AJ Watson Introduction

Eight years ago I was 175kg (385lbs) and ran out of breath tying my shoes. Today I am a three time Australian Jiu Jitsu champion, two time Pan Pacific Jiu Jitsu champion and hold an assortment of other titles and achievements in my chosen sport.

I am nearly 40 and have endured two major surgeries and countless injuries due in large part to the poor way I treated my body for the first 30 years of life. I work a standard 38 hour week and fit in time for training, family and entertainment.

I'm not sharing this to self-aggrandise or fuel my ego; I want people to benefit from my experiences and have a resource to tap into when training as an older athlete. The information above is to illustrate my credentials in overcoming obstacles common to a lot of people that want to train, or simply improve their health.

Aus Cup Gold medals

As a martial artist I want to still be training well into by 90s, but to do that I need to train differently from the 20 year olds that wish to be the next UFC headliner. The reality is that as you get older, recovery from a hard training session takes longer. Injuries can linger for months and losing weight is a constant struggle. This is a normal part of ageing but it doesn't mean we have to stop training. The human body starts to noticeably deteriorate from around 33 years, so as you hit 30 you should begin thinking about how to change your training to prepare for the unavoidable advance of age.

While the experiences and information here will mainly be focused on martial arts, specifically sports Jiu Jitsu, it relates to all physical activities and good health as an aged athlete. I will be as candid and honest as possible, not only sharing physical issues but tackling mental blocks we put on ourselves and how I overcame them.

My journey includes help from several professionals in the field of rehabilitation, pain management, sports movement, nutrition and general health. I am not one of these professionals however their advice enabled me to achieve my goals and remain healthy.

This is my personal journey and not everything will apply to you, but I hope it fuels ideas to add into your life and training regimen.

My name is AJ Watson, and I'm a Martial Arts Oldie.