Becoming a Better Protector After 40

I have been asked very often to give advice to the Brothers, Sisters, and members who are no longer very young and who feel that their physical and motor skills are diminishing, yet still want to continue training and become better Protectors. I find this a good moment to write some advice for you.

First of all, I want to tell you that I am not so young anymore either. In a couple of months I will be 41 years old 😂, and even if this age is still considered young, the injuries I carry from past jobs represent a significant obstacle that I constantly have to manage and adapt to.

The most important element, even as you get older, is the desire to become a better Protector. Starting from this spark, you can achieve many things.

There are two kinds of people I am referring to here. The first are those who have been doing physical training, combat training, and mental training for a long time. The second are those who are just starting now, or who started not long ago, and want to become better Protectors.

Those who have trained for many years have already achieved significant skills and physical attributes. The problem is that they are beginning to see these attributes decline because of aging, injuries, and accumulated wear. The others, who are just starting, may not have reached high physical attributes in their prime, yet they still feel the decay of their bodies, and sometimes they feel it even more strongly than the first group.

I will first share my view on this subject and what I personally do, and then I will give you advice and tips based on my experience.

From a combat perspective, I consider myself today the most dangerous version of myself compared to any previous stage of my life. I say this because over the years I have accumulated direct experience with violence, training, preparedness knowledge, and skills that are superior to what I had before. Understanding the importance of simplicity and efficiency, I have invested my time in mastering the basics. My mindset is also stronger than ever. The cross and the sword are now in balance.

From a physical and fitness perspective, I truly believe that within the next year I will reach my peak physical condition, surpassing many previous versions of myself. For the past six months my nutrition has been clean. No junk food, no alcohol, no smoking, no late nights. Discipline in everything I do. I calculate calories and organize my macronutrients. I sleep at least seven to eight hours per night. In the last six months I have lost ten kilograms, going from 88 kg to 78 kg while maintaining muscle mass and burning fat. I train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu four to five times per week, lift weights three times per week, and practice daily weapon deployment drills and conditioning.

I know very well that the attributes I have developed will eventually decline. The question is when, and how much you can do to delay and slow that process.

You slow it down by doing what I mentioned before. You start with motivation. The Why. Why do you want to be in the best shape of your life? Why do you want to remain capable and dangerous even as you get older? The answer is the people around you. Your family. The ones you love. You do not want to be a liability. You want to be an asset, ready to protect them. This is the Protector mission. You want to be strong, fit, and prepared out of love for those close to you.

From this motivation everything else begins. Brother, Son, Sister, Daughter, Father, Mother, Grandpa, Grandma. If this motivation exists, every one of you can take steps to become a better Protector.

The next step is nutrition. This applies not only to those over 40 but to everyone. Your body will perform better with a clean diet and proper macronutrients. I am not recommending any specific diet like carnivore, keto, or vegan. Diets are often temporary. Each of you knows your own medical history, so I cannot prescribe a universal plan. I can only tell you what works for me.

I aim for 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily to maintain muscle mass. I avoid processed foods as much as possible. I get protein from eggs, beef, chicken, turkey, and fish. During my cutting phase I focus my carbohydrates around training sessions(before and after), using rice, oats, rice cakes, sweet potatoes, bananas, and blueberries. Fats come from eggs, fish, and olive oil. As supplements I use whey protein when needed, fish oil, creatine between 10 and 15 grams per day, zinc, magnesium glycinate, and vitamin D. Hydration is essential. I drink between 3.5 and 4 liters of water daily, adding electrolytes.

I also practice intermittent fasting. Often my last meal is around 10:00 pm after training, and I do not eat again until noon the next day, consuming only water or coffee. I am not recommending fasting to everyone, especially without knowing your medical background. I mention this to highlight discipline and clean eating. Your body cannot perform well if you feed it garbage.

Training is the next critical element, and physical fitness is the foundation. Many believe weapons training is the most important aspect. Weapon skills are indeed important, but especially for those over 40, being fit is the base of the pyramid. If you are obese, you may shoot well at a static target, but in a real violent encounter you will not be able to run, move, and maintain accuracy. Your marksmanship will suffer due to poor conditioning.

You must be able to drag an injured family member. You must be able to carry your wife or son out of a danger zone. Even in less extreme situations, such as your child breaking a leg during an outdoor trip with no signal available, you must have the strength and endurance to carry them to safety.

Being a capable Protector is built on the foundation of good physical condition. I strongly recommend weight training and conditioning work. Lifting weights is proven to increase lifespan and slow aging. Conditioning combines cardio and strength work at higher intensity. I also recommend long distance walking with a weighted backpack. If you are currently obese, you must combine nutrition and fitness to reach a healthier condition first.

Next comes combat training. Improving your fitness will make it easier to learn weapons and hand to hand skills. For those who have never practiced a combat sport, I speak honestly for the sake of reality. Attending a few self defense classes without real sparring, without non cooperative partners, and without realistic scenario training is not true combat training.

Regardless of age, I recommend practicing a combat sport. For older individuals, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is excellent. It builds conditioning, teaches ground fighting, and involves live resistance. Boxing is also very good for acquiring striking skills quickly. I do not recommend heavy boxing sparring for older individuals because of head trauma risks, but you can train striking with an instructor and spar lightly with protection. With BJJ and controlled boxing training, you can cover both ground fighting and striking while maintaining fitness.

Scenario training with partners is also important. You can combine striking, ground fighting, and weapons work in realistic drills.

Weapons training is crucial. Aim to achieve a decent fitness level, solid hand to hand skills, and strong weapon mastery. Fitness and combat skills allow you to transition effectively from empty hand to weapons while maintaining control.

Which weapons you train with depends on your country’s laws. If firearms are legal, they are the superior tool and must be mastered. If knives are legal, they should be mastered as well. If firearms are not permitted, then knives or other similar tools become primary. When knives are not allowed training with tools that have similar characteristics is the next way (scissors, screwdrivers...)

Another critical element is trauma medicine. In many situations, providing medical aid may be the most realistic and immediate way you can protect those around you.

Finally, the element that sustains everything is the combat mindset. Without it you will decay mentally before you decay physically. The combat mindset begins with motivation. Why do you train? Because you want to be an asset, not a liability. Because even at 40, 50, 60, or 70 you want to make a difference.

Age is not an excuse. It is simply a new battlefield.

Work on this:

Eating clean

Physical training

Weapons training

Hand to hand combat

Trauma Medicine

Combat mindset

Stay safe all and may God protect you and your families!