OLD GUY

[soreknuckles]

Hi guys,

Is 1 class of bjj a week ok for an old guy, or do you need at least 2 to make average progress in this great style.

Cheers

[Menjo]

just depends on the person, id say go at your own pace and you decide wether to train more or not,

[TJS]

you will progress with 1 class a week but it's going ot be pretty slow. 2 would be better if it's possible for you.

[Menjo]

ask your instructor what he would think would be best for you to

[White Warlock]

Hi,

Old is not a significant indicator of whether you have any physical issues that limit your ability to physically practice. If you are out of shape, then i can tell you once a week is a good way to 'injure' yourself, as you'll never receive sufficient exercise to get in shape or limber up. An absolute minimum of 3 days a week, 1 hour per day, with a fifteen minute warm-up and a 15 minute cooldown is what i recommend if you are out of shape.

If, on the other hand, you have physical injuries, and/or your goal is not to get in shape, the circumstances would need to be clarified in order to receive some guidance. All in all, however, the best advice in such a case... will need to come from your doctor.

[Enviroman]

Hi,

An absolute minimum of 3 days a week, 1 hour per day, with a fifteen minute warm-up and a 15 minute cooldown is what i recommend if you are out of shape.

I think that's a bit harsh. To say 3 times a week is an absolute minimum (implying that 4-5 is "normal" and training everyday is optimal) is sort of absurd. If you are referring to just basic exercise, then ok. But if you mean that he should train minimally (in BJJ or whichever style) 3+ times a week...well, that's just not feasible for most people. Cost-wise and opportunity-wise. Heck, most BJJ schools in my area train only 2-3 times a week!

I'm not trying to come off as rude, I'm just saying that 1-2 times a week (2 is infinitely better than one) with another 1-2 times a week cardio/weights/stretching should be adequate.

[White Warlock]

I'm not trying to come off as rude, I'm just saying that 1-2 times a week (2 is infinitely better than one) with another 1-2 times a week cardio/weights/stretching should be adequate.

I didn't perceive your response as rude (well, except for that 'absurd' remark).

What we have going on nowadays is a grand dilution of training and conditioning. People are being introduced into the arts as if such 'studies' were Friday night outings. In truth, it's school. It's education, and such things don't become ingrained if you don't practice regularly, and diligently. Practicing for 1-2 days a week, an hour or less a day, causes the student to spend an inordinate amount of time 'rehashing' their studies in class, repeatedly, and thus gaining very little ground.

Mind and body memory are tricky things and vary from person to person. But research has repeatedly demonstrated that actions and thoughts are generally not stored in long-term memory unless it is traumatic, or unless it is repeated within three days, and again repeated (i.e., three washings within a 7 day time period).

Getting things into long-term memory is the first step to getting them into muscle memory. If you cannot recall the actions consciously, it is not likely you will recall actions subconsciously, or instinctively.

Practicing the arts is not about reading a book, it is about memorizing each and every paragraph of that book, so there's a lot of rehashing required. If you pick up that book once or twice a week, read a chapter and don't review the previous chapter, you're going to find yourself somewhat lost everytime you pick up that book. Take that a step further and consider the need to 'memorize' each and every paragraph, and you'll see that once or twice a week is grossly inadequate.

In the old days, and what is still done in traditional study groups, is 6 or even 7 days a week of study, for 2 to 4 hours of each day. That's how i studied for a time, and the knowledge i obtained from that was invaluable and an immense contrast to the days i used to practice with the mentality that it was an occasional pastime.

But, you do have a point, in that it truly does matter the 'intent' of the practitioner. If all they want to do is stretch their bones, and utilize martial arts as the tool for such, or all they want is some means to be in some social setting on occasion, then once or twice a week is absolutely fine.

Also consider, we are talking about the student, not the master. Once you've obtained a firm grasp of the basics and are then studying the esoterics, slowing it down a bit is not going to cause you to 'lose' what you've already learned. As the old saying goes, "it's like riding a bike."

[Enviroman]

In the old days, and what is still done in traditional study groups, is 6 or even 7 days a week of study, for 2 to 4 hours of each day. That's how i studied for a time, and the knowledge i obtained from that was invaluable and an immense contrast to the days i used to practice with the mentality that it was an occasional pastime.

But, you do have a point, in that it truly does matter the 'intent' of the practitioner. If all they want to do is stretch their bones, and utilize martial arts as the tool for such, or all they want is some means to be in some social setting on occasion, then once or twice a week is absolutely fine.

Also consider, we are talking about the student, not the master. Once you've obtained a firm grasp of the basics and are then studying the esoterics, slowing it down a bit is not going to cause you to 'lose' what you've already learned. As the old saying goes, "it's like riding a bike."

And there's the crux of the issue. Most people cannot study for 6-7 days a week. Heck, most are lucky if they can go three or four times a week. To most people, martial arts is a pasttime not a profession. Do I think that it's beneficial for someone to train 7 days a week? Of course! I just don't think it's practical for 99% of practicioners.

[White Warlock]

Do I think that it's beneficial for someone to train 7 days a week? Of course! I just don't think it's practical for 99% of practicioners.

Thus why i recommended the minimum of three days a week, one hour per day. Frankly, i think that is minimum, and is a far cry away from seven days a week, four hours a day. I.e., one is three hours out of a total 168 hours, while the other is 28. One is 1/56 while the other is 1/6. Obviously, huge differences there.

Nice chat. Later

[dave3006]

I am 43 years old. I am a Blue Belt. I go twice a week to class.

On the off days, I stretch, lift weights, and run. I am making progress. I don't want to go more because my family and kids are important too.