Is competing at Masters divisions laughed at?

okyoureright said:
See, this is the kind of attitude I think is hilarious. It's just flat out not true, and most likely a way of personally justifying registering for masters, which you shouldn't have to do.

First of all, number of competitors. In most cases the adult division has at least double the amount of competitors, having to win multiple matches just to podium. Most competitors are in the 18-25 range, filled with testosterone and no family obligations. They are in shape, energized, and train like crazy. Even in masters 1, it's a good bet that everyone has a full-time job, injuries, kids, etc. It's really night and day.

I think what you're trying to get at is there are tough people in the masters division. Someone earlier referenced Xande and Lovato Jr. being at masters worlds. OK then, take a look at adult worlds and let me know if you still think masters is as tough. Masters is tough relative to your skill level and commitment to the sport, that's why it exists, but it's not even close to as competitive as the adult division.
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I never said masters was tougher than adult. I said about half the dudes in masters could compete in adults and do just as well as their younger counter parts do in that division. Its true.
 
Evenflow80 said:
You're still young enough that you can get back in shape fairly easily. 30 is the age I quite smoking and stoped eating junk food so much so it was probably the best shape I've ever been in at that age. Better than in my 20s
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It's a bit cheezy to say that, but age is just a number. Not all bodies age the same. I'm a bit like you, I was a lazy smoker party boy in my late teens and early 20s, I started to take care of myself after that, but my body was pretty much brand new. I did about 10 years of basic strenght training and casual running. It's only been about 5 years that I wanted to have results in running and that I started martial arts.

You can't compare my body to someone who played football, hockey or even soccer and basketball when they were in highshool and through college. Those guys have had serious injuries, knee issues, back issues... Same thing for competitive judokas or wrestlers.
 
Depends.

Small regional Shiai, are all adult ages due to smaller turnout.
Placing with and above guys who go to the larger comps to qualify nationally always told me I was conditioned and training well.

But I'm up at 5am to cross train for a couple of hours and always a club rat when I can train and on the mat 5 days a week.

Depends on your commitment and athleticism. If you're well trained and really dedicated you should be able to hold your own into your 40's.

Don't sweat that you're not Olympic caliber and keep your expectations realistic. If you're well into your 30's you should be over that insecurity nonsense and not give a shit about what people think about your competitive pedigree....
 
Quebec Nick said:
It's a bit cheezy to say that, but age is just a number. Not all bodies age the same. I'm a bit like you, I was a lazy smoker party boy in my late teens and early 20s, I started to take care of myself after that, but my body was pretty much brand new. I did about 10 years of basic strenght training and casual running. It's only been about 5 years that I wanted to have results in running and that I started martial arts.

You can't compare my body to someone who played football, hockey or even soccer and basketball when they were in highshool and through college. Those guys have had serious injuries, knee issues, back issues... Same thing for competitive judokas or wrestlers.
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I have the body of someone in their late 30s or early 40s, I’m 27. And I really have to monitor myself because I know how to push through being tired or training hard even when out of shape. Then after the training session my body is a wreck. Nothing debilitating, just completely worn out, dehydration headaches etc. and I can do it for several days at a clip if I need to. The kicker, I do it without even realizing it sometimes before it’s too late.

This wasn’t a problem when I was 21. Post 5 years of college, I have to be a wee bit more careful lol. And I generally take care of my body

I invariably find the people who say age is just a number are those who haven’t done an actual sport competitively for any extended period of time. Ironically those are the people (not always, but often) who roll the hardest, act the hardest, and get the most butthurt about “losing”. They’re the ones that escalate the intensity of a roll, then when you escalate back they suddenly act like a victim. They also get completely shocked when confronted with a certain level of competitiveness.

I’m not saying that’s you, or everybody. But it’s there, and I’m seeing it here
 
Evenflow80 said:
You're still young enough that you can get back in shape fairly easily. 30 is the age I quite smoking and stoped eating junk food so much so it was probably the best shape I've ever been in at that age. Better than in my 20s
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It's not that I'm old or in bad shape, it's that as I've gotten older I've gotten more responsibilities. When I was 20 and a "full-time" student, I would surf for hours on end every day. If I had dedicated that time to jiu jitsu, I would've been a stud in jiu-jitsu. Could I dedicate that kind of time to jiu jitsu today? Sure, but it would mean pushing relationships and volunteer work to the wayside. My thought with Masters is it would be more people with responsibilities that happen to enjoy jiu jitsu -- people like myself.
 
jack36767 said:
I have the body of someone in their late 30s or early 40s, I’m 27. And I really have to monitor myself because I know how to push through being tired or training hard even when out of shape. Then after the training session my body is a wreck. Nothing debilitating, just completely worn out, dehydration headaches etc. and I can do it for several days at a clip if I need to. The kicker, I do it without even realizing it sometimes before it’s too late.

This wasn’t a problem when I was 21. Post 5 years of college, I have to be a wee bit more careful lol. And I generally take care of my body

I invariably find the people who say age is just a number are those who haven’t done an actual sport competitively for any extended period of time. Ironically those are the people (not always, but often) who roll the hardest, act the hardest, and get the most butthurt about “losing”. They’re the ones that escalate the intensity of a roll, then when you escalate back they suddenly act like a victim. They also get completely shocked when confronted with a certain level of competitiveness.

I’m not saying that’s you, or everybody. But it’s there, and I’m seeing it here
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All valid points, but my post was about how some guys are more worn out than others and that the age isn't a big indicator of how much time they will be able to do BJJ or perform in BJJ.

I know guys that used to play hockey and football and they have knee issues, shoulder issues, back issues, neck issues... We're the same age and I have never been seriously injured in my life (no operations, reconstructions...) I don't think their body would able them to start BJJ. Maybe they could if they have the right mindset and they understand their limitations, but they would need to be smart about it.
 
Cappy Goodtime said:
It's not that I'm old or in bad shape, it's that as I've gotten older I've gotten more responsibilities. When I was 20 and a "full-time" student, I would surf for hours on end every day. If I had dedicated that time to jiu jitsu, I would've been a stud in jiu-jitsu. Could I dedicate that kind of time to jiu jitsu today? Sure, but it would mean pushing relationships and volunteer work to the wayside. My thought with Masters is it would be more people with responsibilities that happen to enjoy jiu jitsu -- people like myself.
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Yes, 100% this. Like I recently said, as more and more time passes I'm honestly starting to see that my ceiling in BJJ is constrained not by injuries or even getting older, but just work and family obligations.

This realization started dawning on me when after 2 years of rushing to noon class during lunch breaks, checking and responding to work emails during every water break we get, and hurriedly rushing after class back to work, not to mention picking up both kids and changing them and rushing to night class and back again to put them to sleep, I was getting more tired from that than actual BJJ.

Its doable, but no where near the amount of free time I had before I got married and in college.
 
Then enter a competition or drop into Atos or something like it
 
Quebec Nick said:
All valid points, but my post was about how some guys are more worn out than others and that the age isn't a big indicator of how much time they will be able to do BJJ or perform in BJJ.

I know guys that used to play hockey and football and they have knee issues, shoulder issues, back issues, neck issues... We're the same age and I have never been seriously injured in my life (no operations, reconstructions...) I don't think their body would able them to start BJJ. Maybe they could if they have the right mindset and they understand their limitations, but they would need to be smart about it.
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I think the age is and isn’t a indicator
 
Quebec Nick said:
All valid points, but my post was about how some guys are more worn out than others and that the age isn't a big indicator of how much time they will be able to do BJJ or perform in BJJ.

I know guys that used to play hockey and football and they have knee issues, shoulder issues, back issues, neck issues... We're the same age and I have never been seriously injured in my life (no operations, reconstructions...) I don't think their body would able them to start BJJ. Maybe they could if they have the right mindset and they understand their limitations, but they would need to be smart about it.
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It's more about age in 'grappling years', so to speak.
 
Evenflow80 said:
Yes, 100% this. Like I recently said, as more and more time passes I'm honestly starting to see that my ceiling in BJJ is constrained not by injuries or even getting older, but just work and family obligations.

This realization started dawning on me when after 2 years of rushing to noon class during lunch breaks, checking and responding to work emails during every water break we get, and hurriedly rushing after class back to work, not to mention picking up both kids and changing them and rushing to night class and back again to put them to sleep, I was getting more tired from that than actual BJJ.

Its doable, but no where near the amount of free time I had before I got married and in college.
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Do you seriously think you can could physically do what an athletic late teen/early 20 year old could? If only you have the “time”?

If evenflow has blocked me for whatever reason. Can someone ask him this for me. I’m genuinely curious
 
25 years from now I’ll be 76. I plan on smashing fools in the Master 10 division. I can’t wait to brag about being a 25 time world champion.
 
Cash Bill 52 said:
25 years from now I’ll be 76. I plan on smashing fools in the Master 10 division. I can’t wait to brag about being a 25 time world champion.
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Respectfully sir, you'd still lag behind Mestre Renato Laranja.
 
I just turned 30 less than a month ago. I'm 21.4% BF @ 234lbs. I don't think I'm ready to admit to myself that I'm in the Master's division yet so I'm going to stay in adult. When I can finally admit that I'm not a kid anymore without the ego hit, then I'll compete in Master's. That being said, most of the guys who beat the hell out of me in the room day in and day out are older than me. So I don't see the stigma tbh.
 
How old are they? Do they compete? I know if I was competing at an IBJJf with the wear on my body, Id rather have less matches and a better chance to win, than throw my money away to get murked by some sandbagging alliance kid who trains twice a day 6 days a week.
 
most contact sports see a steep decline in participation at the professional level right around 30. The divisions are set up to recognize that.

If you want to fight Adult, fight Adult. I have my students fight their age divisions in Federation tournaments and whatever they want at local comps. If the divisions are light maybe go down an age bracket.

The guys winning Masters at BB are professionals with their own schools and usually deep teams. They train hard. Masters divisions are not easy. But age matters immensely.

My dad was OR state masters mtn bike champion in one of the lower levels back in the NORBA days. At 18, I rode also competitively at high Sport level and I could just ride away from him on hills without a lot of effort. He was 44. I was insanely faster on downhills as well just due to youthful enthusiasm and risk tolerance. Age takes a lot out of you, especially when it's back to back to back matches.
 
I can't wait to be in Master's. Nothing like losing to 17 year olds that have been training 3x longer than I have lol.
 
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