Old People BJJ

Old People BJJ Simple, structured, and sustainable Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Led by a 4th-degree black belt with decades of experience in grappling, strength, and conditioning—focused on longevity, efficiency, and staying healthy on the mats.

07/30/2026

New Angle, Same Finish. 🏹

One of my favorite concepts from the back is changing the angle instead of forcing the finish.

I start by attacking the ratchet choke. When my training partner successfully shuts it down—either by blocking my primary hand or pinching the collar to stop my second hand—I don’t keep fighting the defense.

Instead, I keep my original lapel grip, reach down to control the knee, and rotate until I’m nearly perpendicular to my opponent. That angle change opens up the bow and arrow choke without giving up back control.

The key detail is the finish: once I rotate, I clamp both feet over the far shoulder to prevent my opponent from sitting up or turning into me. That leg position keeps the angle, maintains pressure, and makes the choke much more difficult to defend.

For older grapplers, this is a great reminder that efficiency beats strength. Rather than muscling through a defended choke, change the angle and let the mechanics do the work.

This is one of several back attacks I use that all begin from the same ratchet choke setup, allowing you to flow from one submission to the next as your opponent defends.

07/28/2026

Sneaky Choke From Back Control

This is a sneaky collar-choke follow-up from back control when the initial ratchet-style lapel choke stalls or gets shut down.

I start with a deep right-hand grip across the opponent’s collar and begin tightening the lapel with the ratchet motion. From there, the opponent may stop the attack in several ways. They may keep my primary choking arm from rising, obstruct my right elbow, control the choking arm, or prevent my left hand from feeding into the normal finishing position.

Instead of forcing the original choke, I keep the deep right-hand collar grip and create a completely new angle.

I pull my left elbow free, bring it over the top of the opponent’s head, and place it on the opposite side of the neck. From there, I bend my left elbow to approximately 90 degrees and extend the back of my upper arm into the far side of the neck while simultaneously pulling and lifting with my right-hand collar grip.

The finishing pressure comes from both sides working together:

• The right hand keeps tension through the collar.

• The left elbow comes completely around the head.

• The left arm stays bent at roughly 90 degrees.

• The back of the left upper arm presses into the opposite side of the neck.

• The right hand pulls and elevates while the left arm extends into the neck.

• The new angle closes the available space and creates the choke without forcing the original finish.

The important detail is that I do not release the original collar grip. I keep the grip that still has value, move the elbow over the head, and change the direction of the pressure.

This is not a strength-based finish or a separate grip-fighting sequence. It is a technical transition from the original lapel-choke setup when the standard second-hand finish is unavailable.

For older grapplers, this is exactly the type of adjustment that matters: maintain control, preserve the grip, change the angle, and use efficient pressure instead of trying to muscle through a strong defense.

Apply the choke with control, give your training partner time to tap, and release immediately when they submit.

07/24/2026

Use Their Pressure: Ratchet Choke to Clock Choke

One of my favorite concepts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is learning how to transition instead of forcing a technique.

In this sequence, I begin with a deep collar grip and tighten the ratchet-style lapel choke. As my opponent defends, they naturally drive their shoulders backward to relieve pressure. It’s a solid defensive reaction—but that same pressure shifts their weight onto their shoulders and makes their legs light.

Rather than fighting the defense, I use it.

I secure the wrist, hook underneath the knee, elevate the leg, and roll my opponent over. As they land face down, I flare my elbow to prevent the tuck-and-roll escape before immediately transitioning into the clock choke to finish.

The lesson isn’t just about the choke—it’s about understanding reactions. Good jiu-jitsu isn’t always about forcing your first attack. It’s about recognizing predictable defensive responses and flowing into the next opportunity.

Small adjustments. Better timing. Less effort.

The more you understand reactions, the less strength you need. That’s one of the biggest advantages of technical jiu-jitsu, especially as we get older.

Train smart. Stay technical. Keep evolving.

07/15/2026

Better Bracing for Older Grapplers

The Viking Press is more than an upper-body exercise. Each variation teaches a different aspect of bracing, stability, and body positioning that carries over to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Tall-Kneeling Viking Press
Builds trunk stability while teaching you to brace without relying on your legs for momentum.

Half-Kneeling Viking Press
Challenges anti-rotation control while improving hip positioning, pelvic stability, and core control.

Standing Split-Stance Viking Press
Develops balance, weight transfer, and a strong athletic base while reinforcing proper body positioning.

Squat to Viking Press
Integrates the legs, hips, core, and upper body while reinforcing posture, body positioning, and efficient force transfer through the entire movement.

For older grapplers, better bracing can improve posture, positioning, stronger frames, pressure, stand-ups, and overall body control on the mats.

Train with control. Build a stronger brace.

07/09/2026

Your Half Guard Got Smashed? Do This.

This is one of my favorite go-to attacks when I’m getting smashed from bottom half guard.

Once your knee shield gets passed and your opponent settles chest-to-chest, most people think the attack is over. Instead of fighting the pressure, use it. By creating the right reaction, locking the Scorpion position, and preventing your opponent from turning, you can turn a bad position into a high-percentage Scorpion Choke.

One of my favorite things about this technique is how the Scorpion leg position shuts down your opponent’s ability to rotate or escape, making it much easier to finish the choke.

Phases:
• Knee shield passed
• Trap the knee
• Create the reaction
• Use their pressure
• Lock the Scorpion position (stop the turn)
• Pressure reversed
• Finish the Scorpion Choke

This is a great option for older grapplers because it relies on timing, leverage, and positioning—not speed, explosiveness, or athleticism. If you’re constantly getting flattened in half guard, add this one to your game.

07/09/2026

BJJ Core Stability: 3 Isometric Drills Every Grappler Needs

Most grapplers spend plenty of time creating movement—but very little time learning to resist it.

These three isometric partner drills develop the stability and control that transfer directly to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

⏱️ Perform each drill for 1 minute, then switch with your partner.

Resisted Knee Pulls – Guard Retention
Your partner attempts to pull your knees away from your body while you actively pull them back toward your chest. This develops the isometric strength needed to maintain guard position, keep your knees connected, and resist an opponent trying to separate your legs or flatten your hips.

Knee Push/Pulls – Anti-Rotation Stability
Hold your knees over your hips while your partner applies pushes and pulls from multiple directions. Your goal is to resist unwanted movement and maintain position. This improves anti-rotation strength, trunk stability, and body control during scrambles, passing exchanges, and dynamic transitions.

Bridge Stability – Base Under Pressure
Hold a strong bridge while your partner attempts to move your hands in different directions. This challenges your entire kinetic chain to maintain stability under external force, improving your ability to bridge, recover position, and stay connected under pressure.

These drills won’t replace rolling, but they build the stability, body awareness, and isometric strength that help your technique hold up when your opponent is trying to move you.

07/01/2026

The Old Man Sweep That Stops Standing Passes

Most standing guard passes begin the same way—they step in, split your legs, and start controlling your hips.

The goal is to stop the pass before it ever gets started.

As your opponent approaches, establish a strong shin-to-shin connection while maintaining enough distance to prevent them from splitting your legs. Control behind the knee, angle to the outside (cut the corner), and encourage them to step forward to regain their base.

The moment that foot becomes light, catch the step with an outside reap while pushing above the knee. This isn’t a strength-based sweep—it’s a timing and finesse technique. The better your angle, timing, and kuzushi (off-balancing), the easier this sweep becomes.

One of the reasons I love this technique is its simplicity. It doesn’t rely on speed or explosiveness, making it a high-percentage option for older grapplers who want to train smarter, preserve their bodies, and stay effective for years to come.

Watch the full breakdown on my YouTube channel:

06/26/2026

Most older grapplers don’t need more exercises—they need to protect the physical qualities that keep them effective on the mats.

These are three of my favorites:

🏋️ HINGE – Trap Bar Deadlift
Create pressure, generate force, and confidently move another person.

🚶 MOVE UNDER LOAD – Offset Carry
Build posture, balance, and stability while moving under resistance.

🦵 STAND UP – Landmine Squat
Build your base, improve balance, and stay athletic. If ankle mobility is limited, elevating your heels on a slant board can make this movement much more comfortable.

These aren’t the only exercises that work—they’re three movements that consistently give older grapplers a huge return on their training time.

▶️ Full breakdown now on my YouTube channel.

06/20/2026

The Arm Drag Detail Older Grapplers Need

Many older grapplers struggle with arm drags because they rely too much on pulling with the upper body. When strength, speed, and explosiveness start to decline, the arm drag often gets stuck halfway through and the opponent squares back up.

The detail that made the biggest difference for me was combining an angle change with a simultaneous knee kick and arm pe*******on. Instead of trying to drag your opponent across your body, you’re creating movement from multiple directions at once. That makes the arm drag much harder to stop and creates cleaner opportunities to take the back.

This has been one of my highest-percentage arm drag details for years.

06/16/2026

Bad Hips? Train These 3 Hip Qualities

Katie is a BJJ black belt and academy owner who understands the importance of maintaining strong, functional hips for long-term performance on the mats.

Many grapplers focus exclusively on stretching when their hips start feeling stiff, sore, or restricted. While mobility is important, it’s only one piece of the puzzle.

In this short, Katie trains three essential hip qualities:

✓ Stability – the ability to control the hip and pelvis during movement, balance, and changing positions

✓ Hinge – developing efficient movement through the posterior chain while reducing unnecessary stress on the knees and lower back

✓ Extension – building strength and power through the glutes and hips for standing, bridging, driving, lifting, and athletic movement

These qualities contribute to guard retention, hip escapes, maintaining base, standing up from the ground, takedown defense, and overall movement efficiency on the mats.

As we get older, the goal isn’t just flexibility. It’s building strong, stable, functional hips that continue to perform year after year.

Train for longevity. Train for durability. Train to stay on the mats.

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