I'm Michael. I'm 61, and I still compete.

I'm Michael. I'm 61, and I still compete.

I started traditional Jujitsu in 1980 and I hold an 8th Dan. In 2015, after 35 years on the mat, I walked into a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class as a white belt and got tapped by people half my age. I kept going back. In December 2025, at 60, I was awarded my BJJ black belt.

Today I compete regularly on the IBJJF and JJIF circuits, in divisions where everyone has a few more aches than they used to. In 2026 I won gold at the UK National Masters BJJ Championships, my first year competing as a black belt.

Why this site exists. Most jiu-jitsu content is made by and for 25-year-olds. It assumes you recover overnight, have nothing else on, and don't mind a torn ligament. That isn't the reality for most of us over 35. Old Man Jiu-Jitsu is for the rest of us: how to train, recover and compete when you're older, from someone who's still doing it.

What you'll find here:

  • Training that suits an older body
  • Recovery and injury prevention that actually works
  • Honest advice on competing in the masters divisions
  • Gear reviews from someone who's worn out plenty of it

I have my own club Kyouken MMA & Jiujitsu in Andover, UK and this is my lineage

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