In this episode of the Emerald Grappling Podcast, Aaron chats with Jack Armstrong, a BJJ Brown Belt and active competitor representing SBG Ballina. Jack shares his journey in the sport, from his start in BJJ to competing on renowned shows like Grapple Kings and GrappleFest. We explore the winning culture at SBG Ballina, which has dominated the Galway International Open for 2 consecutive years, and discusses the West of Ireland’s growing influence in grappling. Jack reflects on his experiences competing internationally, including medaling at the Pan Pacific Championships, training with Dan Cherubin, a 4th degree black belt in Australia, and offers insights on balancing his intense BJJ and Hyrox training. He also shares his thoughts on the future of BJJ, upcoming competitions, and how to connect with him. Sponsored by Tatami—use code ARMSTRONG20 at checkout!

Chapters ➡

00:00 - 1:40 Intro & Jack's BJJ Origin Story

1:40 - 6:46 Galway International Open

6:47 - 12:50 Growth of Irish Jiu Jitsu

12:51 - 18:16 Growth of BJJ in the West of Ireland

18:17 - 26:31 Training in Australia and Competing at the IBJJF Pan Pacific

26:32 - 34:21 From coaching to being a student again

34:22 - 38:18 The Evolution of SBG Ballina

38:19 -40:41 Hyrox Training

40:42 - 41:43 Hyrox Training benefits for BJJ

41:44 - 49:44 Balancing Training and Life

49:45 - 55:13 Future of BJJ

55:14 - 59:29 The future of grappling in the West of Ireland59:30 - 1:02:44 What's next for Jack?Make sure to follow Jack on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/jack_armstrongsbg/Make sure to check out SBG Ballina and The Gym Ballina if you're in and around the area!https://www.instagram.com/sbg_ballina/http://thegymballina.ieIf you enjoyed this episode of the podcast, please Like, Share and Subscribe!----------------------------------------------------------------------------SPEND LESS, SUPPORT MORE 🫶🏻Want to save money while supporting your favourite BJJ athletes? Use Jack's discount codes to support his BJJ journey!https://eu.tatamifightwear.com Armstrong20 ✅