“I’d love to try it, but I need to get in shape first.”
I hear this regularly. Someone is interested in BJJ, MMA or Thai boxing, but they’ve decided they need a few months of running, cycling or weight training before they can begin.
Those activities can help build general fitness. But each martial art also makes its own demands. You develop the movement, timing, coordination and conditioning for that discipline by practising it.
You can begin learning while you build your fitness. The important part is finding an appropriate starting point.
Starting BJJ at 42
I started Brazilian jiu-jitsu at 42, although my interest in martial arts began much earlier.
I’ve always been drawn to training that has a practical application: skills you can practise against resistance and develop beyond a cooperative demonstration. That interest led me to try different martial arts and eventually brought me to BJJ.
Previous experience didn’t mean I could skip being a beginner. There were unfamiliar movements, positions and problems to understand.
I earned my BJJ black belt at 54. At 57, I still train, coach and compete.
That’s my path. Yours might involve two sessions a week, learning something new and enjoying the people you train with. You can decide what you want from it.
The worries are understandable
Starting later in life brings some reasonable questions.
Will I be fit enough? Will I get hurt? Will everyone else be younger? Will I look foolish because I don’t know what I’m doing?
Then there’s the practical question: where does training fit between work, family and everything else?
These concerns deserve a proper conversation with a coach. You should be able to explain your experience, any limitations and what you hope to gain, then understand how you’ll be introduced to training.
You don’t need to apologise for being a beginner. Teaching beginners is part of a coach’s job.
Your first sessions should give you a foundation
When I coach someone who is older or out of condition, I focus the early sessions on movement and mechanics.
Depending on the discipline, that could mean learning how to stand, maintain balance, move your feet or coordinate a basic action. We work through the principles that help those movements make sense.
There is plenty to learn without making every exercise exhausting.
Intensity can increase as your understanding and capacity develop. A useful first session gives you something you can practise and a clearer idea of what you’re learning.
You build specific fitness through practice
A fit runner can find grappling tiring. Someone who lifts weights regularly can struggle to stay relaxed during padwork.
That doesn’t mean their fitness has no value. It means the task is unfamiliar.
Early on, you may use more effort than necessary. You might tense up, hold your breath or try to force a movement you haven’t yet understood. With practice, you begin to recognise where to place your body, when to act and when you can ease off.
General conditioning can support your training. It doesn’t have to become an entry requirement you keep moving further into the future.
Start at an appropriate level and give yourself time to adapt.
Don’t let enthusiasm set an unsustainable pace
One mistake I see is trying to train too frequently, too soon.
You finally start, enjoy it and want to attend everything. But your training still has to fit around your work, family life and ability to recover.
Choose a schedule you can sustain. You can add to it later.
The same applies during a session. You don’t have to match someone else’s pace simply because they’re beside you. A younger training partner may have different experience, responsibilities and goals.
Learn from them without using their workload as your target.
Choose your training partners carefully
Who you practise with matters.
A useful partner can work at an agreed level, give you appropriate resistance and respect your boundaries. That allows you both to learn.
If someone repeatedly ignores the agreed intensity or treats every exercise as a contest, speak to your coach and choose another partner.
Being selective is a sensible part of managing your training. You’re trying to build skills you can keep developing over time.
The benefits can extend beyond the gym
For me, martial arts have brought a better physique, greater confidence and a lot of happiness.
They’ve also given me a community.
There’s something special about regularly training with people who challenge you, help you work through problems and share the experience of learning. The camaraderie of a good team is a large part of why I keep coming back.
You might arrive wanting to feel fitter or learn to defend yourself. Over time, the people and the sense of belonging may become just as meaningful.
Give yourself the opportunity to begin
You may have limits to work around. You may need a slower introduction or a more manageable schedule.
Those things help determine how you start. They don’t automatically rule you out.
“Too old” is a label I’ve heard myself. It tells you very little about someone’s willingness to learn or what they might become capable of.
Find a suitable coach, discuss what you need and take the first step at a pace you can manage.
You can build from there.
Private coaching at SBG Manchester
I offer 60-minute private sessions in BJJ, no-gi grappling, striking, MMA and practical self-defence at SBG Manchester.
We start with a conversation about your experience and goals, then build the training around you. You can come alone or book a two-person session with a friend or training partner.
Get in touch to discuss your starting point, or explore private coaching with Simon Kenny. Please check availability before purchasing.
