Five-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion Bernardo Faria is challenging one of the most common laments heard in academy locker rooms:
“I wish I’d started training earlier.”
In a recent video message to his followers, Faria presented a counterintuitive perspective that is resonating with mature practitioners discovering the gentle art later in life.
“One of the biggest regrets that hobbies BJJ practitioners have is that they didn’t start Jiu-Jitsu earlier,”
Faria acknowledged. Instead of accepting this as an unfortunate reality he is flipping the narrative.
“As everything in life, there’s always the trade-offs, right?”
The champion’s main argument centers on a factor often overlooked in discussions about training longevity which is sustained motivation. According to Faria, those who discover Jiu-Jitsu at 35 or 40 possess something invaluable that younger counterparts may have lost which is genuine enthusiasm for stepping onto the mat.
“One of the benefits of you having started Jiu-Jitsu later is that you have all the motivation to train on that older age,”
Faria explained.
“Someone who started Jiu-Jitsu as a kid, by the time they’re like 30, 35, 40 years old, they don’t have the same motivation to train as the person who started as 35 years old or 40 years old.”
This observation aligns with broader trends in the sport. Legendary instructor Fábio Gurgel recently noted during a conversation at Aliança Jardins that today’s academies see their highest concentration of students between ages 35 and 45. Speaking with Kyra Gracie and actor Malvino Salvador, Gurgel highlighted why this demographic has become the sport’s sweet spot.
“Jiu-Jitsu is the only martial art you can practice in a true way after 40,”
Gurgel stated, pointing to the sustainable nature of grappling compared to striking arts. Salvador exemplified this reality which came after six years of boxing when he found himself at 37 or 38 seeking a martial art more suited to his life stage.
“But the age group we see most concentrated in gyms today is between 35 and 45, right?”
Gurgel observed.
“These are people who have developed an awareness and now want to practice a martial art.”
The instructor noted that high-profile advocates like Joe Rogan and Lex Fridman both train in their 50s which reflects the demographic shift.
“When you look at Jiu-Jitsu practitioners today, you see people like Joe Rogan Lex Fridman. They’re all in their 50s right? They all train they all talk about it constantly.”
These opinion-formers have recognized what Gurgel describes as Jiu-Jitsu’s unique value which is full engagement without the harsh physical toll of striking sports. Unlike boxing or kickboxing where accumulated damage becomes increasingly problematic with age, Jiu-Jitsu rewards experience timing and technical refinement which are attributes that improve over time.
Faria’s perspective acknowledges this reality while adding a psychological dimension. He frames discovering Jiu-Jitsu later in life not as a missed opportunity but as fortuitous timing that maximizes long-term engagement.
“I think one of the biggest benefits of having started Jiu-Jitsu later is that you are on an older age trying to find a hobby that you love and you found it and you love it and you have all that motivation in the world to train,”
he said.
“Versus the person who is doing that for 20 for 30 years probably doesn’t have the same motivation to train Jiu-Jitsu as you do.”
The champion invokes the classic glass-half-full analogy which suggests that perspective shapes reality as much as circumstance. Someone lamenting a late start might overlook the advantage of approaching each session with fresh enthusiasm rather than years of repetition.
“Is the glass half full or half empty?”
Faria asked.
“So, you can always try to see the glass.”
This reframing carries practical implications for academies adapting to evolving student populations. Gurgel’s Aliança, while maintaining its competitive pedigree, structures schedules with 30–40-year-olds in mind which reflects that most practitioners pursue Jiu-Jitsu as a lifestyle instead of a path to championship medals.
The appeal of Faria’s argument lies in its psychological realism. Motivation naturally shifts across decades. The childhood prodigy who earned a black belt at 20 may struggle to stay enthusiastic at 35 while a training partner who earned a blue belt at that same age could radiate excitement about every new technique.
“If you start later it’s good news,”
Faria concluded.
“You are motivated. And try to emphasize that.”
For the countless adults stepping onto the mats for the first time in their 30s 40s or beyond, Faria’s message offers validation. Their journey does not represent time lost which instead frames it as the start of a sustainable practice perfectly timed for their life circumstances and backed by genuine passion that can carry them through years of growth ahead.
