Jeff Mills: BA Hons Business Studies

Jeff Mills

BA Hons Business Studies, 1998

"I went on to study Aikido in Japan."

Jeff last year left his career as an Account Manager for a London fashion distributor to become the UK's first Uchi Deschi - apprentice student - at Japan's leading Aikido training school, the Kobayashi Dojo.

Jeff started studying Aikido when he was a fresher at Luton, and achieved his black belt about a month before he graduated. He continued to practise three times a week while pursuing his career in fashion distribution.

Then, in a complete career change, he applied through his instructor to the leading Aikido training school in Japan. After being granted formal permission to join, he travelled to Tokyo to start his new life.

He said: "The first week was the hardest. Adjusting to the strict regime really took it out of me. I was dragging myself off the floor at dawn and finding a suitable light under which to inspect my latest cuts and bruises. Some of the injuries dogged me for days, but amazingly, the body does get used to such mistreatment after a while."

Jeff returned to the UK to spend Christmas at home. He said: "I don't think I've ever appreciated a Christmas quite as much as that one, although I did miss the friends that I'd made out there and the incredible manner in which they lived their lives."

Interview took place in 2000.