I’m gearing up for another competition. One of those ‘one last time’ situations I keep finding myself in. And as I’ve been grinding through camp, I keep coming back to the same question: why am I doing this? Everyone has a why. There are books written about it, seminars built around it, entire coaching industries […]
The Why behind everything. Read More »
Mindset & Motivation
By Kevin The phrase “timing” gets thrown around a lot in jiu-jitsu—but it’s one of the most misunderstood concepts in the art. Technically, timing means “the choice, judgment, or control of when something should be done.” But that definition doesn’t capture the intuition required to implement it on the mats. In truth, timing is what
What Does Timing Mean in Jiu-Jitsu? Read More »
Jiu-Jitsu Life, Mindset & Motivation
By Coach Kevin The first day of any Jiu-Jitsu practitioner’s journey is always the most important. The moment a grappler decides to step on the mat signifies the beginning of a new lifestyle. Many people start training for different reasons, and the allure of a Jiu-Jitsu academy takes many shapes. Some are interested in losing
White Belts: Jiu-Jitsu Will Give You What You’re Missing Read More »
Mindset & Motivation
Throughout anyone’s grappling career, there are moments where you level up. These upgrades don’t always happen under the lights of a competition mat. Sometimes, they happen in your own academy—when you finally have a breakthrough roll with that purple belt who’s always one step ahead of you. When these moments arrive, your toughest opponent is
Go to Win or Don’t Go at All: Lessons from My Match with Boogeyman Martinez Read More »
Mindset & Motivation
I’ve always been a writer. As far back as I can remember, I wrote short stories and poems. So when I came across a literary analogy for the BJJ belt system, it stuck with me. It described the ranks as levels of reading and writing comprehension: By this comparison, black belt is the poetry stage—the
Black Belt Is Poetry: What It Really Means to Master Jiu-Jitsu Read More »
Mindset & Motivation
The first time I met Mike O’Dowd felt like the first time I’ve met many other military “operators”—a slang term used to describe members of elite special forces units. They always seem to be unassuming. The reality of these soldiers often differs drastically from the glorified heroes we see in movies or TV. Instead of
What I Learned From Training Three Days With a Navy SEAL Read More »
Mindset & Motivation
What Do We Do About Gordon Ryan?By Kevin Written in 2022 I’ve been covering Gordon Ryan as a “journalist” since the beginning of his career—long before professional jiu-jitsu got attention from mainstream outlets. I’m not a professional writer. I’m just a guy who loves jiu-jitsu and happened to write for a few decent publications at
What Do We Do About Gordon Ryan? Read More »
Mindset & Motivation, Profiles & Interviews, Uncategorized
Written in 2021 Saturday’s knockout defeat at the hands of Dustin Poirier seemed to answer many long-standing questions about Conor McGregor and his legacy. The former two-division UFC champion turned whiskey mogul captivated the fight world for nearly a decade. Watching it all come crashing down felt like a mix of cathartic schadenfreude and sadness.
Conor McGregor’s Complicated Legacy Read More »
Mindset & Motivation, Profiles & Interviews, Uncategorized
Brown Belt: The Best Worst Belt in Jiu-Jitsu A promotion to brown belt is a promotion to the elite level of jiu-jitsu. It signifies an advanced understanding of the art—and very few practitioners ever achieve it. You’ve developed your style. You can confidently play from both top and bottom. The thousands of hours of mat
Being a Brown Belt Sucks (And That’s Exactly the Point) Read More »
Mindset & Motivation
The most important day of anyone’s jiu-jitsu journey is the first day they step on the mat. That day you receive your white belt signifies a willing commitment to face the unknown. A friend might have endlessly talked about BJJ changing their life, or you’ve finally seen enough UFC events at the Wing House to
Why We All Hate Blue Belts Read More »
Jiu-Jitsu Life, Mindset & Motivation, Uncategorized