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First off, thank you guys for all the support. I know I've been away for a while but life hits hard sometimes. It's good to be back. I'm looking for some advice from the older guys here. I'll be 36 in a few weeks and I feel like I have a second wind but recovery is taking 4 times as long. What routines do you guys have for staying young?
Yoga, core strength and flexibility training along with a super strict diet!
trt?
Seriously though, besides yoga, what other resources do you recommend for core strength and flexibility?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Herzog
Oh yeah, what's your wife's website again? I'm guessing some of her product would also be beneficial, right?
Diet is the hard part coach. I'm small but I like to eat junk. I'll get back on the yoga and core. I'll try harder to eat better.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Herzog
I'm 32 so not that much younger. My main suggestion is listen to your body. If your beat up and aching, don't push it. Also stay away from young roided out white belts that psycho out. Pick good training partners. Stay away from guys that are significantly bigger than you (I've learned this the hard way a few times). Sometimes their weight coming down on you alone can pop a rib or break something. My plan is to stay on the mat for a long time. I don't have anything to prove to anyone.
You could add some fish oil and Osteo Bi-flex or some other joint supplement. A good multi goes a long ways.
Congrats on training. I just joined 10th Planet CM/BP and at 38 fatter than I have ever been in my life. I am now eating clean(er) and taking classes real slow. Even though I looked like I gained weight, I have lost 14lbs. Your journey is different from mine but I think eating cleaner changes everything. I imagine the energy and healing properties of food is accelerated when you eat clean
Good luck my friend!
Besides what's already been mentioned, I would add that recovery definitively becomes a major issue as you get older.
Depending on how physically active you were during your time away from grappling, you may need to get back to it progressively.
For example, you may need to train only twice a week at first, with a couple of days between each training session, until your body gets used to it and you feel relatively fresh before every training session.
You can then add another training session in your weekly schedule, and train three times a week with at least a day between each training session. And so on and so forth...
In any case, get plenty of rest and sleep.
And by "resting", I also mean resting actively (visualisation/mental reps, stretching) not just sitting/lying down watching TV. :)
I am 37, and here are my thoughts. Respect your recovery time first and foremost. When I was in my twenties I could go 12-15 rounds of heavy sparring (kick-boxing) and do it all over again first thing in the morning the next day, now it takes 2-3 days before I can do that intensity again. I find the same applies to Jiu-Jitsu. If your body needs a recovery time take it, don't avoid practice just focus on technique and skill when you are there. I have focused a lot on posture and body balance when lifting weights or exercising. Also, in my goal to walk on my hands I have begun researching and adding gymnastics programming elements to my work-outs, which seems to have a lot of Yoga type movements as well. The other thing I do and have done for a while now is 'no-hands' treading water (hands clasped on head, egg-beater(slow set) or flutter-kick(fast set)) for the lengths of rounds and duration of fights, rest time is the only time you can use hands to scull. If that gets too easy, add a diving weight belt. As well, after the last Portland seminar Geo has motivated me to find some scrap linoleum, get out my sony blaster and do some coffee-grinders and windmills 1984 style.
Beyond what has been mentioned here, I would say get as much sleep as you can, eat plenty of lean protein, and supplement with fish oil.
Might be all in my head but I really feel like fish oil made a huge difference for me in recovering from muscle and joint pain.
Thanks for the input guys. I'm a mechanic so my job is very active. In my twenties I had no issues at all. Once I hit 30 I found it hard to go to the gym after work. It forced me to get by on my knowledge and wisdom, which completely changed my style. Now I'd like to get the health to go with the wisdom. Don't get me wrong, I'm only 5'7" 145 but I know I could be healthier.
Her website is www.ISHOULDGETAMEDALFORBEINGMS.HERZOG.com or https://www.facebook.com/#!/BalanceByNatureQuote:
Originally Posted by David Rosado
THIS!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Herzog
I'll be 47 in a few weeks
[QUOTE=NotReady;232750]Beyond what has been mentioned here, I would say get as much sleep as you can, eat plenty of lean protein, and supplement with fish oil.
Might be all in my head but I really feel like fish oil made a huge difference for me in recovering from muscle and joint pain.[/QUOTE
It's not in your head. Fish oil is a omega 3 polyunsaturated fat and those reduce inflamation. If you cant stomach the fish oil flax seed oil is a good alternative
[QUOTE=Eric Schuettenberg;232755]Haha well that is good at least. I freeze my fish oil pills, so that helps me get them down and minimize the burps.Quote:
Originally Posted by NotReady
I also have some flax seed that I put into my smoothies in the morning. Good stuff!
Quote:
Originally Posted by david rosado
Quote:
Originally Posted by scott yockel
lmao
Take Metamucil fiber at least twice a day. Then do what the others suggest. Try to stay healthy and never get injured. I like what coach Herzog said.
[QUOTE=NotReady;232756]Try krill oil, no fishy burps and krill is more nutrient rich and less likely to have contaminants.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Schuettenberg
[QUOTE=Chris Herzog;232819]Awesome dude, thank you. I will try that out.Quote:
Originally Posted by NotReady
Age is only a number. It doesn't tell you how old or young minded a grappler is.
We all start at the same point, taking off our socks and getting on the mat for the first time wondering what the fuck a shrimp is. But we each have our own finish line.
It's not the years you put in, but what you put in the years. Or something like that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Garry
I know another mrs. that should get more than medals.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Yockel
I started when I was 28 and I'm 37 now and believe me the difference is night an day. For me...I try an keep good core strength and upper body (lots of situps, pushups and pullups), I take ZMA's whenever I work out to speed recovery, they take a 3 day recovery and turn it into a 1 day recovery. I never train more than 4 days a week (my body simply cannot handle any more and recover properly)and I rely on vitamins and supplements to keep my energy up for day to day. Ohh....and I tap really quick now to any joint locks in training...I have zero interest in getting hurt and having to recover. This was a little bit hard for me at first but when faced with 'be out for a few weeks' vs. shake hands, figure out what you did wrong and start again it was an easy decision.
Solid advice.Quote:
Originally Posted by VJ Bella
You believe in the ZMA supplements? I never really could tell a huge difference.
I just turned 38, and have been training for a little better than a year and a half. Here’s the basic breakdown.
Spend my 20’s and part of my 30’s in terrible shape, and eventually got to be 370 lbs.
When I was 33 or 34, I saw a picture of my fat ass holding my little girl and I knew I was going to stroke out soon.
Lost 160 pounds over the course of the next year, and lost 175 total…all before jiu jitsu. It was all diet, running, biking, and lifting.
The reason I mention the weight loss is not so I can hear any “atta boys”…but rather to put forth the disclaimer that I basically took my 20’s off, so perhaps I am in a position where I recover more quickly than the average 30 something who has always been active. Either way, here’s how it all goes for me.
Train at the JJ gym 4 times a week (Mon, Tue, Thurs, and Sat) for 1.5 hour sessions
Lift twice per week (Mon and Wed) for an hour. Typically med weight at high reps…all in the name of jits…muscular endurance. When I work out chest, I use a 55lb plate and do 16 circles to the left (imaginer dancing the cabbage patch), 16 circles to the right, 16 over circles (like setting the weight onto a high shelf), 16 under circles (like setting the weight onto a low shelf), and 16 twist presses (left, right, left, right, etc.). I do this at decline, flat, and incline (plus a high include if I am also working shoulders that day). That’s 240 – 320 reps depending on the day. Not huge weight, but it’s muscular endurance and it doesn’t seem to eat my body up when I’m doing it. I do lots of body weight exercises (pull-ups, push ups, dips, etc.) as well. To look at me, you probably wouldn’t even guess that I lift at all…but to tie up with me is to realize that I’m actually pretty strong, and I can keep that strength up decently as well. About one month out of the year I will change it up and do all this same stuff, but at low reps and higher weight.
Cycle or run twice per week. I have a road bike, so I will ride 15-20 miles typically once a week. I will run 3.5 – 4 miles once per week. This is all subject to change depending on the situation. I run a 10K each year, and it takes me a while to train for it. When I am training for the 10K, I run twice per week and increasing mileage. Or, right now for instance, my right knee and right ankle are both a little bit hurt, so it has been cycling more instead of running. I can run…I just hate to get super far from the house if my injuries were to flare up. No sense in being a tough guy and jacking myself up. I’ll just have to build back up to my 3.5 - 4 mile runs when my shit gets healed up.
Sundays I do a hard 20 minute leg workout on the street in front of my garage. 12 – 15 sprints (about 30 yards), walk back to the starting point and immediately sprint again. Platform jumps (I haven’t measured the platform, but it’s prob 2.5 – 2.75 feet high). Lunges, sideways lunges, backward lunges, etc. One legged semi-bent standing balance. All this in the name of leg / knee stability. I had to skip Sunday before last due to the knee and ankle, but I got back on pace this Sunday. Figured I would just give it a try and guess what…ankle and knee held up just fine…didn’t even swell afterwards.
Try to eat healthy. It’s hard. My diet changes a bit depending on what exercise routine I have. Days I lift weights I will eat low sodium albacore tuna mixed with plain greek yogurt + a little salsa (to make it palatable) for lunch (32 grams of protein), but on days I know I am going to run or bike I will eat the tuna with avocado instead (I think the fats are good for your joints). It gets more involved, but you get the idea. The better you eat, the better you will feel, and the better your body will respond.
Dealing with soreness. The first 6 or 7 moths I did jits my shoulders hurt something awful…I mean all the time too. I had trouble sleeping even…every time I rolled over in bed the pain would wake me up. I wasn’t sure I could continue to take it. I even took a week off to no avail. However, like they have done since the caveman days…I Goggled that shit. Found a million suggestions, but I eventually found a great shoulder stretching routines that alleviated my shoulder pain almost completely. When I lift…the days I do shoulders I will use a pool cue in between sets to help stretch out my shoulders. I stretch them before, during, and after jits as well…not for a super long time…just enough to keep them loose. Regular soreness…some days I feel like my ass has been way more kicked than other days. When I get home from jits and I know I’m going to be sore all night, I will eat a BC powder before I go to bed. I don’t make this a habit…only on those nights I know Im gonna be hurting. At any rate…trying to keep everything stretched and “fit” seems to be a key for me.
Dealing with injuries. I broke a rib last year, and I had to just take notes for like 3 weeks and roll really light for 2 more. I seem to always be busting up a knee, an ankle, and wrist, a hand, etc. I’ll use Advil and ice when an injury is new, but as I heal I just have to wrap it up (or brace it up) and roll with the knowledge that I may have to tap extra early (I usually tap pretty early anyway…no need for any more injuries). The good news…if your dominant knee is screwed up and you can’t play rubber guard with it, you will be forced to play rubber guard with your other leg. If your elbow already hurts like hell, it will teach you to T-rex a little better. I think it can actually help you explore new facets. I never played butterfly guard until I hurt my rib, but as I was healing and I was afraid of being lifted and dropped on it, I started sitting on my butt a lot more. Freakin’ love BF guard now.
I know this is probably way more info than you needed, and it may or may not even be what you were looking for. I can tell you this though. I typically compete in the men’s division instead of the masters division (they rarely have enough people in the masters division), and I do alright for myself. When we roll at the gym, I roll until the rolling is done. My body holds up pretty well for the most part. I can’t really tell you if my recuperation time is comparable to what is was in my 20s, because I don’t really have that point of reference. I know that I compete pretty regularly, I rarely miss jits class, and my body only hurts a little bit all the time lol.
Hope this helps man. …sorry so long winded.
I started at the age of 39 and now at 41 I am in the best shape of my life.
Jits, running, heavy lifting to failure, and organic nutritional cleansing.
All solid advice guys. Thank you. Luckily I've been a martial artist my whole life. Diet seems to be my biggest weakness. Gonna throw some supplements in there too. Much love.
Awesome post . I am turning 35 next month . I have been on/off with Jiu Jitsu in the last couple of years , mainly because of my level of confidence is rock bottom due to the way of how I feel about my weight and the way I look and how I perform . Also , the fact that I keep thinking its too late to start at this age . But reading this post really makes me look at it in a different way . I have a few issues that I need to take care of , and I think I will be back at it very soon . Overall , reading through many posts on the Nibiru forum , most of you are very positive and helpful , and very inspiring .
That's great to hear man. This place has always been a support system. Let's rep the old dudes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick Tiganis
Nick, it's NEVER too late to start.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick Tiganis
One of the newcomers at our gym this year was a 60-year-old gentleman with a big beer belly and poor body control/coordination.
His first couple of months, he couldn't keep up at all with the rest of the group.
2 minutes into our warm-up routine (nothing hardcore, just run-of-the-mill BJJ warm-ups) and he was already taking the first of many breaks.
He couldn't shrimp at all and had big difficulties drilling basic techniques.
He was probably thinking along the same lines as you.
But he didn't throw the towel. And we kept encouraging him, pointing out that we all felt like a fish out of water at first, that it took time for your body to adapt to Jiu-Jitsu-specific movements so he had to be patient, ignore the frustration and keep at it.
He kept coming for 6 months, improving his stamina and motor coordination slowly but steadily. And we kept giving him props for small victories like lasting longer during the warm-ups, going half the length of the mats shrimping (instead of just a couple of shrimps) or applying good pressure/control while drilling a technique.
He's now lost a lot of weight, moves a lot better and can do the whole warm-up routine without taking a break, something in which he takes great pride.
Will he ever be a world champion? Not very likely.
Will he ever be a black belt? Probably not.
But he's having fun, challenging himself and improving constantly, which is what really matters in the end.
Sorry for the long-winded story but my point is that you shouldn't look at any end goal you may have and think it's too late to achieve it. You should instead enjoy your journey and take pleasure in small victories along the way, as cliché as it may sound. :)
Some good advice in here. I'll throw a couple of recovery items in the mix. BCAA's and Glucosamine/Chondroitin seem to help this old dude not feel like he got hit by a car after training.
Thank you Mikael , very encouraging post !;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikael Chay
As a fellow "older" dude (I'm 36 in body but in my head I still think I'm in my early 20's) I can echo pretty much what everyone else is saying. Listen to your body and try to take it easier if you are getting sore. I take krill oil and glucosamine everyday and I definitely feel these both help.
One thing I have been trying this year is taking a cold shower as soon as I get home from training. I run the shower with no hot water and stand underneath for approx 2-3 minutes. The cold water takes your breath away and isn't a very pleasant experience but as soon as I get out I feel invigorated and I believe it has been beneficial in my recovery the next day.