This week we're joined again by Oliver Taza! Oliver is actually the first guest we ever had on BJJ Mental Models, so it's great to have him back. Oliver and his team are actively preparing for ADCC, and in this episode of BJJ Mental Models, Oliver generously shares key concepts for standup in an ADCC-like environment. Oliver’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/tazagarami/ Oliver's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oliver.taza.1 Mental models discussed in this episode: 3 Joint Rule...
Aug 22, 2022•58 min•Ep. 193
This week we're joined again by Mike "Doctor Kickass" Piekarski! Mike is both a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and a physical therapist. In this episode, Mike provides general guidance on how BJJ athletes can safely return to sport after an injury or layoff. Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctor_kickass/ Mike's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctorkickassDPT Mental models discussed in this episode: Stress and Recovery https://bjjmentalmodels.com/stress-a...
Aug 15, 2022•56 min•Ep. 192
This week we're joined by Mike Mahaffey! Mike is a black belt under Chris Haueter, and is a certified Old Bastard. In this week's episode, Mike breaks down the tenets to "Old Bastard Jiu-Jitsu": the old-school style where you give them nothing, minimize movement, and crush them with pressure. Mike Mahaffey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xibalba1972/ Magic BJJ website: https://magicbjj.com/ Mental models discussed in this episode: Path of Least Resistance https://bjjm...
Aug 08, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 191
This week we're joined again by 3x world champ and Marcelo Garcia black belt, Emily Kwok! Fresh off winning the 2022 Pans, Emily joins us to talk about what it's like to compete after the age of 40. A great chat about what competition looks like as you get older, take on more responsibilities, become more concerned about your health, and achieve a broader life perspective. Emily's website: https://emilykwok.com/ Emily’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/emilykwokbjj/ Emily's p...
Aug 01, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 190
This week we're joined by Sonia Sillan! Sonia is a black belt under Hannette Staack and is the owner of Combat Arts Academy of Seattle. In this episode, Sonia shares her honest advice on how to build a BJJ business. Topics include financing, business partners, affiliations, customer onboarding, customer contracts, trial classes, class safety, and volunteers vs. employees. Sonia's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soniasillan/ Combat Arts Academy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/...
Jul 25, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 189
This week we're joined again by Malachy Friedman! Malachy breaks down mental models for the knee shield half guard. Get Malachy's knee shield instructionals on Jiu Jitsu X: https://jiujitsux.com/profile/malachyf/ Malachy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malachyfriedman/ Mental models discussed in this episode: Controlling the Distance https://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlling-the-distance/ Predictable Responses https://bjjmentalmodels.com/predictable-responses/ Funneling https...
Jul 18, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 188
This week we're joined by Ryan Hurst! Ryan is the head coach at GMB Fitness, the creators of the popular Elements program for strength & flexibility. In this episode, Ryan introduces GMB's concepts for expanding your range of motion, shares tips on injury prevention, and explains why most BJJ warmups are suboptimal. GMB on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GMBFitnessSkills GMB's Website: https://gmb.io/ GMB on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gmbfitness/ Contact GMB: info...
Jul 11, 2022•59 min•Ep. 187
This week we're joined by Micah Brakefield! Micah holds dual BJJ black belts under Don Whitefield and Nabil Salameh, and is the head coach at 10th Planet Etobicoke. Micah joins us to discuss the importance of unorthodoxy and creativity in Jiu-Jitsu. Micah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/micahbrakefield/ Micah’s Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/micahbrakefield/ Train with Micah at 10th Planet Etobicoke: https://10thplanetetobicoke.com/ Mental models discussed in this episode: ...
Jul 04, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 186
This week we're joined again by Rob Biernacki! Following up on a previous episode, Rob introduces Island Top Team's proprietary system for constraint-based training. He calls it "F**k Your Jiu-Jitsu," because he's Rob Biernacki, so of course he does. FYJJ has four categories: sweeping, passing, top control, and submission control. BJJ Concepts: https://bjjconcepts.net/ Rob on Instagram: https://instagram.com/islandtopteam/ Mental models discussed in this episode: Constra...
Jun 27, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 185
This week we're joined by Robert Drysdale! Robert brings his extensive experience, both as an elite grappler and historian, to discuss the BJJ "generation gap" and how he's witnessed the art evolve. A really insightful conversation about the importance of history, the evolution of coaching, how rulesets have changed the sport, and fundamentals vs. trends. Opening Closed Guard - the book & film: https://www.closedguardfilm.com/ Robert's Instagram: https://www.instagra...
Jun 20, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 184
This week we're joined again by Matt Kirtley! Matt, better known by his internet handle Aesopian, is a lead moderator on Reddit's /r/bjj and an instructor at Inverted Gear Academy. During the day, he's also a web development and search engine optimization (SEO) specialist. In this episode, Matt draws on his BJJ and SEO experience to share some website best practices for BJJ gyms. We talk about website hosting services, gym management software, email, digital security, hiring a dev...
Jun 13, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 183
This week we're joined by Brandon Mccaghren! Brandon is a 10th Planet black belt under Eddie Bravo and the head instructor at 10th Planet Decatur. In this episode, Brandon explains the concepts behind the rubber guard, how it integrates into a more conventional gameplan, and why we haven't seen much rubber guard success in high-level competition. Brandon's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonmc.ninja/ Rubber Guard: The Meathook by Brandon McCaghren — BJJ Fanatics: https://...
Jun 06, 2022•58 min•Ep. 182
This week we're joined by fan favorites Rob Biernacki & Stephan Kesting! Rob and Stephan's newest instructional, "BJJ for Old F***s," explains concepts and tactics for safe and effective Jiu-Jitsu as you age. We dig into their ideas in this episode. A great listen for older grapplers, or anyone concerned about maximizing safety and effectiveness. Get the instructional here: BJJ for Old F***s: How to Defeat the Younger, More Athletic Opponent By Rob Biernacki and Stephan K...
May 30, 2022•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 181
Just a heads up that this episode has almost nothing to do with Jiu-Jitsu, so if you want to skip it, I don't blame you. 🤣 In this bonus episode, philosophy enthusiast and grappling luminary Robert Degle joins us to make an in-depth defense of the Star Wars prequels. Robert makes the case that the Star Wars prequels are better than you remember, and may in fact be legitimately good movies. Robert's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertdeglebjj/ Robert Degle BJJ Online: https://r...
May 27, 2022•1 hr 37 min
This week, Andrew Wiltse from Daisy Fresh and Wiltse Bros BJJ joins us for a very raw and transparent conversation. For those not aware, Andrew recently experienced a manic episode and was diagnosed with dissociative disorder. He also recently launched the Gym Rat program, a charitable organization focused on sponsoring athletes in need. In this episode, Andrew talks extensively about his experiences with mania and dissociative disorder, the Gym Rat program, and how the community can make BJJ a ...
May 23, 2022•57 min•Ep. 180
This week we're joined again by Lachlan Giles! Lachlan introduces the hybrid reverse classroom model that he uses for his online Jiu-Jitsu instructional platform, SUBMETA. Sign up for SUBMETA here: https://submeta.io/want Mental models discussed in this episode: Double Down on Strengths https://bjjmentalmodels.com/double-down-on-strengths/ Funneling https://bjjmentalmodels.com/funneling/ Technique Chaining https://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-chaining/ Incremental Learning https://bjjmenta...
May 16, 2022•59 min•Ep. 179
This week we're joined again by Robert Degle! Robert joins us for a thought piece where we question one of the biggest assumptions in Jiu-Jitsu: what does it mean for a technique to be "high percentage?" And are we defining this correctly? Robert Degle's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/RobertDegleBJJ Mental models discussed in this episode: Do What Works https://bjjmentalmodels.com/do-what-works/ Win Conditions https://bjjmentalmodels.com/win-conditions/ Resulting Fallacy https:/...
May 09, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 178
This week we're joined by Seph Smith! Seph is a black belt under Ryan Hall and is the head instructor at Upstream BJJ. Seph joins us to talk about the concepts behind one of his favorite submissions: the arm triangle. Seph's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sephwillkillyou/ Seph's email: [email protected] Arm Triangle Details with Seph Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCOXwqVePsY Ryan Hall Online: https://ryanhallonline.com/ Mental models discussed in this episode: ...
May 02, 2022•51 min•Ep. 177
This week we're joined by Dr. Matteo Capodaglio! Matteo is the founder of Capo Nutrition, and is the "nutritionist to the stars" for BJJ athletes such as Mikey Musumeci and Margot Ciccarelli. In this episode, Matteo provides a brief primer on nutrition for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as well as some mythbusting on common nutrition misconceptions. Matteo’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/drcapodaglio Mental models discussed in this episode: Consistency https://bjjmentalmodels.com/consistency/...
Apr 25, 2022•53 min•Ep. 176
This week, we're joined by "The Raspberry Ape," Daniel Strauss! Daniel is a black belt under Roger Gracie and is the host of The Raspberry Ape Podcast. In this episode, Daniel breaks down the concepts behind one of his favorite submissions, and arguably one of the best overall submissions in all of Jiu-Jitsu: the guillotine choke. Daniel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raspberry_ape/ Daniel's website: https://raspberryape.com/ The Raspberry Ape Podcast: https://so...
Apr 18, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 175
This week we're joined by Nick Purler! Nick is the head coach at Purler Wrestling Academy. In this episode, Nick brings his wealth of wrestling and coaching knowledge to the podcast, discussing topics such as: structuring a curriculum, cultivating a gameplan, the coach/student relationship, and introducing wrestling into your BJJ game. Purler Wrestling's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purlerwrestling/ Purler Wrestling Academy: https://purlerwrestling.com/ Mental models discussed ...
Apr 11, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 174
This week we're joined by Lucius Tirey IV! Lucius is the strength & conditioning coach for Rafael Lovato Jr. and Xande Ribeiro. In this episode, Lucius discusses how he builds and executes strength & conditioning programs for elite-level BJJ athletes. Lucius' Instagram: https://instagram.com/greenstrengthiv/ Lucius' website: https://greenstrengthhq.com/ Mental models discussed in this episode: Concepts Over Techniques https://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques/ P...
Apr 04, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 173
In this very special episode, we're joined by Jiu-Jitsu podcaster and transcendental scholar Sonny Brown. Sonny joins us to break down the most powerful mental model of them all: the Law of Attraction. Mental models discussed in this episode: Law of Attraction https://bjjmentalmodels.com/law-of-attraction/ Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium! If you love the podcast, you’ll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceber...
Apr 01, 2022•49 min•Ep. 172
This week we're joined by Meg He! Meg is the co-founder and co-CEO of Aday, a Forbes 30 under 30 winner, and well-known Jiu-Jiteiro. Meg joins us to share some key business concepts for grapplers looking to make a living in the gentle art. Mental models discussed in this episode: Idea Communism https://bjjmentalmodels.com/idea-communism/ Race to the Bottom https://bjjmentalmodels.com/race-to-the-bottom/ Learning Modalities https://bjjmentalmodels.com/learning-modalities/ Abundance Mindset h...
Mar 28, 2022•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 171
This week we're joined by Braulio Estima! Braulio talks about the importance of following your passion, and explains what "clicked" for him when he burst onto the world scene at black belt. Braulio's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/braulioestima Mental models discussed in this episode: Self-Competition https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/ Concepts Over Techniques https://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques/ Levels of Competition https://bjjmentalmodels.com/level...
Mar 21, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 170
This week we're joined by Drew Foster! Drew, also known as Darce_Knight on Reddit, is the host of The Neon Belly Podcast. In this episode, Drew breaks down one of his specializations: the D'Arce choke. Drew's podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1844219 Drew on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/Darce_Knight Drew on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drewdarce/ Mental models discussed in this episode: Do What Works https://bjjmentalmodels.com/do-what-works/ Limb Coiling https://...
Mar 14, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 169
This week, Malachy Friedman joins us to discuss workshopping! Malachy's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/MalachyFriedman Mental models discussed in this episode: Scientific Method https://bjjmentalmodels.com/scientific-method/ Cognitive Load https://bjjmentalmodels.com/cognitive-load/ Meditative Drilling https://bjjmentalmodels.com/meditative-drilling/ Investing in Loss https://bjjmentalmodels.com/investing-in-loss/ Beginner's Mind https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beginners-mind/ Incremental Lea...
Mar 07, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 168
This week we're joined by Nikki Sullivan! Nikki is a black belt under André Galvão and is an inverted guard specialist. Nikki breaks down the concepts behind her inverted game, which she calls "panda." Nikki's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkicuddlejitsu/ The Panda Guard by Nikki Sullivan - BJJ Fanatics: https://bjjfanatics.com/products/the-panda-guard-by-nikki-sullivan The Panda Guard Systems - Atos BJJ On Demand: https://www.atosbjjondemand.com/products/panda-guard...
Feb 28, 2022•38 min•Ep. 167
This week we're joined by Nick "Chewy" Albin! Chewy breaks down strategies and concepts for back control. The BJJ podcast crossover you never knew you needed! Chewy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chewjitsu/ Chewy's website: https://www.chewjitsu.net/ Chewy's YouTube: https://bit.ly/3sMOuM2 Chewy's back control playlist: https://bit.ly/36fAra3 Mental models discussed in this episode: Overwhelming Force https://bjjmentalmodels.com/overwhelming-force/ Anat...
Feb 21, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 166
This week we're joined by Dr. Antonio Harrison! Antonio, affectionately known as "Coach Doc," holds a PhD in behavior analysis, and has a wealth of experience in sports coaching. Doc introduces us to the field of behavior analysis, and shares lessons on how coaches can bring out the best in their athletes. Doc's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onecoachdoc/ Doc's website: https://www.muchlovealways.com/ Supernatural: https://www.getsupernatural.com/ Mental models dis...
Feb 14, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 165
