This week on the podcast we talk about a way to evaluate your game. Your collection of techniques fall at different skill levels. We look at these five different levels and give advice or depending on what level your technique is. Don't think of it as all of your BJJ is at one level, think of it as parts of your game are at different levels.

The Depth of your Jiu-Jitsu Pool

• Level 1- You don't know how to swim = You don't train Jiu-JItsu
• Level 2- Standing in the pool = Becoming aware of the a technique
• Level 3- Swimming = The BJJ you know
• Level 4- Swimming in the deep end = Your best moves
• Level 5- Deep dive = A part of the game that you are one of the best

Quote of the week: "Age is no barrier. It's a limitation you put on your mind." Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Article of the week: How Much Do I Need To Cross Train To Get Better at BJJ?

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This week we have BJJ legend Braulio Estima as our guest on the podcast. We talk about training, competing, and the Grappler's Escape cruise you can catch him on April 29-May 6, 2018.

We talk about:

• How his game has developed over the years
• How to make an opponent uncomfortable
• Making your opponent fight out of their game plan
• Tips for training if you are the most skilled person in the room
• Why it is so important to share with your teammates
• How often to train, and doing mental training
• The Grappler's Escape cruise in April 2018

Links:

• Storm Kimonos
• Estima In Action
• Grappler's Escape
• Braulio on Instagram
• ACBJJ

Quote of the week: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt

Article of the week: How to Play Up Sports On Your Resume

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Craig Jones shocked his opponents and the world with his performance at ADCC this year and we are excited to have him this week on The BjjBrick Podcast.

We talk about:

• His start with BJJ
• Why some students like no-gi more
• How he developed his Z guard game
• His training for ADCC 2017
• Training for the rule set
• His matches with Leandro Lo, Murilo Santana, Keenan Cornelius, Xande Ribeiro and Chael Sonnen
• Making the change from a grappling hobby to a serious sport
• His plans in the future
• Training and traveling
• Training on a tight schedule

Links:

• MA1
• Fight Life
• Absolute MMA St Kilda
• Craig on Instagram
• Z-Guard Masterclass with Kit Dale and Craig Jones

Quote of the week: "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." William Arthur Ward

Article of the week: The Nine Mental Skills of Successful Athletes

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This week we have an interview with Nick Unander. Nick is a friend and former of Joe. Nick has been training martial arts since 1986. You can find Nick teaching and training BJJ in the island paradise of Cyprus.

We talk about:

• His start in martial arts (Tae Kwon Do)
• His first experience with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• Make Jiu-Jitsu a career
• Doing early MMA matches
• Opening a martial arts school
• Moving and opening new BJJ schools
• Training under Marcelo Alonso
• What new students should focus on learning
• What he looks for in a blue belt
• Blue belt blues (blue belts that quit training)
• His thoughts on compeititon
• His phrase Jiu-Jitsu will either take you, make you, or break you

Links:

• www.mabjj.com
• www.kwbjj.com
• Nick on Facebook
• Nick on Instagram

Quote of the week: "Wise sayings often fall on barren ground, but a kind word is never thrown away." Arthur Helps

Article of the week: Overcoming Fear in BJJ

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We talk about:This episode we talk about the different formats of competition.  We give thoughts and advice for submission only matches and matches in the points system. This is a fun episode with advice for the competitive athlete to the casual fan.

This episode we talk about

• The different goals for the competitors
• The changes from BJJ, No-gi, and Sub only
• Working the point system to a fault

• What the audience likes to see in a match
• Training for a submission only match
• Training for a points match
• The diffrent goals for the competitors

Links:

Quote of the week: "Calm seas and safe harbors never produce good sailors"

Article of the week: Concepts, Concepts, Concepts

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This week we have two interviews!!! The first interview is with multi time world champion Gezary Matuda.  The second interview is with Kathryn from Grappler's Escape. For BJJ fans all over the world Grappler's Escape is one of the best weeks of the year. Grappler's Escape is a cruise sailing out of Orlando April 29, 2018. This cruise will feature Gezary Mutuda, Braulio Estima, and Keenan Cornelius teaching BJJ. Listen to Kathryn's interview to find out how to save money on the cruise.

Gezary talks about:

• Moving to the US and training with ATT
• Why she started doing BJJ
• Competing with black belts as a brown belt
• Developing her armbar over the years
• Advice for competitors
• Women training with mostly men
• The grappler's escape cruise

Kathryn talks about:

• What to expect on the Grappler's Escape cruise
• Basic tips for being on a cruise
• Details on the ship
• How to avoid getting sea sick
• Bringing your family on the cruise even if they don't train BJJ
• They have 4,000 sq feet of space to use for BJJ
• All schools and belt levels are welcome
• How you can save money on a cruise
• No-gi and women's classes

Links:

• Gezary on instagram
• Grappler's Escape website

Quote of the week: "Never reach out your hand unless you're willing to extend an arm." Pope Paul VI

Article of the week: Key Jiu-JItsu Moves for BJJ Beginners

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This week we bring you an interview with Ricardo Almeida. Ricardo is a UFC veteran and 4th degree black belt under Renzo Gracie. He also currently coaches several UFC fighters including Frankie Edgar and Eddie Alvarez.

We talk about:

• His MMA career
• Starting martial arts in karate and changing to jiu-jitsu
• Why he enjoys nogi more than training with the gi
• Why he does not have his MMA guys train in the gi at all
• Transitioning from grappling to MMA
• Common problems grapplers experience when doing MMA
• Running two martial arts schools one in Newton Pa, and the other in Robbinsville, NJ
• Some off the mat benefits for kids and adults from BJJ
• His future goals for competitive grappling
• Rivalries in MMA and BJJ
• What he was like as a 16 year old blue belt

Links:

• Ricardo Almeida's webstie

Quote of the week:  "The breaking of a wave cannot explain the whole sea." Vladimir Nabokov

Article of the week: BJJ BENEFITS #2: HEALTH & WELLNESS

Gary shares a heart touching and motivativating story about living life to the fullest.

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This week we bring you an interview with Jeff Monson. Jeff has been a member of ATT since the start of it and had over 80 professional MMA fights. Along side of his MMA career Jeff was known for taking time to step on the mat for some amazing grappling matches.

We talk about:

• His early wrestling career
• How winning 1999 ADCC changed his career path
• Overcoming some setbacks with wrestling
• Cutting weight as a wrestler
• His thoughts about cutting weight as a high school wrestler
• He discussed some up's and down's in his mma career fighting in the ufc
• His plans for opening up some martial arts schools
• He describes his fight with Fedor Emelianenko in Russia
• Getting his leg broke in his fight with Fedor
• Visiting kids with cancer in Russian hospitals
• He describes his experience on dancing with the stars
• Doing nogi worlds
• His plans for retiring from competitive grappling
• What it was like in the early days of American Top Team
• His thoughts on PED in MMA and BJJ
• Keys to a long career in MMA

Links:

• Jeff Monson dancing with the stars
• Jeff Monson on Facebook
• Jeff Monson on Twittwer

Quote of the week: "We, as a wrestling community, better remember it is more than one individual that makes a winner." Dan Gable

Article of the week: Your Training Partners Are NOT Your Opponents

We are on the lookout for a coach and Bjj blog of the year. Send in your submissions to bjjbrick@gmail.com

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This week we help you determine what went wrong with your game that resulted in getting tapped out (or choked unconscious). How can you learn from getting tapped out? and how to break down the trouble spots in your game.

We talk about:

• Why it is important to learn from mistakes
• Having a good attitude about getting tapped out
• Learning defense of moves you get caught in too much
• How to determine if it is a mistake you are making or your getting tapped by something that someone is really good at
• How to identify major problems in your game
• Finding help for trouble spots in your game
• Learning from training vs competition
• Preventing a submission vs escaping a submission
• We share a few stories of being choked unconscious on the mat

Quote of the week:  "Train like you've never won, Fence like you've never lost"

Article of the week: Top 5 Jiu Jitsu Street Fight Moves

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It is a honor to bring back BJJ black belt Andre "Tim" Monteiro. Andre is known for having a vast knowledge of the game, a killer half guard, and a overall nice guy.

We talk about:

• His team A-Force BJJ
• Traveling
• Mistakes people make when they learn a lot from youtube
• Tips on teaching a seminar
• Running a school and traveling
• Keeping an open mind to learning jiu-jitsu
• Leaving your BJJ school
• Off the mat training
• Changes in his game over the last few years
• Why he is getting more submissions in compeititon
• The goals he has set for himself and his business

Links:

• A-Force BJJ website
• Andre on Facebook
• Andre on Instagram

Quote of the week: “It's always better to attack than to defend," Coram had told her when they talked about fencing late at night. "Always. Ye don't win with defense--ye only hold the other feller off, or wear him down. Attack and have done with it!” ― Tamora Pierce, Alanna: The First Adventure

Article of the week: Saying “I do” to the Right BJJ School

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The Life lesson this week was about making the most of a disappointing tournament.

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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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:

• Silver Fox BJJ website
• Karel on Facebook
• Silver Fox Academy on Facebook

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

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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:

• Espen on Facebook
• Espen on Youtube
• Espen on Instagram

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

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

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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:

• Ronin Training Center
• Punch Gunk
• Crystal on Instagram

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

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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??

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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:

• Marcelo Garcia Dallas
• BJJ Tees
• Chelsah' on Facebook
• Chelsah' on Instagram

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

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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

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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:

• BJJ After 40
• The Head Hunter Instructional video

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

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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

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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:

• Rickson Gracie Cup
• Eddie Fyvie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Malta, NY

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!

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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:

• Special link for BjjBrick listeners to Kids BJJ Revolution

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

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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

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

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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"

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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

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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

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Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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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

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Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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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"

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

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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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

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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

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

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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.

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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

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It is important to look at yourself and reflect about what attributes you have that can help you get better at BJJ. We look at Physical, Mental, and Situational advantages (Gifts) you have and how to get the most out of them.

Some of the physical gifts we talk about:

• Speed
• Strength
• Flexibility
• Coordination
• Balance
• Your height

Some of the mental gifts we talk about:

• Patience as a student and instructor
• Having a memory for technique
• Being a people person
• having a competitive spirit

Some of the situational gifts we talk about:

• Having a great BJJ gym near you
• Having a stable family life
• Having a supportive spouse or partner
• Being healthy
• Being part of a great team
• Having a great coach
• Being financially stable

Pranks pulled on Gary this week: The golden girls song around 57min when he is talking about how great a training partner Byron is. Gary was unaware of the gift image with Gary's face.

Quote of the week: "Wouldn't it be great to be gifted? In fact.... It turns out that choices lead to habits. Habits become talents. Talents are labeled gifts. You're not born this way, you get this way." Seth Godin

Article of the week: Visiting another school…. Getting the most out of a drop in

We welcome new patreon supporters Mindy and Alexander

Mat Tales 18 Hitting the Road for BJJ

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The List of people that have tapped out Marcelo Garcia is short but it includes Dustin Denes AKA Clean. Enjoy this weeks interview because it is going to be like nothing you have heard before.

We talk about:

• Becoming a Brazilian National Champion in 2000
• Tapping out Marcelo Garcia with a RNC
• Being certain that you will be successful
• Tapping into your full potential
• Motivation vs discipline
• How he developed discipline as a boy
• How he got the name "Clean"
• Chasing efforts
• The definition of "Chop Certified" and "Jiu-Jitsu Chop"
• Teaching productivity while doing a BJJ seminar
• Why he learns everyone's name while teaching a seminar
• Why he teaches a smaller number of techniques that you will be able to remember
• Why you have a good side and a great side not a bad side
• Tips on goal setting
• How pain motivated him to win tournaments
• Why it is important to make some sacrifices when preparing for a tournament

Links:

• chopcertified.com

Quote of the week: "I only train on days ending in a Y." Neil Ohlenkamp

Article of the week: Hey, Jiu-Jitsu Competitors, Stop Apologizing For Your Losses

Gary's book this week is called "The Hair Lock"

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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This week we have an interview with Greg Thompson. Greg is the creator of SOCP (Special Operations Combatives Program) www.socp.info. On March 23, 2010, SOCP became the first officially designated combatives program for all U.S. Army Special Operations Forces. ERB Codes: (SOCP I: BRT), (SOCP II: FBR) SOCP is now the standard program for fighting in kit. Greg is also training Federal and State Law Enforcement, FBI, ATF, Border Patrol and Special Contract Units.  Continue reading about Greg Thompson here.

We talk about:

• His start in martial arts and wrestling
• What is was like training in the early days
• Getting started in training people in special operations
• Some of the tactical decisions a law enforcement officer must make
• Why it is important to know the limits of what you are training
• His conversations with a closed minded martial artist
• Training safely for violent encounters
• Controlling the distance
• Knowing how to use the proper force multiplyer
• Knife training and common mistakes with training with knifes
• What someone doing BJJ can do to prepare for self defense
• Grappling and training with a knife
• Grappling with teams or more than one vs one
• Police officers dealing with stress and the use of force
• How to de escalate self defense situations
• How to avoid legal trouble for defending yourself
• The pros and cons of different self defense tools
• How to protect yourself from a home invasion
• How to avoid someone breaking into your house
• How to deal with a home invasion situation
• Creating safe habits
• Using your BJJ skills if you get a job in the military or law enforcement

Links:

• Team R.O.C
• TXcombatives
• H2H (Hand to Hand) Combat, Soldiers Edition
• Videos of Greg here

Quote of the week: "No intelligent man has ever lost a fight to someone who said 'I'm gonna kick your ass" Rory Miller

Article of the week: A Complete Victory by a 1% Margin

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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This week we have an interview with Atos rising star Conner DeAngelis.

We talk about:

• Moving to Atos to train BJJ
• His style of game
• Getting double gold at worlds in blue belt nogi and winning Pan Ams
• How bad coaching can effect sports performance
• A lesson learned from a loss
• Dealing with nerves before competing
• Cooking advice for young athletes
• His training schedule

Links:

• Hyperfly
• Conner on Instagram
• Conner on Facebook

Quote of the week: "Number one is just to gain a passion for running. To love the morning, to love the trail, to love the pace on the track. And if some kid gets really good at it, that’s cool too.” Pat Tyson

Article of the week: 7 Reasons Your Jiu-Jitsu Isn't Getting Better

Gary talks about his book he is going to release called "Cooking the cauliflower ear with Mike Tyson"

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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This week we have an interview with BJJ brown belt Sarah Draht. She has been training since 2005. She shares her wealth of experience in Muay Thai, BJJ and MMA.

We talk about:

• Her start in martial arts
• Some of the things that make her passionate about BJJ
• Running a women's Muay Thai program
• How a bad car accident almost killed her and kept her off the mat for four years
• Recovering from her car accident
• Mind Gym : An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence
• How to avoid getting injured before a tournament
• Advice for women transitioning from BJJ to MMA

Links:

• BC Kimonos
• Joel Kryczka Physiotherapy
• Sarah on Instagram
• Sarah on Facebook

Quote of the week: "'Find a job you like, and you add five days to every week." H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Article of the week: Live Sparring/Free Rolling: Get more out of it than just a good fight

Safe word of the week: Peanut butter

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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This week we talk about an important and sometimes overlooked attribute to BJJ. The speed of the game may be something you use to your advantage or something that you are find yourself working to mitigate.

We talk about:

• Tips for the slower grappler
• Some techniques that are better done slowly
• Why your speed may leave you some day
• When you should slow down or speed up
• How to speed things up
• How to slow things down
• The speed of particular positions

Quote of the week: "Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later."
not by Anita Goodman but the quote was said by Og Mandino

Article of the week: Positional Sparring: Getting the most out of it

Korbett’s Kids Epi 3-  Korbett Miller answers a question about kids and drilling. Check out Korbett’s website here for more info on developing a strong kids program at your academy.

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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This week we have an interview with Gina Franssen. Gina is Minnesota’s first female Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt. You can find her at her female focused gym X2 Fitness. We cover a wide range of topics in this interview.

We talk about:

• What BJJ was like for women fourteen years ago
• How she was involved in a women's only BJJ school
• Adding men to what was once a women's only BJJ school
• What she looks for in quality male training partners
• How she got started in martial arts
• A tip to find a gym while traveling
• Advice for women starting BJJ
• Why it is important to learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable

Links:

• X2 Fitness
• Mission22
• We Defy Foundation
• Gina on Facebook
• Gina on Instagram

Quote of the week: People seldom refuse help, if one offers it in the right way. A. C. Benson

Article of the week: Drilling: How To Get the Most Out Of It

The Referee Corner Epi 4: Why does the referee alter the gi?

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Dominique Bell is a brown belt training and teaching at Atos Jiujitsu HQ - San Diego. Dominique has been on fire on the mats and is definitely a person you should be watching. In his spare time he is the person behind BjjComics.

We talk about:

• Training BJJ full time
• Training in the army combative program
• Moving across the country to train at Atos
• BjjComics.com
• Similarities of BJJ and rock climbing
• The differences in his gi and nogi game
• His bottom game strategy for nogi
• His first experiences doing jiu-jitsu
• How he prepares mentally and physically 30 min before a mach
• Why it is so important to have a game plan

Links:

• Kingz Kimonos
• Damage Control Mouthguards
• Supplement sponsor Athorganics
• Monkey Tape
• Soap Full Guard Gear
• Dominique Bell on Facebook
• Dominique Bell on Instagram

Article of the week: Competing in mid-adulthood: How to train to win after age 35

Quote of the week:  "It is not sufficient to see and to know the beauty of a work. We must feel and be affected by it." Voltaire

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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This week we bring you an interview with Kim Pruyssers. Kim is a purple belt in BJJ, she recently placed silver at Pan Am. You can find Kim training at Pacific Top Team in Corona California.

We talk about:

• Juggling a busy life and training BJJ
• Her competition history
• Training full time and raising four boys
• Transitioning from only training with the gi and now doing no-gi
• Some of her favorite attacks
• Her first experiences with Jiu-Jitsu
• Her women's only program and why it is successful
• Lessons she has learned by coaching
• Why some women's classes fail
• Her strategy for competing in open weight
• Advice for women starting BJJ in a class with all men
• Training on a busy schedule
• Advice for dealing with frustrations on the mat

Links:

• Pacific Top Team in Corona California
• Kim on Facebook
• Pacific Top Team Website
• Strych9

Quote of the week: "If your arm breaks do not stop, if your windpipe is crushed keep going, your knee gets destroyed, why stop. Always, always keep going forward. Your body will heal itself so no reason to slow down."-Jeffery Gloover

Article of the week: 3 Tips To Improve Your Takedowns

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Are you a little (or a lot) older than most of your training partners? Today Gary and Byron speak from their experience and offer advice to the aging grapplers out their doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

We talk about:

• Age on the mat is relative
• How to roll the odometer back on your mat age
• Changing the way you view yourself
• Dealing with your own ego as you age
• Making changes to your game to fit to your body
• Getting better with age
• Finding joy in watching your team get better
• Benefits of being a little older
• Tips for starting BJJ as an older student
• Setting a schedule that is healthy for training

Links:

• Interview with Glenn Jarrell

Quote of the week: "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Mark Twain

Article of the week: Training Partners Trump All

Byron pulls two pranks on Gary one that spans 5 episodes about Gary taking your back literally. The other is Byron saying song titles with the word time in them during the show.

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We are very excited to bring you an interview with a grappling legend. Pedro Sauer earned his Black Belt from Helio and Rickson Gracie in 1985. He now shares his over 40 years of experience on the mat. Joining the interview with Pedro Sauer is a past guest on The BjjBrick Podcast Brent Lillard.

We talk about:

• His start in Jiu-Jitsu in the early 1970s
• The BJJ belt system after black belt
• Continuous learning on the mat
• How to avoid missing training time due to injuries
• Learning Jiu-Jitsu vs Jiu-Jitsu or Jiu-Jitsu vs bad guy
• The importance of learning self defense first in your training
• Creating a learning culture
• How you can train with Pedro Sauer in Brazil
• Training camp in Petropolis, Brazil
• Staying safe while in Brazil
• Saving money when you book your flight to Brazil
• What Pedro Sauer was like as a blue belt
• His experience fighting Mr. Utah
• Advice for the grappler that can not train everyday
• Advice for the older grappler
• Being able to teach Jiu-Jitsu

Links:

• Our past interview with Brent Lillard
• Information about Pedro Sauer's training camp in Brazil
• Go to Brazil and train with Pedro Sauer
• Pedro Sauer fighting Mr. Utah

Quote of the week: "It's hard to beat a person who never gives up" Babe Ruth

Article of the week: "The Worst Grappler on the Mat"

Mat Tales 16 "Solo Club"

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This week we have an interview with Second Degree Ribeiro Black Belt Matt Jubera. He as won pan ams multiple times in different divisions.

We talk about:

• His start with BJJ
• Starting wrestling in highschool
• Using his wrestling in BJJ
• Why being a little bit lazy can help you add efficiency to your BJJ
• Using a heavy pressure style
• Focusing on the bread and butter moves
• The idea of training ugly
• Upcoming competitions
• Tips for how he has been able to stay injury free
• Tips for preparing mentally for a competition
• Advice for training on a busy schedule
• Competition training advice
• Building a good defense your first few years

Links:

• juberajj.com

Quote of the week:This week we have three quotes presented by Neil Melanson.

1. Iron sharpens Iron, so one person sharpens another Proverbs 27:17
2. As a coach figure out why not how
3. Loyalty goes two ways

Article of the week: Are You Doing the Right Things Before and After BJJ?

Gary's audiobook is called "Iron Sharpens Iron, Just Like Gary Sharpens Byron"

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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This week we are excited to bring you an interview with Neil Melanson. Neil is one of the top MMA coaches teaching grappling. Neil is the former Head Grappling coach at both Xtreme Couture Las Vegas and Alliance MMA you will now find him as Head Coach of The Blackzillians MMA Team. Neil has coached many fighters including Dominic Cruz, Randy Couture, and Michael Chandler.

We talk about:

• Not training with the gi
• What is catch wrestling
• The rules, submissions, and tactics of catch wrestling
• Ground fighting for MMA
• Why some wrestlers struggle doing MMA grappling
• Neutralizing an athletic opponent
• The importance of having a good attitude for training
• Learning things from lower belts
• The problem with hierarchy in grappling
• How to make grappling more interesting
• Being able to submit someone that is better than you
• The changes in the leg lock game
• His Catch Wrestling Formula DVD
• Using the cage for grappling in mma

Links:

• Neil Melanson's DVD THE CATCH WRESTLING FORMULA
• Blackzillians
• Jaco
• Hayabusa
• Neil Melanson on Facebook

Quote of the week: "To get better you have to step out of your comfort zone. You can't do the same things you've always done & improve." Jordan Burroughs

Article of the week: There are Two Types of Coaches. Which are You?

The Referee Corner Epi 3 Belts getting untied

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

https://youtu.be/2_IhNmr4pMI

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Today we are talking about mistakes made on the mat. We share some personal stories and things we have noticed.

We talk about:

• What Byron did as a purple belt that was a mistake for around a year
• A basic principal Gary learned as a white belt
• Learning how to take advice from your coach
• Mistakes made as an instructor
• Not tapping fast enough
• Being over confident when starting BJJ
• Having the right amount of tools in your tool basket
• Avoiding leg locks
• Fighting from your knees
• Not doing the right type of drilling
• Not letting injuries heal

Quote of the week: “The best advice I was given if that if you want to succeed and you want to achieve, you have to learn how to handle failures.” Mike Scioscia, MLB champion manager

Article of the week: Charismatic Leadership or Personality Cults in Jiu Jitsu: The Fine Line Between Respect and Worship

Korbett's Kids Epi 1-  Korbett Miller answers a question about kids training to compete. Check out Korbett's website here for more info on developing a strong kids program at your academy.

Garys audio book is called "The Tool Basket for BJJ, Find the Right Tool for the Job"

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

We are so happy to have Bernardo Faria as our guest on this week's episode. It has been a while since we have had him on the show, and we have some catching up to do.

We talk about:

• Setting big goals
• His plans for 2017 worlds
• His off the mat plans
• How getting older has affected his training
• Why his style of BJJ game is good for the ageing player
• How the half guard was discovered
• His game plan
• How he developed his game plan by only doing techniques that worked well for him
• The growth of his blog and helping the BJJ community
• Weight cutting and weight management
• He has never got a DQ for missing weight
• His diet for dropping the pounds
• Tips for white belts competing
• A look into turning white belts blue
• Going to BJJ to learn and have fun
• He answers questions for our blue belt episode
• Focus on learning BJJ not tapping people out
• Opening up his own school

Links:

• BernardoFaria.com
• DVD of Bernardo commenting during his sparing

Quote of the week: "Experience is one thing you can't get for nothing." Oscar Wilde

Article of the week: 22 Off The Mat Habits That Will Improve Your On The Mat Performance

Mat Tales #15 Mexican Standoff

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We are excited to bring you an interview with BJJ Black Belt Josh Hinger. Josh is a first degree black belt under Andre Galvao. Josh also recently won the Medium Heavy weight class at 2016 no-gi worlds.

We talk about:

• How he got to know Andre Galvao
• Training with and without the gi
• Cutting weight for BJJ or no-gi
• His experience at no-gi worlds 2016
• His thoughts on sub only matches
• Trash talking in BJJ
• The growth of Jiu-Jitsu
• His start in BJJ
• Competing in the adult division
• His DVD Hingertine
• Dealing with anxiety on the mat
• Mental preps for competition
• Hesitation is the death of Jiu-Jitsu technique
• Tips for beginners
• How difficult it can be to start BJJ

Links:

• Hingertine
• Monkey Tape
• Review of Hingertine DVD
• Josh on Facebook

Quote of the week: "Being angry and resentful of someone is like letting them live rent-free in your head." George Foreman

Article of the week: No Time Machine ... Only Heating Seeking Missiles

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We are proud to have Larry Keith as the BjjBrick coach of the year. Larry has been training martial arts for around 35 years. Larry is a third degree black belt in Kodokan Judo and a brown belt in BJJ. He enjoys mixing throws with ending up in a dominant position. This is a great interivew with a outstanding person that we

We talk about:

• Starting his martial arts program
• having a large kids group
• He is a big guy and he talks about not using it too much
• How to turn a student into someone who can be more aggressive
• Starting his own dojo
• Working with the local boys and girls club helping to prevent bullying
• Zero tolerance policy in public schools
• Using a buddy system to prevent bullying
• The goals he has when teaching kids judo and jiu-jitsu
• Getting kids to do martial arts for their lifetime
• Kids and competing in tournaments
• Giving kids a leadership role on the mat
• The importance of a family atmosphere in BJJ
• Learning by teaching
• His plans for competing more

Links:

• Dynamic Martial Arts in Roseburg Oregon

Quote of the week: "Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." Thomas Jefferson

Lesson of the week: Dealing with traffic and taking a detour to still reach your goal.

The Referee Corner “Epi 2 Sandbagging” starting at 1h33m

Gary's audio book is called "rolling with ghost- breaking spirits instead of elbows"

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This week we have a HUGE episode. We take six well known and respected black belts and ask them all the same five questions about blue belts. There are some similarities and differences within these interviews but the amount of jiu-jitsu wisdom about blue belts in this episode is amazing.

The five questions we asked to the six black belt guests

1. Do you have requirements for a blue belt? What are they?
2. How important is it for students to be able to "defend" their belt?
3. How many intangibles (good teammate, good effort, helps others) come into play when promoting someone to blue belt?
4. Do you ever regret giving someone a blue belt?
5. What advice to you have for the new blue belt?

Tim Sledd 24m 25s

1. Tim explains some of the techniques he requires for a student to know before receiving a blue belt.
2. Tim talks about why some students get tapped by lower belts and if it is a big deal.
3. Why he looks at character of a student not just technique, and how this can hold someone back.
4. Why he has no regrets of any belts he has given out.
5. Advice for the new blue belt.

Matt Thornton 58m 30s

1. How he evaluates blue belts based on performance, and not looking at particular techniques.
2. Why it is important for your first blue belts to be very good at a school.
3. The importance of having good people on the mat.
4. Why he is confident in all his blue belt students.
5. Why it is important to relax and work on open guard as a blue belt.

Bernardo Faria 1h 17m 30s

1. Bernardo talks about Fabio Gurgel's system to get a blue belt a student must attend 120 classes.
2. The idea of not tapping to a lower belt is an old mentality.
3. Having a bad attitude will hold students back.
4. Not having an actual belt test, and not regretting giving someone a blue belt.
5. Keep your ego low, and work on learning jiu-jitsu.

Daniel Covel 1h 25m 05s

1. His minimum requirements of techniques for a blue belt. The responsibilities of the instructor to the students.
2. The importance of learning from your mistakes, and making adjustments.
3. Why it is important to have good people and teammates on the mat.
4. He has no regrets about any of his past blue belts.
5. It is important to recognise the hard work on the mats.

Henry Akins 1h 42m 50s

1. Understanding the basic positions and a handful of basic submissions.
2. Why some upper belts get caught by lower belts.
3. Why it is important for a blue belt to be a good training partner.
4. Why getting tapped out is part of the learning process
5. Why blue belts should work hard to develop a strong base.

John Will 1h 59m 30s

1. Why he likes having requirements for blue belts but not so many for other belts.
2. It is rare for a colored belt to get tapped by a lower belt, but it is no big deal.
3. Why the culture of the gym is so important. The concept of a ox neck and rat's head.
4. It is often normal to feel like you don't deserve a new belt
5. Ask five simple questions for every technique you learn to learn more details.

Mat Tales 14 Mouse in the House

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: Production Now and Production Long Term

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Could one of the seven deadly sins be holding you back in BJJ? What we can learn from them to avoid problems on the mat. Today we break down how the deadly sins can be holding you back. The sins are; Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Anger, Greed, and Sloth.

We talk about:

• Pride, and the difference in being confident and having too much pride
• What is feeling too proud of a tournament or belt promotion
• Being envious of training partners or coaches
• Getting mad while training
• How to tell when you have a passion for something or a lust
• How being greedy with your knowledge and time on the mat will hurt you
• How laziness even when you show up can greatly slow your progress
• The mistake of only doing the fun parts of BJJ

Links:

• Find more information about the Roll App on Kickstarter
• Want to find out more from David Wells and anti bullying

Quote of the week: "Never settle" Dr. Jen Case

Story of the week: How my dogs can drop everything at a moments notice and chase a squirrel, and how this can related to your BJJ training.

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The BjjBrick Wall of Support is being constructed and you can help

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Mat tales epi 13 Coach Santa

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This week we bring you an interview with Dr. Jen Case. Dr. Case has a PhD in human nutrition, she studies nutrition and sport performance. Dr. Case is a black belt under Renato Tavares and she trains in Kansas City with Jason Bircher.

We talk about:

• How Jiu-Jitsu has effected her education
• The idea of passive insufficiency and BJJ
• Comparing a black belt to a Phd
• The importance of strength and skill on the mat
• Weightlifting for BJJ
• Diet tips for better performance on the mat
• What you should eat based on the time of day
• Cutting weight
• Teaching women's only seminars
• Advice to women who are new to BJJ
• Advice for students going to school and BJJ
• Goals for new students
• A women's only BJJ seminar Feb 4, 10-11:30 that she is teaching

Links: Kansas City BJJ

Quote of the week: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."  Aristotle

Article of the week: Meet the 5 worst enemies of the BJJ fighter

We also debuted our new segment The Referee Corner "Epi 1 Most common mistake in BJJ"

If you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast find out how here (Now with a $.50 option) 

The BjjBrick Wall of Support is being constructed and you can help

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James Clingerman is a 3rd degree black belt in BJJ, and he has been teaching BJJ for almost 17 years. Along with running The Fight Hub he teaches in his academy in Indianapolis, Indiana.

We talk about:

• Some of the DVD's he has produced
• How he got into the business of producing BJJ DVD's
• How he has used BJJ to help overcome social anxiety
• His start in martial arts as a kid
• Trying "fake Jiu-Jitsu"
• His story of how he survived getting shot in the face while in his car
• How BJJ helped him survive
• His lasting effects from the shooting
• Why he changes he game to be a better instructor
• The fight hub selling gear
• The advantages to learning from a professionally made video
• Training tips
• Tips to making a game plan

Links:

• Fight Hub HQ
• Indiana BJJ Academy

Quote of the week: Top 25 Funny and Ridiculous Quotes in Sports

Article of the week: All or nothing

If you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast find out how here (Now with a $.50 option) 

The BjjBrick Wall of Support is being constructed and you can help

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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This week we are proud to bring you Korbett Miller. Today you will learn a lot about developing the next generation of BJJ practitioners. Miller is a first degree BJJ black belt under Saulo and Xande RIbeiro. This episode is a must listen for anyone involved with teaching BJJ to adults or kids.

We talk about:

• Overcoming difficulties as a kid with martial arts
• The current coaching environment for kids programs
• How to teach kids differently than adults
• Teaching on command
• Drills that are played as games
• Getting deliberate practice
• The "Dead Bug" drill to help learn the hip bump sweep
• Character development for kids in BJJ over other martial arts
• Fixed mindset vs growth mindset
• Why you should avoid "Person Praise" to students
• The importance of a great introductory lesson for kids
• Some of the details of the introductory lesson
• Why he does not give kids a belt without earning it first
• The importance of focus and respect
• Having kids be a first time listener and doing things the right way right away
• Not just letting the new kids just blend in with the rest of the class
• Why almost no one regrets long term martial arts training
• Developing a talent hot bed in your school
• Why he encourages kids to compete
• What to say to a kid after a loss
• Lessons learned while competing
• How to let kids start rolling
• How to teach kids submissions
• How he has attracted 250 kids to his BJJ school
• Developing a kids program
• Marketing a kids martial arts program

Links:

• Millers Martial Arts Academy
• Kids BJJ revolution

Quote of the week: "Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man." Benjamin Franklin

We have the results of The BjjBrick Coach of the Year Contest. We are

If you are interested in supporting The BjjBrick Podcast find out how here (Now with a $.50 option) 

The BjjBrick Wall of Support is being constructed and you can help

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

Gary's audio book is called "How to sneak into the kids division and get gold or a cold"

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