The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset

Founder of Budokon Cameron Shayne joins Pete Deeley for a deep conversation on the warrior's mind: why a warrior is not an athlete, why the body only grows from stress, how the self-talk of aging quietly holds us back, and how to judge the source of any advice you're given. A masterclass in the mindset underneath the movement. Watch the full video on YouTube: [YouTube link] Submission Coffee: https://submissioncoffee.com · My Jiu Jitsu Journey app on the App Store Follow: @jiujitsumindset IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 Warrior vs. athlete: what martial arts really shapes 10:08 The hero's journey and "make yourself a great person" 24:05 Untangling the body like a junk drawer 31:11 A late black belt, and training with the best in the world 38:30 Learning what you didn't know you didn't know 51:38 The body grows from stress 58:54 Don't talk yourself old 67:41 Be critical about the source of your advice 70:47 Rich vs. happy: knowledge vs. wisdom #jiujitsu #bjj #mindset #budokon

Professor Eli Knight returns to The Jiu Jitsu Mindset, and this time we build the conversation around the hero's journey — the call, the crisis, the near-quit, the mentor, and the message he'd leave behind.   Eli is a Royce Gracie black belt and one of the clearest thinkers working in self-defense jiu-jitsu. He talks here about the loss that pushed him into a taekwondo class as a teenager, the cousin who went to jail while he went to martial arts, the year his daughter was born and he nearly walked away from all of it, and why he still isn't sure who he would be without jiu-jitsu.   He also gives one of the best answers we have had on what the art is actually for: "Jiu-jitsu to me is the serenity prayer. It teaches you how to accept things you can't change, how to change things you can, and how to know the difference." And then, at the very end, he takes the whole thing apart again with a bar of soap.   CONNECT WITH PROFESSOR ELI KNIGHT YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KnightJiuJitsu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knight_jiu_jitsu_ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@knightjiujitsu Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/KnightJiuJitsu Instructionals: https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/eli-knight   THE JIU JITSU MINDSET Website: https://thejiujitsumindset.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJiuJitsuMindset X: https://x.com/jiujitsumindset Find a school near you: https://thejiujitsumindset.com/pages/jiu-jitsu-schools-near-you   SUPPORTING THE SHOW Submission Coffee — https://submissioncoffee.com  (still not a performance-enhancing drug) My Jiu Jitsu Journey — free to try on the App Store and Google Play    CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome back — year five of the podcast 00:29 Submission Coffee and the My Jiu Jitsu Journey app 01:25 Professor Eli Knight returns: the hero's journey 03:35 Crisis, loss, and the class that caught him 05:28 The soft kid who learned to face chaos 08:45 Zen, Daoism, and what religion didn't give him 10:03 "He went to jail, I went to martial arts" 11:17 It doesn't make you a good person — it reveals you 12:21 Pete's story: six years old outside Macy's 14:48 The year he almost walked away 18:42 The leap of faith into a martial arts career 20:10 "I'm not 100% sure who I am without jiu-jitsu" 22:19 The mentor: "you're off in the woods looking for Yoda" 25:35 Coaching with real care — Fit to Fight and Ryan Hoover 27:05 Instructor vs. coach: knowing what you are 30:36 When the fighter is already redlining 33:21 Technique vs. principle is a false choice 34:57 What he'd want people to take away 36:56 Jiu-jitsu is the serenity prayer 38:57 The bar of soap   #jiujitsu #bjj #brazilianjiujitsu #selfdefense #eliknight #martialarts #thejiujitsumindset

Host Pete Deeley talks with Professor Chris about preserving Gracie Jiu-Jitsu—specifically Rickson Gracie's interpretation focused on practical self-defense, common-sense solutions to common attacks, and "invisible jiu-jitsu" principles like connection, base, timing, and control rather than strength or athleticism. Chris explains how self-defense knowledge has been diluted by sport-focused training, why losing this curriculum forces people to "reinvent the wheel," and how he was injured after seeking self-defense but ending up in a sport school. He describes building Rickson Gracie United as a structured, global curriculum with tiers and affiliate academies, adding stress and live sparring, and keeping sport and self-defense unified while making training accessible for beginners, kids, and non-competitors. The conversation also touches on Rickson's character, honesty, boundaries, and how jiu-jitsu teaches realistic self-assessment.   00:00 Welcome and Updates 01:07 Movie References Warmup 03:07 Why Preserve Gracie Jiu Jitsu 08:23 Invisible Jiu Jitsu Basics 09:49 Hickson Gracie Unite Launch 11:05 Making Self Defense Accessible 14:06 What Gets Lost Without It 15:17 Personal Story and Injuries 17:39 Jiu Jitsu Telephone Effect 21:04 Sport Growth and Realism 23:32 Sport and Self Defense Unity 30:52 Who Self Defense Is For 32:18 Training Is Not Fighting 33:08 Trauma Empathy On Mats 34:00 Why Rickson Matters 36:27 Good Person Boundaries 38:13 Honesty Ocean Metaphor 42:55 Teaching Kids Through Play 44:51 Belts Competition Context 46:49 Confidence For Daughters 49:28 Internet Backlash Tribalism 52:52 Open Hand Learning 55:24 Lose To Learn Timing 58:16 Preserving Hickson Legacy 01:00:38 Mats Are Contextual 01:01:57 RGU Links And Farewell

Host Pete Deeley welcomes Professor Juanta "Tater" Wolf to discuss building a jiu jitsu life and academy while balancing family and community. Pete shares updates on the My Jiu Jitsu Journey app (including a new weight-loss component) and invites gym owners to carry Submission Coffee. Juanta explains that before jiu jitsu he focused on painting and murals, describing his style as therapeutic, abstract "Afro Cubism," and connects that improvisational approach to how he rolls and avoids rigid game plans. He credits becoming a father as the turning point that moved him from hobbyist to daily coach and eventual owner, bringing his son to the academy since four months old. Juanta recounts how he found his first gym through a graffiti painting encounter with coach Aaron, emphasizing serious training paired with fun, welcoming culture, and he shares his love of competition, a memorable injury match win, and a student moment when his cousin's daughter showcased jiu jitsu at a school talent show. He closes with where to follow Prairie Wolf Jujitsu online.   00:00 Welcome and Updates 01:32 Meet Professor Juanta 02:38 Art Before Jiu Jitsu 03:54 Flow State Training 05:25 Fatherhood and Ownership 09:26 Finding the First Gym 11:40 Building a Fun Culture 13:34 Why Compete 17:09 Injury and Breakthrough Win 20:07 Student Impact Story 22:05 Tater Man Nickname 22:42 Where to Follow and Farewell

Change, Initiation, and Jiu Jitsu as a Modern Mystery with Professor Jason Hawkins The host of The Jiu Jitsu Mindset welcomes Professor Jason Hawkins, promotes the My Jiu Jitsu Journey app's new weight-loss component, and mentions Submission Coffee's wholesale program for gym owners. They discuss change as deep transformation rather than habit tweaks, framing growth as transmuting suffering into consciousness and using a marathon "pain is inevitable, suffering is optional" story plus the Yoga Sutras' "now" as a call to seriousness when ordinary coping fails. They explore initiation as guided "death, burial, resurrection," historically tied to near-death clarity, with compassion distinguishing it from abuse, and note women are "initiated by nature" while men often need imposed rites. They relate initiation to martial arts as modern mystery schools: sacred space, gi/belt symbolism, told-shown-done learning, humility, trust, and moving from technique to principle and "no habit." They cover Nietzsche's camel-lion-child, three paths (hardship, self-study, surrender), boredom as a gatekeeper, devotion vs outcome-seeking, and responsibility as the warrior ethic.   00:00 Welcome and Updates 01:08 Meet Jason Hawkins 01:50 Why People Change 03:04 Pain vs Suffering Story 03:59 Yoga Sutras and Now 06:02 Transformation Not Habits 10:02 Gross to Subtle Path 13:32 What Is Initiation Today 16:35 Near Death and Rites 21:59 Pete's Grandfather Lesson 25:57 Mysteries and Three Steps 31:27 Nietzsche Camel Lion Child 36:21 Iron John Colors and Jiu Jitsu 38:22 Pick Your Moment 38:33 No Habit Mastery 38:46 Rolling With My Son 40:33 Skill Stages Explained 42:01 Mystery School Question 45:05 Sacred Space Rituals 48:13 False Danger Real Growth 52:00 Practice Reverence Discipline 54:16 Warrior Responsibility 01:01:03 Mystery Cannot Be Told 01:04:03 Miracles And Attention 01:05:57 Boredom Gatekeeper 01:08:16 Devotion Over Discipline 01:11:50 Closing Reflections