So, I'm fortunate enough to have started grappling seven months ago, and I just hit that magical age--to which none of us is immune--of forty in September. I say "magical," because it seems to be common knowledge that at forty, our metabolism changes (so beer actually settles for the long-haul in the belly), and our muscles don't recuperate as quickly as they did only a few short years ago. At forty, our endurance can suffer a bit, as well.
I tend to believe that lots of these setbacks can be managed with a steady program of eating what we NEED to and working-out, but the truth is, regardless, that the course of biology is inevitable and unavoidable. Years of martial arts, weightlifting, and working in the woods are starting to take their toll on my joints, and my muscles aren't too happy about it, either. This doesn't please me, but I'm not planning to stop doing what I love, and one of the things that I love is MMA.
The thing is that I'm at the point where I know enough technical information and have had enough mat-time now, that I suck. I'm at this "peak of failure," it feels, and it's frustrating. I have no problem rolling with elbows that feel like white-hot ice-picks have been driven into them, or with a back that feels like balsa-wood about to snap, but I've found that it makes more sense for me--and probably guys my age and older--to start thinking about accepting that we are going to be kissing our "explosive" days and our "muscle-through-it" days goodbye soon enough. To me, it makes sense to really focus on technique to an obsessive degree. (If you're not forty yet, unless you're lucky or a freak of nature, you'll see. It's like crossing a crappy threshold. It's really weird.)
I've found that I learn best when we slow things down to fifty-percent. (With all due respect, I absolutely appreciate rolling with ANYONE at ANY speed if they're willing to roll with me; don't think I take that for granted.) At fifty-percent, it feels like I can break-down a pass or transition or submission into a slow-motion, "time-lapse" scenario and really tighten things up as I work it through. It allows me to intensely study all the responses a person can make throughout the transition, and it lets me feel-out different angles and openings.
What I'd love to do is get together with anyone in the forty-plus range who wants to work on creating solid bases and really polish-up the technical game and make everything as tight as possible so that we can adapt to natural changes and stay in the game (and even excel) rather than getting hurt and missing training and regretting getting older and not training enough or sooner in life. (I feel like I'm trying to make-up for thirty years of "wrong" training.)
I'm not looking to replace the regular rolling--god no. I'm looking to supplement in a way that really shortens the learning-curve so that I can go the distance in a match without constantly scrambling to survive, as well as avoiding those stupid muscle-rips and joint-pops that become more frequent and triggered by the stupidest things, like picking up a sock from the floor and having your back go out for a week, as we get older. I just want to play with all of these techniques and concepts that are CONSTANTLY on my mind, day and night, and tighten it all up.
If anyone's interested in something like this, let me know. Right now I'm trying to do Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (training in Milford Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays). I'm an hour out, and mornings aren't always best for old-dudes, but whatever. Snow is seriously going to cut into my attendance because of the drive, but I'm open to some ideas to make this work.
-Jeff
LOL!
-- Edited by 10Fires on Tuesday 29th of November 2011 09:37:37 AM
-- Edited by 10Fires on Tuesday 29th of November 2011 10:18:19 AM
__________________
"When you feel the same about the death of a blade of grass as you do about the death of the deer, then you are one with nature."~Stalking Wolf
Jeff, I'm nearly 47, started way-too-late, am suffering as you describe (both physically and mentally), and love BJJ too-much to quit. My only intention is to do exactly as John instructs (though, my performance may make it seem otherwise). However, I always appreciate the opportunity to roll with anyone, and I too like to go slow when possible. So, if we ever are at the school at the same time, count me in (unfortunately, I'm there T, Th, W/E). Good-luck to the aged!
ps - your signature quote leads me to believe you also studied with TBJ, yes?
Right on. I'd love to make Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I'm not sure that's going to happen. So if we do happen to attend some random time together, and you want to roll and break things down, that's awesome. I'll keep my eyes open for you.
Yes on the TBJ thing, too. Been studying since 12, and now I teach here. Another passion of mine.
__________________
"When you feel the same about the death of a blade of grass as you do about the death of the deer, then you are one with nature."~Stalking Wolf
Next time I see you in class, when we roll, lets go over some of the stuff you are having issues with. I am 36 but have had both acls reconstructed which at times affects my whole body. I think you come mondays, or even after Judo. Lets see what you are having issues with and see what we can do. Sometimes looking at things differently can help.
Hey, Dan. I appreciate that. Had to miss Judo last night, unfortunately, but I wanted to start coming in on Fridays, too. Does anyone show up for live rolling on Fridays?
I'm willing to work with anyone on anything, and what I'd like to be able to do is really slow things down during transitions, submissions, and sweeps to identify weak points or places to tighten up, as well as to identify proper angles. I figure the most important thing right now is to really solidify my base and then roll at fifty percent to find out where I keep leaving myself open. It's also time, I believe, to start figuring out strategy, like eliciting a response from my opponent in order to set-up sweeps and dominant positions. I need to start learning more about what to look for so that I stop giving up my limbs so unwittingly.
Looking forward to whatever comes up.
Jeff
__________________
"When you feel the same about the death of a blade of grass as you do about the death of the deer, then you are one with nature."~Stalking Wolf
