The Sonny Brown Breakdown

I talk to Andy from School of Grappling about the rising trend of the ecological approach in BJJ coaching and its implications. We explore the interplay between culture, coaching methods, and individual motivation in training. Andy shares insights on the limitations of singular approaches and the need for a holistic perspective in creating supportive training environments. We discuss the impact of social media on Jiu-Jitsu culture, the importance of caring as a coach, and the delicate balance between business and coaching. Andy also delves into the transformative power of grappling, the role of failure in learning, and his vision for bringing grappling back into the public sphere as a meaningful practice.

In this episode of The Sonny Brown Breakdown, guest Scott Sievewright discusses his ecological approach to coaching martial arts. Sievewright emphasises the importance of live, unscripted sparring from day one to build relationships and develop skills, arguing that traditional techniques taught in isolation do not effectively transfer to real-life fighting situations. Sievewright believes his method can produce better, more skilled fighters compared to traditional approaches by developing movement repertoire and qualities through live, games-based play sparring. He highlights the role of sparring in correcting errors and the importance of adaptability and self-organisation in training. The conversation covers various themes, including footwork, external focus of attention, situational sparring, the relationship between distance and space in fighting, brain health in combat sports, and the challenges of transitioning from the gym to amateur fighting. Sievewright also discusses the importance of prioritising the health and safety of athletes, challenging the use of headgear in training and emphasising the need for fighters to routinely deal with pressure and compete in various events before amateur fights. He stresses the importance of individuality in training and the need for continuous experimentation and adaptation in the context of an ecological approach to coaching martial arts.

I talk to Greg Souders and Priit Mihkelson, two of the most forward-thinking jiu-jitsu coaches today, about their philosophies on training methodology and practice design. Greg advocates for an ecological approach focused on constraints and foundational functions, while Preet comes from a background utilizing progressive resistance. We have an in-depth discussion on motor learning, developing skills, and the merits of different systems like ecological dynamics versus traditional step-by-step technique instruction. They analyze how to best structure training sessions, teach students, and elicit desired skills with games and drilling. A debate between two grappling philosophers on the cutting edge of instruction and understanding what it takes to excel at BJJ.

I talk to Kabir Bath, A Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Rafael Lovato Jnr, who runs Kaboom Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He runs an excellent kid's program using only constraints based learning games. We discuss how he structures his class and programs for kids, how he does the same for his adult's jiu-jitsu classes, and how it benefits their information retention and learning process.

I talk to Greg Souders, A Jiu-Jitsu black belt who runs his Jiu-Jitsu academy without teaching any techniques. Instead, he uses the ecological approach to skill development which has a substantial body of evidence for its effectiveness when used in motor learning. We discuss the benefits of teaching and learning jiu-jitsu in this manner and focus on how such a style can be implemented effectively.

I talk to Chris Paines, who recently released an instructional titled "How to Defend Against Everyone". We discuss his thoughts on teaching and learning Jiu-Jitsu through the use of heuristics focusing on control points and how that can emphasise defensive principles as well as optimising offence. We also discuss the importance of providing context when communicating the techniques of Jiu-Jitsu to learners and how understanding your body dexterity can improve your grappling game.

I talk to Luke Martin, a Jiu-Jitsu coach currently preparing his athletes for the ADCC world championships out of the New Wave Jiu-Jitsu camp in Texas with John Danaher, Gordon Ryan, Gary Tonon, Nicholas Meregali and the rest of the New Wave ADCC competitors. In a special emergency broadcast edition of the Sonny Brown Breakdown podcast, he gives us a rare insight into what that experience is like and how John Danaher prepares his athletes for the biggest competition in grappling.

I talk to Mittmaster Matt Chapman, a martial artist for 35 years who has a wealth of experience teaching & training Jeet Kune Do, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Jiu-Jitsu and MMA. Matt discussed how it's important to be nurturing and caring with new martial arts students, so they stick with it and master the art. Also, he detailed how this style of coaching care could be used to develop fighters and how he applied this martial arts philosophy to his Mittmaster MMA Padwork System.

I talk to Jeremy Skinner, a Jiu-Jitsu black belt, coach & competitor who recently won the ADCC Oceana trials, which will see him compete at the 2022 ADCC World championships. We discuss his preparation for competition while managing his coaching responsibilities and how he can determine quality in jiu-jitsu instruction and teaching. We also discuss his thoughts on current competition formats and how he feels a shift to a more team-based competitive format will lead to the technical evolution of the sport.

I talk to Jozef Chen, a grappling phenom who recently took Bronze at the ADCC trials while only being seventeen years old and relatively new to his jiu-jitsu training. We discuss how he gained his skill level at such a young age from using instructionals and drilling techniques in a conceptual style influenced by Rob Biernacki. After preparing for the ADCC trials at the B-Team in Texas with Craig Jones, we talk about what his experience was like grappling in that high-level training environment and how he plans on training and teaching going into the future.

I talk to Luke Martin, a Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt who runs Sydney West Martial Arts. He recently switched his academy from a mix of gi and no-gi training to only no-gi for adults. We discuss how he feels the culture of no-gi jiu-jitsu is progressing and John Danaher's influence on the sport and himself. We also discuss how he views the impact of external vs internal effects on the grappling culture.

I talk to Lachlan Giles about his instructional style. He experimented with using the reverse classroom model to teach jiu-jitsu which involves students watching videos before attending class and then directing portions of their training over what they want to learn. We discuss this experiment, his thoughts and readings on skill acquisition in general for grapplers, and the launch of his new online learning platform Submeta. 

I talk to Robert Degle. A blackbelt in BJJ, who was recently banned from competing by the IBJJF due to not having enough time registered as a brown belt before being promoted to black belt. Yet we discuss why he thinks the IBJJF has an overall net positive influence on the sport. From the prestige of its competition circuit to the rules and points system that he believes forces a general well-rounded jiu-jitsu game regardless of gi or no-gi competitions. 

I talk to Steve Kwan of the BJJ Mental Models Podcast in a Crossover Episode! We talk about how his podcast has influenced his own game, the most important concepts he learned from his podcast guests and the debate over concepts vs techniques. Further, we discuss learning Jiu-Jitsu online and the multiple online learning platforms and instructions out there and how you can go about finding one that best suits your needs and improves your grappling. 

I talk to Sam Kressin, a Black Belt in BJJ who also trained extensively with catch wrestling legend Billy Robinson. Sam is also a talented visual artist who holds a degree in exercise and sports science. We discuss how he came to find jiu-jitsu and catch wrestling in his martial arts journey and his time spent training both, and the process of combining them. He also coaches grappling and runs catch wrestling workshops for Scientific Wrestling and gives an excellent insight into his coaching philosophy.

I talk to Andy From School Of Grappling about the book "Mind Over Muscle: Writings From The Founder Of Judo" By Jigoro Kano. We explore the philosophy of Judo as written and explained by Kano while also discussing his views on physical education and the principles of Judo including mutual benefit and maximum efficiency in energy use. We also discuss the concept of embodied grappling and the critical role rough and tumble play can have on a child's morality and social awareness development.

I talk to Rob From McDojoLife. Rob has been a lifelong martial artist with a black belt in Karate and a Purple Belt in Jiu-Jitsu. McDojo life has a massive social media presence that you have likely seen before where it exposes fakes, frauds and phoneys of the martial arts industries. We discuss the elements that make a McDojo, the warning signs and dangers of fake martial arts, and how you can avoid these as a student and coach.   

I talk to John B Will, one of the all-time legends of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Martial Arts. As an early adopter of BJJ and Mixed Martial Arts, he has spent countless hours teaching classes and seminars worldwide. Combined with an active interest in the art of learning and teaching it gives him an invaluable insight into how best to deliver information and techniques to a class of students and how to help yourself become a better learner and martial artist, which we discuss in this episode.

I talk to Daniele Bolelli, author, martial artist & university professor. He is the host of multiple podcasts, including the Drunken Daoist podcast and the History on Fire podcast and a frequent guest on the Joe Rogan Experience. He was a contributor to the "I Am Bruce Lee" documentary and recently covered the life of Bruce Lee in a 2 part history podcast. We discuss the teachings of Bruce Lee for martial artists and specifically how Bruce Lee used his martial arts as a vehicle for his Taoist philosophy.

I talk to Priit Mihkelson, A Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt From Estonia and founder of Defensive BJJ. Priit always has a lot of interesting takes on the teaching, training & traditions of Jiu-Jitsu and after recently relocating his school I took the chance to ask him about his thoughts on belt rankings. We have a great conversation about how he has applied them to his Defensive BJJ system and set up his new school. We then move on to the use of hierarchy & titles like Professor and Master and their place in Jiu-Jitsu

I talk to Erin Herle, Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt & Founder of #submitthestigma. Submit the Stigma is a mental health advocacy group, so we discuss the work they do and the interplay, boundaries and roles that Jiu-Jitsu training can play in mental health and the mental side of competition and fighting. We also discuss becoming confident, having a strong self-belief, how to build beneficial connections with training partners through communication, becoming confident and Erin's own BJJ & MMA competition experiences.

I talk to Richy Walsh, A veteran of The UFC & The Ultimate Fighter who now works as an MMA Coach at the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai, China. We discuss the goals of the UFC P.I, how they run the MMA Combine & scout for new talent and the running of a fight camp. He also explains the periodisation of MMA Skills training and his thoughts on applying the same process for mental training. Lastly, how he game plans and breaks down footage for the athletes and runs the professional sparring sessions.

I talk to Heath Pedigo, Founder of Pedigo Submission fighting, aka Daisy Fresh. We discuss the culture and mindset used to build Daisy Fresh from Mt. Vernon to win the Pan Ams and the work ethic he looks to instil in his team and build camaraderie. Also, his thoughts on breaking down techniques from competition footage, and the evolution of training and teaching Jiu-Jitsu and the role coaches play in the process and his belief that Jiu-Jitsu can be used as a vehicle for bettering people and saving lives.

I talk to Eric Uresk, a Judo & Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt who coaches at Alliance MMA. We discuss his martial arts career and how he advocates for embracing vulnerability in his training to help conquer adversity. He explains his coaching philosophy and the hurdles he has faced while working with high-level athletes, including gaining trust from the athletes, mainly while working with Dominic Cruz. An athlete who has such an extensive knowledge of MMA that instructing him has its own set of challenges.

I talk to Tum "Energia" Voorn who is a Jiu Jitsu Practitioner with a Capoeria background and who also trained as a teacher. We discuss an inquiry-based instructional strategy that he describes as "Teaching Without Telling" and how he applies it in a grappling context, what obstacles it may have in its implementation, how to overcome them and the benefits of its use. We also relate this to forming a positive club culture by encouraging student feedback and, finally how leg locks can play into this pedagogy.

I talk to Chris Brennan, the O.G of No-Gi. Chris is an MMA Hall of Famer and 3-time No-Gi world champion, but perhaps might not be as well known for starting the first No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu school in America back in 1998 after leaving the Gracie Academy. We discuss what the Gracie Academy and the change to No-Gi were like and how he learned to train his students while competing in MMA. We also discuss how he has taken those lessons and passed them on to his sons with their MMA & grappling careers.

In this episode, I talk to Priit Mihkelson and Andy from School of Grappling. The episode takes on a unique debate format on the topic of Offense Vs. Defence, With Andy taking the side of offence and Priit being on the defence side. With the issue being reasonably broad, it takes some interesting turns from a general conceptual overview of the topic to practical applications of the technique, the learning and teaching of grappling. Both guys had some fun with the subject, and I am sure you will too!

I talk to Robert Degle who is a Danaher Death Squad member and trains under John Danaher. We discuss the use of leg locks in MMA, how leg attacks can be used either poorly or how they can be applied in a more high percentage manner. We do this by talking about some of the greatest leg lockers in MMA like Imanari, Ryan Hall, Rousimar Palhares and Marcin Held. Along with some of the essential MMA bouts containing leg lock battles and go through Gary Tonons career in One F.C. to examine the D.D.S. use of MMA leg entanglements.

I talk to one of the forefathers of American MMA & submission grappling, founder of Combat Submission Wrestling, Erik Paulson. We discuss the benefits of note-taking and the ability to be a free thinker and having freedom of movement, along with stories of the early days of training with the Gracies & the Machado Brothers alongside Shooto & Catch Wrestling. We get into some specifics on Kesa Gatame, Neck Cranks & Leg Locks and we also end up going deep on the power of meditation, spirit, heart & energy.

I talk to Christian Graugart who is the founder of BJJ Globetrotters, a community that runs seminars & camps around the world that discourages jiu-jitsu politics. We discuss the role of tribalism in BJJ and the benefits of thinking outside the box. The desire for social recognition that drives the need for many competition accomplishments and their recent issues with the IBJJF and their Beltchecker website as a possible alternative. Along with tips on training, teaching & building a friendly culture at your club.

I talk to Denis Kelly who runs the Australian Combat Sports Academy in Melbourne and has a Black Belt in BJJ, Zen Do Kai Karate and has fought MMA professionally while training worldwide. We had this discussion after his state just came out of the worlds longest lockdown where Melbourne was under curfew, and he was unable to operate his gym, but he persisted with teaching online lessons the entire time. We discuss what he learned during that period regarding club culture and teamwork and what helped him endure during those difficult times.

I talk to Craig Jones about his start in Australia, to moving to America to train with the Danaher team and now preparing in Puerto Rico. We discuss how his goals grew over time, how he teaches seminars and uses them to train and train other aspects of training with the DDS. We also discuss the importance of marketing as a professional grappler and earn a living from the sport at the highest levels where the line between sports and sports entertainment can change. 

Reid Reale is a BJJ Black Belt who also hols a master's degree in dietetics and a PhD in sports nutrition. His PhD thesis was entitled “Optimising Acute Body Mass Management in Australian Olympic Combat Sports”, he completed while working as a dietitian at the A.I.S. and for the Australian Olympic Combat Sports athletes before and after the 2016 Rio Olympics. Additionally, he published other research papers in the field titled "Acute weight management in combat sports: pre-weight-in weight loss, post-weight-in recovery and competition nutrition strategies" & The effect of water loading on acute weight loss following fluid restriction in combat sports athletes". Since then he has worked as a sports scientist at the Gatorade sports institute before starting a role as performance nutrition manager at the U.F.C. Pi in Shanghai, China. There he has worked with the local Chinese team managing nutrition, weight loss & weight cuts and after the recording of the interview, he has been over at fight island helping competitors with their weight cuts there. We discuss these issues and the practicalities around dealing with the fighters in his programs and more. If you are interested in learning more about the subject you can purchase his book called "Combat Sports Nutrition" at https://combatsportsnutritionebook.com/ which has been recently updated and use the discount code "sonnybrown" for a 40% discount!

I talk to Matt Kwan who is a BJJ Black Belt under Rob Biernacki and also Co-Hosts the podcast BJJ Mental Models with his brother Steve Kwan. We discuss concepts of belt tests and grading with the differences between adults and children and then explore essential concepts used by Gordon Ryan and the DDS. These include tempo in jiu-jitsu described through the terms of offensive and defensive cycles and blading to redirect frames while attacking and how these can help you learn BJJ faster and more efficiently.

I talk to Chris Paines who describes himself as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt who has never done Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He started training submission grappling somewhat isolated from the larger BJJ scene in Staffordshire, England but began attending BJJ Globetrotters camps where he met Priit Mihkelson. It was at these camps where he was graded up and awarded his black belt by Priit. The unconventional way he learned made him forced him to emphasise understanding the concepts behind grappling, which he describes as a machine of physics and biology through which using concepts the techniques can emerge. We discuss these conceptual ideas and specifically his universal theory of guard which has him focusing on control points and applying other lessons from wrestling that has allowed him to progress. .

I talk to Priit Mihkelson who is a BJJ Black Belt with a unique take on how BJJ can be taught and learned. We discuss how Priit structures his class and sparring sessions to encourage new behaviour but in the bulk of the interview, we discuss the practice of "clapping" back to an instructor after counting 3 2 1. It ends up taking us to interesting places like how rituals are formed, how they could be reformed, evidence-based teaching practices, motivation, self-determination theory by the time we finish.

I talk to Vlad Koulikov who is a Master of Sport in Sambo aswell as a BJJ & Judo Black Belt who grew up in Russia and before moving to America where he started an academy with a blend of grappling called Sambo Fusion. We discuss the history, elements, rankings & rules of Sambo as well as the differences with Combat Sambo. Also, the challenges he faced when fusing BJJ & Sambo and how he believes in unity over the division between the arts can benefit both. We finish by discussing his time training at Sambo 70, a school in Russia that combines both academic & Sambo training.

I talk to Robert Degle who is a BJJ Black Belt who trains under John Danaher and is also a philosophy major. We discuss how he started BJJ in the blue basement with Danaher, His start with philosophy and existentialism and how this lead to him pursuing an academic career with a focus on American pragmatism and Wittgenstein. We then explore how this can influence grappling training in regards to learning, competition, seeking the truth using logic, paying attention and the importance of persuasion.

I talk to Ruadhán MacFadden. He runs a project titled The Hero with a Thousand Holds which looks at the culture and practice of folk wrestling styles around the world. In particular the people and places that the styles have emerged from and not just the techniques which they used. We discuss some of the mythology and culture behind these styles and what the future holds for them. And we get into some of the particulars of Icelandic Glima and Irish Collar and Elbow Wrestling and Scuffling.

I talk to Robert Drysdale. He is a storied competitor, ADCC Champion, Mundials Champion and has also coached many other legends of the sport. Also a History major, he has spent his recent time delving into the history of the sport for a documentary entitled Closed Guard: The Origins of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil that traces the journey of Japanese Judoka travelling to Brazil and the formation of the sport we know today involving tough guys, the circus, outlaws, gambling, marketing & promotion and of course plenty of prize fights along the way. The entire saga makes for a fascinating tale that leaves us with the question of where the good and bad of the story rests between the truth and the myth. After all was it Mitsuyo Maeda that made the legend of Carlos Gracie or Carlos Gracie that made the legend of Mitsuyo Maeda?

I talk to Steve Kwan. Steve is one half of the excellent podcast BJJ Mental Models, he is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and works professionally at a tech company improving efficiency in process and operations. We discuss how he has taken lessons learned there and with the use of mental models how they can be applied to learning techniques and making decisions for jiu-jitsu. Also, how parameters and constraints can benefit learning and if the influx of information from social media and instructional could possibly benefit or harm the growth or development of Jiu-Jitsu training.

I talk to Matt Thornton. Matt is the founder of Straight Blast Gym International or SBG and is a 4th-degree BJJ Black Belt under Chris Hauter. We discuss how coming up in the 90s lead him to emphasise training against resisting opponents in a concept he outlines further called Aliveness. Also, how cross-training in multiple arts can teach you the delivery systems of each style while also identifying the common themes between them all, which can then be considered fundamentals. And finally, how real-life testing can lead to scepticism and critical thinking to help you identify the truths found in martial arts.  Listen On -  Apple: https://apple.co/3hRHlDg Spotify: https://spoti.fi/32Sc0Kl

I interview Rob Biernacki of Island Top Team. He also runs BJJconcepts.net, and we discuss his thoughts on BJJ pedagogy, different teaching and cognitive learning strategies, gamification of jiu-jitsu drills which he calls micro battles also developing training mentality for fun and longevity. Finally, how his geographic isolation forced diversity in his information set, his rank requirements for what makes a black belt and he delivers an epic rant on the proliferation of conspiracy theories in BJJ circles.

I interview Lachlan Giles. We discuss how his persistence over years of competition culminated in things coming together for him on the day to take out Bronze in the ADCC 2019 Absolute division. We also examine how he optimally narrowed his focus and training for that specific competition, the importance of self-directed learning and the value obtained from breaking down competition footage. Also, how some scientific principles might apply to Jiu-Jitsu teaching methodology and lesson structure with details of one attempted study he undertook. Finally, he considers a possible direction of where he sees the no-gi grappling game evolving.

I talk to Dr Alex Channon, a Senior Lecturer in Physical Education and Sport Studies at the University of Brighton and on the board of The Martial Arts Studies Research Network. He also manages a group called Love fighting, hate violence which promotes teaching non-violence through martial arts. He authored a paper titled Edgework and Mixed Martial Arts: Risk, Reflexivity and Collaboration in an Ostensibly 'Violent' Sport that explores the nature of violence and risk in MMA which we discuss in depth.

I talk to Jonathan Brookins. Jonathan is a veteran of the WEC where he faced Jose Aldo and the UFC where he was the winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 12 where Georges St Pierre coached him along with assistant coaches Firas Zahabi and John Danaher. Jonathan stood out in the show as being a unique & thoughtful personality, very humble and kind, and his life outside of fighting is equally compelling. We discuss his early days fighting in Florida, his time in the Ultimate Fighter house and his decision to take a break from the UFC to travel to India to attend a silent meditation retreat. While there he helped a group of local children go to school and unfortunately had a scare as a snake bit him. We also discuss his battles with addiction and his fascination with the mystic, and philosopher George Gurdjieff and the valuable lessons that he takes from martial arts practice and applies to life. Listen to the interview by searching for "The Sonny Brown Breakdown" on your favourite podcast player or follow the link in bio. Jonathan also has a podcast called "The Work" and can be followed on Instagram @jonathanxbrookins.

I talk to Jeremy Horn, a storied MMA pioneer and legend with over 170 fights to his name, even fighting on the weekend where he was victorious in his professional boxing debut. He has fought a whos who of MMA greats including Chael Sonnen, Chuck Liddell, Anderson Silva, Forrest Griffin, Randy Couture, Dan Severn and Frank Shamrock and many in every significant promotion of the sport including UFC, Pride, Bellator, Pancrase, IFL & King of the Cage. We discuss the wild tale of his first fight in MMA where he wasn't sure if he would make it out alive and how he has witnessed the sport change over the years. Also, his advice on training and sparring smart for career longevity, his time at the Militech Fighting Sytems which could be considered one of the first super camps of the sport. Finally, we discuss the overall benefits he has gained from living a martial arts lifestyle as he now continues to train upcoming martial artists at his gym "Jeremy Horns Elite Performance" located in Utah.

In this episode, I talk to Alexander Volkanovski. Alex is the current UFC featherweight champion. We discuss what it was like as an amateur athlete rising through the ranks of Australia to become the UFC champion and how he was able to get valuable training with partners of all different abilities. Also, the mentality he adopted to help drive and motivate him to the top by building resilience and staying adaptable. And what it is like spending training time at City Kickboxing as he gives insight into some training drills and a few fights stories along the way, like the time in Guam where he had to solve the problem of a fighter who was greased up before the bout while in the middle of a fight. 

I talk to Adisa Banjoko aka Adisa the Bishop. He is the creator of the Hip Hop Chess Federation, Author of a book titled Bobby, Bruce and the Bronx and host of the Podcast called The Bishop Chronicles. The Hip Hop Chess federation combines the arts of Hip Hop, Chess and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and teaches positive life strategies to at-risk and incarcerated youth. We discuss how he formed the HHCF from an initial encounter in a juvenile detention facility where he found chess helpful to breakdown racial and social barriers, its development where traditionalists in each art were initially sceptical of the members of the other arts. We go over practical examples of how chess, jiu-jitsu and hip hop can be useful metaphors for dealing with life's struggles. Finally, how Adisa recently taught how to overcome creative blocks at a retreat with a Shaolin Monk hosted by the RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan at his house.

In this episode, I talk to Jon Fitch. Jon was the World Series of Fighting Welterweight Champion, Has fought for the UFC title against George St Pierre and also fought for the Bellator title against Rory Macdonald which went to a draw. He has also written an autobiography called Failing Upward/Death by Ego and hosts his podcast called Jon Fitch Knows Nothing. We discuss how he got into fighting and his early wrestling career at University. His thoughts on mindset, masculinity & manhood. And the issue of fighter pay and his antitrust lawsuit against the UFC.

I talk to Greg Nelson, who was the coach for UFC champions Brock Lesnar, Sean Sherk and Rose Namajunas. He is a 4th Degree BJJ Blackbelt, Division 1 Folkstyle Wrestler, All American Gymnast and Muay Thai kickboxer along with multiple other martial arts. We discuss how he creates a positive culture in his gym while utilising visualisation, affirmation and building relationships. How this also contributed to his incredible battle against cancer where after beating it once he overcame a different form of rare nerve cancer which has intrigued medical scientists. And we also discuss technical aspects of coaching and cornering fighters in the cage.