Can Seniors practice brazilian Jiu jitsu?
Just because you’re a senior citizen doesn’t mean that you can reap all of the benefits that Jiu-Jitsu has to offer. Quite the contrary, if you are older than 55 years old then regular BJJ practice will help you live longer, feel happier, and allow you to boast efficient defense against an attacker. Let’s look a little more closely at the advantages of BJJ classes for senior citizens.
Benefit #1: Increased Cardiovascular Endurance
One of the main causes of death among senior citizens is heart disease. Most of the time, heart disease is caused by lack of exercise. Without exercise, your heart will become smaller, and be more prone to developing plaques within the arteries of the heart. Practicing BJJ as a senior citizen is the perfect way to slow down the aging process and decrease the chances of experiencing heart disease.
Benefit #2: Something Engaging to Participate In
Older individuals who have already retired may find themselves bored at home with nothing to do. Since Jiu-Jitsu is such a physically and mentally taxing sport, it will keep senior citizens on their toes for many years to come. You might be surprised by just how many people older than 50 years old go on to receive their black belts! It goes to show that you don’t need to be in your twenties or thirties in order to participate in BJJ.
Benefit #3: Better Self-Defense
Just because you’re a bit older than the rest of the population, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t learn how to defend yourself. Quite the contrary, older citizens are often targets to muggers. If a senior citizen is in shape, and knows how to defend him or herself, then the chances are good that they’ll walk away from a physical altercation without injury.
Benefit #4: More Self-Confidence
Finally, at such a late stage in life, many older individuals have difficulty find something that they’re truly passionate about. By participating in BJJ, older citizens will be able to develop more self-confidence as well as be able to follow their passion each and everyday (Carlos Gracie grappled until the ripe old age of 98!).
So, to answer the question: are self-defense BJJ classes good for senior citizens? Definitely! Not only are they going to help these individuals physically but they’ll also promote mental health and awareness that wouldn’t be able to be achieved otherwise.