On episode 421 of The Strenuous Life Podcast, I'm joined by three-time IBJJ World medallist James Deirmendjian and elite personal trainer to discuss optimal training methodologies and the science behind strength and conditioning for sport. We cover hacks to improve recovery, debunk common myths in the Jiu-Jitsu community, and go deep into the need for a more scientific approach to training and … [Read more...]
How to Safely Practice Dangerous Leglocks
Q: Given that leglocks are dangerous, how do you train them safely and still have confidence that they will work in a 'live' setting. A: Although ANY submission is potentially dangerous, cranking someone with a heel hook or toehold can not only end the match, it can end your opponent's athletic career. Go here if you don't know what a heel hook is. . If you don't know what a toehold is, … [Read more...]
Spartans, Samurai and Ninja with BJJ Black Belt Jeff Nelson
On episode 418 of The Strenuous Life Podcast, I was thrilled to chat with Jeff Nelson about Spartans, Samurai, Ninja, developing confidence through jiu-jitsu, fight scenes in movies that drive us crazy, and pro-training at some of the best BJJ schools in the world. You can check it out as Episode 418 of The Strenuous Life Podcast anywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts … [Read more...]
Volume over Intensity in BJJ Training
Today I want to talk about how to best allocate your training time in BJJ. You've probably heard the saying that "BJJ is a marathon, not a sprint," right? Well, if BJJ is a marathon then we should also train it as if we were getting ready for a marathon! Now I used to do a LOT of running. Bruce Lee called it "The king of exercises", and he was right. (Sadly, since my hip replacement, I … [Read more...]
How to Get Your Black Belt Without Being Affiliated With Any One Specific School
Paul Kindzia describes himself as a "homeschooled, non-denominational, it takes a village black belt" and had a very unique route to getting his BJJ black belt. He was a ronin, training at different schools and did a lot of his training in his home dojo. This paid off because he was a top IBJJF Masters competitor at blue, purple, and brown belt, before being awarded his black belt by a … [Read more...]
Ask Question, Receive Advice, Improve Jiu-Jitsu
Here's something I want you to do that is almost guaranteed to make your jiu-jitsu better. The people who know you the best also probably know how you can improve the fastest. You just have to wheedle the information out of them! Start with your coach. Ask him or her, "What should I focus on for the next 3 months to get better at jiu-jitsu?" Then ask your favourite training partner … [Read more...]
Training BJJ as an Older or Smaller Grappler
There are WAY too many injuries in jiu-jitsu, especially for older, smaller, and less athletic grapplers who end up going against young and explosive superathletes. The answer to minimising injuries and maximizing learning lies in having the correct training methods AND developing the right culture within a club. To help understand this better I had Jesse Walker from Rough Hands BJJ in … [Read more...]
How to Flow Roll
If you don't spar then all you're doing is LARPing. Sparring and training against resistance is the secret sauce that makes jiu-jitsu work. Of course you need to do hard sparring once in a while, not every training session needs to be a death roll!! There is a type of BJJ sparring known as 'Flow Rolling' which allows you to train with anyone safely and productively while creating room for … [Read more...]
The Secrets of Strongman Training, with Kalle Beck
Fundamentally Strongman training is about lifting and moving heavy, ungainly objects, and when you think about it, that's not so different from what we do on the mats every single day. So, maybe we can learn a thing or two from the experts in applied strength! Kalle Beck has competed, coached and commentated in Strongman events and has helped thousands of people become much, much stronger. … [Read more...]
Can You Learn Good Jiu-Jitsu from Bad People?
Imagine going through the expensive teacher training process to become a Bikram Yoga instructor. Imagine investing every penny you own to open your own studio, then slaving away at 105°F (41°C) with 40% humidity in class after class to make it financially viable. Then you find out that the founder of your system, Bikram Choudhury, has a warrant out for his arrest and has fled the country … [Read more...]
Smashing Mental BJJ Barriers, with Erin Herle
This is an in-depth podcast on smashing the mental barriers holding you back from achieving your potential in BJJ with BJJ black belt and certified mental performance coach Erin Herle. Erin is great - check it out! Erin Herle is a BJJ black belt under Cobrinha and is a certified Mental Performance Consultant. She uses an evidence-based approach and has a master's degree in sport and … [Read more...]
Half Guard Leg Position Drill for BJJ & Submission Grappling
The Half Guard is a very powerful position from which to sweep or submit your opponent. But just like all other forms of guard, it's really important to know how to move your hips and your legs correctly. No movement = no guard!!! Here's a half-guard drill that teaches you the basic leg and hip movements to manoeuvre into position to apply your techniques and prevent him from passing your … [Read more...]
From Underground Bareknuckle Fights to the Biggest MMA Stage in the World, with Denis Kang
In the early 2000s Denis Kang was one of the top MMA fighters in the world with wins over Minoru Suzuki, Murilo 'Ninja' Rua, Akihiro Gono and Marvin Eastman. In this interview, Denis opens up about: The mindset shift that took him to a 22-fight undefeated streak... How he dealt with the death of his fiance while competing for the biggest MMA organisation in the world... How … [Read more...]
The Bridge and Inversion Escape Movement in BJJ
Most BJJ practitioners know about bridging and shrimping. But I bet not one in twenty knows about bridging and then turning into an inverted tripod position. That's too bad because this movement is the basis of my most successful mount escape, hands down. That inversion allows you to build extra height, break your opponent's contact with the ground, and then scoop under him to regain your … [Read more...]
Keep This In Mind If You’re Going to Train BJJ When You’re Tired…
Years ago I used to hang with a bunch of hardcore MMA fighters. They’d party in the clubs till dawn, then still drag their asses in for hard training in the morning. Their ability to go without rest was impressive. Only later did I realise they could only do this because they were young and fueled by a devil’s brew of steroids, stimulants and painkillers. Not surprisingly, all of them later … [Read more...]
BJJ vs Bears – Lessons Learned on a Solo Expedition in the Arctic
I just recently got home from a difficult solo canoe trip in the Canadian Arctic where I didn’t see anyone for weeks. Bears, storms, icebergs and exhaustion, this adventure had it all. Since I was alone, I had a lot of time to think. A big takeaway was how relevant some aspects of this wilderness stuff were to jiu-jitsu. Here are the three big lessons I learned from that trip, and how they … [Read more...]
Training Isn’t Competition, Competition Isn’t Training
There's a HUGE difference between training and competing, not only in how hard you go, but also in the strategies you employ. The priority in competition is winning, but the priority in training should be learning. That's why if I run into something new in training - a weird grip, a submission, a leg entanglement - my reaction is probably going to be, “Oh, how interesting, let’s see where … [Read more...]
The Real Benefit of Training Jiu-Jitsu
Martial arts training obviously teaches you techniques, combinations, strategies and tactics of the art itself. And if you train against resistance (like you would in BJJ, boxing, wrestling, judo, MMA, etc) then it’ll ingrain those techniques deeply enough so that you can use them in a real fight against a real attacker. Which is great. But arguably, the biggest effect of training … [Read more...]
Don’t be that Peaked-in-High-School Jiu-Jitsu Practitioner
I don’t think we can deny that jiu-jitsu is evolving really fast. Whether it’s the false reap, the buggy choke, the Aoki lock, the berimbolo, the roadhouse choke, or the upside-down-inside-out-caterpillar guard, new techniques and strategies are popping up all the time. Even if you don’t want (or can’t) learn the berimbolo (or whatever) shouldn’t you at least know how to counter it? So … [Read more...]
Your New Technique (Probably) Isn’t Going To Work
You know that new choke you saw the other day and hope to use in class tonight? Yeah... about that. That shiny new choke probably isn't going to work. The truth is that any signature moves you develop in your jiu-jitsu career will be the lone survivors standing on top of a mountain of discarded techniques that you just couldn't get to click. Every time I try something new, I think, … [Read more...]