About me
My name’s Julien, I’m 43, and I’m back on the tatami… 27 years after leaving judo.
The beginnings and discovery of a passion
When I was a kid, like many at that age, I had to choose a sport.
After trying archery and tennis, and putting aside team sports, judo was the obvious choice. The martial arts aspect, the white kimono, the salutes, the fights: I got hooked straight away.
And it was at the age of 11 that I joined the Judo Club Arlésien, in the Griffeuille district.
Judo, a school of life
Very quickly, it became my sport, my reference point.
I met an incredible coach (sensei): Maître Louis Vial (black belt, 4th dan), charismatic, demanding, respected.
He taught us to fall. Over and over again. Ukemi was sacred to him. I remember the bruises, the sweat, but also the pride when you finally mastered your body.
One belt followed another. White and yellow. Yellow and orange-green. And then the first competitions. The nerves, the Sundays in the gym, the friends who became a real gang. We were on each other’s backs, but we had each other’s backs.
It was also at this time that Pascal Tual, then aged 21, took over at the club. His energy, availability, and teaching style enabled me to take the next step.
With him, I continued to evolve, to refine my technique and to better understand judo. Today, he is still at the head of the Judo Club Arlésien.
Little by little, I climbed the ranks, green, blue. Then purple: the last one I had, after a podium finish at the inter-regional championships in Martigues in 1998.
At the time, I was training two or three times a week. It was intense, but I was ready. I had a clear path to the black.
And then… I gave up
One summer, I made other choices. Adolescence, life, other desires. I walked away.
I did try to come back a few months later. But in the meantime, I’d lost fitness, my friends had continued to progress, and the pace was too hard.
I dropped out for good.
Judo was put on the back burner, without disappearing altogether. The Olympics, the world championships… always followed with interest. The idea of returning was never far away.
That day has come
At the age of 43, I decided to put on a judogi again.
I wanted to test my current abilities, to see what my body had retained.
And it did.
The falls came back. So did the instinct for kumi-kata. The tatami, as familiar as ever.
Of course, I haven’t rediscovered everything. But what I have rediscovered is the pleasure, the connection to the body, the respect for others.
And that inner calm you feel after a good randori.
Why this site?
I’ve set myself a challenge: to achieve a black belt before I’m 50.
But I don’t want to do it on my own. I said to myself: if I can do it again after 27 years… why can’t others?
So I created this space to share my journey. Progress, doubts, discoveries. And above all, to pass on this desire to others: whether they stopped 5 or 30 years ago, or want to start after 40.
Judo is not just a sport for young people or competitors. It’s an art, a school of life. It’s a way of getting moving, staying flexible, strong and alive.
And I’m convinced that judo has its place in adult life.
What you’ll find here:
– My “Journal” on the road to black belt
– Simple, useful technical resources
– Training ideas adapted to our age
And soon, a community of adult judokas who are progressing together seriously, but without unnecessary pressure.