BJJ Mental Models

Ep. 412: Hand Fighting, feat. Brandon Reed

This week, we're joined by Brandon Reed! Brandon is a three-time NAIA national champion wrestler from Louisville, Kentucky, who now trains jiu-jitsu full-time in Gue

Mini Ep. 127: Confirmation Bias

In this mini-episode, we explain confirmation bias: the human tendency to favor information that supports our existing beliefs, and discard information that doesn't.

Ep. 411: The Fragmentation of Jiu-Jitsu, feat. Jeff Serafin

This week, we're joined by Jeff Serafin! Jeff runs Serafin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu out of Gym 1801 in Evanston, Illinois, and has been training jiu-jitsu for almost 30 y

Mini Ep. 126: Visualization

In this mini-episode, we explain visualization: the science behind it, its limitations, the difference between general and technique visualization, and how it applies to

Ep. 410: Instructing Versus Coaching, feat. Hillary VanOrnum

This week, we're joined by Hillary VanOrnum! Hillary is a third-degree black belt who runs Unicorn Jiu Jitsu in Portland, Oregon with her husband, and she just won h

Mini Ep. 125: Perception-Action Coupling

In this mini-episode, we explain perception-action coupling: a sports science concept explaining how practice should give athletes the same cues they'd face in a rea

Ep. 409: Super Mario Theory, feat. Nelson Puentes

This week, we're joined by Nelson Puentes! Nelson co-founded Inverted Gear and runs Inverted Gear Academy in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In this episode, Nelson explain

Mini Ep. 124: Deliberate Practice

In this mini-episode, we explain deliberate practice: a training method intended to improve performance by addressing your weaknesses and breaking through plateaus. Get

Ep. 408: Intention-Led Jiu-Jitsu, feat. Rob Cole

This week, we're joined by Rob Cole! Rob has been training martial arts for over 35 years, 25 of them focused on grappling, and he coaches at Ascension Athletics in

Mini Ep. 123: Differential Learning

In this mini-episode, we explain differential learning: a training approach used in sports proposing that motor skills are learned by varying how the movement is executed

Ep. 407: Day Zero Jiu-Jitsu, feat. Jesse Walker & Shelby York

This week, we're joined by Jesse Walker and Shelby York! Jesse and Shelby own Rough Hands BJJ in Louisville, Kentucky, a gym of about 200 students with an unusually

Mini Ep. 122: Gamification

In this mini-episode, we explain gamification: the practice of adding game-like elements to something in order to motivate a certain type of behavior. It's a concept

Ep. 406: The Problem of Leadership, feat. Barbara Ruiken & Giles Garcia

This week, we're joined by Barbara Ruiken and Giles Garcia! Barbara is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and the new head coach at Bergen Grappling in Norway, and she

Mini Ep. 121: Constraints-Led Approach

In this mini-episode, we explain constraints-led approach (CLA) in simple terms, and how it impacts your jiu-jitsu training. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, nor

Ep. 405: Solving Procrastination, feat. Itamar Shatz

This week, we're joined by Itamar Shatz! Itamar is a jiu-jitsu black belt and a Cambridge University researcher whose new book, Solving Procrastination, is published

Mini Ep. 120: Ecological Dynamics

In this mini-episode, we explain ecological dynamics in simple terms, why it's misunderstood, and how it impacts your jiu-jitsu training. Get our Intro to Mechanics

Ep. 404: Cross-Grip Passing, feat. Rosie Miller & Jeff Shaw

Jeff Shaw is guest hosting this week, and he's joined by Rosie Miller! Rosie is a jiu-jitsu educator known for explaining complicated positions in plain language. In

Mini Ep. 119: Trading Up

In this mini-episode, we discuss trading up: the strategic importance of getting more than you give in any jiu-jitsu exchange. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, n

Ep. 403: Learning from Kids Class, feat. Brennan Strimple

This week, we're joined again by Brennan Strimple! Brennan and his wife founded Rochester Jiu Jitsu in 2014, and almost all of their kids classes are taught by black

Mini Ep. 118: Labeling

In this mini-episode, we discuss labeling: the practice of attaching a name, category, or descriptor to something in order to make it easier to identify and understand.