Taking up BJJ in my mid 40's?

[gubbs]

baronbvp,

I also train under Pedro Sauer. When you train with him he will tell you that the most important technique you can apply is the tap. That's the technique that keeps you safe. Pay attention in class, don't train with anyone who seems to go harder than you feel you can go. Pedro is one of the most technical and skilled BJJ practitioners in the world (that's a title voted on by the ADCC). If you train properly, your liklihood of serious injury is certainly less than in Muay Thai. There will always be bumps and bruises here and there, but I'm sure you're used to that.

What you mention here are some of the things that make BJJ attractive to me. I would love to be able to train with this style. Like you say, ps1, as long as you tap when you feel it, you should stay pretty injury free.

One question I do have is this: Do you ever have a problem with students who go into a technique too fast and too hard, causing an injury before the other student is able to tap?

We get people like that at my club every now and then. A lot of beginners will get frustrated and try to muscle a technique and just spaz out till they get the submission. So far I haven't seen anyone get injured from that, but I've seen a few close calls. As soon as we see that someone doing that, we stop them right away to prevent anyone getting injured.

[baronbvp]

I remember a guy in early UFC who knew he was beaten, tapping on the other guy's back like a madman. You could see the other guy was determined to break his arm, and he just came down on it with all his weight. I call that battery. But of course, it was UFC.

I've seen some accidents, too, though usually you can tell when you are vulnerable. I got hurt wrestling in college when my partner had my arms pinned to my sides while grappling standing. He was moving us sideways trying to make me fall and I, of course, resisted. When I finally fell on my right shoulder, I fell hard enough to damage the rotator cuff and end my season. It wasn't my fault, but I knew it was coming and couldn't prevent it.

Incidentally, I can still feel that injury if I roll over in bed wrong.

[Konoko]

My Judo instructor is 50 and we recently had a 58 year old come train with us they are 5th and 4th dan and have been doing judo for many years and could throw and submit any of us youngins!

[baronbvp]

I've seen quite a few older martial artists in the black belt ranks. It's those of us who are just starting a new style, and have never held a high belt, that worry about injury.

Obviously I don't worry enough to stay home...

[bushido_man96]

Thanks, guys. Those posts pretty much answer my question!