Bjjbrick Podcast- Bjj, Jiu-jitsu, Mma, Martial Arts, No-gi And Good Times!

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and RSS link for Andriod Ricardo Castaneda Ricardo Castaneda is a purple belt that runs the website Jiu-Jitology.com.  He has a unique perspective about BJJ and training that we are sure you will find interesting and beneficial.  You can find Ricardo training at Gracie Barra South Austin. We talk about: His start to BJJ How BJJ has helped him off of the mat How he uses his psychology background to benefit his BJJ Dealing with anxiety Mental health and BJJ the good and the bad The mindset of a new student Controlling your heart rate and breathing rate to learn better The John Wayne Sweep and how he learned it How to start basic meditation Training while injured Ricardo's Links: Natural Stacks Use the discount code RICARDOP for 15% off Jiu-Jitology.com Jiu-Jitology Facebook Page   Quote of the week: “The difference between someone who is in shape, and someone who is not in shape, is the individual who is in shape works out even when they do not want to.” Un

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and RSS link for Andriod Danny Dring Master Danny Dring has 5 different black belts including a 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  He got his BJJ black belt in 2001.  You can find Danny training in Sherwood, Arkansas at Dring LDMA. We talk about: The striking arts that he is involved in Training law enforcement A cool concept of hardware and software of your martial arts Early MMA How learning BJJ has changed over the years Why he like to play a top game Getting over having his hip resurfaced Training in Brazil BJJ and self-defense Advice for your first BJJ tournament What is was like for him as a blue belt Links: livingdefense.com/ Danny's Facebook page His book "Stay In the Fight" Quote of the week:  "One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself" presented by: Vinicius "Draculino" Magalhaes Article of the week:"The Almost-Blue Belt Mistake – Don’t Be in a Hurry!" Check out Byron's cooking for BJJ video!! Catch us next we

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and RSS link for Andriod Draculino This week we are very excited to bring you an interview with Vinicius "Draculino" Magalhaes. Draculino is a 5th Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he has been training since around 1984.  Find out more about Draculino at BjjHeroes.com. We talk about: His school in Houston Texas Being a lawyer and how it has helped him with BJJ His history with the spider guard Why he has a well balanced game Doing moves both on the right and left side of your body Why the lighter weight classes like to play the guard Why it is important to learn BJJ, No-gi, and Self-defense Doing MMA and still training with the Gi The future of BJJ How the internet is changing the way we learn BJJ Advice for a student doing their first tournament Links: Gracie Barra Tx draculinobjjtraining.com Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Quote of the week: "The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself." Douglas MacArthur Article of the week: "Appreciati

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Steve Maxwell This is part 2 of our interview with Steve Maxwell, part 1 can be found here. Steve Maxwell is one of the first Americans to receive a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  He was the first person to start teaching kettlebells in the United States.  At the age of 62 he travels the world teaching BJJ and life style fitness.  Find more info about Steve Maxwell here. We talk about: When people hit their physical peak Not getting injured with your off the mat training Training BJJ into your 70's, 80's and 90's Over training and the point of diminishing returns Explosive training and BJJ Strength training for any sport The myth of Cardio training Sport specific training His traveling minimalist lifestyle (every thing he owns fits in this 45L backpack) Some great life advice for everybody Links: Steve Maxwell's website Steve Maxwell's Facebook page Steve Maxwell's Twitter Quote of the week: "Don't measure the work, measure the change, and use tha

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Steve Maxwell is one of the first Americans to receive a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  He was the first person to start teaching kettlebells in the United States.  At the age of 62 he travels the world teaching BJJ and life style fitness.  Find more info about Steve Maxwell here. We talk about: His start to martial arts as a kid Getting his blue belt fast and getting stuck at purple belt How he learned how to teach Jiu-Jitsu History of early BJJ in the United States The combat aspect of Jiu-Jitsu Why the age 45 seems to be a road block for people that do BJJ Setting intrinsic goals and not extrinsic goals How age effects you ability to do BJJ How his game has changed over the years Proper breathing techniques A method of training to force you use better breathing Links: Steve Maxwell's website Steve Maxwell's Facebook page Quote of the week: "no victory without sacrifice" Robson Moura Article of the week: "7 REASONS WHY YOUR CHILD SHOULD PRACTICE

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio This week we are happy to bring you an interview with Robson Moura.  In the Black belt Super Featherweight division Robson won gold in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and then again in 2007.  He credits much of his competition success in going for a fast submission. Some Highlights from the interview: We also talk about: How BJJ helps him off of the mat Starting BJJ as a kid in the adult class Why he likes to have a fun environment in his school How the mind of the Jiu-Jitsu competitor has changed over time What he is looking for in a super fight The possibility of doing Metamoris Advice for first time competitors Why most people are joining  BJJ schools today Why survival is a good goal for a 1st year student links for Robson Moura His Facebook page His website Quote of the week: "every champion was once a contender that refused to give up" Presented by Isaac Doederlein Article of the week: "Jiu Jitsu And The Mature Athlete" jjgf.com Catch us next week for ano

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Isaac Doederlein Isaac Doederlein is a 22 year old brown belt under Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles.  He recently went to IBJJF European and won featherweight gold and then he stepped up for the absolute and got silver. We talk about: Starting martial arts as a kid Moving as an 18 year old to California to train The different guards he likes to play His goal of getting absolute titles His goal for remaining undefeated in his weight class How to train for competing in the absolute division How to watch your tournament footage to get better What he does for off-the-mat training Dealing with his injuries (neck and wrist) The benefits of competing Gaining confidence on the mat Advice for students in their first tournament His first tournament as a kid What he was like as a blue belt Tips for doing an omoplata Advice for developing your game plan Why it is important for new students to focus on understanding Jiu-Jitsu Links: The book he recommends "Psychology of C

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Henry Akins In 1995 Henry Akins started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the Rickson Gracie Academy. He received his black belt from Rickson in 2004.  He now has his own school called Dynamix MMA located in west LA. Some of the Highlights: "Making sure that the Jiu-Jitsu you learn is effective whether you have a gi on or not, and if you need to use it on the streets to protect yourself or someone that you care about." "My focus has always been how to use Jiu-Jitsu as a martial art, as a way to instill confidence in a person... and if there is ever a confrontation they feel prepared to deal with it." "It's not about speed, a lot of people think you need to be fast.... it is about timing" "The focus for a competitor is the complete opposite from the focus of a teacher.  If you are competing the focus is on yourself.... as a teacher your focus is on others." We also talk about: Training with Rickson Gracie Having a style that doesn't rely on grips BJJ and con

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Roli Delgado (picture by Kidron Cannon) This week we have an interview with Rolando Delgado often called Roli.  Roli is a 2nd degree black belt that trains in Little Rock Arkansas at West Side MMA. Roli has fought in the UFC and Bellator, but he is most widely known in the BJJ community for his ability to teach and preform leg locks. Some highlights from this interview: "The most dangerous moves in Jiu-Jitsu are take-downs and kimuras" "Reaping the knee is a risk that is way overstated and blown out of proportion" "With the Gi on I am okay with no heal hooks.... we need a sport that we can all do and grow old with." We also talk about: His start to the martial arts What he does off of the mat (hunting deer and owning a pawn shop) His recent trip to Brazil How he started focusing on leg locks His app "Legal Leg Locks for BJJ" Why some people don't like leg locks Using legs locks to be used for a Bjj Brick The rules for BJJ and leg locks Why mid level blue

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Christian Graugart is know as the BJJ Globetrotter because of his amazing trip around the world training in 24 countries and 56 gyms.  Christian has learned may lessons from training and traveling, we are lucky to learn from him.  Christian has also started an amazing community called BJJ Globetrotters. Good times on the mat with Christian Graugart A quote from the interview: “A key component to life is to be open to all social connections, and treat everyone you meet as a potential next best friend.” We talk about: Why he started traveling to learn BJJ How he likes to teach classes Some of the similarities all over the world in Jiu-Jitsu The BJJ Globetrotters community The BJJ camps he is doing in 2015 The values of BJJ Globetrotters How his gym treats travelers His ideas about how to treat people on and off the mat Links Check out BjjGlobetrotter.com Join the BJJ Globetrotters community BJJ Globetrotter book by Christian Graugart The BJJ Globetrotte

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Rafael Lovato Jr. Rafael Lovato Jr. is the most decorated BJJ competitor from the United States.  He is known for an aggressive style and being fun to watch.  In 2007 he was the first Non-Brazilian to win the Brazilian National Championship (Brasileiro) in the Black Belt division. Again in 2007 Lovato became the 2nd American to win the World Championship (Worlds) as a black belt.  Lovato has a lot going on and we cover a big range of topics in this interview including his injury, BJJ goals for the year, his Save Jiu-Jitsu Podcast, MMA career, and much more. Some Highlights from the interview: "My goal, is to jump right back into the Worlds. If I can be healthy and strong enough to train hard in March, that will give me two months to get ready, as long as I don't miss the Worlds I am happy." "If you are so afraid of losing that you play not to lose instead of to really win.... then you are not going to learn very much walking off the mat.... you will not be

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Submission Series 902 takes places January 23, 2015 New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada.  These are 15 min, submission only fights. In this episode, you will discover what these six athletes are doing to prepare for this submission only event.  Check out their Facebook page to keep up to date with all the action. Cat Clark- We start off this interviews by talking with Cat Clark.  Cat is the guy who is putting Submission Series 902 together. (Starts at 21m32s) We talk about: How to watch the event What the name "Submission Series 902" is about Why he is doing this event The rules the athletes must follow His vision for the sport in the long term Kyle Sandford Vs. Jonathan Satava Kyle Sandford- Kyle has been training BJJ since 1996. He received a black belt from Renzo Gracie in July 2014. He is representing Titans BJJ and Renzo Gracie. He has a Nogi match with Jonathan Satava. (Starts at 32m45s) Jonathan Satava- Jonathan is a brown belt under Marcelo Garcia.

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Dave Camarillo has been training in the martial arts since he was five years old.  He started Jiu-Jitsu when he was 19 years old.  He is also known for coaching some of the best in the world of MMA.  He also shares a story of a robbery that happened to him on a bus in Brazil. Dave Camarillo Some highlights from the interview: "I really don't think that martial arts is for sport first, I sincerely believe that it is for self defense and self awareness." "Competition is not for everyone because it definitely has a psychological positive and negative." "I would rather a child be a good person than win a tournament." "I see an over emphasis on winning, that's not good for kids, kids need to be happy." About students wanting to do MMA, "For 99% of people out there trying to fight, it should not be for a career.... It is for people who want to test themselves in that arena.... If your goal is to be famous (doing MMA) I won't train you." When asked about goals fo

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio This week Gary and Byron will be discussing several myths about BJJ.  Do you agree with our discussion of these myths?  We have personal experiences with most of these myths and we share them. Myth 1 Upper belts don't get tapped out by lower belts Myth 2 You can earn your belt in a certain amount of time Myth 3 Size and strength are not very important Myth 4 Black belts know all the answers Myth 5 Watching the pros is a great way to get better Myth 6 More training is always better for you Myth 7 Because you train BJJ you will be ready for a street fight Myth 8 If someone is better than you at BJJ they will always be better than you at BJJ Myth 9 Your excuse for not doing BJJ is valid Myth 10 A black belt is the best teacher Myth 11 Going home beat up everyday is okay Myth 12 Bonus Myth- BJJ works on zombies Quote of the week: "If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly" Gilbert K. Chesterton-  In this quote Gary shares an example about his poor gol

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio John Kavanagh received his BJJ black belt in March 2007 from Matt Thornton.  He now runs the Straight Blast Gym(SBG) in Ireland. SBG Ireland is home to fighters Gunnar Nelson, Conor McGregor, Aisling Daly, and many more. Highlights from the interview: "I think when people are enjoying themselves, they are going to stick with something longer rather than just embracing the grind." "I understand what people mean when they say someone is talented, but it is a lazy word.  It is kind of like describing a chemical reaction as being magic." "If I see someone who is not enjoying it (training) I don't want them part of the team, because it can be detrimental to the mindset of everybody else. So I will advise them to take some time off and do a different sport or activity for awhile and try to come back with a fresh mindset." Do your MMA athletes train in a gi?  " Yes, they do..... physically the main benefit is that it tightens up the escape game, you can't escape

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Yanal Shahzadeh Yanal Shahzadeh is a brown belt from Jordan under 4th degree black belt Samy Aljamal.  Yanal is one of the top competitors in his region, and he is always looking for a good match.  He competes at 94 kg, and open weight. This interview we talk about: Getting over an injury to his elbow How Jiu-Jitsu has changed in Jordan over the years Winning 4 gold medals at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Cup His favorite technique the arm crank His submission only super fight in February He tells a story of a time his competition asked him to not submit him He describes the brown belt like a white belt for the legs, because leg locks are now allowed He explains some of his most favorite training methods How he likes to coach during a match What it was like for him to travel by himself and compete without a coach Why he feels like he discovered Jiu-Jitsu as a blue belt Why he recommends a top control drill for new students How the scissor sweep can help you unders

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio The Bjj Mental Coach Gustavo Dantas Have you ever failed to deliver your best when it counts?  This week our friend and BJJ black belt Gustavo Dantas will help you do your best on and off the mat.  Gustavo has been training BJJ for 25 years, he is a 4th degree black belt.  He has a passion for teaching BJJ and helping coach people to reach their goals.  His coaching website is TheBjjMentalCoach.com. In this interview we talk about: Doing BJJ as a kid in Rio Listening to audio books Why he recommends the book Psycho-Cybernetics The BJJ Mental Coach blog How he was able to overcome a bad start to competing Overcoming mental blocks in competing Moving to the United States from Brazil Dealing with competition anxiety A recent interview he did with Budo Videos Dealing with a high pressure situation How he runs competition students different from the students that don't compete Learning from failure The three types of training partners that you need to be train

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Joe Solecki works to pass a tricky guard Joe Solecki has been training BJJ since he was six years old.  His is now 21 years old and a very active light weight brown belt.  He spent the first 12 years of his BJJ learning from John Hassett in NJ.  He now lives in Myrtle Beach, SC and trains with Frankie Patches of Serra BJJ. In our interview with Joe Solecki we talk about: Starting BJJ so young Building a strong defense How his game has changed over time What tv show got him interested in martial arts Balancing going to school full time and training BJJ Training at a cross-fit gym Staying motivated to train and study His goal of going to ADCC How he is able to have fun and take competition seriously His favorite method of training Watching instructional videos vs competition footage What he expects the ADCC trials to be like Moving across the country and finding a new place to train How he warms up before a match Advice for someone doing their first tournam

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Amanda Loewen has been training BJJ and competing for about five years, and she has recently received her black belt from Matt Thornton.  You will find her training at SBGi in Portland. We talk about: Her start to BJJ Getting her black belt in five years Some troubles finding competition Her hobbies off the mat Why she prefers a "basic style" Her six day a week training schedule Training off the mat Staying motivated Her goals of competing with the black belts She is going to the European Championships in Jan 2015 Posture, pressure and possibilities Keeping things very simple when teaching BJJ The basic class format she likes How she handles the stresses of competition Her experience at her first tournament A mental trick she uses to avoid sweeps Tips for making your own game plan Why she rolls with a poker face Goals for a first year BJJ student Why it is important to focus on defense first then learn offense *note Amanda Loewen was recently married and

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio Felipe Costa, Rodrigo Comprido and Caio Terra at BJJ Camp Rodrigo Comprido Medeiros is a legend in the sport of BJJ.  The first year he was a black belt he was able to win the absolute division. He not only won it, but he was the first person to win by submission in absolute black belt history.  He also won it with the fastest submission in black belt history.  Comprido currently has a gym called Comprido BJJ in Bloomingdale IL. In this interview we talk about: How he got the name Comprido Yuri Simoes in Metamoris Sustainable Jiu-jitsu Competition advice Adjusting jiu-jitsu to your body and age Bjj Camp Training with Felipe Costa His goals for the future Competing very well as a new black belt Advice on training safe What it was like at his first tournament Dealing with and using your adrenaline What he was like as a blue belt Advice for a first year student The possibility of doing another Metamoris Keep up with Comprido compridobjj.com/ His Facebook P