About Matt Kirtley

I am a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with over 15 years of experience as a teacher. I write about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with a focus on teaching, how to maximize learning potential, the science of skill acquisition, how to stay healthy over a lifetime of hard training, and how to survive as a struggling white belt. I also shoot lots of BJJ instructional videos.

Aesopian.com is one of the longest running BJJ blogs. I started it in 2006 as a blue belt. My 2011 survey of the BJJ gi market was the first big one of its kind. These days, I mainly write for Inverted Gear, and you can read my most recent articles here.

You can watch over 200 videos of me helping answer questions for Reddit’s White Belt Wednesdays.

I’m originally from FL, but I live in Bethlehem, PA and teach at Inverted Gear Academy. Let me know if you’ll be in town and want to train together.

I hold certifications in Functional Range Conditioning and the Functional Range Assessment. You can learn more about FRC and what it has to offer here.

I am available for private BJJ lessons or FRC training sessions in the Lehigh Valley. I am also available to teach seminars on BJJ or joint mobility anywhere in the US or worldwide. You can contact me here or through my Aesopian BJJ Facebook Page.