

BJJ Mental Models
Steve Kwan
Your guide to a conceptual and intelligent Jiu-Jitsu approach. BJJ black belt Steve Kwan and a slate of expert guests explain the concepts, strategies, and tactics behind the gentle art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Episodes
Mentioned books

23 snips
Dec 11, 2023 • 1h 14min
Ep. 262: Gamification, feat. Rob Biernacki
Rob Biernacki, an expert in gamification and its application to Jiu-Jitsu, discusses how gamification optimizes learning in Jiu-Jitsu. They explore creating specific rules and restrictions to enhance skill development, gameplay as the best way to learn, using games and constraints for learning, the impact of the engagement phase game in matches, the power of diversifying skills and transfer learning, and how gamification can make Jiu-Jitsu training more effective and measurable.

Dec 4, 2023 • 53min
Ep. 261: Business, Balance, and BJJ, feat. Victor Hugo
This week we're joined by Victor Hugo! Victor is a black belt under the Ribeiro brothers and a multi-time ultra heavyweight world champion. He's also an accomplished businessperson, being both the head coach at Six Blades Jiu-Jitsu in Lake Travis and the founder of several online Jiu-Jitsu brands.In this episode, the big man shares some incredible insights on the intersections between the worlds of business and BJJ. Victor explains how he balances all these projects, how his businesses have supported his competitive career, and the unexpected crossovers he discovered between these two different worlds.Follow Victor on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/victorhugojj/Train with Victor at Six Blades Lake Travis:https://jiujitsulaketravis.com/Learn from Victor online at VH Jiu-Jitsu:https://www.vhjiujitsu.com/Buy Victor's Big Man Flow merch:https://bigmanflow.com/Mental models discussed in this episode:Transfer of Learninghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/transfer-of-learning/Compartmentalizationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/compartmentalization/Raise the Level in the Roomhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/raise-the-level-in-the-room/Building Your Triggershttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/building-your-triggers/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/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

27 snips
Nov 27, 2023 • 1h 13min
Ep. 260: Ecological Dynamics for Pragmatists, feat. Scott Sievewright
Scott Sievewright, head coach at Primal MKE, shares his pragmatic take on ecological dynamics. Topics covered: eco vs traditional methods, embracing mistakes and bad habits, importance of culture and autonomy in skill development, reevaluating skill levels in sports, promoting independence and improvement, exploring the ecological approach to learning and perception.

Nov 20, 2023 • 59min
Ep. 259: Training with Giants, feat. Dorothy Dao
This week we're joined by Dorothy Dao! Dorothy is a competition black belt now training under the Mendes brothers out of AOJ in Costa Mesa, California. Previously Dorothy had trained mostly with larger partners, but at AOJ she's found an elite competition team within her own weight class. In this episode, Dorothy shares how she's found success training with both much larger partners and also competitive athletes her own size.Follow Dorothy on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/not_dorothydaoLearn more about the Better Fight Fellowship:https://www.betterfight.org/Follow the Better Fight Fellowship on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/betterfightfellowshipMental models discussed in this episode:Limb Coilinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/limb-coiling/Elbow-Knee Connectionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/elbow-knee-connection/Dictate the Pacehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/dictate-the-pace/Grips Dictate Positionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/grips-dictate-position/Inside Channel Controlhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/inside-channel-control/Force Compressionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/force-compression/Constant and Variable Tensionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/constant-and-variable-tension/Ecological Psychologyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-psychology/Controlled Breathinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlled-breathing/Staying Loosehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/staying-loose/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/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

Nov 13, 2023 • 54min
Ep. 258: Self-Organization, feat. Lachlan Giles
This week we're joined again by Lachlan Giles! In this episode, Lachlan talks about the philosophy of self-organization, where students take ownership of their own learning journey. We also touch on use cases for Lachlan's amazing platform SUBMETA and his thoughts on ecological dynamics in BJJ.Learn with Lachlan on SUBMETA:https://submeta.io/Follow Lachlan on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/lachlan_giles/Mental models discussed in this episode:Self-Organizationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-organization/Ecological Psychologyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-psychology/Do What Workshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/do-what-works/Constraints-Led Approachhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach/Raise the Level in the Roomhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/raise-the-level-in-the-room/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/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

Nov 6, 2023 • 1h 6min
Ep. 257: Mindset for Betas, feat. Rob Biernacki
Competitive grappler and instructor, Rob Biernacki, discusses his mindset for success in jiu-jitsu. Focusing on the rejection of 'alpha' tropes, Rob emphasizes the importance of trusting in your training, yielding to the possibility of loss, and identifying as perseverant. The podcast also covers topics such as avoiding bad decisions in competition, maximizing scoring opportunities, understanding and bending the rules of the sport, and the benefits of Fukyu Jujitsu training.

Oct 30, 2023 • 1h 9min
Ep. 256: Rolling Back Takes, feat. Stephan Kesting
This week we're joined again by Stephan Kesting! In this episode, the legendary Grapplearts instructor breaks down key concepts from his latest instructional, Rolling Backtakes for Everyone.Follow Stephan on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/stephan_kesting/Resources mentioned in this episode:The Dope Mount, The Easiest Way to Get to the Mount —Stephan Kestinghttps://youtu.be/hhZx5ZFhSQwRolling Backtakes for Everyone, by Stephan Kestinghttps://www.grapplearts.com/rolling-backtakes-for-everyone/Mental models discussed in this episode:Predictable Responseshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/predictable-responses/Committed Techniqueshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/committed-techniques/Economy of Motionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/economy-of-motion/Asymmetric Warfarehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/asymmetric-warfare/Static vs. Dynamic Controlhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/static-vs-dynamic-control/Investing in Losshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/investing-in-loss/Critical Control Pointshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/critical-control-points/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/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

10 snips
Oct 23, 2023 • 1h 2min
Ep. 255: Blending Judo/Wrestling/BJJ, feat. Chris Wojcik
Chris Wojcik, a black belt in BJJ, discusses the evolving standup game in competition Jiu-Jitsu, blending wrestling, Judo, and BJJ. They explore the use of foot sweeps, the importance of grip fighting, integrating Judo and wrestling for taller opponents, and the overlooked turtle position in Jiu-Jitsu. They also discuss the challenges of blending martial arts techniques and the significance of finding compatible training partners and coaches.

Oct 16, 2023 • 54min
Ep. 254: Impostor Syndrome, feat. Drew "Darce_Knight" Foster
This week we're joined again by Drew Foster! Drew Foster is a black belt instructor at Elevate MMA in North Carolina, the host of The Neon Belly Podcast, and a frequent contributor on /r/bjj under the alias Darce_Knight.In this episode, Drew discusses a topic we've wanted to get into for a long time: impostor syndrome. Oxford Dictionary defines impostor syndrome as "the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills."Follow Drew Foster on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drewdarceListen to Drew on The Neon Belly Podcast:https://theneonbelly.buzzsprout.com/Check out Drew's contributions on Reddit:https://www.reddit.com/user/Darce_Knight/Mental models discussed in this episode:Self-Competitionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/Double Down on Strengthshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/double-down-on-strengths/Respect People, Not Positionshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/respect-people-not-positions/Kaizenhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/kaizen/Reflecting "As If"https://bjjmentalmodels.com/reflecting-as-if/Loss Aversionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/loss-aversion/Beginner's Mindhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/beginners-mind/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/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

Oct 9, 2023 • 58min
Ep. 253: Finding Your Why, feat. Joe Hannan
In this episode, we're joined by Joe Hannan! Joe is a BJJ black belt under Emily Kwok, the founder of BJJ Meditations, and the co-host of The Highest Levels on BJJ Mental Models Premium. In this episode, Joe discusses the importance of finding meaning in your Jiu-Jitsu journey. Follow Joe on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/bjj_meditations/Listen to the BJJ Meditations Podcast:https://www.bjjmeditations.com/podcastSubscribe to BJJ Meditations on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@bjjmeditations3786Visit the BJJ Meditations website:https://www.bjjmeditations.com/Resources discussed in this episode:The Art of Learning, by Josh Waitzkin:https://www.joshwaitzkin.com/the-art-of-learningAwakening from the Meaning Crisis, by John Vervaeke:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLND1JCRq8Vuh3f0P5qjrSdb5eC1ZfZwWJMental models discussed in this episode:Consistencyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/consistency/Keep Your Identity Smallhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-your-identity-small/Prioritize Longevityhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/prioritize-longevity/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/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta


