Are you an older BJJ student? Perhaps you’ve just started out and are wondering how you should go about it. Or maybe you’re someone who has some experience in training already, but are kind of confused so as to what you should be doing next.
Being an older Jiu-Jitsu practitioner requires making some adjustments. But don’t fret; these adjustments will make you just as good (if not better) than the majority of students. For starters, you should focus on the following 3 fundamental concepts, as explained by Professor Ryan Young from Kama Jiu-Jitsu.

1. IF YOU’RE AN OLDER BJJ STUDENT, FOCUS FIRST ON SELF-DEFENSE

One of the most worthwhile things you could learn in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is self-defense.
Professor Young advises you to find an academy that teaches BJJ through the worldview of defending yourself properly; for instance, a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu academy will teach you self-defense well.

2. FOCUS ON FOUNDATIONAL STUFF

When it comes to ground work, you want to focus on the things which are foundational. Which are fundamental. You’ll want to start out slow and make sure that you’ve truly experimented, used, and learned the techniques; rather than just went through the motions with them in drilling.
By learning the foundational techniques and climbing the ladder from there, you’ll find that you’re progressing in a much more sustainable and consistent matter.

3. IMPORTANT THINGS MATTER MORE

And finally, Professor Young explains that you should focus on the things that are “need to know” rather than “good to know”. What does this mean?
It simply means that you don’t want to waste time as an older BJJ student. You don’t want to learn unnecessary techniques that you will rarely ever use. Instead, it’s a much wiser idea to focus on the stuff that will truly make a difference in your Jiu-Jitsu… So that you utilize the time you have for training to the best of your abilities.