

BJJ Mental Models
Steve Kwan
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 3, 2022 • 1h 2min
Ep. 199: Being Your Own Coach, feat. Shane McCarthy
This week we're joined by Shane McCarthy! Shane is an instructor at Princeton BJJ and a newly minted black belt under Emily Kwok. In this episode, Shane shares best practices for taking ownership of your Jiu-Jitsu skill development.Follow Shane on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/wakaflakashane/Listen to Shane's podcast, Tinfoil Mat:https://anchor.fm/collin-wiemer/Train with Shane at Princeton BJJ:https://www.princetonbjj.com/Mental models discussed in this episode:Train With Purposehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/train-with-purpose/Constraints-Led Approachhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach/Concepts Over Techniqueshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques/Funnelinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/funneling/Learning Modalitieshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/learning-modalities/Feedback Loophttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/feedback-loop/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you’ll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

Sep 26, 2022 • 1h 28min
Ep. 198: Skincare for BJJ, feat. Dr. Clayton Green
This week we're joined by Dr. Clayton Green! Clayton is a board-certified dermatologist, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Rochester, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner.This episode is THE definitive resource for skincare and skin issues in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Topics covered include: cleaning the gym, hygiene, staph, ringworm, psoriasis, eczema, acne, sensitive skin, excessive bruising, the ideal skincare routine for grapplers, how to wash your gi, and training with cuts.Clayton's personal email:green.clayton@gmail.comClayton's work email:Clayton_Green@urmc.rochester.eduClayton on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/clayton.b.green.9Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you’ll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

Sep 19, 2022 • 56min
Ep. 197: The Happy Warrior Philosophy, feat. Roxanne Modafferi
This week we're joined by Roxanne Modafferi! Roxanne is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, retired UFC fighter, and true women's MMA pioneer. Known as "The Happy Warrior," Roxanne joins us to discuss the Happy Warrior Philosophy, and how we can stay positive even in the face of adversity and loss.Follow Roxanne on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/roxyfighter/Get Roxanne's books:Memoirs Of A Happy Warriorhttps://amzn.to/3qCFQ1EMemoirs of a Happy Warrior II: Challengeshttps://amzn.to/3QXoFTMHow to be Positive: Mental Training by the Happy Warriorhttps://amzn.to/3BQwealMental models discussed in this episode:Abundance Mindsethttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/abundance-mindset/Technique Visualizationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-visualization/Self-Competitionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/Resulting Fallacyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/resulting/Building Your Triggershttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/building-your-triggers/Mindfulnesshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/mindfulness/Compartmentalizationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/compartmentalization/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you’ll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

Sep 12, 2022 • 1h 1min
Ep. 196: Position Series: K Guard, feat. Adam Benayoun
Adam Benayoun, a Ryan Hall black belt and head instructor at Black Cat Jiu Jitsu, walks through the how and why of K-Guard. He explains anchoring, destabilization, and leg-frame mechanics. Short pathways, chaining between guards, gi variations, safety and alignment, and teaching progressions are covered in concise, practical detail.

Sep 5, 2022 • 1h 12min
Ep. 195: Idle Time, feat. Dominyka Obelenyte
This week we're joined again by Dominyka Obelenyte! Dom is a Marcelo Garcia black belt, and a 10x overall world champion, with 4 of those wins at black belt. Dom is currently recovering from knee surgery, and in this episode she shares her best practices for maximizing the value of your idle time.Dom's Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/domdabomburmom/Dom's Linktree:https://linktr.ee/domdabomburmomMental models discussed in this episode:Investing in Losshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/investing-in-loss/Flowhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/flow/Mindfulnesshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/mindfulness/Keep Your Identity Smallhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-your-identity-small/Consistencyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/consistency/Interleavinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/interleaving/Transfer of Learninghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/transfer-of-learning/Survivorship Biashttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/survivorship-bias/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you’ll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

Aug 29, 2022 • 1h 1min
Ep. 194: Leaving the Sport, feat. Darin Conner DeAngelis
This week we're joined by Darin Conner DeAngelis! Darin won IBJJF world champions at blue and purple belt, but as a black belt he's decided to step away from his original goal of being a professional competitor. In this episode, Darin explains to us how re-evaluating his life led him to abandon his goal of being a professional competitor, and what listeners could do if they're experiencing a similar "Jiu-Jitsu existential crisis."Darin's Instagram:https://instagram.com/dc_deangelis/Mental models discussed in this episode:Mindfulnesshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/mindfulness/Keep Your Identity Smallhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-your-identity-small/Habits Over Resultshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/habits-over-results/Scientific Methodhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/scientific-method/Self-Competitionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you’ll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

Aug 22, 2022 • 58min
Ep. 193: Standup for ADCC, feat. Oliver Taza
This week we're joined again by Oliver Taza! Oliver is actually the first guest we ever had on BJJ Mental Models, so it's great to have him back. Oliver and his team are actively preparing for ADCC, and in this episode of BJJ Mental Models, Oliver generously shares key concepts for standup in an ADCC-like environment.Oliver’s Instagram:https://instagram.com/tazagarami/Oliver's Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/oliver.taza.1Mental models discussed in this episode:3 Joint Rulehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/3-joint-rule/Kuzushihttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/kuzushi/Opening Salvoshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/opening-salvos/Committed Techniqueshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/committed-techniques/Momentumhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/momentum/Inside Channel Controlhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/inside-channel-control/Intentionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/intention/Technique Chaininghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-chaining/Grips Dictate Positionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/grips-dictate-position/Asymmetric Warfarehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/asymmetric-warfare/Crossing the Centerhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/crossing-the-center/Head Positionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/head-position/Abundance Mindsethttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/abundance-mindset/Keep it Playfulhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you’ll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:htt⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

Aug 15, 2022 • 56min
Ep. 192: Returning to Sport, feat. Mike "Doctor Kickass" Piekarski
This week we're joined again by Mike "Doctor Kickass" Piekarski! Mike is both a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and a physical therapist. In this episode, Mike provides general guidance on how BJJ athletes can safely return to sport after an injury or layoff. Mike's Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/doctor_kickass/Mike's Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/doctorkickassDPTMental models discussed in this episode:Stress and Recoveryhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/stress-and-recovery/Economy of Motionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/economy-of-motion/Training Handicapshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/training-handicaps/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you’ll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/Music by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

Aug 8, 2022 • 1h 6min
Ep. 191: Old Bastard Jiu-Jitsu, feat. Mike Mahaffey
This week we're joined by Mike Mahaffey! Mike is a black belt under Chris Haueter, and is a certified Old Bastard. In this week's episode, Mike breaks down the tenets to "Old Bastard Jiu-Jitsu": the old-school style where you give them nothing, minimize movement, and crush them with pressure.Mike Mahaffey on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/xibalba1972/Magic BJJ website:https://magicbjj.com/Mental models discussed in this episode:Path of Least Resistancehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/path-of-least-resistance/Economy of Motionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/economy-of-motion/Dictate the Pacehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/dictate-the-pace/Win Conditionshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/win-conditions/Controlled Breathinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlled-breathing/Prioritize Longevityhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/prioritize-longevity/Theory of Alignmenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/theory-of-alignment/Limb Coilinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/limb-coiling/Constant and Variable Tensionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/constant-and-variable-tension/Static vs. Dynamic Controlhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/static-vs-dynamic-control/Concepts Over Techniqueshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques/Shifting Platformshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/shifting-platforms/Surface Areahttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/surface-area/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you’ll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://premium.bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

Aug 1, 2022 • 1h 10min
Ep. 190: Competing After 40, feat. Emily Kwok
This week we're joined again by 3x world champ and Marcelo Garcia black belt, Emily Kwok! Fresh off winning the 2022 Pans, Emily joins us to talk about what it's like to compete after the age of 40. A great chat about what competition looks like as you get older, take on more responsibilities, become more concerned about your health, and achieve a broader life perspective.Emily's website:https://emilykwok.com/Emily’s Instagram:https://instagram.com/emilykwokbjj/Emily's podcast, The Master & The Apprentice:https://www.buzzsprout.com/1933788Mental models discussed in this episode:Keep it Playfulhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful/Stress and Recoveryhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/stress-and-recovery/Keep Your Identity Smallhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-your-identity-small/Habits Over Resultshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/habits-over-results/Mindfulnesshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/mindfulness/Short-term/Long-term Paradoxhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/short-term-long-term-paradox/Abundance Mindsethttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/abundance-mindset/Loss Aversionhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/loss-aversion/Defensive Thinkinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/defensive-thinking/Solid Foundation, Flexible Perimeterhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/solid-foundation-flexible-perimeter/Psychological Safetyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/psychological-safety/Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!If you love the podcast, you’ll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.Sign up here for a free trial:https://premium.bjjmentalmodels.com/Need more BJJ Mental Models?Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/Follow us on social:https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta


