on self-defense basics gave me a rock-solid foundation for everything else.

In our fundamental classes, we always start with self-defense moves before getting into sport positions. At first, I didn’t think much about why we started this way, but it started making sense pretty quickly. Those self-defense techniques taught me body mechanics that made the sport techniques click later on. It’s like building a house – you need a solid foundation before you start putting up walls. Plus, at our school we always emphasize that this a martial art first and foremost, and self-defense is a critical part of that.

The Physical Journey of BJJ After 60

I thought I was in decent shape when I started – OMG, was I in for a surprise! Even with my regular workouts, BJJ showed me muscles I didn’t know I had. Everything happens on or near the ground, and let me tell you, that’s a whole different ball game when you’re over 60.

Want to know what became my secret weapon? Mobility work. I spend a good 30-40 minutes before each class just working on movement, especially my hips and shoulders. Sounds like a lot, right? But trust me, this prep work has saved me from so many potential injuries and made my techniques work better too. When I skipped it once – just once! – my whole body let me know about it the next day.

Recovery And Sustainability

Let me tell you about something most folks don’t talk about enough when it comes to BJJ after 60 – recovery. It’s not just about resting between classes; it’s about actively taking care of your body. I learned this the hard way after trying to push through like I did in my younger days.

Here’s what actually works for me now:

• I do mobility work even on my off days – nothing intense, just keeping things moving
• I hit the sauna after training and finish with a cold shower (what a game-changer!)
• I make sure to give myself extra rest days when I need them
• I pay attention to sleep and what I’m eating (yeah, recovery starts in the kitchen)

I know that might sound like a lot, but trust me – this routine has kept me on the mats while others my age had to take long breaks.

Stephan Kesting has a great video on what happens as we age, and how to adapt your BJJ game after 40. (Heads up – he tends towards “colorful” language at times, but the video is worth a view.)

Building Sustainable Training Habits

Coming from traditional martial arts, I had to completely rethink how I trained. What worked for me in karate? That went right out the window when I started BJJ after 60. Let me share what I’ve figured out through plenty of trial and error:

My Best Training Tips:

• I stick to 2-3 sessions a week – any more and my body rebels
• I always take a full day off between training sessions
• I focus on technique classes rather than jumping into open mats
• I get regular private lessons to work on my specific challenges
• I drill the basics over and over (they’re basics for a reason!)

And here’s a big one – I learned to listen to my body. Some days, even when I’m scheduled to train, if something doesn’t feel right, I modify my training or take an extra rest day.

Partner Selection

Finding good training partners when you’re doing BJJ after 60 is like finding gold. Not everyone gets it, and that’s okay. I’ve learned to be pretty direct about what I need, and you know what? Most people really appreciate the honesty.

Here’s what I look for in training partners:

Folks who can control their movements (usually higher belts are great for this)

• Partners who don’t go from 0 to 100 in a split second
• People who understand that I might need to pause or reset
• Training buddies who focus on technique over power
• Partners who communicate well and check in regularly

At some point you will ask a training partner, usually another white belt, to ‘go easy’ on you, and then they will proceed to roll like they are in the world finals! After a few sessions like this you will get better about being much clearer about setting upfront expectations, while also recommending that some folks will need to be reminded during the heat of the battle.

The Technical Evolution

You know what’s interesting about learning BJJ after 60? We can’t rely on the same things younger folks do. While they might muscle their way through or use explosive movements, we’ve got to be smarter about it. And you know what? That’s actually turned into an advantage for me.

Let me share what’s really worked in my journey:

• I focused on defense first – learning how to survive before anything else
• I picked a few key techniques that worked for my body type
• I learned to use leverage instead of strength (what a game changer!)
• I developed what my instructor calls ‘old man strength’ – using position over power
• I built my game around control rather than submissions

Physical Maintenance

Let’s talk about something crucial that I wished someone had told me when I started BJJ after 60 – maintaining your body becomes just as important as training itself. What younger folks might shrug off could put us on the sidelines for weeks!

Here’s my daily maintenance routine (learned the hard way):

• I do specific mobility work for my hips and spine every day!
• I’m super careful with my fingers, toes and wrists – they’re not as forgiving as they used to be!
• I never skip my warm-up routine, even if I’m running late
• I do regular exercises to keep my problem areas strong
• I pay special attention to improving (and maintaining) my grip strength

BJJ after 60 teaches you something invaluable – how to listen to and adapt with your aging body. These skills extend far beyond the mats. The same mindful movement and body awareness that helps me escape bad positions in BJJ helps me stay mobile and active in daily life. I’ve found myself moving better not just during training, but while I’m working around the house just doing routine things like picking up clothes off the floor.

Measuring Progress

Here’s a real challenge I faced with BJJ after 60 – figuring out how to measure progress when the usual metrics don’t apply. I’m not planning to enter competitions, and comparing myself to 20-year-olds wouldn’t make sense. So I had to learn to celebrate different kinds of victories.

My Personal Progress Markers:

• Surviving and not having to tap out
• Being able to roll longer without getting winded
• Not panicking when I’m in bad positions anymore
• Executing techniques more smoothly
• Using less energy to accomplish the same things
• Maintaining better positions against bigger opponents
• Moving more comfortably on the ground
• Having better defensive responses

Being able to survive is the most important. This starts with learning to relax and breathe when you are rolling. Next is getting used to pressure. So you are not tapping just due to pressure alone (being put under pressure is part of BJJ – you get used to this over time). Then, over time, you start to get better at avoiding putting yourself in vulnerable postions. This is one of the long learnings in BJJ – it does not happen over night. Notice that nowhere in this did I say that survival means fighting to the death against a submisssion when you there in that moment. Learn to recognize when it’s over and tap early to avoid injuries.

The Mental Game

Let me tell you something interesting about being an older BJJ practitioner – our mental game can actually be our secret weapon. While younger folks often wrestle with their ego, we’ve usually got enough life experience to take a more measured approach.

Here’s what I’ve discovered about the mental side:

• I celebrate small wins (like finally getting that sweep I’ve been working on!)
• I focus on technique because I know I can’t rely on athleticism
• I’ve learned to check my ego at the door (easier said than done sometimes!)
• I set realistic goals that work for me
• I track my progress in my own way
• I keep a beginner’s mindset, always ready to learn

Recovery Strategies

Want to know the biggest lesson I learned about BJJ after 60? Recovery isn’t just something you do – it’s part of your training. The methods I used in my younger days just don’t cut it anymore.

Here’s my actual recovery routine (and yes, I follow it religiously):

• I do light movement on my off days – no heavy stuff, just staying mobile
• I alternate between sauna and cold showers (sounds crazy, but it works!)
• I maintain a consistent sleep schedule (this is non-negotiable)
• I pay attention to what I eat and when I eat it
• I manage my stress levels (because stress affects recovery)

Age brings wisdom about the importance of recovery, but BJJ teaches you how to actually do it effectively. I’ve learned that recovery isn’t just rest – it’s active preparation for what’s next. This mindset has transformed how I approach everything from training to travel to daily activities. It’s about sustainability and longevity, not just in BJJ but in life. I remember trying to skip recovery days early on – let’s just say my body quickly taught me why that was a bad idea!”

Building Community

Here’s something that really surprised me about starting BJJ after 60 – the incredible community you become part of. Sure, at first it felt a bit intimidating being the oldest person on the mats, but that changed quickly.

What I’ve Found Works for Building Relationships:

• I share what I’ve learned with other older beginners
• I try to learn something from everyone
• I join in on gym events when I can
• I help out newer students when appropriate, but I really try to not overteach by reminding myself I don’t know anything BJJ at this stage and am just as likely to give bad advice as good.
• I’m honest about my limitations and goals

FAQ’s

Conclusion

Let me wrap this up by summarizing what I think I’ve learned with my short time in this martial art. That said, it’s not just about learning a martial art – it’s about proving to yourself that you can still grow, still learn, still challenge yourself at any age.

What’s Really Important:

• Take it steady – this is a marathon, not a sprint
• Build those fundamentals – they’re your foundation
• Find your tribe – the right training partners make all the difference
• Keep showing up – consistency beats intensity
• Listen to your body – it’s telling you important stuff
• Stay curious – there’s always more to learn
• Be patient – progress comes at its own pace

Next Steps You Can Take:

• Visit a few BJJ schools – get a feel for their vibe
• Watch some classes – see how they treat older students
• Talk to your doctor – get cleared to train
• Start with fundamentals – build from there
• Connect with other older practitioners
• Keep a training journal
• Remember, everyone starts somewhere

Here’s something I wish someone had told me when I started: there’s no ‘right’ way to do BJJ after 60. Your journey will be uniquely yours. Some days you’ll feel on top of the world, others you’ll wonder what you’re doing there. But stick with it – I promise you, it’s worth every second.

Remember, in BJJ, we’re all lifelong students. Whether you’re just starting out or continuing your martial arts journey, there’s always room to grow, learn, and improve. And trust me – if I can do this at 69, you can too!”