Jiu Jitsu literally is for everyone. I hear people in the public mention how they’re too old to do this sport, and yet I am friends with and personally know people who not only train in their later years, but actively compete as well. In fact, I know 2 women who regularly compete in the Master’s 7 category (ages 65+) and often compete against women in much younger age brackets due to lack of competitors in their division. My professor (and domestic partner, or DP as I lovingly refer to him) won Master’s World’s as a Brown Belt at the age of 43 and got all the way to 3rd ranked in the world before being promoted to black belt and is now consistently smoking people on the mats. We train with a guy in his 50’s who just won European Master’s as a Blue Belt in is currently the 3rd ranked in his age division and belt level. It takes some serious chutzpah to go out there and compete regardless of age, but to do it after years of life experience that has significantly worn down your body is such an admirable feat in and of itself.
John Schell, my professor, has aged like fine wine in my opinion. He took his first cage match at the age of 42 and even though it didn’t go his way, he took another one only a short few months later, winning by knockout against an incredible athlete half of his age. In fact, he is in much better shape now than he was in his 20s and it is all because of the lifestyle Jiu Jitsu has accredited him. He also trains like a maniac and is more often than not the first person on the mats and the last person off of the mats, which honestly has inspired me to train harder and always consistently try my best. As much as his body probably aches and the numerous injuries and surgeries he has endured and he never complains means that I have no right to piss and moan either. In fact, his second match at Master’s Worlds last year was against a guy who had been a black belt longer than John had even been training BJJ, and he only lost by advantages, not allowing a single point to be scored on him. It is by far the most proud I have ever been watching my instructor, because I watched him fight so hard and never give up when I know there were situations that I would have relented to that he kept pushing past. I hope to have that amount of prowess and tenacity one day as well.
Betty Broadhurst is one of my personal heroes as well. She has actively tried seeking a match at Master’s 7 purple belt at every single major IBJJF event with no luck, always competing up several weight classes or down several age brackets. She even had world famous grappler Gordon Ryan plead her case and offer free private lessons for anyone in her division willing to step up and still have no luck. Yet I have never seen her bitch about her predicament. She is seriously one of the most amazing women I know and I reference her all the time when new women sign up at the gym. Through the amazing BJJ community, I have also met a Master’s 7 blue belt, Kathy Butler. This past week alone I have seen her post in 4 different Jiu Jitsu groups alone as well as her own personal facebook page in search of someone to come compete in her division for Master’s Worlds in Vegas at the end of August. These women are being so proactive in search of competitors and regardless of whether someone steps up or not, they will still compete. If these acts don’t inspire you then I don’t know what to tell you because I promise you they make me want to compete at every opportunity just because I know how much seeing female competitors of all brackets has inspired me and I hope I can be that inspiration for someone else in return.
Trevor Burns is a 51 year old blue belt that trains at my dojo. He is freaking ripped and can not only hang with guys half his age, consistently mops the floor with them as well. We will ignore the fact that his submission of choice is a wrist lock, but as far as skill is concerned, I can overlook his penchant for prison rules. We also have quite a few gentleman who started Jiu Jitsu later in life primarily because their children became involved in our kids classes and they wanted something to do together. A bunch of them even compete as examples to their kids and I think that kind of spirit and exemplary attitudes are inherently beneficial to not only their children, but other spectators as well. It’s kind of the whole mindset of “if they can do it, what’s stopping me from trying.” Go ahead and give it a whirl, and you will see that you are capable of so much more than you even realize. We are all inevitably (if we are fortunate enough) going to grow old, with all of the arthritis and achey joints and ligaments that come with it. Might as well have something to show for it because win or lose, the benefits of getting out there both physically and mentally will far surpass anything else.
Today is John’s 45th birthday. He has never been more athletic, capable, courageous, chiseled, (or as handsome ha) as he is right now. If I look a fraction as good as he does turning the corner towards half a century years old, I will be doing okay. Though with the way I’m going, he will keep aging like well-barreled whiskey and I will age like overly ripened spoiled milk in all of my curdled glory. It’s a good thing I got me such an impeccable piece of arm candy to show off when I’m withered and saggy. John has also offered to be the main sponsor of an all female grappling card of superfights in September where the money from the event will go towards charity because as I said, he leads by example and loves to support women in the art. Don’t let age change you, but instead change the way you age. Aging is mandatory, but growing up is optional. You are never too old to set a new goal or to chase a dream. After all, the time will pass anyways, might as well look as good as John Schell while you do it.
