BjjBrick Podcast- BJJ, no-gi and good times!

This week we have an interview with Karel "Silver Fox" Pravec. Karel is a 3rd degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Renzo Gracie.

We talk about:

  • Dealing with younger and stronger opponents
  • Training BJJ in the water
  • Getting better timing on the mat
  • Getting your opponent to stay in your terms and play in your game
  • Avoiding injuries
  • The role of strength in BJJ
  • Why some wrestlers do well in BJJ and others struggle around the purple belt rank
  • How to have a speed advantage on the mat
  • Getting past slumps on the mat

Links:

Quote of the week: "Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught." Winston Churchill

Article of the week: 5 sweet sour reasons to keep training

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

[caption id="attachment_4888" align="alignright" width="225"] Find out how to support the BjjBrick Podcast here![/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Direct download: Epi2020920Karel20Pravec.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

This week we have an interview with one of Europe's top competitors Espen Mathiesen. In this interview Espen shares many training tips he has developed training in Norway.

We talk about:

  • What is like competing against black belts
  • Why it is important to have a passion for jiu-jitsu
  • The state of jiu-jitsu in Norway
  • His training schedules
  • Dealing with injuries and avoiding injuries
  • Why resistance is vital to his training
  • Sparing less and active drilling more
  • Advice for blue belts do develop a game plan
  • Why it is important for him to be flexible
  • The advantages of training with a small team
  • The importance of visualizing your performance

Links:

Quote of the week: "The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions." Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Article of the week: New Study Proves BJJ’s Effectiveness Against Stress

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

[caption id="attachment_4888" align="alignright" width="225"] Find out how to support the BjjBrick Podcast here![/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

This is the second time we share a off the mat story this one is about Byron's dog with 3 legs.

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Direct download: Epi2020820Espen20Mathiesen.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

This week we interview BJJ purple belt Crystal Venessa "Little Monster" Demopoulos.

We talk about:

  • How she found the world of martial arts
  • Her competitive pole dancing career
  • What BJJ and pole dancing have in common
  • Getting past the hurtles at the beginning of training
  • Winning worlds at white and blue belt
  • Why she likes to compeat
  • What she does to relax before a competition
  • Her experience at worlds as a white belt
  • Why she has been training like a pro since day one of BJJ
  • Her goal of being a 115 lbs Champion in the UFC
  • Her struggles with school and why she likes to read now
  • Advice for new BJJ players to stick to the basics
  • The difference in game plan for BJJ and MMA

Links:

Quote of the week:  "Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu

Article of the week: Expanding your Jiu-Jitsu in a logical manner

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

[caption id="attachment_4888" align="alignright" width="225"] Find out how to support the BjjBrick Podcast here![/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Direct download: Epi2020720Crystal20Demopoulos.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

Is Brazilian Jiu-JItsu an art? This week on The BjjBrick Podcast we discuss if BJJ is an art. How can you add an element of art to your game? Is your game a paint by numbers style of jiu-jitsu or are you a ninja turtle level of artist?

[caption id="attachment_4924" align="aligncenter" width="584"] And a happy little choke here[/caption]

Quote of the week: "The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls" Pablo Picasso

Article of the week: Can a Coach roll too much with the Students??

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"]Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast. Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Direct download: Epi2020620BJJ20as20an20art.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

Chelsah' is a brown belt under Rob Ables at Marcelo Garcia of Dallas. She shares some amazing stories in this interview. She also enjoys competing as much as she can and balancing her busy schedule.

We talk about:

  • Her starting MMA before BJJ
  • Being held up at gun point...... Twice
  • Getting discipline from martial arts
  • How Jiu-Jitsu changed her life
  • Working four jobs and training to compete
  • Some of her favorite techniques
  • Learning to do wrist locks
  • Helping other students
  • Her future in martial arts
  • How she keeps the women's class fun and effective
  • Advice for running a class for women
  • The growth of women in BJJ

Links:

Quote of the week: "Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal." E. Joseph Cossman

Article of the week: Defend the Primary Threat

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

[caption id="attachment_4888" align="alignright" width="225"] Find out how to support the BjjBrick Podcast here![/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Direct download: Epi2020520Chelsah2720Lyons.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

Weston is 18 years old, he has lost 100lbs and it is fair to say BJJ has changed his life. He has been training for around three years in Jasper Alabama.

We talk about:

  • Starting BJJ at 280 lbs and getting down to 180 lbs
  • Trading video games for BJJ
  • Getting into a flow state while rolling
  • Tips for learning BJJ
  • Advice for someone starting jiu-jitsu for weight loss
  • Talking to your training partners while you roll
  • Tips for rolling with higher level people
  • Teaching BJJ as a lower belt
  • Making changes to your diet
  • Performing better with a improved diet
  • How BJJ could benefit kids in school

Quote of the week: “There is still no cure for the common birthday.” John Glenn

Article of the week: I think I suck at BJJ

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"]Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast. Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Direct download: Epi2020420Weston20Roberts20Weight20Loss.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

This week we have Mike Bidwell from BJJ after 40. We cover a huge range of topics in this show.

We talk about:

  • Mike's start to martial arts
  • His early days of BJJ and MMA
  • The value of competing
  • Spending 13 years as a brown belt
  • Moving schools as a brown belt
  • Getting out of shape as a brown belt
  • Setting small goals to get to the next level
  • Talking with an instructor about your next belt
  • As a vegan what he likes to eat before training
  • Why he loves the triangle choke
  • Tips for having a good triangle choke
  • Goals for the BJJ after 40 practitioners
  • Starting BJJ while in your 40's
  • Drilling take downs instead of doing them at full resistance
  • Dealing with injuries
  • Chasing a criminal that was messing with his car
  • Advice for BJJ players older than 40
  • The differences between a black belt and a brown belt
  • What it means to be yourself on the mat
  • The term "Flow Mike Bidwell"
  • Working with Nic Gregoriades
  • The Cryangle choke and how he came up with the name
  • Why the cryangle choke works best against the flexible opponent
  • Creating the body that you want to do BJJ with
  • Looking for the lessons when you get tapped out

Links:

Quote of the week: "No greater thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen." Epictetus

Article of the week: What you need to know when transitioning from the gi

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"]Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast. Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Direct download: Epi2020320Mike20Bidwell.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

We can learn lessons from anywhere and find ways to bring these lessons to BJJ. An easy cross over is MMA. This episode we will be applying MMA ideas to BJJ and BJJ ideas to MMA.

BJJ learn from MMA

  • Athleticism maters
  • Top game is fun (and less tiring)
  • Position before submission or winning
  • Getting stuck can be game over
  • Have more than one coach (guard passing coach, takedown coach)

MMA learn from BJJ

  • Cleaner guard passes
  • Try a gi class to roll with the best grapplers in the area
  • Training not to win but to learn
  • Escapes with a gi
  • Long term focus

Quote of the week: "Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose." Robin Williams

Article of the week: 3 Michael Langhi's success rules

Mat Tales 24 Bitter Pill to Swallow

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"]Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast. Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast.[/caption]

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Direct download: Epi2020220Lessons20from20MMA20and20BJJ.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

This week we talk to Ricardo Almeida black belt Eddie Fyvie. Eddie is organizing an innovative tournament called the Rickson Gracie Cup. This tournament will feature both BJJ, self-defense, and a seminar by Rickson Gracie.

We talk about:

  • The Rickson Gracie Cup September 9 and 10
  • A Rickson Gracie seminar the evening of September 10
  • Promoting self defense with BJJ
  • The basic rules for the self defense contest
  • What is was like to host the biggest BJJ seminar in US history
  • Teaching BJJ to 320 people at the same time
  • What does self defense bring to jiu-jitsu
  • Not having advantages in this tournament
  • Using a stalling clock like a shot clock
  • Giving incentives for competitors to finish the match

Links:

Quote of the week: "You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war." Napoleon Bonaparte

Article of the week: Understand Where The Danger Is! And Don’t Be There!

A special thank you to Berry White for making a brief appearance!

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"]Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast. Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Direct download: Epi2020120Eddie20Fyvie.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

We are proud to reach episode 200. We could have not made it without great listeners and guests. At this landmark episode we are thrilled to bring you an interview with BJJ black belt Korbett Miller. Korbett is dedicated to helping schools grow and promoting BJJ to the next generation of grapplers.

We talk about:

  • Being a successful school owner
  • The potential for a youth program in a BJJ school
  • Some of the benefits for kids doing BJJ
  • Kids BJJ compared to other martial arts programs for kids
  • Kids BJJ Revolution online training
  • Having over 200 kids at his school
  • Scheduling a kids class based off of when school gets out
  • How to get kids to pay attention and learn techniques
  • Having drills work like a game
  • Slow and right and fast and tight drills
  • Building grit in kids with BJJ
  • How to properly praise a student by talking about effort or strategy
  • Rolling vs drilling for kids and adults
  • How kids earn their white belt in his program
  • Goals of a kids program
  • Controlling the environment the kids are in not the kids themselves

Links:

Quote of the week: “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” Babe Ruth

Article of the week: 5 Common Mistakes in Cutting Weight

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"]Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast. Please check out this video if you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Direct download: Epi2020020Korbett20Miller.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am CDT