BJJ Mental Models
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
564 episodes
Mini Ep. 130: First Principles
In this mini-episode, we explain first principles: how we can repeatedly ask "why" to uncover simple and foundation truths so we can better understand jiu-jitsu.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
Ep. 414: The One-Hour Problem, feat. Kyvann Gonzalez
This week, we're joined by Kyvann Gonzalez! Kyvann is the head coach and co-owner of Bodega Jiu Jitsu in Maplewood, NJ, where he builds his classes around games and live training using the constraints-led approach. In this episode, Kyvan...
Mini Ep. 129: Handicapping
In this mini-episode, we explain handicapping: how we can physically and strategically reduce our performance to get the most out of each training round.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
Ep. 413: Technique Sequencing, feat. Marc Ste-Marie
This week, we're joined by Marc Ste-Marie! Marc is a second-degree black belt with Brazilian Top Team who has been grappling since the late 80s, coaches kids and adult classes, and is the father of Brianna Ste-Marie. In this episode, Mar...
Mini Ep. 128: Survivorship Bias
In this mini-episode, we explain survivorship bias: a logical error where we overstudy those who were successful, but understudy those who failed.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
Ep. 412: Hand Fighting, feat. Brandon Reed
This week, we're joined by Brandon Reed! Brandon is a three-time NAIA national champion wrestler from Louisville, Kentucky, who now trains jiu-jitsu full-time in Guelph, Ontario. In this episode, Brandon explains hand fighting for jiu...
Mini Ep. 127: Confirmation Bias
In this mini-episode, we explain confirmation bias: the human tendency to favor information that supports our existing beliefs, and discard information that doesn't.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:...
Ep. 411: The Fragmentation of Jiu-Jitsu, feat. Jeff Serafin
This week, we're joined by Jeff Serafin! Jeff runs Serafin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu out of Gym 1801 in Evanston, Illinois, and has been training jiu-jitsu for almost 30 years. In this episode, Jeff talks about the fragmentation of the jiu-...
Mini Ep. 126: Visualization
In this mini-episode, we explain visualization: the science behind it, its limitations, the difference between general and technique visualization, and how it applies to jiu-jitsu.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally...
Ep. 410: Instructing Versus Coaching, feat. Hillary VanOrnum
This week, we're joined by Hillary VanOrnum! Hillary is a third-degree black belt who runs Unicorn Jiu Jitsu in Portland, Oregon with her husband, and she just won her first Masters World Championship at black belt. In this episode, Hill...
Mini Ep. 125: Perception-Action Coupling
In this mini-episode, we explain perception-action coupling: a sports science concept explaining how practice should give athletes the same cues they'd face in a real match.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, F...
Ep. 409: Super Mario Theory, feat. Nelson Puentes
This week, we're joined by Nelson Puentes! Nelson co-founded Inverted Gear and runs Inverted Gear Academy in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In this episode, Nelson explains his Super Mario theory of jiu-jitsu: a good game teaches you ho...
Mini Ep. 124: Deliberate Practice
In this mini-episode, we explain deliberate practice: a training method intended to improve performance by addressing your weaknesses and breaking through plateaus.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:<...
Ep. 408: Intention-Led Jiu-Jitsu, feat. Rob Cole
This week, we're joined by Rob Cole! Rob has been training martial arts for over 35 years, 25 of them focused on grappling, and he coaches at Ascension Athletics in Connecticut, where he runs his practice through the ecological dynamics ...
Mini Ep. 123: Differential Learning
In this mini-episode, we explain differential learning: a training approach used in sports proposing that motor skills are learned by varying how the movement is executed rather than trying to get it identical every time.
Ep. 407: Day Zero Jiu-Jitsu, feat. Jesse Walker & Shelby York
This week, we're joined by Jesse Walker and Shelby York! Jesse and Shelby own Rough Hands BJJ in Louisville, Kentucky, a gym of about 200 students with an unusually high number of women and older grapplers (the average student is ...
Mini Ep. 122: Gamification
In this mini-episode, we explain gamification: the practice of adding game-like elements to something in order to motivate a certain type of behavior. It's a concept from software design with elements of applied psychology and is used fo...
Ep. 406: The Problem of Leadership, feat. Barbara Ruiken & Giles Garcia
This week, we're joined by Barbara Ruiken and Giles Garcia! Barbara is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and the new head coach at Bergen Grappling in Norway, and she wrote her political science master's thesis on power and politic...
Mini Ep. 121: Constraints-Led Approach
In this mini-episode, we explain constraints-led approach (CLA) in simple terms, and how it impacts your jiu-jitsu training.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
Ep. 405: Solving Procrastination, feat. Itamar Shatz
This week, we're joined by Itamar Shatz! Itamar is a jiu-jitsu black belt and a Cambridge University researcher whose new book, Solving Procrastination, is published by Penguin Random House. In this episode, Itamar explains w...
Mini Ep. 120: Ecological Dynamics
In this mini-episode, we explain ecological dynamics in simple terms, why it's misunderstood, and how it impacts your jiu-jitsu training.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
Ep. 404: Cross-Grip Passing, feat. Rosie Miller & Jeff Shaw
Jeff Shaw is guest hosting this week, and he's joined by Rosie Miller! Rosie is a jiu-jitsu educator known for explaining complicated positions in plain language. In this episode, Rosie walks through how the cross-grip pass works,...
Mini Ep. 119: Trading Up
In this mini-episode, we discuss trading up: the strategic importance of getting more than you give in any jiu-jitsu exchange.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
Ep. 403: Learning from Kids Class, feat. Brennan Strimple
This week, we're joined again by Brennan Strimple! Brennan and his wife founded Rochester Jiu Jitsu in 2014, and almost all of their kids classes are taught by black belts. In this episode, Brennan explains why kids don't grapple like adults, a...
