Claim OwnershipBJJ Mental Models
Subscribed: 876Played: 60,342
Subscribe
© 2026 BJJ Mental Models
Description
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.
487 Episodes
Reverse
This week, we're joined again by Lachlan Giles for a deep rethink of what "fundamentals" really mean in modern Jiu-Jitsu. Rather than treating fundamentals as a fixed list of techniques, Lachlan argues they should be defined by goals, rulesets, and outcomes. He explains why competitors may benefit more from guard retention and winning early exchanges than from late-stage escapes, how mindset and time allocation shape development, and why specialization often beats chasing the meta. Follow La...
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss momentum and its underappreciated importance to Jiu-Jitsu. Momentum is the product of mass times velocity. Beginners tend to ignore momentum and attempt techniques from a dead stop, which reduces their likelihood of success. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network,...
This week, we're joined by Andrew Green! Andrew is the creator of the Kids Jiu-Jitsu Playbook and a 25-year veteran of martial arts coaching. In this episode, Andrew teaches what truly makes a great kids coach: understanding developmental stages, emotional regulation, building culture, motivating engagement, working effectively with parents, why kids can’t be coached like "mini adults," how life skills outweigh medals, and what gyms can do to create safer, more sustainable, and more impactful...
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss leading edges, and why it's important to identify which part of the body is responsible for making an attack work. The leading edge will often (but not always) be the nearest part of your opponent's body where gravitational force is coming from. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our com...
This week, we're joined again by Jake O'Driscoll from Essence BJJ! In this episode, Jake explains how high-level grapplers like Adele Fornarino and Brianna Ste-Marie actually study Jiu-Jitsu. Topics include: practical note-taking, video review, effortful retrieval, individualized learning, filtering signal from noise, adapting study habits to different personalities, and using training footage to improve decision-making. Follow Jake on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakeod_essencebjj ...
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss force vectors and how understanding them makes frames more effective. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free: https://bjjmentalmodels.com Need more BJJ Mental Models? Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter: h...
This week, we're joined again by Erin Herle! Erin is a certified mental performance consultant and a black belt under Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles. In this episode, Erin explains how to develop a sense of self-worth in Jiu-Jitsu. She discusses the problem of "performance-based self-worth" and why we should not base our identity around belts, wins, rankings, or comparisons with others. Follow Erin on Instagram: https://instagram.com/erinherle Work with Erin: https://www.erinherle.com Mental ...
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss dilemmas: forcing your opponent to choose between two undesirable options. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free: https://bjjmentalmodels.com Need more BJJ Mental Models? Get the legendary BJJMM newslett...
This week, we're joined by Ryan Rich! Ryan is the head coach at Granite Bay Jiu-Jitsu in California, and a proponent of the constraints-led approach to teaching Jiu-Jitsu. In this episode, Ryan discusses to what extent Jiu-Jitsu coaches should borrow premade skill-development games, rather than building their own. Follow Ryan and Granite Bay Jiu-Jitsu on Instagram: https://instagram.com/granitebayjiujitsu Learn online with Ryan at BJJ Games: https://bjjgames.com Train with Ryan at Granite ...
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss table selection: a concept from poker teaching us that choosing the right environment greatly increases our odds of success. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free: https://bjjmentalmodels.com Need more BJ...
This week, we're joined by Todd Richards! Todd is a black belt under the great Keith Owen, who tragically passed away in 2022. In this episode, Todd shares his experience building atop and evolving an existing curriculum, sharing stories from how a group of Keith Owen's black belts took over gym instruction following his passing. Find Todd online at Flow Frame Jiu-Jitsu: https://flowframejiujitsu.com Train with Todd at Team Rhino Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Meridian, Idaho: https://teamrhinoidaho.c...
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss opening salvos: the tactics and strategies you use when entering into an engagement. Ensuring your opening salvo is successful helps tremendously for standup and the engagement phase of guard. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more!...
This week, we're joined again by Nick Volpe from Dark Bear Jiu-Jitsu! In this episode, Nick breaks down a very holiday-relevant technique: the gift wrap! Follow Nick on Instagram: https://instagram.com/darkbeardojo Train with Nick at Dark Bear Jiu-Jitsu in Staten Island, NY: https://darkbearjiujitsu.com Mental models discussed in this episode: Crossing the Center https://bjjmentalmodels.com/crossing-the-center Priit's 45° Rule https://bjjmentalmodels.com/priits-45-degree-rule Predictabl...
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss the importance of doing what works. If a) you can do it against good opponents, b) you can do it repeatedly, and c) it aligns with your goals, then it's a good technique regardless of what anyone else says. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, ...
This week, we're joined by Nick Salles! Nick is a black belt under Mikey Musumeci and co-founder of Movement Art Jiu-Jitsu. In this episode, Nick discusses epistemic humility: a scientific philosophy reminding us that our knowledge is always incomplete. Topics include: democratic learning environments, creating conditions for exploration, constraints-led training, recoverable vs. unrecoverable errors, gym culture, and the limits of AI in skill acquisition. Follow Nick on Instagram: htt...
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss the certainty heuristic: the natural human tendency to prefer answers that offer a simple, easy solution... even if that solution is wrong. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free: https://bjjmentalmodels.com...
This week, we're joined by Thomas and Phillip Barreiro! They're both Division 1 wrestlers and multi-time Canadian national champions, plus the operators of Good Mind Grappling: an organization using wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu to address youth trauma. In this episode, Thomas and Phillip break down their "lazy wrestling" framework. They explain how effective stand-up grappling doesn’t require explosiveness, but instead relies on frames, hand fighting, pressure, and positional control. This episode...
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss the importance of probabilistic thinking: viewing Jiu-Jitsu as a game of probabilities where your goal is to create (and maintain) the greatest possible chance of success. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is f...
This week, we're joined by Jesse Phillips! Jesse is a BJJ black belt under Brian Johnson and the head coach at Gentle Giant Jiu-Jitsu. In this episode, Jesse explores burnout in martial arts and real life, often caused by the crushing weight of personal expectations that we place upon ourselves. Follow Jesse on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gentlegiantjiujitsu Train with Jesse at Gentle Giant Jiu-Jitsu in Seattle, WA: https://www.gg-jj.com Mental models discussed in this episode: ...
In this week's mini-episode, we discuss the idea of learning modalities. The old concept of "learning styles" has been debunked; here's what we use instead. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free: https://bjjmentalmodels.com Need more BJJ Menta...
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
The design is everyday things is a great book
When he said Gym tattoos I rolled my eyes and then looked at the release date of the episode. I almost gave up on the podcast. It was an April fools joke. I will say that listening to how ridiculously they talk about things made me realize lots of people behave poorly. An effective way to reach certain people, well done!!
Agreed with why some blue belts left because they’ve experienced/seen negative things after a few years….
Yes, an episode on social media couldn’t be more relatable atm.
This is a great episode.
You guys are the best!
It took me longer than I'm willing to admit to realise that this is an April Fools episode.
A very good episode, as usual. Keep it up guys!! I’ve been struggling with getting to the offense side from half guard, which I’m naturally inclined to do..now I’m seeing it from another perspective. Also reverse de la riva. Thanks for sharing!
my name is coach Sal I've coached mixed martial arts for almost 15 years I live in a third world country when mixed martial arts is more of a glorified street fights they don't have real discipline they put kids to fight for almost no money I coach in a dojo that is a judo and Sambo BJJ with catch wrestling an American kickboxing have my team has won national titles in Judo and samba and they won in their first BJJ tournament I think your show is great you're being listened around the world keep up the great work ZOMBIE MMA & SABAOT Academy we make no money I do volunteer work and we train kids so they won't be out on the streets boring games our country right now is going through a civil war we live they today the sport of BJJ is keeping us alive it keeps us motivated to going forward I don't have a black belt I don't have no ranks just a white guy volunteers his services for the right cause I don't get paid I do this because this was what God gave me this gift I have worked with guys
Hey guys, would I really enjoy this podcast as a Coach, Student, and Competitor and Recommend it to my teammates. Would y'all ever do one on competition focus like things like supplemental training and game planning from an athlete and coach side of things? I would love to hear y'alls opinions and thoughts! Thank You!