Explore the conceptual side of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Black belt brothers Steve & Matt Kwan discuss the mental models, or universal principles, behind the gentle art.
The BJJ Mental Models podcast is a game-changer for practitioners of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This podcast stands out from others in the genre by focusing on conceptual approaches to learning and understanding the sport. Hosted by Steve Kwan, the show features amazing guests who provide valuable insights into various aspects of BJJ. This podcast has not only helped listeners improve their skills on the mat but has also connected them with incredible business owners in the BJJ community.
One of the best aspects of The BJJ Mental Models podcast is its selection of guests and topics. Steve Kwan does an excellent job of bringing in knowledgeable practitioners, regardless of their gender or competition success. This inclusive approach is refreshing and ensures that all listeners can benefit from the discussions. The topics covered are thought-provoking and delve into important issues within the jiu-jitsu community. The insights provided by these thought leaders offer a fresh perspective on teaching, learning, safety, and enjoyment in BJJ.
While it's difficult to find any major flaws in this podcast, one potential downside could be that it may not appeal to those who are solely interested in learning specific techniques. The focus here is more on understanding why certain techniques are effective and how they fit into broader concepts. However, for those looking to enhance their mental game and explore new approaches to jiu-jitsu, this podcast provides valuable content.
In conclusion, The BJJ Mental Models podcast is a must-listen for anyone involved in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Its emphasis on conceptual learning and understanding elevates it above other podcasts in the genre. With great hosts, diverse guests, and engaging topics, this podcast has become a favorite among practitioners looking to deepen their knowledge of the sport. Whether you're a white belt or an experienced practitioner, The BJJ Mental Models podcast will undoubtedly help you advance your game both on and off the mat.
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss consistency as a concept, and explain how it acts as the basis for building good habits, achieving compound gains, and creating luck. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
In this bonus episode, Rob Biernacki talks pedagogy! We discuss his updated pedagogy module on BJJ Concepts, the evolving landscape of Jiu-Jitsu instruction, balancing concepts with techniques, evidence versus anecdote, emotional dysregulation in students, and the role of community in gym culture. Rob also shares news on his upcoming retirement from full-time teaching at Island Top Team, the winding down of his visiting student program, and his plans for future teaching through visiting instructor initiatives and Jiu-Jitsu camps.Sep. 5-7, 2025: Check out Rob's upcoming camp in Invermere, BC!https://www.tickettailor.com/events/invybjj/1804016Follow Rob on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/islandtopteamTrain with Rob at Island Top Team in Nanaimo, BC:https://islandtopteam.com/Learn online with Rob at BJJ Concepts:https://bjjconcepts.net/Mental models discussed in this episode:Survivorship Biashttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/survivorship-bias/Scientific Methodhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/scientific-method/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
This week we're joined by Niamh Bryn, owner of Snowblind BJJ in Seattle! In this episode, Niamh explores the versatility and depth of the arm drag, and why it's more than just a beginner move. We explain its role as an opening salvo to create reactions, off-balances, and angles rather than an all-or-nothing attempt at taking the back.Follow Snowblind BJJ on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/snowblind_bjjTrain with Niamh at Snowblind BJJ:https://snowblindbjj.net/Mental models discussed in this episode:Technique Chaininghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-chaining/Static vs. Dynamic Controlhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/static-vs-dynamic-control/Crossing the Centerhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/crossing-the-center/Mask Your Intentionshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/mask-your-intentions/Opening Salvoshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/opening-salvos/Committed Techniqueshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/committed-techniques/Direct vs. Proxy Controlhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/direct-vs-proxy-control/Dominant Angleshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/dominant-angles/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss defensive thinking, the tendency to excuse poor performance before it even happens.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
This week, we're joined again by “Doctor Kickass” Mike Piekarski: physiotherapist, BJJ black belt, online course creator, and instructor! In this episode, Mike discusses injury mitigation, or “prehab,” for grapplers. We explore how injuries commonly occur in Jiu-Jitsu through joint locks, scrambles, takedowns, and ego-driven decisions, and emphasize the importance of situational awareness, tapping culture, and coach-led environments that normalize safety.Follow Mike on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/doctor_kickassGet Mike's Kinstretch courses:https://linktr.ee/doctor_kickassMental models discussed in this episode:Static vs. Dynamic Controlhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/static-vs-dynamic-control/Compatible Intenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/compatible-intent/Normalizationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/normalization/Return on Investmenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/return-on-investment/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss loss aversion, the human tendency to fear losses more than we desire equivalent gains. While avoiding losses is rational, excessive fear of loss can hold us back from our biggest growth opportunities.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
In this episode, Brianna Ste-Marie talks about the front headlock: its offensive power, common pitfalls like “bloodlust,” strategic uses for control and distraction, and key differences between gi and no-gi.Follow Brianna on social:https://www.instagram.com/briannasmMental models discussed in this episode:Myopiahttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/myopia/Trading Uphttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/trading-up/Mask Your Intentionshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/mask-your-intentions/Technique Chaininghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-chaining/Path of Least Resistancehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/path-of-least-resistance/Head Positionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/head-position/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss the idea of an abundance mindset, where we view success as something we can mutually achieve. The abundance mindset contrasts with a scarcity mindset, which sees success as a zero-sum game. This mini-episode explains why the abundance mindset can counterintuitively improve your Jiu-Jitsu over the long term, even though sport competition is usually zero-sum.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
In this episode, we welcome back world champion Edwin “Junny” Ocasio for a deeply introspective conversation about the mental challenges of high-level competition. Junny shares how achieving his lifelong dream of winning a world title unexpectedly led to a period of depression and self-doubt, revealing the emotional complexity that comes with success.Follow Junny on social:https://www.instagram.com/junny_bjjhttps://www.tiktok.com/@junnybjjhttps://www.youtube.com/c/junnyocasioTrain with Junny at Unity Jiu-Jitsu:https://unityjiujitsu.com/Get Junny's instructionals:https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/instructional-videos/fighter_junny-ocasiohttps://submeta.io/@junnyocasioMental models discussed in this episode:Loss Aversionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/loss-aversion/Abundance Mindsethttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/abundance-mindset/Process Over Outcomeshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/process-over-outcomes/Consistencyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/consistency/Compoundinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/compounding/Keep Your Identity Smallhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-your-identity-small/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
In this week's mini-episode we discuss process over outcomes, a mental model we've also referred to as habits over results. This concept teaches us to balance long-term goals with the short-term habits needed to achieve them. We discuss how building habits motivates us by creating consistent "wins," how quick feedback enables us to pivot early, and when "trust the process" can become bad advice.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
In this episode, Steve Kwan welcomes back Francesco Fonte for an in-depth exploration of what Francesco calls the “timeline of coaching:”For coaches: INFO → SKILLS → GAMESFor athletes: GAMES → SKILLS → INFOFrancesco explains how effective Jiu-Jitsu instruction should reverse the traditional info-dump model: instead of starting with detailed techniques, coaches should design games that develop essential skills, which only later become associated with specific concepts and information.Follow Francesco on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/francescofonte76Resources discussed in this episode:Francesco's “timeline of coaching” Instagram posthttps://www.instagram.com/p/DLubCRqtpd3Mental models discussed in this episode:Inversionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/inversion/The Map Is Not the Territoryhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/the-map-is-not-the-territory/Cognitive Loadhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/cognitive-load/Analysis Paralysishttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/analysis-paralysis/Incremental Learninghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/incremental-learning/Compartmentalizationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/compartmentalization/Diminishing Returnshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/diminishing-returns/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
In this week's mini-episode we discuss resulting, a logical fallacy where we incorrectly assume that the quality of our decisions are directly related to the quality of our results.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
In this episode of BJJ Mental Models, Steve Kwan is joined by Laurien Zurhake to explore how trauma-informed coaching can transform Jiu-Jitsu into a safer, more inclusive, and more effective training environment. Laurien, co-founder of Off the Zone, shares her ABC Playbook for Mental Health (Anticipate, Bring Them Back, and Course Correct), a practical framework for coaches to support students through mental health challenges.Follow Laurien and Off the Zone on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/off_the_zoneWork with Laurien @ Off the Zone:https://www.off-the-zone.com/Resources discussed in this episode:Off the Zone's Mental First Aid ABC Protocolhttps://www.off-the-zone.com/68538Mental models discussed in this episode:Psychological Safetyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/psychological-safety/Compatible Intenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/compatible-intent/Gamificationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification/Growth Mindsethttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/growth-mindset/Beginner's Mindhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/beginners-mind/Mindfulnesshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/mindfulness/Pattern Interruptshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/pattern-interrupts/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake
In this week's mini-episode we discuss self-competition. You've probably heard the phrase, "comparison is the thief of joy." Self-comparison is a problem we all face, and self-competition is a helpful mental model for working with this problem.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroResources discussed in this episode:How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Other People - Eyepatch Wolfhttps://youtu.be/wL93C0lm0nQ?t=126sDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
In this episode, Steve Kwan is joined by Rosie Miller to explore the concept of the “tryhard hobbyist” in Jiu-Jitsu: someone who trains seriously and with intention, even if they don't pursue the sport professionally. Rosie, a brown belt out of Atos HQ and founder of The Grappler's Lab, shares her journey of evolving goals, identity, and self-worth within the sport. Together, they discuss the emotional and mental challenges hobbyists face, including impostor syndrome, burnout, risk management, and the struggle to balance ambition with sustainability. Rosie offers a values-based framework to help practitioners define their goals, align training with life priorities, and find long-term fulfillment in Jiu-Jitsu, regardless of competitive aspirations.Follow Rosie on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rosierollzWork with Rosie @ The Grappler's Lab:https://www.thegrapplerslab.com/Mental models discussed in this episode:Cognitive Dissonancehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/cognitive-dissonance/Prioritize Longevityhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/prioritize-longevity/Return on Investmenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/return-on-investment/Reframinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/reframing/Flowhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/flow/Impostor Syndromehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/impostor-syndrome/Self-Competitionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we discuss the Red Queen effect, a hypothesis based on a quote from Alice in Wonderland that is oddly applicable to science and Jiu-Jitsu! It teaches us that sometimes we need to keep moving just to maintain our position. The Red Queen effect helps explain why we don't feel like we're getting better at Jiu-Jitsu when we compare ourselves to our training partners.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
In this episode, Steve Kwan talks with elite competitor Elisabeth Clay about returning to Jiu-Jitsu after major life changes like pregnancy and injury. Clay shares her personal journey of Jiu-Jitsu and pregnancy, staying mentally engaged during time off, and the challenges of regaining physical performance post-layoff. Elisabeth also discusses the importance of staying immersed in the gym culture when not actively training, how community can combat isolation and depression, and navigating the Jiu-Jitsu world as a new mom.Follow Elisabeth on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/elisabethclaybjjMental models discussed in this episode:Stress and Recoveryhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/stress-and-recovery/Reframinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/reframing/Compatible Intenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/compatible-intent/Consistencyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/consistency/Analysis Paralysishttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/analysis-paralysis/Normalizationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/normalization/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we discuss the concept of systematic abandonment, a mental model co-opted from business strategists like Peter Drucker and Michael Porter. Systematic abandonment teaches us to periodically review and discard habits that are no longer useful, because deciding what not to do is often just as (if not more) important than deciding what to do.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
In this episode of BJJ Mental Models, Steve Kwan is joined by Jake O'Driscoll from Essence BJJ in Perth for an in-depth discussion on the straight foot lock game. Jake explains his unique finishing mechanics, how his method differs from the popular “Woj Lock,” and how he uses straight foot locks not just for submissions but to control, off-balance, and transition to dominant positions like the back or mount. He emphasizes the importance of using 50/50 as a dynamic, offensive platform rather than a stalling position and shares insights on controlling all three leg joints for effective submissions. Jake also offers coaching advice, training concepts, and resources for grapplers looking to master the modern leg lock meta.Follow Jake on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/jakeod_essencebjjTrain with Jake at Essence BJJ in Perth:https://essencebjj.com.au/Learn online from Jake via his Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/user?u=112559996Mental models discussed in this episode:3 Joint Rulehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/3-joint-rule/Direct vs. Proxy Controlhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/direct-vs-proxy-control/Myopiahttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/myopia/Mask Your Intentionshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/mask-your-intentions/Dilemmahttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/dilemma/Asymmetric Warfarehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/asymmetric-warfare/Kuzushihttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/kuzushi/Defense Paradoxhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/defense-paradox/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we discuss the concept of flow, a mental model for peak performance first proposed in 1975 by the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroResources mentioned in this episode:Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyihttps://www.harpercollins.com/products/flow-mihaly-csikszentmihalyiMini Ep. 57: The Map Is Not the Territoryhttps://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/17285192-mini-ep-57-the-map-is-not-the-territoryDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
In this episode, we're joined once again by Giles Garcia, head coach of Ronin Grappling in Glasgow, to tackle the complex topic of living your values in Jiu-Jitsu. Giles explores the challenges coaches and students face when trying to uphold personal and gym-wide values, especially in situations involving discrimination, safety, and accountability. Giles shares candid experiences from his own gym, emphasizing the importance of fostering a culture rooted in inclusion, respect, and trust. Giles dives into how values must be enforced consistently, even when it's uncomfortable or financially inconvenient, and how both coaches and students have the power—and responsibility—to speak up when those values are threatened.Follow Giles on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/el_guancheTrain with Giles at Ronin Grappling in Glasgow:https://roningrappling.com/Learn online with Giles at BJJ Codex:https://www.bjjcodex.com/Mental models discussed in this episode:Normalizationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/normalization/First Principleshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/first-principles/The Golden Rulehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/golden-rule/Precommitmentshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/precommitments/Paradox of Tolerancehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/paradox-of-tolerance/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we discuss growth mindsets, a mental model popularized by Carol Dweck in her hit 2006 book, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success." Growth mindsets are defined by belief in our ability to improve, as opposed to fixed mindsets, which assume our attributes can't be changed.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroResources mentioned in this episode:Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Dr. Carol Dweckhttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/44330/mindset-by-carol-s-dweck-phd/Mini Ep. 57: The Map Is Not the Territoryhttps://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/17285192-mini-ep-57-the-map-is-not-the-territoryDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
In this episode, Steve sits down with Cody Maltais, head coach at Elevate MMA in Durham, North Carolina, to explore the art of developing coaches in Jiu-Jitsu. Cody shares his journey from Marine Corps veteran to academy leader and emphasizes the importance of fostering a collaborative, student-centered culture. He advocates for empowering students at all levels to take on coaching roles early, encouraging experimentation, mistake-making, and personal expression.Follow Cody on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/codymaltais_Train with Cody and Drew at Elevate MMA:https://elevatemmaacademy.com/Mental models discussed in this episode:Self-Organizatonhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-organization/Teach to Learnhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/teach-to-learn/Intentionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/intention/Windows of Opportunityhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/windows-of-opportunity/Raise the Level in the Roomhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/raise-the-level-in-the-room/Normalizationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/normalization/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we discuss the 80/20 rule, a mental model that's well-known, but misunderstood and overapplied. The 80/20 rule refers to an uneven distribution where the majority of results are produced by a minority of efforts.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroResources mentioned in this episode:Mini Ep. 57: The Map Is Not the Territoryhttps://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/17285192-mini-ep-57-the-map-is-not-the-territoryDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
In this episode, we're joined by Francesco Fonte, MMA and Jiu-Jitsu head coach from Sportschule Next Level in Germany! Francesco explores the idea of Jiu-Jitsu as a team sport. He explains how fostering a relaxed, playful training environment not only builds community but also accelerates learning by encouraging experimentation and removing the fear of mistakes. Drawing on his experiences organizing camps and running a diverse gym, Francesco highlights the value of humor, inside jokes, and a “third place” culture where people feel at home on the mats. Together, they discuss how hobbyists and competitors alike can thrive in inclusive gyms that prioritize connection over competition.Follow Francesco on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/francescofonte76Mental models discussed in this episode:Gamificationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification/Keep it Playfulhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful/Self-Competitonhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we discuss how the map is not the territory, a foundational concept for working with mental models and other abstractions. The key lesson: no "map" is a 100% accurate reflection of the territory it describes. Similarly, no Jiu-Jitsu "concept" is 100% applicable all the time...including this one! Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
In this episode of BJJ Mental Models, Steve Kwan welcomes back Sonia Sillan from Combat Arts Academy to explore the concept of the “awkward turtles:” the introverted, unsure, or atypical students who often feel like outsiders in Jiu-Jitsu. Sonya unpacks how gym culture, coaching priorities, and interpersonal communication affect whether these students feel welcome or alienated. Together, they discuss how creating an inclusive, empathetic training environment isn't just good for business; it's essential for building resilient practitioners and a healthy mat culture. This conversation offers a roadmap for coaches and students alike to rethink how they engage with the most vulnerable members of their gym.Follow Sonia on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/soniasillanTrain with Sonia at Combat Arts Academy in Seattle:https://caaseattle.com/Mental models discussed in this episode:Jita Kyoeihttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/jita-kyoei/Compatible Intenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/compatible-intent/Controlled Breathinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlled-breathing/Staying Loosehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/staying-loose/Escalation of Commitmenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/escalation-of-commitment/The Golden Rulehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/golden-rule/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we discuss the importance of controlled breathing when sparring. Managing your breath effectively creates a positive ripple effect in your Jiu-Jitsu performance by reducing anxiety, avoiding adrenaline dumping, and concealing your emotional state from your opponent. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroResources mentioned in this episode:Mini Ep. 55: Staying Loosehttps://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/17206785-mini-ep-55-staying-looseDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
This week we're joined by Brennan Strimple! Brennan is the black belt head coach at RPMA (Rochester Phoenix Martial Arts). In this episode, Brennan shares his playbook for building a thriving kids' Jiu-Jitsu program, as well as leading the development of affordable kids' tournament circuits in the local community. Follow RPMA on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rphxmaTrain at RPMA in Rochester, NY:https://rochesterjiujitsu.com/Mental models discussed in this episode:Abundance Mindsethttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/abundance-mindset/Keep it Playfulhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful/Investing in Losshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/investing-in-loss/Resulting Fallacyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/resulting/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we discuss the importance of staying loose when sparring. Being relaxed makes it easier to conserve energy, avoid being controlled, and conceal your intentions. There are times to be tense, such as when completing a throw or finishing a submission, but your "default mode" should be staying loose.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
This week we're joined by Timothy Lee Peterson! In this episode, Timothy explains why gaze tracking — or where your eyes are looking — is a surprisingly important aspect of Jiu-Jitsu.Follow Timothy on social media:https://www.instagram.com/timothyleepetersonhttps://www.threads.com/@timothyleepetersonResources discussed in this episode:Free+Style: Maximize Sport and Life Performance with Four Basic Movements, by Carl Paolihttps://www.amazon.com/dp/1628600209Mental models discussed in this episode:Theory of Alignmenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/theory-of-alignment/Head Positionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/head-position/Kuzushihttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/kuzushi/You Are What You Trainhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/you-are-what-you-train/Teach to Learnhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/teach-to-learn/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we discuss controlling the distance, a key lesson in most martial arts, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. As general advice, many instructors will coach you to close the distance when attacking and make space when defending. While this is often true, in this mini-episode we'll explore the exceptions to that rule and settle on a more general guideline for controlling the distance: find the distance where you can control them but they can't control you.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
This week we're joined again by Charles Harriott! In this episode, Charles discusses the problem of "gatekeepers" in Jiu-Jitsu, or people who try to enforce their way of thinking over others. Charles explores how gatekeeping can shut down creativity, personal development, and fun.Follow Charles on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/charlesharriottCharles Harriott's website:https://charlesharriott.com/Get Charles' instructionals on BJJ Fanatics:https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/dvd/fighter_charles-harriottSubscribe to Charles' YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjQfov7RyQ5fn3TLfqSmezQSupport Charles on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/charlesharriottMental models discussed in this episode:Do What Workshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/do-what-works/Shuharihttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/shuhari/Concepts Over Techniqueshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques/Ecological Dynamicshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-dynamics/Keep it Playfulhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we discuss kuzushi, the Japanese concept of breaking balance! Kuzushi is critical in Judo, but it's just as important in Jiu-Jitsu — both standing and on the ground. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroResources discussed in this episode:Mini Ep. 51: Technique Chaininghttps://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/17035097-mini-ep-51-technique-chainingMini Ep. 52: Shifting Platformshttps://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/17077049-mini-ep-52-shifting-platforms Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
This week we're joined by the founders of Inverted Gear: Hillary Witt and Nelson Puentes! Three years ago, Hillary and Nelson took the Inverted Gear brand beyond Jiu-Jitsu equipment and opened a physical academy in Pennsylvania! In this episode, Hillary and Nelson share key lessons learned from their journey into academy ownership. Follow Inverted Gear on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/invertedgearTrain at Inverted Gear Academy in Bethlehem, PA:https://www.invertedgearacademy.com/Shop Inverted Gear:https://www.invertedgear.com/Order the SWEET Moo Deng rashguard from BJJ Mental Models x Inverted Gear:http://bjjmentalmodels.com/moodengMental models discussed in this episode:Feedback Loophttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/feedback-loop/Constraints-Led Approachhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach/Ecological Dynamicshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-dynamics/Gamificationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification/Defensive Thinkinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/defensive-thinking/Return on Investmenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/return-on-investment/Incremental Learninghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/incremental-learning/Survivorship Biashttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/survivorship-bias/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we discuss shifting platforms, wherein you as the bottom player use continuous movement to prevent your opponent from fully establishing their base on top of you. Moving away from big, explosive escape attempts and toward smaller, continuous movement makes a huge difference in your success from bottom positions. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
This week we're joined again by Erin Herle! In this episode, Erin introduces the PLAY framework and explains why humor is a fundamental element of good culture and learning.Follow Erin on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/erinherle/Get Erin's new book, If You're Not Laughing, You're Losing:https://amzn.to/4jP5x8KWork with Erin:https://www.erinherle.com/http://highmentalperformance.com/Resources mentioned in this episode:Humor Styles Questionnaire, by Rod A. Martin, PhD:http://www.humorstyles.com/If You're Not Laughing, You're Losing, by Erin Herle:https://amzn.to/4jP5x8KVIA Character Strengths Survey:https://www.viacharacter.org/Mental models discussed in this episode:Keep it Playfulhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful/Habits Over Resultshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/habits-over-results/Defensive Thinkinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/defensive-thinking/10-10-10 Rulehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/10-10-10-rule/Survivorship Biashttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/survivorship-bias/Consistencyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/consistency/Psychological Safetyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/psychological-safety/Respect People, Not Positionshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/respect-people-not-positions/Yes, And...https://bjjmentalmodels.com/yes-and/Flowhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/flow/Reflecting "As If"https://bjjmentalmodels.com/reflecting-as-if/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp
In this week's mini-episode we explain the importance of technique chaining, and why "Jiu-Jitsu is the space between the techniques."Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
This week we're joined by two BJJMM alumni: Josh Vogel and Dr. Mike Israetel! In this episode, Josh and Mike discuss the unique way they build gameplans at The Jiu-Jitsu Company.Follow Josh and Mike on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/joshrvogelhttps://www.instagram.com/drmikeisraetelSubscribe to Josh and Mike on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@thejiujitsucompanyhttps://www.youtube.com/@RenaissancePeriodizationGet Josh's instructional, 90 Day Project Based Jiu Jitsu:https://bjjfanatics.com/products/90-day-project-based-jiu-jitsu-by-josh-vogelGet ripped with Mike at RP Strength:https://rpstrength.com/Resources mentioned in this episode:Arguing to Convince series, by Dr. Mike Israetel — YouTubehttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyqKj7LwU2RufCp8SzFQy3Nb1FaHpsCLuMental models discussed in this episode:Asymmetric Warfarehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/asymmetric-warfare/Zone of Geniushttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/zone-of-genius/Defend with Purposehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/defend-with-purpose/Funnelinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/funneling/Technique Chaininghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-chaining/Dictate the Pacehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/dictate-the-pace/Tokui Wazahttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/tokui-waza/Dilemmahttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/dilemma/Plus, Minus, Equalshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/plus-minus-equals/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we explain the phases of passing: disentangle, control, pass.Resources mentioned in this episode:Mini Ep. 49: Phases of Guardhttps://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/16950582-mini-ep-49-phases-of-guardGet our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
This week we're joined by Nick Volpe! Nick is the black belt head coach at Dark Bear Jiu-Jitsu in Staten Island, New York. In this episode, Nick explains how he makes Jiu-Jitsu coaching accessible to students and coaches of all experience levels. Topics include: self-organized learning, teaching the "why" behind techniques, the importance of timing, creating objectives that guide student progress, and layered difficulties during live resistance training.Follow Nick on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/darkbeardojoTrain with Nick at Dark Bear Jiu-Jitsu in Staten Island:https://www.darkbeardojo.com/Mental models discussed in this episode:Ecological Dynamicshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-dynamics/Concepts Over Techniqueshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques/Self-Organizationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-organization/Economy of Motionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/economy-of-motion/Windows of Opportunityhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/windows-of-opportunity/Gamificationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification/Probabilistic Thinkinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/probabilistic-thinking/Training Handicapshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/training-handicaps/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we explain the phases of guard, as taught by Rob Biernacki: engagement, maintenance, and retention.Resources mentioned in this episode:BJJMM Ep. 16: Guard Series: Engagement Phasehttps://bjj.plus/16BJJMM Ep. 17: Guard Series: Engagement Phasehttps://bjj.plus/17BJJMM Ep. 18: Guard Series: Engagement Phasehttps://bjj.plus/18Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
This week we're joined by Mo Black! As of this writing, Mo is a reigning champion at Main Character Jiu-Jitsu and an instructor at Tabula Rasa BJJ in Colorado Springs. In this episode, Mo shares key concepts behind one of her favorite Jiu-Jitsu skills: half guard passing.Follow Mo on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/mo.jiujitsuTrain with Mo at Tabula Rasa BJJ in Colorado::https://tabsbjj.com/Mental models discussed in this episode:Predictable Responseshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/predictable-responses/Opening Salvoshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/opening-salvos/Waypointshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/waypoints/Head Positionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/head-position/Committed Techniqueshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/committed-techniques/Economy of Motionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/economy-of-motion/Path of Least Resistancehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/path-of-least-resistance/Controlling the Distancehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlling-the-distance/Technique Chaininghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-chaining/Center of Gravityhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/center-of-gravity/Dictate the Pacehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/dictate-the-pace/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we explain kaizen, a Japanese concept translating roughly to "continuous improvement."Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
In this bonus emergency episode, we're joined by legendary Jiu-Jitsu instructor Stephan Kesting to discuss the immediate dangers of the lapel guard position, why it is so harmful, and why the IBJJF must ban it immediately.Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
This week we're joined by Noah Shaffner and Greg Souders from Standard Jiu-Jitsu in Maryland! Noah shares his unique perspective as a competitor trained exclusively under the constraints-led approach (CLA) since he began grappling in 2021, while Greg describes Noah's journey from his coach's perspective.Follow Noah on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/noahshaffner/Follow Greg on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gdsouders/Train with Noah and Greg at Standard Jiu-Jitsu in Rockville, Maryland:https://www.standardjiujitsu.com/Resources discussed in this episode:Ep. 203: Evidence-Based Coaching, feat. Greg Soudershttps://bjj.plus/203BJJMM Ep. 206: How We Learn to Move, feat. Dr. Rob Grayhttps://bjj.plus/206 Mental models discussed in this episode:Ecological Dynamicshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-dynamics/External Cueshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/external-cues/Feedback Loophttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/feedback-loop/Concepts Over Techniqueshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques/Deliberate Practicehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/deliberate-practice/Habits Over Resultshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/habits-over-results/Gamificationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification/Inversionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/inversion/Perception-Action Couplinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/perception-action-coupling/Respect People, Not Positionshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/respect-people-not-positions/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode we explain investing in loss, a learning mindset often attributed to Tai Chi and other internal martial arts. In his excellent book The Art of Learning, Josh Waitzkin discusses the concept and its relevance to the martial arts. Investing in loss means reframing our thinking to view failure as an investment in our skill development, rather than as a loss.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
This week we're joined by Paul Kindzia, a BJJ black belt under Emily Kwok training out of Atlanta, Georgia. Most notably, he's a "homeschooled" black belt who carved out his own path in the art. Paul now trains out of a private gym, "The Bunker," that he built in his home. In this episode, Paul discusses how "rolling from home" has allowed him to take total ownership of who he trains with and who he learns from.Visit Paul's website:https://thebalancedgrappler.com/Get Paul's book, Master Jiu-Jitsu, Master Life:https://amzn.to/41SuqcDMental models discussed in this episode:Self-Competitionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/Survivorship Biashttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/survivorship-bias/Prioritize Longevityhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/prioritize-longevity/Extreme Ownershiphttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/extreme-ownership/Consistencyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/consistency/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode, we explain beginner's mind! Known in Zen Buddhism as shoshin (初心), beginner's mind is a concept present in belief systems, philosophies, psychology, and martial arts. It teaches us to approach every learning opportunity with the curiosity and humility of a beginner. It's a mindset that helps us shelf the ego, focus on skill development, and better enjoy our training.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
This week we're joined by Dr. Michael Israetel! Mike is a PhD in sport physiology and newly minted Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Josh Vogel. In this episode, Mike teaches the intricacies of training intensity in Jiu-Jitsu. Topics include: the different intensity zones (light, moderate, and hard), their respective roles in skill acquisition, training intensity during competition preparation, training strategies among partners of varying skill levels, the significance of developing a focused game plan, and tailored approaches for casual practitioners versus competitors.Follow Mike on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drmikeisraetelSubscribe to Mike's YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/@RenaissancePeriodizationGet Mike's app, RP Strength:https://rpstrength.com/Mental models discussed in this episode:Staying Loosehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/staying-loose/Form to Leave Formhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/form-to-leave-form/Ecological Dynamicshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-dynamics/Training Handicapshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/training-handicaps/You Are What You Trainhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/you-are-what-you-train/Compatible Intenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/compatible-intent/Resulting Fallacyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/resulting/Defend With Purposehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/defend-with-purpose/Asymmetric Warfarehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/asymmetric-warfare/Tokui Wazahttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/tokui-waza/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/
In this week's mini-episode, we explain spaced repetition! This concept helps us set a dynamic schedule for how frequently we should review old material to maximize our ability to recall information.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintroDon't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/
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