Dr Llyr Jones has been involved in judo since the early eighties and holds dan grades, teaching, and kata qualifications from a number of judo governing bodies. He works in the defense/aerospace industry and holds several university degrees including an MBA from Loughborough University Business School, UK and a PhD in aerospace systems engineering from the University of Southampton, UK

During his competitive career, Dr Jones medalled at a number of domestic championships and additionally was an international level representative. His most notable international representation included the USA Invitational International Open (plus the associated US pre-Olympic Training Camp) as well as the Swiss Open.

Dr Jones has taken instruction from many leading judo teachers. In addition to his studies and teachings in the United Kingdom he has lived and studied judo for an extended period in Japan – mainly at the Kodokan and at the Doyukai in Fujisawa. He has also practised judo in France, the USA, Australia and Switzerland.

Dr Jones has long felt that judo should be viewed as more than just a sport and that it should adhere to the concepts developed by its founder Jigoro Kano. Dr Jones now focuses his judo studies, teachings and writings on technical judo and on the Kodokan kata. He believes that the link between judo’s past and future is firmly embodied in the accurate teaching of kata and is the author of the influential paper ‘Competition, Kata and the Art of Judo’ published in 2005.

In addition to being a member of the MAIF International Advisory Board and the International Traditional Kodokan Judo Standards Committee, Dr Jones is also a member of The Kano Society – a UK group dedicated to the preservation of traditional, well-rounded judo as envisioned by Jigoro Kano.