I started BJJ at the young age of 71 and am now 74. I’m still a white belt and for the first 12-15 months I was smashed at every class I attended. In fact after my first month, I took a higher belt to da ground and he said I would have scored 2 points. About 2 months into training I went to the bathroom and pissed blood. I went for a PE and I was diagnosed with 2 broken ribs and a injured kidney. I stayed away for a month and returned to class where I was continually smashed for months. Now, 18-19 months into my training I’m getting smashed less and I’m finally beginning to comprehend the vocabulary and techniques. Bottom line, keep training and really enjoy da ride.
I came here to find out how to smash other white belts and came out understanding how wrong and destructive my approach was not only to BJJ but to my whole life. That was the tip of the day! Thank you very much, Chris!
Lol, you don’t use your brute force. That will get your butt absolutely destroyed against good people. You have to play with your deck of cards with your opponent. Almost like a game of go fish or war. Also, you need speed.
I am a 54 year old beginner and did my first BJJ class yesterday. I was really nervous and I do not know anything. The gym made me feel welcome and after I found this video and ordered the book . Thank You so much for your advice. I am really out of shape but I am going to keep going.
I want to congratulate you for taking your first step! That act alone is an incredible feat; well done! Know that you’re not alone..almost every single student who steps through our academy’s doors share those same feelings of nervousness - it is nearly universal. I’m glad to know this video served you. And with any sort of activity-based endeavor, the more you do it, the more you’ll find yourself getting in shape.
Great, I started a little older, best decision I’ve ever made. This advice is solid. From a 65 year old 2 stripe blue belt just stay humble and keep showing up.
59 and overweight. MMA fan since UFC 1 and started getting interested in watching grappling like Gordon Ryan and the Danaher Death Squad. One of my grandsons was getting bullied, he’s 11. I asked my daughter to think of bjj classes and she said I should take him. 4 classes in and loving it !
@@archiemann1397 Made it through a year. 60 now and still love it but forced to take some time off due to left hip arthritis and left hip flexor psoas impingement. Couldn’t even get in and out of a car. But, moving to another country to retire and hoping to get back at it asap. I hope to be playing BJJ into my 70s. I recommend it to everyone !
So, I didn’t even realize that I already have two of your audiobooks in my library. I’ve been listening to On Jiu-Jitsu as I walk in the mornings and it’s YOURS! 😂😂😂😂 that’s so wild.
This is too bizarre. I just finished up “On Jiu Jitsu” and read your comment. I didn’t realize “5 rules for White belt” was the same author. Too funny🤘🥋
Very well said professor, I just did my first class. I am sad to say that I am very out of shape and I gassed out during warmups. I couldnt finish them. However, I am incredibly excited to continue. I am 31 and I know that I will get better. No one ever got worse by showing up.
I just started BJJ with my two teen sons. I also just got your book on Audible and listed to it twice in a row. Great information! Thanks for making it available!
About six months in and training at a great gym with a lot of willingly helpful upper belts. Definitely still playing the fool daily, nice to have a reminder of how normal that is. Really great advice, definitely ordering a copy of the book. Thanks for sharing.
I have a black belt in another style, I’m 62 years old and I have survived one heart attack. I started training in Jujitsu one month ago. It has been a humbling experience, but I was trained well enough in my other style to realize that it is a journey of failures and successes. Ego has no place on the mat. It would easy for a younger and more skilled practitioner to injure me instead of taking a pace that would me build up over time. Always consider the age and medical and physical condition of your practicing partner. I appreciate advice in this video, very wise.
Amen! Glad to hear you have found your way to Jiu Jitsu and that your past experiences can serve this goal. Wishing you great health, my friend! (It sounds like you have the perfect philosophy to succeed in this discipline, btw!)
Love the precision in your language Chris. I’m a late comer to the sport and enjoying it immensely at present. Keep one foot in chaos and one in order... love it! I will give your books a go. Thanks again.
Chris the presentation you have put forward is paramount in developing your BJJ as a White Belt, but as you point out Jiu Jitsu teaches you skills that carry you forward in many other important aspects of Life. The word “ Humble” is key to BJJ and Life. Absolutely thought your White Belt book was Fantastic, please share the link to know where one can buy it, I’m sure lots of avid BJJ students can learn from your book. Nicolas
I'm honored that you found the video useful and so happy to hear that you've started the journey! Stick with it and it will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.
btw, In case you want a little more, there is a playlist on my channel that I recorded a few weeks ago that has 10 2-3 minute videos. Feel free to check them out.
@@Alejandro-du6vq Awesome! Thank you for that. We plan on putting at least one video per day over through the end of May and your feedback is appreciated.
If I can give this video a million likes and views I would. Thank you for this I needed to hear it. Much love and respect to everyone training and continuing or starting your journey. ✊
Congratulations on taking the first step of your journey! The mind plays a massive role in our ability to learn and succeed, even in jiu jitsu. If you have any interest, I launched a FB group where we will be going deeper into that very topic - feel free to find me over there if you want to join!
You started jiu jitsu the week after you got out of college just like me ! I'm 24 and starting jiu jitsu, I was worried that I was too late and too old for it and I regretted not starting when I was a kid so that by now I would be a master. But you're a successful jui jitsu practitioner and great at jiu jitsu. Thank you.
I am in my 50s and started BJJ a few days ago after deliberating for years whether to take it up. For me BJJ represents a need to keep my body in shape ie keeping fit, and not to be competitive…I have kickboxing for that. The competitive bit will come later but for now it’s just about learning no longer how long it takes.
great content, its after class i digest my mistakes and how i could defend or correct them, during the roll everything is happening faster and my thought processes haven't translated to my limbs, muscle memory, its so humbling and at times frustrating , but I just keep going, the journey, great tips, thanks .
Thanks for these really helpful tips. I only currently have time to train 2-3 times a week due to busy family and work life - what tips would you have for me to maximise my progress in those sessions and what can I do away from the mat to supplement my training?
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Chris - love the video. Are you a JBP fan? Sounds like you've successfully integrated some of his teachings into your instructions..."walk fine line between order and chaos", ."ascend the hierarchy", "carry a heavy burden" :D
Transferable skills, my Judo Sensei described it as, big and little Judo. Little Judo is what you do in the dojo, big Judo is what you take with you through life.
I took my first class two days ago and still can’t walk right my thighs hurt so much but it makes me want to get stronger and be better any tips for someone who will get to roll for the first time in a few days
QUESTION FOR ALL BJJ- PRACTITIONERS ... I am a huge mma fan for two decades now, did boxing and kickboxing back in the day and thought about starting BJJ multiple times in the last couple of years but never dared to just because meanwhile I am overweight, have a very vulnerable shoulder (dislocated 4 times), a messed up meniscus because of years of playing football and am 42 years old. Now because of that I am not sure if BJJ is the right thing for me to do but at this point my desire for doing it is bigger than ever but like I said...I doubt myself because of the points I mentioned. I just want to collect a couple of opinions and advises. What do you people think? Thank you in advance.
Give it a shot. You’re never gonna have an answer until you try. When you go for your first class or few classes explain briefly to drilling partners or rolling partners about your past injuries and be willing to accept that they can put you in positions you’d never even thought of. You will either become like a sponge and want to soak it all up and love it or realize that maybe it isn’t for you. It all starts with taking that first step into the gym that many aren’t willing to take.
There is a fighter/warrior inside of you wanting to come out. Go get it ! Commit to 3 classes - see how you feel - how your body responds - if you are worried about old injuries - acupuncture - diet - supplements and start walking and moving your body - you’d be surprised how much your body wants to heal - I think you should go for it - no regrets - good luck ! 🙏🏽
Dude go for it I'm 5foot 11 and weighed 340lb past experience boxing and ITF taekwon-do blackbelt (gained weight after I quit training) also injured shoulder years ago I'm 4 weeks into jiu-jitsu and I have started to lose the weight and havent hurt my shoulder yet just train within your limits and completely ditch your ego if you have one
That's a reasonably standard practice. We don't close fully, but have a reduced schedule around the holidays, to find the balance between instructors resting and affording students the opportunity to maintain consistency in training. I'd think big picture of the year: if that break allows your instructor team to rest, recoup, and provide massive value throughout the year, then as a student, I'd be fine with it. If I felt like they were just trying to abdicate responsibility, that's a different story.
Just recently started doing bjj and the coach’s style really put a bad taste in my mouth. I’m a really curious person and ask a lot of questions. Seems like the coach isn’t a fan. Just surfing RU-vid looking for some motivation, thanks for the advice.
