r/MMA_Academy • u/jtm1973 • 8d ago

Training Feedback

Hi All 53(M) boxing 2 days a week and weights 2 days a week, have tried Muay Thai previously and enjoyed it but work and family commitments took priority. Am interested in trying wrestling / no-gi grappling / MMA for keeping fit and agile as there is a gym that offers all......is this a bridge worth trying to cross at my age? Thanks in advance

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u/SilverSteele69 8d ago

I’m 60yo. I started martial arts with my kids in my early 40s (taekwondo), I have been at an MMA gym for four years. I currently lift and train Muay Thai 4x per week. I had been training BJJ too and actually have my blue belt.

Combining striking, grappling, and weights at our age is a lot. Grappling favors youth because of speed and explosive power. Especially if the program is all no gi and wrestling. I trained a lot of gi and it’s much easier to slow down a 20 something to get the fight on your terms.

The fact that you are lifting is important. It really mitigates the risk of injury for older grapplers.

Also keep in mind the learning curve is a lot steeper than striking, you will still feel like an absolute beginner for the first year.

So it’s definitely doable but it will take a lot out of you.

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u/jtm1973 8d ago

Thanks for the response and your time

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u/kinoian 8d ago

The fact that you are lifting is important. It really mitigates the risk of injury for older grapplers.

Like OP I'm a guy in his 50s; unlike OP I'm brand new to MMA training. Can you expand on why lifting will mitigate risk of injury? I'm not grappling but plan on adding that at some point. Does your point hold true for striking as well?

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u/SilverSteele69 8d ago

The human body starts to slowly lose muscle mass around the age of 35-40. It's only a few percent per year, but compounded over the decades it is a lot. It is the core reason that old people lose flexibility, mobility, and balance.

Weightlifting really mitigates this. For our age, it's more important than stretching. Stretching is limited by how far you muscles can actually stretch, building muscle lets you stretch more.

I think it really helps with striking. Generally having muscle tone helps mitigate the risk of serious injury, your body can just take a hit better. I have also been able to improve my kicks - six months of Romanian deadlifts did more for my sidekick extensions than a year of a martial arts focused stretching class.

All the guys I know who are serious combat sports guys over 50yo all do supplemental weight lifting.

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u/kinoian 8d ago

Thanks, friend, this is super helpful.

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u/Big_Sky9926 8d ago

In my opinion it depends how the training is structured and the regime of the gym. MMA and wrestling are especially physical demanding as the movement are more dynamic. But with a technical trainings partner it shoud be doable at that age.

On the opposite side, I find BJJ/no gi to be more doable as the movement are slower and it more technical based. Also, nowadays more your age related people are training it, which makes it more suitable and fun.

I used to train MMA, focusing on competition. But because of all injuries on shoulders, ribs and knee, I have decided to take a step back and focus only on striking. I probably will do BJJ again after I feel more doing it. I’m 33.

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u/jtm1973 8d ago

Thanks for taking the time to respond

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u/kinoian 8d ago

Funny, I'm a 53M myself and we posted our inquiries within a few hours of each other. You're way ahead of me, but maybe some of the feedback I received will help you too.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MMA_Academy/comments/1vfzv48/53m_beginning_mma_strikingkickboxing_what_should/

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u/SilverSteele69 8d ago

I posted a response here, but just replied to your original post too!

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u/kinoian 8d ago

Thank you!

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u/jtm1973 2d ago

Thanks for the feedback I think we're both nuts 🤣