Earning a purple belt in jiu-jitsu is impressive at any age, but the promotion was especially huge for Roberto Aguilar. Aguilar, who trains under Romolo Barral, is 72 years old, proving that in many cases, age doesn’t have to stop you from achieving your dreams.
Aguilar truly embraces the “Everyday Porrada” lifestyle his professor preaches, and he says it was “unbelievable” when Barral called his name to get promoted. “I was beyond happy, speechless, and so buzzed inside my head… I knew I had sweated, worked hard, and tried my best… that it was acknowledged made me want to continue to become a better jiu-jitsu player,” he says. “When he tied that belt around me I changed. My jiu-jitsu skills must evolve to meet the new belt level.”
Aguilar earned his blue belt about a year and a half ago, and he encourages other older practitioners to give jiu-jitsu a try. “Have some fun and try it. You don’t know what you are capable of unless you do. Old age doesn’t stop you as much as the condition one has maintained the body. Old age doesn’t dull effort — thinking ‘you can’t’ does. We have to change the concept of activity in old age.”
We look forward to seeing how this inspirational athlete continues to progress in the future!
