Hanna and Venla are BJJ black belts currently in Sweden from Finland.  They are both active competitors with busy schedules. Hanna is in med school, and Venla is a school teacher. Venla won worlds as a black belt in 2014 the same year she was awarded the rank of black belt.

We talk about:

• Training BJJ in Sweden
• BJJ in Finland
• Treating BJJ as a hobby
• Venla competing in Finland at ADCC 2017
• They always follow the same training routine and it is working
• Training 5-7 times a week
• Having simple and focused training
• Doing lots of positional sparring
• Dealing with injuries
• Traveling and doing BJJ
• They share some of their teaching methods
• Teaching 5-10 seminars a year
• Teaching training methods not just techniques during a seminar
• Off the mat benefits they are getting from BJJ
• Balancing work life with BJJ
• Dealing with nerves before a competition
• Avoiding mindless repetitions while training

Links:

• BJJ Summer Camp in Kansas
• Hanna and Venla on Facebook

Quote of the week: "I wasn't naturally gifted in terms of size and speed; Everything I did in hokey I worked for, and that's the way i'll be as a coach" Wayne Gretzky

Article of the week: Things to Remember When Learning Jiu Jitsu

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"] 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

Gary's audio book this week is called Biceps, Triceps, Quadriceps, Pentacepts"

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

Your Habits on and off the mat can have a huge and lasting effect on your performance in BJJ. This episode we discuss some habits you might consider to help yourself become a better grappler.

We talk about:

• The importance of being consistent with your training
• The habit of eating healthy
• Taking notes
• Keeping notes on injuries
• Having fun on the mats
• Rolling one more time after class
• Be an active listener
• Have something you are working on while rolling
• Tap to prevent injury
• Helping your teammates
• Share the art of jiu-jitsu
• Mentally warm up before a roll

Quote of the week: “Without self-discipline, success is impossible, period.” Lou Holtz

Article of the week: Why You’ll Quit Jiu-Jitsu: How to handle these pitfalls!

Garys audio book is called "How to Butter Your Roll, Smooth Jiu-Jitsu"

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"] 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 iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

This week we have an interview with Travis Conley. Travis is very active competitor from Kansas City and has a BJJ black belt under Rentao Tavares.

We talk about:

• Wrestling in high school
• Doing pro wrestling
• His start with Jiu-Jitsu
• His style of grappling
• Advice for applying more pressure in side control
• His match with Kyle Sandford in Chokes by the Ocean
• Doing Sambo internationally
• Defending submissions in Sambo
• Dealing with stress during a tournament
• His thoughts on the current competitive BJJ environment
• Social media and BJJ
• Why it is important to stay humble

Links:

• Chokes by the Ocean
• Underground Gym
• KCBJJ

Quote of the week: “To spend time is to pass it in a specified manner. To waste time is to expend it thoughtlessly or carelessly. We all have time to either spend or waste and it is our decision what to do with it. But once passed, it is gone forever.” Bruce Lee

Article of the week: How to Care for your Grappler

Mat Tales Episode 21 Bad Boy Shorts and Dad Bod

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"] 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 iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Nathan Orchard is a Tenth Planet black belt under Eddie Bravo. You will find Nathan training in his gym in Portland Oregon.

Nathan Orchard talks about:

• Wrestling as a kid
• Doing MMA when he was 16 years old
• His start to Jiu-Jitsu
• Seeking knowledge over comfort
• Learning by studying instead of a traditional coach
• The development of his double under system
• Closed loop and open loop systems for grappling
• Watching competitors to develop a game plan
• Working with a Samuri sword and learning about footwork
• Advice of not comparing yourself to others
• How following his desire to draw has benefited his life
• Why it is important to tollow your passions
• The Book of Five Rings
• Jiu-Jitsu broken down into transitions, positions, and submissions
• Submissions broken down into bars, twists, and compressions
• His thoughts on when to learn heelhooks
• How he is able to train defense with lower belts
• His attitude toward his teammates
• Taking the role of a servant to his students

Links:

• Nathan Orchard on Instagram
• Phalanx Rash Guards
• Datsusara Hemp Gear

Quote of the week: "Practice makes permanent"

Article of the week: BJJ Seminars…. get the most out of them

Roll-a-Thon July 22 at Fox Fitness BJJ

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"] 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 iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Leah Taylor is a BJJ black belt under Matt Thornton and Travis Davison training at Straight Blast Gym of Montana. Leah is a competitor and coach, she recently took bronze at her weight class at worlds.

We talk about:

• Her start to martial arts
• Rolling for the first time with a woman during a competition
• The mental side of competing
• Using meditation for get better results on the mat
• Doing MMA at fusion fight league
• Dealing with a panic attack while training MMA
• Teaching women's self defense classes
• Non martial arts ideas to help keep women safe
• Warning signs of a abusive relationship
• What having a begginer program has done for SBG in Kilispell Montana
• A beginner class is 50 percent female
• Dealing with rough training partners
• When someone should consider competing
• Her future plans for competing
• Other competitive sports she has done
• Why she is always trying to finish the match

Links:

• Leah's website
• Leah on Facebook
• Leah on Instagram

Quote of the week: "There is no such thing as a self-made man. You will reach your goals only with the help of others.” -- George Shinn

Article of the week: Bronx teacher uses jiu-jitsu teachings to keep kids out of trouble

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"] 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 iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

This week we bring you an interview with one of the top fitness coaches in the world and Durty Dozen BJJ Black Belt Steve Maxwell.

We talk about:

• His start to fitness
• How Olympic lifts slowed his athletic process
• Finding success with wrestling
• Doing BJJ at 64 years old
• Using less than 60% of your strength while training
• How to tell if you are using too much strength while rolling
• The difference between Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and BJJ
• Body weight exercises vs weights
• The concept of time under load while working out
• Avoiding injuries on the mat
• Traveling and doing BJJ
• Early training with Royce Gracie
• Helping your training partners become better teammates
• Not depending too much on grips
• The health effects of competitive Jiu-Jitsu
• Eating a healthy diet
• Some tips he uses to get the most out of his food
• Exercising while fasting
• Not eating breakfast
• The fitness test of a 24 hour fast

Links:

• Steve Maxwell interview from about two years ago part 1
• Steve Maxwell interview from about two years ago part 2
• Steve Maxwell's website
• Twitter @SteveMaxwellSC
• Steve Maxwell on Facebook

Quote of the week: "The best teamwork comes from men who are working independently toward one goal in unison." James Cash Penney

Article of the week: The five commandments of the underhook half guard

Jaramie Parrish talks with us about a We Defy Foundation Roll-a-thon at Fox Fitness

Gary's audio book is called "The Alligator tooth"

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

The Movie Water Boy was referenced and Gary wanted this link.

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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

Take a proactive step and evaluate your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu game. This can pay off huge in performance and enjoyment. Many people stress working hard and smart. Evaluating your game is a smart move toward future success. After all working really hard on all the wrong things is not an effective use of your blood, sweat, and tears.

We talk about:

• The difference in being evaluated by your coach and yourself
• Why evaluate your game
• Finding your strengths
• Finding your weaknesses
• Are your favorite moves actually good for your game?
• Setting the right goals
• The dangers of comparing yourself to your teammates
• A good way to compare yourself to your teammates
• Evaluate why are you getting injured
• Is your game deep and narrow or wide and shallow
• The value of elevating your game

Quote of the week: "Just for today" series of quotes

Article of the week: HOW TO MAKE A SEMINAR RAPIDLY IMPROVE YOUR BJJ

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"] 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 iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

This week we bring back a listener favorite Roli Delgado. Roli has been a BJJ black belt for ten years. He runs a very successful school in Little Rock, and he is well known for his ability to perform and teach leg locks. Roli trains with GFteam and his coach is Denilson Pimenta.

We talk about:

• His off the mat life and changes toward jiu-jitsu
• Changes in his coaching jiu-jitsu
• The difference between coaching and teaching
• Coaching a student that is having a difficult time finishing a match
• The mental side of competing
• His martial arts background
• How he learned to work off the fence at TUF
• Training with Billy Robinson
• How Billy Robinson would answer questions differently than you would expect
• Catch wrestling as a sport and it's uses for MMA
• How dangerous heel hooks actually are
• The rule sets he likes
• He explains the funnel concept for BJJ
• Developing athleticism and doing BJJ
• Dealing with a hand injury
• He gives us a cheat sheet for running a BJJ gym
• Interesting thoughts on handling complements

Links:

• Leagel Leglocks
• Illegal Leglocks
• digitsu
• West Side MMA

Quote of the week: "Our Greatest Glory Is Not in Never Falling, But in Rising Every Time We Fall" Mr. Anonymous

Article of the week: Three Types Of Students Instructors Can’t Stand by Mark Mullen

Korbett's Kids Epi 4 Dealing with challenging students

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

Gary talks about his new website BJJhammer.com and we start a odd word association game.

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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

This week we have an interview with Roger Gracie black belt Nic Gregoriades. Nic shares some of his amazing BJJ journey with us this week.

We talk about:

• Getting his black belt from Roger Gracie in 4 years
• His plans to move to the United States
• How teaching has affected his own growth
• His training before he became a black belt
• How your BJJ changes as you age
• Starting a Jiu-Jitsu Sisterhood
• Jiu-Jitsu Brotherhood
• What Brotherhood means to Nic
• Why it is important to eat good quality foods
• The Jiu-Jitsu Brotherhood logo
• BJJ for Yoga

Links:

• Jiu-Jitsu Brotherhood
• Vibrant Health Maximum Vibrance

Quote of the week: "Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant" Robert Louis Stevenson

Article of the week:We are joined this week for by the Author Miles Brown from Forge Fitness Studio in Wichita. Do ice baths work for recovery?

Mat Tales 19: Legend Down Under

Yoga for grapplers review https://youtu.be/84Kj-r1m8pg

The Bring Your Dad to BJJ seminar is June 17 at fox fitness.

[caption id="attachment_3444" align="alignright" width="219"] 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 iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Elizabeth Clay is in the record books as the youngest person to qualify for ADCC. She trains in Anchorage Alaska at Legacy Jiu-Jitsu. She has been training since the age of twelve. We are excited to watch her compete in the 2017 ADCC.

We talk about:

• Starting BJJ at twelve
• The game she like to use for competitions
• How her game changes based on the rules
• Training for worlds and ADCC
• Training 7 days a week and 2-4 times a day
• Swimming and hills for cardio
• Graduating school early
• Her team is basically all male
• Listening to music before competing
• Competing in the adults division to get good matches

Links:

• Legacy Jiu Jitsu in Anchorage Alaska
• Alaska fight shop
• Zebra Athletics featuring Elisabeth Clay
• Elisabeth Clay on Facebook

Quote of the week: "Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tip Toe if you must, but take a step." Naeem Callaway

Article of the week: Why I Do Jiu-Jitsu by Joe Thomas

The Referee Corner Part 5 Hand Signals Check out the Grappling Referee here

June 17th is "Bring Your Dad to Jiu-Jitsu Day"

Gary's audio book is called "tippy toe to a double leg"

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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