So kinda like the subject line says. I am 40 years old, and early into my Jiu Jitsu journey due to a Series of Unfortunate Events (Covid, personal stuff, you know how it goes).
I have no delusions of being the next great MMA phenom. I had one of your pretty typical Bad Childhoods™, and got into a number of fights because... who didn't in the 90s? I am well aware that my striking game needs work (Thanks Striker's Guide!), and obviously I plan to get a lot more Jiu Jitsu under my belt before I even remotely consider doing this. I know my grappling game is better than your average dude off the street, but I am still but a humble white belt. However, at my age, I know I have a very limited window to work in, and want to get at least one MMA fight in before it's too late. Is it stupid? Maybe, but it's not stupid if it works. Honestly, I just want to give it a go and see how it turns out.
So with all that in consideration, I would like some input from folks *who have been there*. No offense to anyone, but I'm not really looking to hear from people who watch UFC PPVs and coach from the couch. I have a few questions I would like to ask before considering this path any further.
1: Is a year enough time to get in the requisite training if I am dilligent? Obviously, I would want to work on striking and conditioning in addition to furthering my Jiu Jitsu.
2: Will Vale Tudo classes be helpful? (I am blessed that my academy teaches Vale Tudo, and it seems like a good resource to me). I do plan to check in with some boxing gyms in the area to get some more knowledge in that arena.
3: Where should I be looking for amateur MMA promotions/venues in my area (Ohio).
4: Am I in fact, too old for this kind of thing? So far, all my limbs function as expected, and I am in decent shape, though I am no adonis.
5: Anything else I should consider? I assume there's a *lot* I don't know going in.
Thanks for any input. I'm not looking for tummy rubs or encouragement, so much as honest-to-gods advice. If 40 or 41 is too far out in the deep end, I'd rather know that than just go in and get pummeled into a bloody heap lol.
The biggest challenge will be cardio. No amount of technique and skill will compensate if you gas out first before your opponent. And if ever you will do amateur fight, you may want to match with someone your age and training duration. Your gym should be able to find you a fight. If you dont really see yourself as a professional fighterand just testing your limit out there, gym vs gym invitational fight is better than actual promotion so there's lesser pressure to win and more of a controlled environment.
I did join an amatuer muay thai fight after 6 months of training and oh boy that was the longest 3 minute 3 rounds of my life. Lol.
This isn’t advice, but have you read the book The Professor in the Cage: Why Men Fight and Why we Like to Watch by Jonathon Gottschall? It is by a 39 year old English professor who details his decision to start training MMA and get an official fight. I enjoyed it and you reminded me of it, so I thought you might be interested.
I did it in my late 30s
Never wanted to be a world beater just wanted to tick it off my bucket list.
Diligent is the word for sure.
You're going to want to make sure you're working on striking, takedowns and jits equally and make sure your cardio is bulletproof.
I had a couple of fights and it was a great experience, wins and losses. I only stopped because the training was so tough. And you can't take shortcuts in your training for an mma fight.
The NAAFS was the organization for low to mid level MMA in Cleveland till a few years ago. To be perfectly honest unless you're training three hours a day five days a week the only level of MMA you have a fair chance of winning is against under trained/ under skilled scrubs. I get it though you feel time is running out, because it is, and you want to do it now. But you also don't want to lose to a fattie who was smoking a cig on the way into the ring. Put the time in and pay your dues; there's no difference between 40 and 42.
I understand where you are. I started training MMA at 42. I fought several times between then and turning 47. So yes, obviously, it is possible. I would encourage you to go for it. Now, in response to your questions:
1: Is a year enough time to get in the requisite training if I am diligent? Obviously, I would want to work on striking and conditioning in addition to furthering my Jiu Jitsu.
This is a difficult question to answer, as there are a lot of variables. First off, a lot depends on your starting point. How long have you been doing Jiu Jitsu? What is your striking experience? What is your current level of fitness? How many days/classes a week can you dedicate to training?
In my opinion, a year is probably the minimum amount of time you want to train before fighting. If it were me, I would work towards it for a year, then sit with your coach and determine if you are ready to start a camp or if you need a little more training.
2: Will Vale Tudo classes be helpful? (I am blessed that my academy teaches Vale Tudo, and it seems like a good resource to me). I do plan to check in with some boxing gyms in the area to get some more knowledge in that arena.
Again, it is hard to give you a certain answer to this one, because it largely depends on the quality of the class. That said, Vale Tudo training can be very valuable for MMA. That said, I take it from your questions that your gym doesn't actually have an MMA program? If at all possible, I would look into cross training at a gym that does. First of all, training Jiu Jitsu, Vale Tudo, and boxing is all well and good, but you need to train - and especially spar - MMA to be ready to fight. Putting everything together really is more than a sum of its parts. There is another reason, that I will go into below.
3: Where should I be looking for amateur MMA promotions/venues in my area (Ohio).
You shouldn't. You need a coach who knows the local MMA scene, has relationships with local fight promoters, and can negotiate a good first fight for you. In all honesty, you just don't know enough to do that yourself. You need someone who can honestly evaluate and describe your skill level and work with a promoter that they know and trust to help get you a good first fight. I can tell you from experience (a tale for another day) that trying to do it yourself can have disastrous consequences.
4: Am I in fact, too old for this kind of thing? So far, all my limbs function as expected, and I am in decent shape, though I am no adonis.
You are not too old. I, obviously was older than you are and, I suspect, in much worse shape. That said, it will be hard. Much harder than it would be for someone fifteen years younger than you are. If you are serious about it, willing able to dedicate enough time and sweat, you can step in the cage and not embarrass yourself. You will challenge yourself in ways that you could never imagine. You will earn the respect of your peers. And you will have the time of your life.
5: Anything else I should consider? I assume there's a *lot* I don't know going in.
I don't know anything about your personal life but, if you have a significant other, you will want to discuss this with them. It takes a lot of time, effort, and energy. It can create conflict if those around you are not supportive of the effort.
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask. Again, I say go for it! Respect and good luck.
When I read this post's question I was thinking to myself "no way to answer this in writing in a way that does the topic justice" but @@ptbeast did an amazing job. That is honestly the best advice anyone could give on an online forum -- he gave his personal experience that somewhat parallels what you want to do, and also emphasizes that you need to consult with your coaches.
By the way, I would also note that @@ptbeast has a pretty awesome advantage in that he is a highly, highly trained grappler with a lot of experience in both BJJ as well as general physical education.
Synthetic, post: 60553, member: 27893
So kinda like the subject line says. I am 40 years old, and early into my Jiu Jitsu journey due to a Series of Unfortunate Events (Covid, personal stuff, you know how it goes).I have no delusions of being the next great MMA phenom. I had one of your pretty typical Bad Childhoods™, and got into a number of fights because... who didn't in the 90s? I am well aware that my striking game needs work (Thanks Striker's Guide!), and obviously I plan to get a lot more Jiu Jitsu under my belt before I even remotely consider doing this. I know my grappling game is better than your average dude off the street, but I am still but a humble white belt. However, at my age, I know I have a very limited window to work in, and want to get at least one MMA fight in before it's too late. Is it stupid? Maybe, but it's not stupid if it works. Honestly, I just want to give it a go and see how it turns out.
So with all that in consideration, I would like some input from folks *who have been there*. No offense to anyone, but I'm not really looking to hear from people who watch UFC PPVs and coach from the couch. I have a few questions I would like to ask before considering this path any further.
1: Is a year enough time to get in the requisite training if I am dilligent? Obviously, I would want to work on striking and conditioning in addition to furthering my Jiu Jitsu.
2: Will Vale Tudo classes be helpful? (I am blessed that my academy teaches Vale Tudo, and it seems like a good resource to me). I do plan to check in with some boxing gyms in the area to get some more knowledge in that arena.
3: Where should I be looking for amateur MMA promotions/venues in my area (Ohio).
4: Am I in fact, too old for this kind of thing? So far, all my limbs function as expected, and I am in decent shape, though I am no adonis.
5: Anything else I should consider? I assume there's a *lot* I don't know going in.
Thanks for any input. I'm not looking for tummy rubs or encouragement, so much as honest-to-gods advice. If 40 or 41 is too far out in the deep end, I'd rather know that than just go in and get pummeled into a bloody heap lol.