A couple of my senior peers (old guys my age and older) think I’m crazy to compete in a grappling tournament at 55 years old!
I totally get it! I mean, what 55 year old in their right mind would choose to get on the mats and go full out grappling for 6 minutes with 20 and 30 year young guys!?
ANSWER: One that is intelligent and honest about his strengths and limitations.
On being INTELLIGENT:
1. I choose to train with the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor in Mount Laurel, Professor Pete McHugh at McHugh Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
2. I choose to listen to the best coaches from #TeamMcHugh: Coach Tony LasCola, Coach Tony LasCola, Coach Al Robinson
3. I choose to listen to the feedback from my fellow teammates on #TeamMcHugh
4. I tap often and early when I know that I am in a position that I know that I have no answer for.
5. I never let my ego get the best of me. (at my age, that’s pretty much easy to do)
6. I make sure that my body gets it’s rest and nutrition.
7. I HAVE FUN and ENJOY the journey.
On being HONEST:
1. I don’t con myself about my age. Though it is said that “50 is the new 30”, but let’s be honest, I’m not 30. My body was 30 once and my 55 year old body doesn’t feel like my 30 year old body. Period.
2. I will get beaten up. Excepting that I will get ouchies and booboos in my training better equips me and prepares me mentally and physically to “go with the flow” and not let “ego” in to do it’s dastardly deed.
3. I’m not going to win all the time.
4. There’s always going to be someone better than me.
5. Hard work will trump talent. And…
6. Hard work with Talent will conquer hard work.
And, here’s the big one…
7. I could die tomorrow. So live each moment as if it were going to be my last, mindful that I may live to be 100 years old.
So, in short, my thinking is this,
I WANT TO DIE YOUNG, AS LATE AS POSSIBLE!
(PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.MCHUGHBJJ.COM)
