In today's episode we get to know the co-hosts of the new podcast "Black Belt or Bust" in terms of their background, experience, why they wanted to start the podcast, and what content to expect in the future!

In today's episode we talk with David Close, a BJJ and Judo Black belt out of Greenville, SC about what to look for in a new gym, the ranking system in BJJ, what is takes to get promoted, belt chasers, first time at open mat, and how men and women should train together.

In today's episode we talk about the current pandemic and how it has impacted the BJJ community. The first part of this series addresses how it is impacting everyone physically. From being thrown off of your schedule, gym closures, limited training, and how we as a community are responding. Additionally, what are some options during this time as we approach gym closures for the foreseeable future.

In today's episode we talk about the current pandemic and how it has impacted the BJJ community. The second part of this series addresses how it is impacting everyone mentally. From how quarantine has impacted your jiu jitsu journey and what are some options to continue developing your skill that don't include drilling or rolling. In addition to dealing with general loss of motivation, lack of schedule and structure,and limited social interaction.

In this episode we talk about how to deal with corrections and criticism and what coachability means. In the first part of today's discussion we discuss what kind of relationship you may have with your coach and teammates, or what you wish you got out of that relationship. Then finishing with differentiating unsolicited advice from strangers and welcomed advice.

You just signed up for your first BJJ class, now what? In today's episode we cover some of the techniques or physical expectations and situations to expect when you start BJJ. From being claustrophobic and smashed to learning a proper breakfall. We focus on fundamental movements that will help you in the long run!

You just signed up for your first BJJ class, now what? In today's episode we cover some of the misconceptions new students may encounter or expectations they believe when they start BJJ. First, we go through some of the expectations we have of ourselves whenever we try something new. Then we discuss some of the situations or predicaments to expect as a brand new white belt. Don't worry, we are here to talk about your BJJ journey with you!

In this episode we go over some of the dos and don'ts of returning to the gym! We discuss some of the guidelines and protocols gyms have to abide by and how we, as students, can make the transition as easy and painles as possible for our instructors. Check it out!

In this episode we sit down with Ben Dempsey, a law enforcement officer and BJJ brown belt at Alliance here in the Greenville area. We discuss the mental and physical benefits of training BJJ and its impact on day to day occurrences for the boys in blue. Then we go into a few suggested techniques all officers should consider adding to their portfolio. Finally, we ended the episode talking about the balance between life, law enforcement, and training.

Today's episode encompasses fundamental movements that we believe are important for self-defense with advice from BJJ black belt David Close. First we discuss the mental aspect of training and its application when dealing with real life situations. Then we cover some concepts when dealing with attackors from 1) standing 2) being pinned to the wall 3) having an attacker within our guard and 4) being mounted.

In this episode we talk with Cody Freeland, brown belt under David Close and General Manager of UFC Gym Greenville about what makes an MMA fighter. From the "It" factor to the types of individuals that walk into the gym and want to fight. However, nothing prepares you like being punched in the face and finding out how you respond; either fight or flight.

In today's episode we get to chat with our training partner Hannah Scoggins, a purple belt at UFC Gym Greenville and amature MMA fighter about her transition from BJJ to MMA. We ask her about how she got started in martial arts at a young age and what experiences she had as a young lady finding her ways through a traditionally male dominated field. Then we go through her transition from BJJ to MMA and how she has dealt with her ammature career. Finally, we wrap up by discussing the relationships, both personal and professional, that influence her decision and dedication to being a fighter as a career.

In this episode we talk with Cody Freeland, brown belt under David Close and General Manager of UFC Gym Greenville, about which techniques in BJJ are essential to do well in MMA when you are against a standing opponent. Primarily talking about hand fighting, body locks, takedowns, and wall work. This discussion then takes a shift into the conceptual side of why we should train certain techniques or how we intend for a fight to go.

Today's episode encompasses traits and things to consider when finding a training partner. We discuss what kind of vibe and relationship to aim for and size limitations to take into account. In addition to addressing and being honest about what expectations we have for BJJ and finding a training partner with similar goals, training and learning styles. Finally, aknowledging that some relationships are co-dependant and how that may inhibit your training unless your communicate well with your partners.

In today's episode we get to chat with Charlsey Manor, a BJJ Blue belt at ECMMA in Anderson, SC under black belt Alex Ninan about her BJJ, Muay Thai, and MMA experiences. Not only do we cover her most memorable moments as a fighter, but her most memorable moments as an Undergraduate student at Clemson University. This goes into how martial arts has shaped her career objectives and how she has learned to consolidate her passions both professionally and personally. Tune in as we get to discuss how she builds up her team and community to being sucessful!

In this episode we talk with David Close, BJJ black belt, about which techniques in BJJ are essential to do well in MMA when you are doing groundwork. First we take the time to discuss the Silver Age of MMA as we address matchups between strikers and grapplers. Then we go through a few techniques every fighter should have in their portfolio, such as closed guard, half guard, and butterfly guard. Finally, we wrap up the conversation talking about some submissions with higher finishing rates when applied correctly in MMA.

During our first post mat chat episodes we take the opportunity to go over a topic or subject that have been on our minds or we have an epiphany about while training. Today, we discuss body awareness and how that is affected over time as well as how it changes as you progress through the ranks.

In today's episode we get to sit down with our good friend and training partner Fotini Kandris. She is an MMA fighter out of Myrtle Beach, SC who recently won gold while representing Team USA at the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA) championships in Singapore. Throughout the episode we talk about the lifestyle changes fighters encounter and how to best prepare for a fight through nutrition and fitness, in addition to weight cutting differences between the sexes.

In this episode we take a look back at the ladies in MMA series and our favorite moments and takeaways from the interviews. Please support and check out all of these individuals on social media: David Close @coach_davidclose, Cody Freeland @coachcodyfreeland, Hannah Scoggins @hannah_scoggins, Charlsey Maner @charlseyb_m, and Fotini Kandris @tinikandris

In this episode we introduce our next mini series: BJJ competition! First we address why this mini series is going to differ in content compared to the previous series and some of our personal experiences in terms of competing. We discuss some of the reasons why we like to compete, some things to expect, and why competitors seem to progress in BJJ more quickly than someone training BJJ as a hobby. Plus we reflect back on how gym shut downs, tournament cancellations, and injuries have impacted our training and want to compete in BJJ. Finally, we wrap up the conversation by talking about why people want to compete in BJJ in the first place and why you should consider it yourself.

In today's episode we got to sit down with Marie Bober, a Marcelo Garcia black belt in BJJ in New Jersey. Other fun facts about Marie are that she is a lawyer, has trained American Kenpo, Tae Kwon Do, Ninpo, and was a Master's World Champion as a brown belt. Throughout the discussion we get to talk about some of the things Marie deals with in training and how she balances her life and competition BJJ training when she has a full time career.

Today's episode covers all of our favorite moves and methods of preparations for BJJ competitions. We go through our personal opinions of game plans, favorite guards, passes, and submissions. Plus a look into our BJJ family tree!

Today's episode of Black Belt or Bust lists a few of the formats of competition students may encounter depending on their location, interests, and preferred rolling style. From types of competition to motivation behind competing, this episode has it all!

In this episode we talk to Kalina Beth, a local BJJ blue belt in Greenville, SC, about her experiences with cross training and how that impacts her pool of competitors at local tournaments. First we go through her background and gym history and how that has influenced her training. Then we discuss the importance of cross-training, particularly for females, as is shapes and developes our game.

Today's episode encompasses our break down of the points systems commonly used based off of IBJJF guidelines. For students that are new to points breakdown, we discuss the basics and what to expect when playing a points game.

Today's episode focuses on how to train for a points style tournament format. From knowing the rule set you will be competing by, having a game plan, and rolling with intention.

For today's episode we get to sit down with Kelsey Carter, an up and coming BJJ Blue belt competitor out of Sacremento, CA and Checkmat affiliate. We get to discuss some of the BJJ culture differences between the East coast and West coast and how that influences the competition experiences. Not only do we discuss some of the aspects of BJJ that has shaped her into the competitor she is today, but how her academic experiences (M.S. Strength & Conditioning) plays a role in everyday life and training. Follow her on Instagram @kels.jitsu

In this episode we talk with David Close, BJJ black belt, about the origin story behind the EBI rule set and what all is involved in submission only tournament formats. We focus on the rule set for competitors, the incentives and aims of the game, as well as the pros and cons of the submission only format.

Today's episode focuses on how to train for a submission only tournament format. From knowing the ruleset you will be competing by, having a game plan, and rolling with intention. As well as how to prepare when overtime rules may come into play.

During this post mat chat, we talk about the different types of situationals we work on and how we get specific training and responses out of our training. Particularly, how we either tailor our training to address 1) common problem areas we find ourselves in when rolling at the gym and 2) uncommon responses to positions we train every day.

Through the BJJ competition series, we were asked "How do you determine your game?" In this road trip episode, we discuss what we in the BJJ community mean when we talk about our "game" and how we have tailored our styles and guards to reflect those decisions. Also, our cohosts give you an insight as to what style they chose when they first started jiu jitsu and how their games have developed over time.

Today's episode goes over the dos and dont's of tournament week! From training, to nutrition, to mental health, this episode covers it all!

Before we can get ready for a competition, we have to address the mental aspects of preparing for a competition. In today's episode we discuss how to mentally prepare for competitions as well as the mindset to have afterwards when dealing with wins or losses. We break down preparation, the day of competition mindset, and post tournament analysis.

It's competition day! We discuss some tips and tricks to help you navigate your first tournament; from what to expect to what to pack. This episode has a little bit of everything to help easy your nerves and help you feel prepared on your big day!

Today we discuss what are some of the things we are doing during training or our daily lives that exacerbate burnout. From being able to differentiate between overall burnout and "blue belt blues" to how our nutrition, sleep, and water intake impact our performance. As white belts we approached BJJ similar to a New Years Resolution. So today we wanted to address some of the issues that cause us to lose motivation or make us to want to quit jiu jitsu, that may not be BJJ related at all.

In today's interview we get to sit down with Iva Liou, a purple belt out of Houston, Texas. Iva is not only a BJJ competitor as she recently opened Texas Garage Jiu Jitsu, is a territory sales manager for Michelin and an MBA student. All the while balancing her career and BJJ to be a loving wife and mother. In this episode we talk about how she and her family dealt with shutdowns, finding a new gym during this time, deciding to open their own gym, and getting back on the competition mats.

Today we sit down to discuss whether or not someone should compete in BJJ. From what facet of BJJ brought you into the gym to whether or not you have every entertained the thought of competing. We understand that competing isn't for everyone, and not only should you have an open mind about competing, but also have good intentions and realistic expectations. In this episode we you challenge you to show up for: your teammates, your competitors, but most importantly, yourself.

This episode focuses on some of the recovery tools and methods you can utilize following competitions! We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of training immediately following a tournament.

In today's episode we got to sit down with Jessica Catherine Dobbs, a newly promoted black belt in Jackson Mississippi under Jarrett Becks of No Limit Combatives. We discuss some of her experiences as she progressed from white belt to black belt, such as training, competition, and situations she has handled as a female in the sport. Jessica gives some insight on how to handle some expectations placed on higher ranks in the gym, determining safe training partners, and acknowledging your own ability and skills within jiu jitsu.

In today's episode we talk with David Close, a BJJ and Judo Black belt out of Greenville, SC about ladies programs. Anywhere from what they are, what makes a good program, integration of a ladies programs into your gym, reasons for ladies to join BJJ, and expectations of upper rank women to lead/run these programs.

In today's episode we discuss Imposter Syndrome, a phenomenon in which an individual doubts any of their skills, abilities, or accomplishments. Like other facets of life, we in the BJJ community doubt ourselves and question whether or not we actually deserve the rank tied around our waist. In part one, we discuss how Imposter Syndrome has impacted us personally, when we noticed onset of these thoughts, and how we deal with it.

In part two of our discussion about Imposter Syndrome, we have David Close BJJ black belt back on to discuss an instructor's view on Impostor Syndrome when it comes to his students. We not only discuss whether or not Imposter Syndrome is legitimate, but how it is necessary at some points in development, where it comes from, if it plays a role in blue belt blues, and some signs students exhibit. Finally, we end on how to address some students that have this.

This episode is about every practitioners favorite moment: promotions! Whether it be your first stripe or your final belt, it can be a joyous moment. However, we discuss some of the etiquette you should consider when you or your teammates get promoted.

In today's episode we discuss training during the holidays! The holiday season includes family, friends, memories, good food, and... jiu jitsu? We discuss whether you should or shouldn't train during the holidays based off of our own personal experiences. If you do want to train, we go over scheduling, networking, cross training and preparation. If you don't want to train, but want to do some sort of physical activity, we go over alternatives and options. Most importantly, we go over not training or doing anything at all and being able to enjoy time with your loved ones and have a guilt-free vacation!

Today we got to sit down with our good friend and training partner Crystal Chang, owner and operator of Studio C Greenville, on the similarities and differences between professional ballroom dancing and martial arts. First we discuss Crystal's background in professional dancing and how that has translated over to training jiu jitsu. Then we get to discuss her experiences from being a teacher in dancing to a student in BJJ.

Merry Christmas wonderful listeners! As our special gift to you, this episode is all about FESTIVUS. The wonderful time of the year to air grievances and woes with the wonderful David Close! So get your hot chocolate, candy canes, and other sweets galore as we go through all of our issues and not so tidings of great joy.

In today's episode we go over what to expect at the beginning of the year when a wave of new students try out jits for the first time due to New Years Resolutions! In addition to gyms that double as a fitness studio or box gym and have an overall increase in members. During this time we go over how important it is to be patient, open-minded, courteous, and careful.

Have you taken time off from training and the gym? Have you had other priorities in your life where BJJ was on the backburner? Have you had to step away from the mats for health or an injury? Have you just taken some time away for your own mental health? No matter why you left the gym, we want to talk about how you can may your way back to BJJ and training. Trust us, it's worth going back.

In this episode we sit down with Kelsey Carter out of Precision Jiu Jitsu Academy in California about what it is like to have to take time off from jiu jitsu because of COVID. Both Kelsey and our co-host Keelee were positive for COVID-19 over the holidays and want to talk about their experiences, what they did while in quarantine, and mindset going back into training following this experience.

At IBJJF Master Worlds in Orlando, Florida, we get to sit down with Miyo Strong and Jason Smith, a brown and black belt out of Unified Jiu Jitsu in South Jordan, Utah. In this episode we talk about what it is like to be promoted immediately before a large competition, weight classes, mindset, and their work with the Elizabeth Smart Foundation. Make sure to follow on IG @utahjitsmama and @jasonksouth and find out how you can get involved at www.elizabethsmartfoundation.org

During this post mat chat, we talk about our experience with the Pedigo Submission Fighting Camp and how this experience has differed from previous camps and seminars. From the structure, material covered, atmosphere of training, to availability of women. We discuss some things to consider and reasons behind going to camps and seminars.

During this post mat chat, we wrap up our discussion about our experience with the Pedigo Submission Fighting Camp in Spartanburg, SC. From the amount of material covered to how we will work on the techniques and incorporate them into our own game once we get back to our normal training schedule. Finally, we discuss how the camp not only impacted our technical game and rolling style, but mental game as well going into the next competition season.

We had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Heath Pedigo, black belt and fearless leader of Pedigo Submission Fighting and the infamous Daisy Fresh boys. In this episode we talk about what it takes to develop strong competitors, from the training atmosphere and community to training structure and other mental attributes such as dealing with losses and being their for teammates. This discussion encompasses some non traditional ideals of BJJ, but remember, the BJJ community is ever changing and adapting to the world around us. This conversation is insightful, thoughtful, and a reminder of what BJJ is to the individual. Follow them on IG @pedigosubmissionfighting

During this post mat chat, we are driving back from a Danielle Kelly NoGi seminar in Savannah, Georgia at Gracie Jiu Jitsu Savannah, and get to reflect on differences between co-ed and womens only seminars. Sometimes, BJJ allows you to feel powerful, strong, confident, and able to take on the world. While other times, jiu jitsu allows you to feel beautiful, peaceful, and graceful. Today's episode talks about the similarities and contrasts we have experienced in the past few weeks.

During this episode we discuss how overstimulation in BJJ can impact your training. We specifically use the term "overstimulation" in terms of some mental aspects of training brought on by environmental stimuli that differs from burnout or over training. We go through some of our moments of overstimulation and when we recognize we shouldn't go to the gym or train, even when we feel physically capable of doing do.

In today's episode we got to sit down with Caitlin Higgins, a black belt since 2015 that currently resides in the Spartanburg, SC area at Top Martial Arts Spartanburg. We talk with Caitlin about how she balances her own training with coaching responsibilities in addition to how she has developed the ladies program and LGBTQ friendly classes at TOP. We talk about what are some things TOP does to promote a positive atmosphere for women to train and some things gyms may be doing, without realising it, that deter women from joining or staying. Follow on IG @thewitchyjiujiteira and @spartanburgswimteam

Today we sit down with George Stephens, a purple belt, seasoned competitor, and previous teammate that recently relocated to the UK about some of his experiences in BJJ through the years. At 18 years old, George has transitioned from kids to adults programs and competes at a high level regularly. We discuss how he handled the transition between classes, his involvement in teaching the younger generation, his personal goals, and training schedule. Follow him on IG @georgelikesgi as well as his sponsors HyperflyEU, Dr. K CBD, and Xara BJJ Apparel.

Today we get to sit down with Natalie Boss, a registered dietician, performance coach, the founder of The Performance Blueprint, a BJJ and Judo brown belt, and new mother. In this episode we discuss balancing various aspects of life to improve out overall performance as a BJJ practitioner. We go over why she decided to become a dietician to her methods of approach with the women who join her program and some of the reasons they seek out her guidance. Finally, we wrap up our discussion by differentiating between what it means to be an athlete compared to a martial artist. Follow her on IG @nattiebossrd and her programs at www.bodybyboss.com

In this episode, we are on their way back from IBJJF Dallas after competing over the weekend. During the self care series, we will be discussing ways to prioritize your care or to plan for it in your training schedule. However, in this episode we talk about how to care for yourself when traveling for competitions, especially when you have to stay on weight. Just because you have to be at a certain weight, doesn't mean you cannot continue to fuel your body throughout the weekend until you compete. However, it also relies heavily on having a support system or teammates who promote healthy and positive behavior.

Today we get to talk about all things lifestyle with Sophia McDermott, also known as Australia's first female black belt. From her early days in BJJ and competing to her current profession as a health and nutrition specialist running lifestyle camps. We get to discuss all things imperative to a healthy and wholesome lifestyle that can benefit anyone, but especially jiu jitieras. Particularly, how she has paved the way for female grapplers. Check her out on IG: @sophia_fit_official and @sophiamcdermottbjj, online at www.girlsontop.org/ ,her sponsors at FujiSports and Athleta, and her upcoming lifestyle camps.

Welcome back listeners! After a much needed break, your hosts found it very fitting to talk about when to take some time off off the mats, or in this case off the air. Sometimes things happen in your day to day life, such as a personal loss, work related issues, family, or an injury. In today's episode we talk about how it is okay to knowledge when you may need a break, so that other circumstances don't decide that for you. Again, welcome back to Black Belt or Bust and know that we have missed you!

Your lovely co-hosts are in Dallas, Texas for IBJJF NoGi Pan-Ams and wanted to talk about what it means to balance aspects of your life in order to train and compete in BJJ. Sometimes other aspects of our life take priority and our training suffers ,while other times it seems as though we have found the perfect balance that doesn't last long. As things change, so do our level of priorities, ad we wanted to go over some of our mental, emotional, and physical priorities to be able to come back to competing full time.

We are in Bradenton, Florida for a BJJ lifestyle camp and had the wonderful opportunity to meet Jana VanWitbeck from Idaho Falls. She is a Judo black belt, BJJ purple belt, and creator of JudoFit. We get to discuss the parallels between her journey as a judoka and jiujietera all the while developing an innovative and agility-based program. The JudoFit program is easily accessable, fun, fast-paced, but also incorporates a style of "shadow judo" that reflects the repetative steps and movements incorporated in judo. check out www.judo-fit.com or follow on IG @judofitusa if you want to learn more information on this amazing program! 

As things have been crazy the past few weeks in terms of tournaments and travel, we take a moment when driving to a BJJ lifestyle camp in Florida to discuss how we pack and prepare for all of our trips. As you may well know, your co-hosts are packrats, but we discuss all of the things you might want to consider to bring with you for both training and recovery. At the end of the day (or road trip) if there is only one thing you remember, it should be to pack snacks and a gi!

As restrictions are starting to lessen or be lifted completely, competitions are becoming more and more popular and readily available. After a crazy year, all of the avid competitors are signing up! However, registrations are all opening up at the same time and selling out quickly. Plus, we are so quick to sign up for the tournaments, that we don't realize we are competing back to back weekends without pause. Has anyone else gotten to the point where they are tired of competing? Excited for a break? Or just feel indifferent? Well, if any of those apply to you, then you are going through competition burnout. This episode discusses signs and realizations that may lead you to taking a step away from the competition season for a short spell.

Whenever BJJ is brought up, at some point or another you will have a discussion about ego. Especially since jiu jitsu is supposed to be a humbling experience to allow for personal and technical growth in the sport. However, how do you deal with the newer students having ego? How do you train with the younger generation in order to allow them to gain confidence without crossing the line into cockiness? These are a few things we discuss in todays episode as well as where we draw lines with our training partners.

Today's episode is a throwback to when we were driving to Sopia McDermott's Lifestyle camp in Florida and are answering some questions from our listeners. We have been asked a few times now about motivation and how we continue to train when we lack motivation. In this episode we discuss motivation, inspiration, perserverance, and self discipline. Plus a few random tangents along the way!

Our interview today is with the lovely BJJ black belt Elizabeth "Lyzz" Mitrovic out of Precision Jiu Jitsu Academy in sacremento, California. We discuss her beginnings in Hapkido as a means of learning self defense to beginning jiu jitsu as a means to be able to compete and how she has transitioned into a teaching role. Primarily how she has balanced her teaching responsibilities with her own competition goals. Lyzz goes over how teaching reinforces our own knowledge of the sport whereas our own training allows us the opportunity to focus on the techniques we feel we need to improve at that point in time. Follow her on IG @ms_daemonette @hoesnkimonos and the academy she teaches at @precisionjjacademy

In this episode we discuss Natalie Boss' mindset masterclasses coming up and the importance of evaluating your mindset and goals on and off the mats. To connect with Body by Boss, check out the following links! IG @nattiebossrd and www.bodybyboss.com. Competition Mindset Masterclass on Thursday September 9th, 2021 at 1-3pm EST; to register: https://www.bodybyboss.com/offers/5zewc2P3/checkout (BASP members save 10% with discount code). The Performance Blueprint is a signature step-by-step lifestyle transformation group coaching program designed to teach female grappler's how to optimize their performance and health by taking control of their nutrition, mindset, and recovery.  Empowered Athlete Academy is a 6-month coaching container for deep transformative healing using breath work, energetic's, and somatic practices.  Breathwork Training Center membership is designed to facilitate a self-healing process that allows you to use the energetics of the system to heal the trauma, stuck emotions, and pain locked within our bodies. Our videos are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, connect to your truth, re-claim your power, reduce stress, increase performance, find inner peace and more. Click here https://www.bodybyboss.com/offers/oh5cYeQB/checkout to become a breather for only $20/month. 1:1 Mentorship/Life Coaching is a 12-month long commitment with Nattie Boss as your life and performance coach. In a year’s time, we will do a deep dive into every area of your life to support you reaching your BIGGEST goals and dreams. We will be doing deep inner work using energetics, somatic practices, and breathwork to help you overcome limiting beliefs in order to help you live your life fully in your power; email: mailto:natalie@bodybyboss.com

Lately with the Olympics and other large scale competitions going on, there has been a lot of discussion regarding athletes mental health and their justification for taking time off or stepping back from competition. In this episode we aknowledge that athletes have to focus on both their physical and mental game in order to be successful. While injuries and medical drops are commonly accepted and sometimes ignored in athletics, impaired mental health has not been as widely accepted. At the end of the day, athletes are still human, and both their physical and mental wellbeing play a role in their performance.

This episode is an oldie, but goodie found in our episode vault from our Florida roadtrip a few months ago. We discuss the importance of communication with your training partners at open mats or when cross training. Sometimes, especially females, we need to speak up in order to ensure we are getting not only the training we want, but the mat time we need.

It seems as though your co-hosts are all over the place lately, but how? With both of us working and sometimes living paycheck to paycheck, how are we able to travel and compete the way that we have been lately? In this episode we give you some tips and tricks we have implemented (that have worked for us) in order to be able to compete this year. Reminder that we are in different circumstances compared to some of our listeners, so what works for us may not work for you and vice versa. However, these are some things you can consider to implement to possibly save some money!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you wonderful listeners! It is that magical time of year again, so here is round two of FESTIVUS. The time air grievances and woes with the wonderful David Close! So get ready to ditch some of those new years resolutions as we discuss this years BJJ inspired tangents.

In today's episode we catch up on everything we have been up to over the haitus. Misty was officially hired at UFC Gym as as assistant kids coach and we discuss some of her ideas to develop and grow the kids program. Meanwhile, Keelee has settled into Denver, CO at a new job and new gym ans we talk about some of the green and red flags to look for in a gym. Finally we wrap things up by talking about womens classes and their role in jiu jistu gyms.

Today's episode focuses on the new practitioner and different learning styles. Once you have been training for a few months, you should have a general idea of what works best for you, but what about in the very beginning? What learning styles are there for you to choose from? We go over flow charts, note taking, videos, audio, textile learning, and more! Hopefully this episode gives you an idea of how to start learning more information or maybe even convince you to change up your study habits!

In this episode, your co-hosts discuss some of the reasons some people decide to quit jiu jitsu which can maiinly be broken down into internal and external factors. From the things you can control, like your own emotions, reasons for training, and self confidence, to things you may not have as much control over like work, financial status, and other responsibilities. However, choosing to leave jiu jitsu isn't necessarily black and white as some things are connected like family and personal obligations. In no way are we shaming anyone who chooses to leave jiu jitsu, but we want everyone to know that no matter your reason, you are always able to come back to the mats.

Our discussion today revolves around some behaviors we have observed in competitors as well as ourselves. This is not the same as a competitive behavior so much as behaviors like selfishness, sportsmanship, portrayal on social media, and gameness. We also reflect on having realizations on where you are at with your jiu jitsu and how that impacts your preparation for competitions. Then we wrap things up by going over why some people even compete and understanding that all of your time and energy used to prepare for competitions have to come somewhere. Which ultimately means that if you want a healthy life balance and to be able to do jits for the long run, you need to have a balance or you will burn out.

We are officially back! In this episode we take a moment to catch up on this year and why we took some time off for recording. Then we go right into why we are back and how we are able to do it: finding balance. Following our experience at the Body by Boss Performance Blueprint Immersion Retreat with black belt Natalie Boss in Dallas/Fort Worth, we discuss a holistic approach to bjj and our lifestyles. Sit back and relax while we talk about personal growth, healing, and healthy behaviors to implement in your training schedule.

Everyone gets ready for competition in their own ways and even we have changed our training throughout the years based on what we feel we need at the time. In today's episode we talk about how we currently prepare for bigger tournaments compared to how we prepared as blue belts. Additionally, we talk about the benefits of jiu jitsu camps serving to reset ourselves mentally and spiritually and how that can play a role in our goals for the year. Ultimately, while we want gold and to be World Champions, some things are more important to us and that is just as much cause for celebration.

If you ask anyone that trains jiu jitsu why they started, the answers are endless. However, after training for a few years you will notice that some peoples initial reasons to start and the reasons they continue to train today may not align. Which makes sense as after being in the sport, we are no longer the same person that put on a white belt for the first time. Today we are going to focus on our own journey and how training jiu jitsu is more than a belt, more than likes on social media, and more than a gold medal. That comparison is truly the thief of joy.

Plans for your jiu jitsu journey can change in the blink of an eye. When that happens, you can either quit, accept, or adapt. In today's episode our co-hosts discuss injuries and other circumstances that may alter your plan, timeline, and day to day life.