Increase Your Strength and Energy: Your Guide to BJJ after 40!

My Journey to the Top

Hey everyone! My name is Ismael Silva—I'm a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, competitor, and your training partner at The Combat Center. December 8th, 2024, was a special day for me—a lifelong dream came true. From the cheers of football to the frustrations on the mats, it's been two years of hard training, setbacks, and lessons learned. The secret? Never giving up. Learning from defeats, recognizing that others were better than me, and realizing that this journey was about overcoming myself—to become a better person and a more efficient competitor. On that day, I finally stood on top of the podium and became the National BJJ Champion of New Zealand. I couldn't have done it without God and the support of my Masters, my beautiful wife Jackie (PT at CityFitness), friends, and teammates. Now, I have the opportunity to represent New Zealand and our gym at the BJJ World Championship in Japan this September! Vin has graciously allowed me to share my story here and ask for your support to help make this dream a reality.