In my experience, guys who are serious about BJJ aren't hung up on age. We've got two guys in their sixties, and one in his seventies at our school, plus we had a late sixties first-timer show up last month. Lots of the younger guys including some of the black belts, will come up and ask me to roll with them because they know I'll challenge their abilities and make them a better practitioner.
Private matches are another matter entirely, and if someone is looking to roll as part of an erotic fantasy, then personal preferences and personal taste must take precedence over "political correctness". Personally I enjoy the comradeship of a good rolling partner enough so that I consider an erotic encounter to be a delightful but unexpected bonus. I don't think it should ever be an expectation.
Now and then, someone on this site tells me I am too old to wrestle them. Their loss. Move on.
I don't see value in finding ways to feel victimized about it. If someone no shows you or is rude, you've got something. A polite no for any reason... who cares? There are 13,000 members and no one has more than 501 past opponents... so there are other fish in the sea.
As for age in BJJ: I feel it. I am a purple belt and still training, and I still love the sport even if it gets a little harder each year. Some joints don't bend the way they used to, and I'm not as fast anymore. I have to be a little smarter. I still teach beginners who want to learn. I still enjoy it. But you can't teach someone who isn't interested in learning, or isn't interested in learning from you.
Dude I roll and drill in my BJJ class with a woman who is 69, and as she is a purple belt she can teach 99% of the people on here a thing or two!! I never let age get in the way of a role, I believe I can learn something from everyone. And this person is accepted in my class by everyone. The great thing about jiu-jitsu is that you can keep rolling into your 70s or 80s - wasn't one of the Gracies still rolling in his 90s? Keep rolling and drilling!!
The jiujitsu enthusiasts who're here aren't here purely for jiujitsu, and likely roll with people of all ages where they train... the issue isn't ageism in jiujitsu, it's ageism (or fitness, or mannerisms, or height, or relative size, or fetish compatibility, etc.) in what leads any person to find one person attractive and another not.
Speaking for myself, I'm happy to roll with anyone who wants to come roll, but I also enjoy the training enough that I'm willing to do that with zero "hotness" in the match for me (though, a guy to whom I'm not at all attracted AND who has no grappling skills or willingness to develop them will not likely hold my interest).
The guys are out there who wanna roll, but for pure jiujitsu, you're better off sticking to the places you train. Don't get me wrong; I'd love to find a hot guy (or three 😈 ) who was as into jiujitsu as myself AND we were sexually and emotionally compatible. That'd be heaven.
There are many members who list BJJ as one of their fighting styles as well as many BJJ enthusiasts in this group. Thus,it is a wonder why their is so much bigotry against older practitioners as this goes against everything that BJJ stands for in every dojo to which I have ever been a member or a visitor.We should see to it that it is not practiced by the BJJ enthusiasts on this site and try to correct those who still harbor bigotry in their minds. Will they not grow older as well? One should be happy that a person is interested in getting on the mat, bigotry has no place in BJJ .Do those with all their ridiculous age restrictions knoe what it feels like to be the victim of prejudice? Thanks
As this site has a strong erotic component and guys here usually aren't looking for "pure training" in their sports, you can't expect someone to be willing to roll with you, whom you aren't attractive to.
Age is a big factor in being attractive or not attractive. As is body type, sex etc.
So this isn't a matter of prejudice - or at least not a kind of prejudice you could blame anyone for.
Would you blame a heterosexual man for not wanting to roll with you, because he is solely looking for women?
That's right. If people are really only looking for sport, age shouldn't matter at all.
The problem is though - that even people who claim they're only looking for sport and nothing else, might not be entirely honest in that. If those refuse to meet because of the age alone - then they should probably rethink their priorities.
However, I think that there are legitimate reasons not to meet people other than the age-reasoning.
JOKING (28)
15.1.2017 05:29I'm so glad the unspoken things are being brought to light! ...and best believe ageism exists in many areas of life outside just this site.
TxWrestle (48 )
13.1.2017 06:17In my experience, guys who are serious about BJJ aren't hung up on age. We've got two guys in their sixties, and one in his seventies at our school, plus we had a late sixties first-timer show up last month. Lots of the younger guys including some of the black belts, will come up and ask me to roll with them because they know I'll challenge their abilities and make them a better practitioner.
Private matches are another matter entirely, and if someone is looking to roll as part of an erotic fantasy, then personal preferences and personal taste must take precedence over "political correctness". Personally I enjoy the comradeship of a good rolling partner enough so that I consider an erotic encounter to be a delightful but unexpected bonus. I don't think it should ever be an expectation.
redlandguy (195)
16.12.2016 23:26Now and then, someone on this site tells me I am too old to wrestle them. Their loss. Move on.
I don't see value in finding ways to feel victimized about it. If someone no shows you or is rude, you've got something. A polite no for any reason... who cares? There are 13,000 members and no one has more than 501 past opponents... so there are other fish in the sea.
As for age in BJJ: I feel it. I am a purple belt and still training, and I still love the sport even if it gets a little harder each year. Some joints don't bend the way they used to, and I'm not as fast anymore. I have to be a little smarter. I still teach beginners who want to learn. I still enjoy it. But you can't teach someone who isn't interested in learning, or isn't interested in learning from you.
IndyWarrior (39)
16.12.2016 23:28(In Antwort dazu)
Anyone who doesn't want to wrestle you is out of his mind, man. LOL
But, yes: everything you said.
FitScot (38)
16.12.2016 10:43Dude I roll and drill in my BJJ class with a woman who is 69, and as she is a purple belt she can teach 99% of the people on here a thing or two!! I never let age get in the way of a role, I believe I can learn something from everyone. And this person is accepted in my class by everyone. The great thing about jiu-jitsu is that you can keep rolling into your 70s or 80s - wasn't one of the Gracies still rolling in his 90s? Keep rolling and drilling!!
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
12.1.2017 15:42(In Antwort dazu)
This is from 2011 but it shows that age need not be something to keep you off the mat
IndyWarrior (39)
15.12.2016 17:04The jiujitsu enthusiasts who're here aren't here purely for jiujitsu, and likely roll with people of all ages where they train... the issue isn't ageism in jiujitsu, it's ageism (or fitness, or mannerisms, or height, or relative size, or fetish compatibility, etc.) in what leads any person to find one person attractive and another not.
Speaking for myself, I'm happy to roll with anyone who wants to come roll, but I also enjoy the training enough that I'm willing to do that with zero "hotness" in the match for me (though, a guy to whom I'm not at all attracted AND who has no grappling skills or willingness to develop them will not likely hold my interest).
The guys are out there who wanna roll, but for pure jiujitsu, you're better off sticking to the places you train. Don't get me wrong; I'd love to find a hot guy (or three 😈 ) who was as into jiujitsu as myself AND we were sexually and emotionally compatible. That'd be heaven.
In the meantime, keep rolling, brother. :-)
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
15.12.2016 12:19There are many members who list BJJ as one of their fighting styles as well as many BJJ enthusiasts in this group. Thus,it is a wonder why their is so much bigotry against older practitioners as this goes against everything that BJJ stands for in every dojo to which I have ever been a member or a visitor.We should see to it that it is not practiced by the BJJ enthusiasts on this site and try to correct those who still harbor bigotry in their minds. Will they not grow older as well? One should be happy that a person is interested in getting on the mat, bigotry has no place in BJJ .Do those with all their ridiculous age restrictions knoe what it feels like to be the victim of prejudice? Thanks
FightingCologne (43)
14.1.2017 09:04(In Antwort dazu)
As this site has a strong erotic component and guys here usually aren't looking for "pure training" in their sports, you can't expect someone to be willing to roll with you, whom you aren't attractive to.
Age is a big factor in being attractive or not attractive. As is body type, sex etc.
So this isn't a matter of prejudice - or at least not a kind of prejudice you could blame anyone for.
Would you blame a heterosexual man for not wanting to roll with you, because he is solely looking for women?
redlandguy (195)
14.1.2017 17:30(In Antwort dazu)
I train with heterosexual men all the time. If you are looking for sport, it really shouldn't matter.
pndfighter (121 )
14.1.2017 17:49(In Antwort dazu)
That's right. If people are really only looking for sport, age shouldn't matter at all.
The problem is though - that even people who claim they're only looking for sport and nothing else, might not be entirely honest in that. If those refuse to meet because of the age alone - then they should probably rethink their priorities.
However, I think that there are legitimate reasons not to meet people other than the age-reasoning.
FightingCologne (43)
14.1.2017 17:48(In Antwort dazu)
Yes. This is what I wanted to point out: For many users it's not only about sports.