[Closed] Judo for old feckers.

started at 40
52 now. not doing any at the moment due to work, kids and old knees.
I am still 21 in my head and want to take on the youngsters.
Be careful with knee or shoulder injuries.
I probably won't do much more as i don'twant to risk an injury that will affect my cycling which I see as being ideal for old age.
My coach was over 60 and he could flaten the best of them.
Go forit and enjoy.
Rich

Thanks for the positive post, i'm hoping they'll go easy on me as a beginner.

Do it! 🙂

Do it. Learning to breakfall properly is a great life skill. But you will ache for days after 😯

Over 20 years since I dabbled in martial arts. Wouldn't mind dabbling again but no time.

Seem to remember reading about a guy who retired at 55 and took up ju jitsu. He did pretty well.

Are there many similar to your age in the club?

If so go for it, never done Judo, but starting Karate and kick boxing recently at 45, it helps to have a few like minded souls the same age as you.

Age not a problem for me, Judo looks great fun, got me wondering now 😉

Did ju jitsu for quite a few years and we had a couple of old boys in their 60's who practised. They weren't quite as full on as the younger ones but did really well.

Started a kickboxing style karate class at 36, 7 years later and I'm possibly going for my second dan in November.
IMO most people will give what they get when sparring, me included. We do a sparring/grappling class on a sat morning and I usually train with a 17 year old (k1/mma) who is 3 stone heavier, I normally lose!

I started back this year at 37, after a 22 year break. Phsyically its the hardest sport I've done, but defintely the most rewarding. It took me 4 months to get back up to speed and get my fitness to a resonable level again. I now can't understand why I ever gave it up. Between judo and weight training for Judo, my bike has been gathering dust this year.

If you enjoy it, try and go at least twice a week. It will make all the difference. It will be tough to start with but stick in, it will get easier.

You might want to pick up a copy of "the pyjama game" by Mark Law. He started at 50 and writes about the history of the sport and his own journey to reach his black belt.

Good luck, let us know how you get on. "Hajime!"

Like most sports, training twice a week will be 3-4 times as effective as once a week, if you can fit it in.

Is it technically illegal to pluck your opponents leg hairs when they are pinning you to the mat?

If you get the taste for martial arts, "Angry White Pyjamas" is a great read

so off the back of this thread I went along to a club last night and got properly stuck in. Ache like hell today but it was absolutely fantastic.
No stranger to martial arts clubs, I have done several grades and competitions in taekowndo and kuk sool but not for many years, however this was from day 1 a whole order of magnitude more fun, more welcoming, and physically tougher than anything I did in any of those other styles.

I'm 41, I think the only negative I can find is I just wish I had done this 10 years ago. After a really crappy day in the smoke yesterday, long tedious commute, but came out of that session late last night absolutely buzzing, blown away by it frankly.

MoreCashThanDash - Member
If you get the taste for martial arts, "Angry White Pyjamas" is a great read

Fab book.
Did Judo for 23 years and Ju Jitu for 14, the best bit is that you are actually getting hold of someone and using their momentum, when it clicks it feels brilliant.
Stopped due to injury and kids, tempted to try it again but at 50 I may not be as good as my mind tells me I once was.
If I could find a club with some other 'has beens' who were up for it I may give it a go now the boys are grown up.

The kids all do judo - a nice lady who is 7th Dan moved into the village and started a judo class, so it looked like a good opportunity for them to learn from someone decent. Our youngest is 5 now, but absolutely loves the classes.

I'd say crack on - it looks like a great sport to get involved in, lots of good coaching talent is readily available to all ages. Or that might just be in the Central Belt...

its not judo but i took up karate over 18 months ago at the age of 35...one of the other students who started just after me was 65 and he absolutely loves it
go for it OP, age is nothing but a number!!

I started Judo in my early 30s and did it for around 10 years. Got to 2nd Dan and competed a little. I packed it in last year for a couple of reasons.
I started developing arthritis in my hands and particularly badly in my feet. I put this down to all the grip fighting that goes on and the accidental stubbing of toes on edges of mats and partners shins. I didn't want to end up one of those almost crippled old players, held together with tape and ralgex, so felt it was time to stop. Gave me more time for MTB and my riding has came along a treat in the last year! 😀

Go for it. I loved it for a long time, but I'm going to be brutally honest and say, I reckon its a young man's sport. It's the hardest sport I've ever done, particularly if you compete, and I've also done Karate and Thai Boxing.
At your age, you need to avoid teenage competitors and other adult white belts like the plague and train with experienced people. Relax, listen to what your coach tells you and relax more. Don't force technique and in Randori, relax, go with the flow, don't stiff arm. If someone gets you on the end of a throw, go with it and take it. Don't resist and try to block it. That way lies busted knees and shoulders.
Learn to fall. Practice it a lot. Technique is key. Relax.
Did I mention relax?

Enjoy your Judo.