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Mark Mullen is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a brown belt in judo from Canada, now based in Taipei, Taiwan.

Mark Started training in judo in 1995 and inspired by Royce Gracie winning the early UFC's he became obsessed to learn BJJ.

When Marcus Soares 7th degree coral belt of the Carlson Gracie Team moved to Vancouver in 1997 (the first black belt to teach in Canada) Mark became on of the earliest students.

Mark discovered an early aptitude and love for teaching BJJ when head instructor Soares would return to Brazil and Mark would teach the class.

Mark started Training with Gracie Barra black belt Josh Russel when Josh moved back to Canada after training and living in Rio De Janeiro for several years.

Mark was one of the original founders of Gracie Barra Calgary and graduated to purple, brown and finally black belt under Josh Russell 3rd degree.

In 2014 Mark accepted an offer to relocate to Taipei, Taiwan to be the BJJ coach for 2 MMA gyms (Marital Armor and Tough MMA in Taipei and Hsinchu) and runs the BJJ program for the schools as well as coaching the fighters.

Mark writes for popular online BJJ blogs Gracie Barra Blog and Grapplearts.com. Mark is also available for writing on other blogs.

We talk about:

• What got him started in BJJ
• Changes in BJJ over the years
• The 3 types of BJJ students (Competitors, BJJ lifestyle, Fitness)
• His travels to Taiwan
• Why most students come to his BJJ school
• The differences between teaching and performing BJJ
• Teaching class as a blue belt
• Traveling to Brazil
• BJJ master minds that change and advance the sport
• BJJ before and after youtube
• Making complex things simple
• Doing BJJ as a life style
• Mario Sperry - Day of the Zen Documentary
• Life as a Jiu-Jitsu Bum
• Diet advice
• The development of BJJ in Asia
• How overwhelming BJJ can be for beginners
• Advice for white belts
• The importance of movement drills

Links for Mark Mullen: Twitter, Facebook

Quote of the week: "it's not supposed to be easy" Samuel Spiegelman

Article of the week: "3 Important Questions to Help Recalibrate Your Training Focus" By Valerie Worthington

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and RSS link for Andriod

Sam Spiegelman is a author and strength and conditioning coach.  Sam is a Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Mark Vives, he trains at New Breed Training Center.  He has written a bunch of great articles on Breaking Muscle.  Sam is also available for online consultations.

We talk about:

• What brought him to BJJ
• Strength and conditioning for BJJ
• Strength and conditioning for people who are new to the mats
• Training differently for your particular game or style.
• Off the mat training for BJJ
• Doing a self assessment of your strength
• The importance of having your body strength balanced to help you be efficient
• Why people gas out on the mats
• Increasing your cardio for BJJ
• Staying motivated with your off the mat training
• The importance of having a healthy diet
• Starting BJJ after having a sedentary lifestyle
• Advice for doing your first tournament
• Goals for students their first 6 months and year

Links for Sam Spiegelman:

• Applied Strength and Conditioning
• New Breed Training Center
• Facebook Twitter
• Breaking Muscle

Quote of the week: "Know your why? Chris Easter

Article of the week: 5 Competition Essentials

Support Amber as she chokes cancer out!

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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Chris Easter is a Black Belt and has been training BJJ since 1998.  Chris has a game that focuses on the basics.  Chris has moved many times due to being in the military, this has given him the opportunity to train with many amazing practitioners and share Jiu-Jitsu.  He is now training at Sergio Penha's. 

We talk about:

• Moving and finding a new gym
• Training in the military
• The importance of drilling
• Different types of drilling and what they will accomplish
• How his off the mat training has changed over the years
• Dealing with injuries
• His favorite techniques
• Training with Paul from Open Mat Radio
• Finding an instructor that is a good fit for you
• Coaching advice
• "Its all about angles"
• The amount of details for basic techniques
• What he focuses on before a match
• How BJJ helps you when you are going through problems
• First tournament advice

Chris Easter Facebook Page

Links:

• Help out our friend Amber by pitching in on the grapple-a-thon fund raiser
• Need help with your schools graphics, check out Taylor's work here.

Quote of the week: "If you try to avoid responsibility people will push it back on you, if you take accountability when things go wrong people will take it away from you" Jay Bell

Article of the week: "10 Benefits of Playing Sports"

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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This week we have an interview packed full of great information from Coach Jay Bell. Jay went from white belt to brown belt under Royce Gracie, He later received his black belt from Marco Delima.  Jay is currently training under Rob Kahn & Marcio Stambowsky.  Jay is the owner and head BJJ instructor at Gracie Farmington Valley located in CT.

We talk about:

• His start in BJJ
• How he has grown his women's class
• How he likes to run his kids class
• Kids self defense (talk, tell, and tackle)
• Opening a BJJ gym and making it profitable
• The growth of BJJ
• Why it is important to not quit the first 6 months
• How his game has changed since getting his black belt
• Breaking down complex ideas into simple explanations
• His youtube channel
• Advice for a first BJJ tournament
• Advice for big students
• What he was like as a blue belt
• How to develop a game plan
• Goals for first year students

Jay's Links: Email: jay@graciefv.com, Youtube, facebook 

Quote of the week: Presented by Jared Dopp “There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.” Miyamoto Musashi

Article of the week: 6 Great Ways to Get Information About BJJ by Mark Mullen

Choke Cancer out fund raiser for Amber

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and RSS link for Andriod

Jared "Megalo" Dopp is a Brown belt under Rafael Lovato Jr.  He is a Blue, Purple, and Brown Belt No-Gi World Champion. Blue, Purple, and Brown Belt Pan Champion. Blue Belt Gi World Champion, and two time Purple Belt World Gi Silver medalist.  In 2013 as a Purple belt he took 4th place at ADCC.

We talk about:

• His accomplishments with only 4 years of serious training
• His push the pace style
• How he is able to force his opponents to make mistakes
• How he views Gi and No-gi differently
• Ways to get around an opponent that is stalling
• Passing the guard to the right side
• He is in school for chemical engineering
• Balancing school and BJJ
• His training schedule
• Off the mat training including rugby
• His research in growing nano tubes
• His thoughts on competing in 2015 ADCC
• His hopes of doing submission only matchs
• Strategy for a submission only match
• Advice for a student doing a first tournament
• His advice for cutting weight to compete

Links for Jared: Do or Die, True Nutrition, Jared's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

Other links:

• https://jiujitsuka.co/,   Coupon code "bjjbrick" 10% off
• http://www.thebjjbox.com/   Coupon code "BJJBRICK" 20%off
• Grapplethon for our friend Amber: Twitter, Facebook, email, Donate here

Quote of the week: "It never gets easy, but always gets better" presented by Vic Torres

Article of the week: "The 5 Ways Resilient People Get Over Failure"

Check out the audio book here!

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and RSS link for Andriod

Ricardo Castaneda is a purple belt that runs the website Jiu-Jitology.com.  He has a unique perspective about BJJ and training that we are sure you will find interesting and beneficial.  You can find Ricardo training at Gracie Barra South Austin.

We talk about:

• His start to BJJ
• How BJJ has helped him off of the mat
• How he uses his psychology background to benefit his BJJ
• Dealing with anxiety
• Mental health and BJJ the good and the bad
• The mindset of a new student
• Controlling your heart rate and breathing rate to learn better
• The John Wayne Sweep and how he learned it
• How to start basic meditation
• Training while injured

Ricardo's Links:

• Natural Stacks Use the discount code RICARDOP for 15% off
• Jiu-Jitology.com
• Jiu-Jitology Facebook Page

Quote of the week: “The difference between someone who is in shape, and someone who is not in shape, is the individual who is in shape works out even when they do not want to.” Unknown

Article of the week: "The exercise that predicts your DEATH: Struggling with 'sitting-rising test' means you're 5 times more likely to die early" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Byron's Grilled cheese cooking fail

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and RSS link for Andriod

Master Danny Dring has 5 different black belts including a 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  He got his BJJ black belt in 2001.  You can find Danny training in Sherwood, Arkansas at Dring LDMA.

We talk about:

• The striking arts that he is involved in
• Training law enforcement
• A cool concept of hardware and software of your martial arts
• Early MMA
• How learning BJJ has changed over the years
• Why he like to play a top game
• Getting over having his hip resurfaced
• Training in Brazil
• BJJ and self-defense
• Advice for your first BJJ tournament
• What is was like for him as a blue belt

Links:

• livingdefense.com/
• Danny's Facebook page
• His book "Stay In the Fight"

Quote of the week:  "One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself" presented by: Vinicius "Draculino" Magalhaes

Article of the week:"The Almost-Blue Belt Mistake – Don’t Be in a Hurry!"

Check out Byron's cooking for BJJ video!!

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and RSS link for Andriod

This week we are very excited to bring you an interview with Vinicius "Draculino" Magalhaes. Draculino is a 5th Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he has been training since around 1984.  Find out more about Draculino at BjjHeroes.com.

We talk about:

• His school in Houston Texas
• Being a lawyer and how it has helped him with BJJ
• His history with the spider guard
• Why he has a well balanced game
• Doing moves both on the right and left side of your body
• Why the lighter weight classes like to play the guard
• Why it is important to learn BJJ, No-gi, and Self-defense
• Doing MMA and still training with the Gi
• The future of BJJ
• How the internet is changing the way we learn BJJ
• Advice for a student doing their first tournament

Links:

• Gracie Barra Tx
• draculinobjjtraining.com
• Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Quote of the week: "The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself." Douglas MacArthur

Article of the week: "Appreciating the BJJ Journey on Your Own Terms" learningbjj.com

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

This is part 2 of our interview with Steve Maxwell, part 1 can be found here. Steve Maxwell is one of the first Americans to receive a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  He was the first person to start teaching kettlebells in the United States.  At the age of 62 he travels the world teaching BJJ and life style fitness.  Find more info about Steve Maxwell here.

We talk about:

• When people hit their physical peak
• Not getting injured with your off the mat training
• Training BJJ into your 70's, 80's and 90's
• Over training and the point of diminishing returns
• Explosive training and BJJ
• Strength training for any sport
• The myth of Cardio training
• Sport specific training
• His traveling minimalist lifestyle (every thing he owns fits in this 45L backpack)
• Some great life advice for everybody

Links:

• Steve Maxwell's website
• Steve Maxwell's Facebook page
• Steve Maxwell's Twitter

Quote of the week: "Don't measure the work, measure the change, and use that to evaluate your work" The BjjBrick Podcast, Episode 73

Article of the week: "4 Jiu JItsu Lessons From Bruce Lee" by jiujitsubrotherhood.com

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

Steve Maxwell is one of the first Americans to receive a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  He was the first person to start teaching kettlebells in the United States.  At the age of 62 he travels the world teaching BJJ and life style fitness.  Find more info about Steve Maxwell here.

We talk about:

• His start to martial arts as a kid
• Getting his blue belt fast and getting stuck at purple belt
• How he learned how to teach Jiu-Jitsu
• History of early BJJ in the United States
• The combat aspect of Jiu-Jitsu
• Why the age 45 seems to be a road block for people that do BJJ
• Setting intrinsic goals and not extrinsic goals
• How age effects you ability to do BJJ
• How his game has changed over the years
• Proper breathing techniques
• A method of training to force you use better breathing

Links:

• Steve Maxwell's website
• Steve Maxwell's Facebook page

Quote of the week: "no victory without sacrifice" Robson Moura

Article of the week: "7 REASONS WHY YOUR CHILD SHOULD PRACTICE MARTIAL ARTS" breakingmuscle.com

Catch us next week for part 2 of this interview on The BjjBrick Podcast