On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by strength, nutrition, and lifestyle coach Eli Coffey and introduce Eli and Chewy’s new strength and hypertrophy training program for Jiu-Jitsu athletes called “Swole & Roll.” Eli is a WBFF Pro Muscle Model, holds state and national bench press records, and is a black belt in Japanese Jujitsu. On this episode, Eli discusses his start in martial arts and how an injury during martial arts competition led him to strength training and body building....
Mar 06, 2023•1 hr 57 min
Ffion Davies is a Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, multiple-time Jiu-Jitsu World Champion, and the 2022 ADCC Women's -60 kg champion. On this episode, Ffion discusses her start in Judo, being very shy as a kid and what helped her overcome her shyness, fighting in MMA, finding a love for Jiu-Jitsu, moving to New York, why she chose to train with JT Torres, what she looks for in a coach and gym, "culty" gym culture, why Ffion loves teaching, her thoughts on “Women’s Only Classes,” how to make women more comf...
Feb 27, 2023•1 hr 21 min
On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Owen Livesey. Owen is a Jiu-Jitsu and Judo black belt, ADCC veteran, grappling coach, and owner of Carlson Gracie-Hull. On this episode Owen discusses his start in Judo and transitioning to BJJ, getting a job teaching wrestling to a Rugby team, how Judo helped his transition to no-gi grappling, whether Owen prefers Gi or No-Gi training, what rule changes would make Gi competition more exciting, why there is limited exposure to combat sports in the...
Feb 20, 2023•1 hr 32 min
On this episode of the podcast, Chewy and Eugene discuss the importance of long-term consistency to achieve goals and the quality of your effort. We also discuss why people are dishonest about their training, why the "10,000 hour rule" is inaccurate for mastering a technique, why how you perform your repetitions is vital, the value of having a coach, what makes the gym unique, if "mat enforcers" are important for a gym, how tension is associated with negative emotion, one key thing that will mak...
Feb 13, 2023•55 min
On this episode, Chewy shares one of his top 5 strategies for BJJ. Chewy also shares some interesting and random history facts about Gladiators at the start of the episode. Chewy discusses how he improved his guard passing by working on his bottom game, having patience with grip fighting, the importance of discipline when trying to pass guard, whether you should practice on one side or both sides when learning a new technique, the value of moving side to side to create angles, an idea on how to ...
Feb 06, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Jaidyn Mueller is a Jiu-Jitsu brown belt and up and coming Jiu-Jitsu athlete. Jaidyn joins the podcast to discuss her start in martial arts, her initial love for striking and MMA, her first experience in Jiu-Jitsu, gaining a love for Jiu-Jitsu, the decision and process of wanting to pursue Jiu-Jitsu full-time, working for and competing in “Fight 2 Win,” her experience as a coach and teaching kid's classes, making the decision to train with Tom DeBlass, her training schedule and adjusting for com...
Jan 30, 2023•1 hr 21 min
Nicolas Gregoriades is a BJJ black belt under Roger Gracie, a Jiu-Jitsu coach, podcaster, and men’s coach. On this episode, Nicolas discusses growing up in South Africa, the life-changing experiences that impacted his life, the paradox of building yourself up to be better and at the same time knowing that you are enough, not basing your self-worth on your physical abilities in Jiu-Jitsu, finding the joy in being a coach and watching your students succeed, how to help your students build confiden...
Jan 23, 2023•1 hr 5 min
On this episode of the podcast, Chewy and Eugene discuss how to overcome the fear on getting injured in competition. We discuss whether risk of injuries is higher in competition or training, when you are most likely to get injured in Jiu-Jitsu, why people avoid trying new things, whether increased exposure to a position decreases injury risk, why opponents feel stronger in competition, and how to gain power over the things you’re fearful of. Thanks to the podcast sponsors: Charlotte's Web CBD. H...
Jan 16, 2023•47 min
On this episode of the podcast, Chewy and Eugene answer the question of whether you should compare yourself to others in Jiu-Jitsu. We discuss why you should compare processes and not results, how to transition to a different mindset when comparing yourself to others, why self-awareness is transformative, being selective in what you compare and how you compare yourself to others, and why you should question yourself and try to prove yourself wrong. Thanks to the podcast sponsors: Charlotte's Web...
Jan 09, 2023•52 min
Leah Stumpf is a BJJ black belt, a head coach at SBG-Montana, and the wife of retired Navy Seal Andy Stumpf. Leah joins the podcast to discuss her start in martial arts, her path to black belt, and how to grow a women’s Jiu-Jitsu program. Leah discusses her first experience with training BJJ, how to approach training with a less experienced BJJ practitioner, how to tell if you're improving, some of the common struggles women deal with in BJJ, why strength and conditioning is extremely important ...
Jan 02, 2023•1 hr 48 min
On this episode, Chewy and Eugene chat about Chewy’s 5 major takeaways from the 2022 No-Gi Worlds that were integral in Chewy’s success at the competition. Five Key Takeaways: 1. Importance of drilling. 2. Knowing your game plan. 3. Taking days off. 4. Having a supportive partner. 5. Proper diet. Bonus: "Get lost between matches." We also discuss when to adjust your competition game plan, the value of reps for better technique, Chewy's percentage of rolling to drilling, how Chewy utilized off da...
Dec 26, 2022•1 hr
Chewy and Eugene discuss the 2022 No-Gi Worlds, Chewy winning the Master 2 No-Gi Worlds, and also game planning for tournaments. We discuss IBJJF rules and our thoughts on purple belts doing heel hooks in competition, injuries in competition, tapping early, dealing with haters on the internet, Chewy's training schedule and tournament prep, the value of having good training partners, getting back into the gym after a tournament, how a competition makes you better, the steroid controversy at the N...
Dec 19, 2022•1 hr 19 min
On this episode, Chewy discusses his diet, how eating the right foods, and how “meal timing” can help with performance on the mats. We also chat about macronutrients and how needs fluctuate based on your activity, when to eat fats, how not eating too long before training will impact your performance, what to eat before training and what to eat when not training, how to use your food to help recover more quickly after a tough training session, Chewy’s preferred diet prior to training, what to eat...
Dec 12, 2022•48 min
On this episode of the podcast, Chewy and Eugene discuss why you should chase abilities and not belts, and why you should focus on your development not the destination. We discuss why focusing only on goals can result in “fulfillment fatigue,” why the magic isn’t in the things you achieve, but the process and who you become when you achieve them. We also chat about what to do after you experience a let down after achieving a goals, intrinsic vs. extrinsic goals, and advice on how to combat the b...
Dec 05, 2022•52 min
On this episode, Chewy and Eugene are joined by 10th Jiu-Jitsu Planet Black Belt and the head coach and owner of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu - Las Vegas, Casey Halstead. Casey discusses his start in Jiu-Jitsu, how Jiu-Jitsu impacted his life after getting out of a difficult relationship, starting Jiu-Jitsu at an old-school gym that was against cross-training and the process of changing to a 10th Planet gym, training with Eddie Bravo, how Casey’s game evolved when changing gyms, why you should eliminat...
Nov 28, 2022•1 hr 30 min
On this episode, Chewy and Eugene discuss how to build your confidence on the Jiu-Jitsu mats and in life. We discuss building confidence through exposure and how to build confidence when coming back to Jiu-Jitsu after an injury. We also discuss why your rank in Jiu-Jitsu is meaningful, why you should put yourself into uncomfortable and uncertain situations, the most important thing for building confidence, why you should be an executer and not a collector, why action is transformative, the “grad...
Nov 21, 2022•1 hr 4 min
On this episode, Chewy and Eugene discuss if BJJ is becoming more dangerous because people aren’t giving their opponents enough time to tap. We discuss the unwritten rule in training about not ripping submissions, thoughts on whether you should aggressively finish submissions in competition, the contrast of going for submissions in Judo, and if there is any way to decrease injuries in competition. Also check out the Q&A section which includes: advice on your first tournament, any rule change...
Nov 14, 2022•1 hr 53 min
On this episode, Chewy and Eugene discuss some ideas around a quote from the author Thomas Sowell, “There are no solutions, just trade-offs,” and how this thinking applies to Jiu-Jitsu and also to life. We discuss why you shouldn’t push yourself too hard when you first start training, using a reward system when starting a task, the importance of keeping Jiu-Jitsu fun early on, why life is a poorly designed game, trading your health for Jiu-Jitsu, training intensity vs. training longevity, and co...
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 5 min
On this episode of the podcast, Chewy discusses techniques that were seen as low percentage that have become high percentage effective techniques. We chat about specific techniques that were seen as low percentage and have become high percentage, why it's important to have an open mind and experiment with BJJ techniques, why we can be considered “creatures of self-esteem,” how Chewy evolves his techniques, the importance of BJJ coaches learning new skills, and rules of combat. Thanks to the podc...
Oct 31, 2022•1 hr 11 min
Chewy and Eugene are joined by BJJ black belt and the 2022 ADCC 88 kg World Champion Giancarlo Bodoni. Giancarlo joins the show to discusses his preferred rule sets for grappling, starting BJJ primarily as a Gi practitioner and then transitioning to primarily training No-Gi. Giancarlo also talks about starting BJJ at 12 years old, what was unique about BJJ compared to other martial arts, the story of how he started training with John Danaher and Gordon Ryan, how he drastically improved his leg l...
Oct 24, 2022•1 hr 27 min
Chewy and Eugene chat with BJJ legend Andre "Dedeco" Almeida. Dedeco is a 6th degree BJJ black belt under Ricardo Liborio. On this episode, Dedeco discusses owning and running a gym, the right way to open a Jiu-Jitsu gym, how Dedeco started teaching, how teaching improves your Jiu-Jitsu, the biggest mistake people make when opening a BJJ school, what makes a BJJ technique “right” or “wrong,” Dedeco’s start in BJJ, how he overcame severe anxiety with training BJJ, the importance of having a stron...
Oct 17, 2022•1 hr 45 min
On this episode, Chewy and Eugene discuss the video of a 140 lb. teenage BJJ blue belt getting slammed by a 265 lb. purple belt during training. Chewy gives advice on how to roll with someone that a you don’t know, how the rules engagement in BJJ dictate your reaction and perception of the type of training, whether you can prevent getting slammed in training, why a BJJ belt does and doesn’t matter, having a healthy ego, how experienced practitioners develop body control and awareness, achieving ...
Oct 10, 2022•1 hr 15 min
On this episode of the podcast, we chat with Rob, who runs the popular Instagram and YouTube channel McDojoLife , where he exposes fraudulent martial artists. We are also joined by Matt Wahlstrom, a BJJ black belt and owner of Epic Roll BJJ apparel company. Rob and Matt discuss what it was like attending ADCC 2022 in Las Vegas, the popularity of Jiu-Jitsu and what can help grow the sport more, how modifying the scoring criteria can make matches more exciting, the high production quality of the A...
Oct 03, 2022•2 hr 7 min
Chewy and Eugene recap the events of the 2022 ADCC championships including what it was like attending this event. We chat about some of our favorite experiences and matches, what made this ADCC different from the others, the style of match that we thought was most enjoyable to watch, rule changes that could make the matches more enjoyable to watch and more exciting, thoughts on the "no points" portion of an ADCC match, use of the turtle position in the ADCC, our biggest upsets and breakout perfo...
Sep 26, 2022•1 hr 17 min
On this episode, we discuss why you should keep your training private. We chat about why you shouldn't record your training sessions or post them on social media, the need for students to experiment and how a recorded roll can change the feel of a training session, the importance of not “talking and tapping,” why Chewy decided to stop recording his rolls, what to do when someone asks to record your roll, why you should think of rolling like dancing, and the optimal environment for learning. Than...
Sep 19, 2022•54 min
Alexey Cruz is a 6th degree BJJ black belt and the head coach of Alexey Cruz BJJ. Alexey shares his start in Jiu-Jitsu, what it was like training at Ricardo De Le Riva’s gym, the pros and cons of training in the early days of Jiu-Jitsu, Alexey's worst BJJ injuries, which submissions Alexey dislikes in training, which techniques were ok back in the day but aren't allowed in training today, how the IBJJF made Jiu-Jitsu more safe, belt promotions in the early days of Jiu-Jitsu, competing as a black...
Sep 12, 2022•1 hr 37 min
On this episode, Chewy and Eugene discuss who would win in a fight between a self-defense Jiu-Jitsu practitioner (who doesn’t do any live sparring and just focuses on techniques), against a high-level sport Jiu-Jitsu competitor. We also discuss the importance of live rolling, whether Sport Jiu-Jitsu techniques can be effective for self-defense, which BJJ techniques and positions are best for self-defense, BJJ techniques to avoid in a street fight, the importance of training with strikes, the bes...
Sep 05, 2022•1 hr 2 min
On this episode of The Chewjitsu Podcast, we discuss the idea of why wisdom doesn't come cheap. We chat about the challenges of Jiu-Jitsu, including the willingness required to go through the struggles physically and emotionally. We also chat about the monetary toll that Jiu-Jitsu can take, why wisdom is tough to gain and can be expensive, how being good at a difficult task is meaningful, and using the lessons and wisdom from grappling to overcome difficult situations. Thanks to the podcast spon...
Aug 29, 2022•48 min
On this episode, Chewy and Eugene discuss their thoughts on no time limit Jiu-Jitsu matches We discuss strategy for no time limit matches, how this style of ruleset impacts viewership, if this rule set is a true test of finding the best practitioner, how to make no time limit matches more exciting, and our thoughts on the trash talk around the Ryan vs. Pena "Who's Number One" match. Thanks to the podcast sponsors: Charlotte's Web CBD. Head over to https://bit.ly/38FnyUv and use the promo code Ch...
Aug 22, 2022•49 min
Mason Fowler is a Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Caio Terra, ADCC Trials winner, and the champion of the Submission Underground promotion. On this episode, Mason discusses what changed from the 2019 ADCC Trials win to the 2021 ADCC trials win, when he started training and how he transitioned to training from MMA to training for BJJ exclusively, what makes someone ultra successful in competition, his typical training schedule, the importance of a rest day, thoughts on competition rule sets such as no...
Aug 15, 2022•1 hr 13 min
