Started Judo at 40 — no regrets whatsoever

I started Judo at 40 and felt completely out of my depth in the first class. Most people were twenty-something and athletic. I was neither. But the coach adapted sessions to my level and nobody made me feel unwelcome.

Recovery takes longer at my age, and finding competitive clubs outside Japan or France hit harder than it would have at 25. But landing a clean ippon throw has been more pronounced than I expected — probably because I needed it more. I now train three times a week and have no plans to stop. The ear guards for groundwork sessions setup was a surprise cost — budget for that separately.