Mike Bidwell: Record, Net Worth, Weight, Age & More!

By Benjamin Strusnik, November 02, 2021

Who is Mike Bidwell?

Mike Bidwell, the self proclaimed “Spider Ninja”, is an American black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, an instructor, and a YouTube content creator with over 33,000 subscribers on his channel. He owns and manages a BJJ gym in Colorado, FloLifeBJJ, with his wife Sheena Bidwell.

Who is Mike Bidwell?

Flow Jits Digital Only by Mike Bidwell and Nicolas Gregoriades

Bidwell’s YouTube channel, BJJAfter40, is filled with videos that feature creative set-ups and attack sequences which have been specifically tailored to the bodies of athletes over 40 who are looking to stay sharp. He is known not only for the clarity of his instruction but also for his creative naming of new techniques such as the “cryangle” and the “seppuku choke”.

Although he has gained notoriety as an older Jiu-Jitsu player, Bidwell’s training in the sport actually began long before that, in 1996. In the late 90s, He began teaching martial arts, particularly Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, in Syracuse, NY at what is now called Tai Kai Jiu-Jitsu. The Japanese form of the art was, in Bidwell’s words, more about self-defense than submission grappling.

After entering an amateur “MMA-style” event in Virginia, he was introduced to UFC referee and Jiu-Jitsu coach, Mario Yamasaki. Although Yamasaki’s gym was almost three hours away, Bidwell continued to make the journey for regular Jiu-Jitsu training. After falling in love with the sport, Bidwell and the other management of his gym renamed their programs in New York and Delaware to “Tai Kai Jiu-Jitsu”.

Bidwell owned and operated the Delaware chapter of Tai Kai Jiu-Jitsu from it’s rebranding in the late 90s until the year 2003. That year, he sold the Delaware academy and moved to Colorado with his then-girlfriend, Sheena. The two have since married and begun to operate their own gym which focuses on a holistic approach to living and training.

When Bidwell found himself in Colorado, he was disappointed with the lack of good BJJ training available in his area. Determined to continue spreading his love of martial arts, Bidwell began working for a massive karate school. He points out that the marketing and sales techniques he learned there were invaluable to his future success.

Still, this increased focus on salesmanship came at a personal cost to Bidwell, who had initially received his brown belt alongside Ken Kronenberg and Scott Shultz in 2001. He has repeatedly joked about his time off causing him to be the longest BJJ brown belt in the history of the sport. It wasn’t until 2014, 13 years after being promoted to brown, that Ken Kronenberg was able to award Mike Bidwell his black belt.

Bidwell now resides in Colorado with his wife Sheena. The two own and operate FloLifeBJJ which is not only a martial arts academy but also a holistic health & wellness center. They promote not only Jiu-Jitsu, but an entire lifestyle built around balance and self-care. When he isn’t teaching, Bidwell is managing his sizable YouTube following and promoting his own website of the same name, BJJAfter40.

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How Old is Mike Bidwell?

Mike Bidwell is 51 years old as of 2021. He was born in May of 1970.

Mike Bidwell Family

Not much information has been published about Bidwell’s upbringing, although he owns and operates a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym in Colorado with his wife, Sheena.

How Much is Mike Bidwell Worth?

Mike Bidwell’s net worth has not been publicly estimated. He has owned and run multiple Jiu-Jitsu academies, maintains a popular website, and creates videos for his 33,000 subscribers on YouTube.

How Tall is Mike Bidwell?

Bidwell’s height has not been published.

How Much Does Mike Bidwell Weigh?

While Bidwell was public with his weight loss journey, losing nearly 50 pounds while training Jiu-Jitsu, his final weight is not available.

Mike Bidwell Fight List

Mike Bidwell competed in an early MMA-style bout, but does not have an active competition record outside of that event.

Mike Bidwell's Best Fight of All Time

Bidwell is known for his successful YouTube channel and his prowess as an instructor and creator of video instructionals. He does not have a competition background.

Who Did Mike Bidwell Lose To?

Because Mike Bidwell was not known as a competitor, he doesn’t have any notable losses to speak of.

Mike Bidwell Record

Bidwell does not have a record as a professional fighter or grappler, instead dedicating himself to teaching the sport.

Mike Bidwell Injuries

One of Bidwell’s several claims to fame is that he was a brown belt for 13 years. This is an uncommonly long journey, and he experienced several events, both in life and in training, that limited his ability to continue that journey. Injuries only compounded that formula, making it all the more sweet when Bidwell was promoted in 2014.

Is Mike Bidwell Retired?

Bidwell is not retired, instead he is pursuing his own goals in the sport with his wife through FloLifeBJJ. With his BJJAfter40 brand, Bidwell has made a living off of delaying the retirement of others. Now as active as he has ever been in the sport, Bidwell produces a constant stream of video, blog, and instructional content to showcase his love and knowledge of the sport.

Bidwell has even teamed up with BJJ Fanatics to produce and promote some of his best content yet. “Flow Jits: Flow the Fight - Don’t Fight the Flow” was produced in conjunction with Nicolas Gregoriades, and details their combined philosophy of letting your game develop naturally. It’s a must-watch for anyone looking to add creativity and a sense of calm to their game on the mat.

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