I talk to one of the forefathers of American MMA & submission grappling, founder of Combat Submission Wrestling, Erik Paulson. We discuss the benefits of note-taking and the ability to be a free thinker and having freedom of movement, along with stories of the early days of training with the Gracies & the Machado Brothers alongside Shooto & Catch Wrestling. We get into some specifics on Kesa Gatame, Neck Cranks & Leg Locks and we also end up going deep on the power of meditation,...
Mar 23, 2021•1 hr 42 min•Season 2Ep. 37
I talk to Christian Graugart who is the founder of BJJ Globetrotters, a community that runs seminars & camps around the world that discourages jiu-jitsu politics. We discuss the role of tribalism in BJJ and the benefits of thinking outside the box. The desire for social recognition that drives the need for many competition accomplishments and their recent issues with the IBJJF and their Beltchecker website as a possible alternative. Along with tips on training, teaching & building a frie...
Mar 01, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 36
I talk to Denis Kelly who runs the Australian Combat Sports Academy in Melbourne and has a Black Belt in BJJ, Zen Do Kai Karate and has fought MMA professionally while training worldwide. We had this discussion after his state just came out of the worlds longest lockdown where Melbourne was under curfew, and he was unable to operate his gym, but he persisted with teaching online lessons the entire time. We discuss what he learned during that period regarding club culture and teamwork and what he...
Feb 15, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 35
I talk to Craig Jones about his start in Australia, to moving to America to train with the Danaher team and now preparing in Puerto Rico. We discuss how his goals grew over time, how he teaches seminars and uses them to train and train other aspects of training with the DDS. We also discuss the importance of marketing as a professional grappler and earn a living from the sport at the highest levels where the line between sports and sports entertainment can change.
Jan 31, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 34
Reid Reale is a BJJ Black Belt who also hols a master’s degree in dietetics and a PhD in sports nutrition. His PhD thesis was entitled “Optimising Acute Body Mass Management in Australian Olympic Combat Sports”, he completed while working as a dietitian at the A.I.S. and for the Australian Olympic Combat Sports athletes before and after the 2016 Rio Olympics. Additionally, he published other research papers in the field titled "Acute weight management in combat sports: pre-weight-in weight loss,...
Dec 02, 2020•1 hr 34 min•Season 1Ep. 33
I talk to Matt Kwan who is a BJJ Black Belt under Rob Biernacki and also Co-Hosts the podcast BJJ Mental Models with his brother Steve Kwan. We discuss concepts of belt tests and grading with the differences between adults and children and then explore essential concepts used by Gordon Ryan and the DDS. These include tempo in jiu-jitsu described through the terms of offensive and defensive cycles and blading to redirect frames while attacking and how these can help you learn BJJ faster and more ...
Nov 06, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 32
I talk to Chris Paines who describes himself as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt who has never done Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He started training submission grappling somewhat isolated from the larger BJJ scene in Staffordshire, England but began attending BJJ Globetrotters camps where he met Priit Mihkelson. It was at these camps where he was graded up and awarded his black belt by Priit. The unconventional way he learned made him forced him to emphasise understanding the concepts behind grappling, ...
Oct 27, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 31
I talk to Priit Mihkelson who is a BJJ Black Belt with a unique take on how BJJ can be taught and learned. We discuss how Priit structures his class and sparring sessions to encourage new behaviour but in the bulk of the interview, we discuss the practice of "clapping" back to an instructor after counting 3 2 1. It ends up taking us to interesting places like how rituals are formed, how they could be reformed, evidence-based teaching practices, motivation, self-determination theory by the time w...
Oct 16, 2020•2 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 30
I talk to Vlad Koulikov who is a Master of Sport in Sambo aswell as a BJJ & Judo Black Belt who grew up in Russia and before moving to America where he started an academy with a blend of grappling called Sambo Fusion. We discuss the history, elements, rankings & rules of Sambo as well as the differences with Combat Sambo. Also, the challenges he faced when fusing BJJ & Sambo and how he believes in unity over the division between the arts can benefit both. We finish by discussing his ...
Oct 09, 2020•59 min•Season 1Ep. 29
I talk to Robert Degle who is a BJJ Black Belt who trains under John Danaher and is also a philosophy major. We discuss how he started BJJ in the blue basement with Danaher, His start with philosophy and existentialism and how this lead to him pursuing an academic career with a focus on American pragmatism and Wittgenstein. We then explore how this can influence grappling training in regards to learning, competition, seeking the truth using logic, paying attention and the importance of persuasio...
Sep 27, 2020•1 hr 31 min
I talk to Ruadhán MacFadden. He runs a project titled The Hero with a Thousand Holds which looks at the culture and practice of folk wrestling styles around the world. In particular the people and places that the styles have emerged from and not just the techniques which they used. We discuss some of the mythology and culture behind these styles and what the future holds for them. And we get into some of the particulars of Icelandic Glima and Irish Collar and Elbow Wrestling and Scuffling....
Sep 18, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 27
I talk to Robert Drysdale. He is a storied competitor, ADCC Champion, Mundials Champion and has also coached many other legends of the sport. Also a History major, he has spent his recent time delving into the history of the sport for a documentary entitled Closed Guard: The Origins of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil that traces the journey of Japanese Judoka travelling to Brazil and the formation of the sport we know today involving tough guys, the circus, outlaws, gambling, marketing & promotion and o...
Sep 12, 2020•1 hr 32 min•Season 1Ep. 26
I talk to Steve Kwan. Steve is one half of the excellent podcast BJJ Mental Models, he is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and works professionally at a tech company improving efficiency in process and operations. We discuss how he has taken lessons learned there and with the use of mental models how they can be applied to learning techniques and making decisions for jiu-jitsu. Also, how parameters and constraints can benefit learning and if the influx of information from social media and i...
Sep 08, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 25
I talk to Matt Thornton. Matt is the founder of Straight Blast Gym International or SBG and is a 4th-degree BJJ Black Belt under Chris Hauter. We discuss how coming up in the 90s lead him to emphasise training against resisting opponents in a concept he outlines further called Aliveness. Also, how cross-training in multiple arts can teach you the delivery systems of each style while also identifying the common themes between them all, which can then be considered fundamentals. And finally, how r...
Sep 03, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 24
I interview Rob Biernacki of Island Top Team. He also runs BJJconcepts.net, and we discuss his thoughts on BJJ pedagogy, different teaching and cognitive learning strategies, gamification of jiu-jitsu drills which he calls micro battles also developing training mentality for fun and longevity. Finally, how his geographic isolation forced diversity in his information set, his rank requirements for what makes a black belt and he delivers an epic rant on the proliferation of conspiracy theories in ...
Aug 27, 2020•1 hr 44 min•Season 1Ep. 23
I interview Lachlan Giles. We discuss how his persistence over years of competition culminated in things coming together for him on the day to take out Bronze in the ADCC 2019 Absolute division. We also examine how he optimally narrowed his focus and training for that specific competition, the importance of self-directed learning and the value obtained from breaking down competition footage. Also, how some scientific principles might apply to Jiu-Jitsu teaching methodology and lesson structure w...
Aug 20, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 22
I talk to Dr Alex Channon, a Senior Lecturer in Physical Education and Sport Studies at the University of Brighton and on the board of The Martial Arts Studies Research Network. He also manages a group called Love fighting, hate violence which promotes teaching non-violence through martial arts. He authored a paper titled Edgework and Mixed Martial Arts: Risk, Reflexivity and Collaboration in an Ostensibly 'Violent' Sport that explores the nature of violence and risk in MMA which we discuss in d...
Aug 10, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 21
I talk to Jonathan Brookins. Jonathan is a veteran of the WEC where he faced Jose Aldo and the UFC where he was the winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 12 where Georges St Pierre coached him along with assistant coaches Firas Zahabi and John Danaher. Jonathan stood out in the show as being a unique & thoughtful personality, very humble and kind, and his life outside of fighting is equally compelling. We discuss his early days fighting in Florida, his time in the Ultimate Fighter house and ...
Aug 01, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 20
I talk to Jeremy Horn, a storied MMA pioneer and legend with over 170 fights to his name, even fighting on the weekend where he was victorious in his professional boxing debut. He has fought a whos who of MMA greats including Chael Sonnen, Chuck Liddell, Anderson Silva, Forrest Griffin, Randy Couture, Dan Severn and Frank Shamrock and many in every significant promotion of the sport including UFC, Pride, Bellator, Pancrase, IFL & King of the Cage. We discuss the wild tale of his first fight ...
Jul 19, 2020•59 min•Season 1Ep. 19
In this episode, I talk to Alexander Volkanovski. Alex is the current UFC featherweight champion. We discuss what it was like as an amateur athlete rising through the ranks of Australia to become the UFC champion and how he was able to get valuable training with partners of all different abilities. Also, the mentality he adopted to help drive and motivate him to the top by building resilience and staying adaptable. And what it is like spending training time at City Kickboxing as he gives insight...
Jul 06, 2020•58 min•Season 1Ep. 18
I talk to Adisa Banjoko aka Adisa the Bishop. He is the creator of the Hip Hop Chess Federation, Author of a book titled Bobby, Bruce and the Bronx and host of the Podcast called The Bishop Chronicles. The Hip Hop Chess federation combines the arts of Hip Hop, Chess and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and teaches positive life strategies to at-risk and incarcerated youth. We discuss how he formed the HHCF from an initial encounter in a juvenile detention facility where he found chess helpful to breakdown ra...
Jun 29, 2020•1 hr 56 min•Season 1Ep. 17
In this episode, I talk to Jon Fitch. Jon was the World Series of Fighting Welterweight Champion, Has fought for the UFC title against George St Pierre and also fought for the Bellator title against Rory Macdonald which went to a draw. He has also written an autobiography called Failing Upward/Death by Ego and hosts his podcast called Jon Fitch Knows Nothing. We discuss how he got into fighting and his early wrestling career at University. His thoughts on mindset, masculinity & manhood. And ...
Jun 23, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 16
I talk to Greg Nelson, who was the coach for UFC champions Brock Lesnar, Sean Sherk and Rose Namajunas. He is a 4th Degree BJJ Blackbelt, Division 1 Folkstyle Wrestler, All American Gymnast and Muay Thai kickboxer along with multiple other martial arts. We discuss how he creates a positive culture in his gym while utilising visualisation, affirmation and building relationships. How this also contributed to his incredible battle against cancer where after beating it once he overcame a different f...
Jun 21, 2020•1 hr 43 min•Season 1Ep. 15
I talk to Brian Ebersole, a veteran of over 70 MMA fights, including a memorable run in the UFC. We discuss his early beginnings in the American scholastic wrestling system and the competitive mindset that helped to produce. The start of his fight career which includes training with American Kickboxing Academy, Frank Shamrock and leading all the way to the UFC and finally, how chaos theory, math and abstract thinking, including fish that getaway, has helped to inform his training and coaching me...
Jun 15, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 14
I talk to Bruce Hoyer. He coaches out of a small town in Dakota that has produced 7 UFC fighters and uses innovative teaching strategies including the flipped classroom model of instruction. The flipped classroom is an instructional strategy that has the students study the techniques at home on YouTube and then come into class ready to drill. We discuss his use of this teaching model in-depth, using language learning software and spaced repetition and other innovative uses of technology for teac...
Jun 10, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 13
I talk to Dr Ian Dunican, a sleep researcher who has worked with elite combat sports athletes at the Australian Institute of Sport on strategies to help optimise sleep, recovery and performance and who is himself a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and Ultra-Marathon Runner. We discuss sleep cycles, optimising training load and dealing with night time jitters after a workout and sleep tracking gadgets like the oura ring and whoop device. Finally, why martial artists try and cheat the sleep system...
Jun 05, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 12
I talk to Matt Lindland, the head coach of the USA Greco Roman wrestling team, Olympic silver medalist & MMA Pioneer. We discuss his experience coaching wrestlers from a folkstyle background and how to alter their risk-taking intuitions to suit Greco roman. How coaches can simplify their coaching to help their athletes learn more and a lot faster How failure and questioning athletes can help them learn, his time coaching BJ Penn for his MMA fight against GSP and what BJJ can learn from wrest...
May 27, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 11
I talk to Brandon McCaghren or B-MAC from 10th Planet Decatur, Alabama. We discuss his start travelling from his home town to train with Eddie Bravo in LA and the value of constraints vs operating in the wild. How the innovative 10th Planet "Hot Box" system and the warm-up routines and patterns have helped it grow and establish itself. Also, building positive club culture and the martial value of tai chi and finally, how to stay inspired as a white belt and the importance of self-discovery....
May 20, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 10
I talk to Rory from RVV BJJ, who takes a methodical approach to explain the science behind your jiu-jitsu. He explains the critical principle of alignment which breaks down into posture, structure and base. An innovative drilling method known as "*F*YJJ". He also discussed various ways to maximise training time and why beginners should NOT train closed guard. Finally, he explains how low percentage moves and false positives can hinder your training and development and how to solve this problem....
May 16, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 9
I talk to Andy from School of Grappling. We discuss how systems theory, complexity and chaos can be underlying forces in your grappling training but how misunderstanding systems can be a frequent occurrence in Jiu-Jitsu. Then why attempting to build the perfect, all-encompassing grappling system is doomed to fail before you even begin and how intuition could help to patch the leaks providing you can identify when you are in the all-important pocket of predictability. Also what we can learn from ...
May 09, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 8
