
Advertise on podcast: The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset
Rating
4.9from
This podcast has
155 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
Peter M. Deeley Jr. and Lucas RubboExplicit
No
Date created
2022/06/22
Latest episode
2026/10/12
Average duration
43 min.
Release period
9 days
Description
When you improve your Jiujitsu, you improve your life. Lessons on the mat are life lessons. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Welcome to The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset.
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Check latest episodes from The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset podcast
Dead or in Jail — Professor Ryan Brock on Jiu-Jitsu
2026/10/12
Pete Deeley sits down with Professor Ryan Brock of Impact Jiu Jitsu in Hood River, Oregon — a coach who says, plainly, that without jiu-jitsu he'd be dead or in jail. They talk about the tough-love mentor he hated and later thanked, why competition is "pick your own poison" and where the art gets a little culty, the night breaking up a fight taught him what he'd really built, and the anxious kid who went from high-school dropout to a college degree and wrote his class essay about the gym. A conversation about mentorship, community, and the quiet ways coaching echoes through a life.
☕ Submission Coffee: https://submissioncoffee.com
📱 My Jiu Jitsu Journey app — on the App Store
Train with Ryan: Impact Jiu Jitsu — Hood River, OR
Follow: @jiujitsumindset
Chapters
00:00 Welcome — Submission Coffee wholesale and the My Jiu Jitsu Journey app
00:50 Meeting Ryan; the James Driskill connection
01:31 "Dead or in jail if it wasn't for jiu-jitsu"
02:27 A gradual pivot — and the first coach who became a mentor
03:34 Tough love: the coach who told him the hard truth
05:24 "I hated him" — and the apology years later
07:34 Good cop / bad cop: the two coaches who kept him in
09:00 Getting ragdolled by a 15-year-old — "a hole I need to fill"
10:57 Is competition necessary? Pick your own poison
11:52 Where jiu-jitsu gets "a little culty"
13:00 Competing late, and inoculating yourself to stress
14:21 The most memorable moment — breaking up a fight at the port
16:54 "Take it outside" — and the man who just needed a hug
19:23 The anxious kid who got his GED, a degree, and wrote about the gym
21:29 Coaches as surrogate parents
22:29 Where to find him: Impact Jiu Jitsu, Hood River, OR
Get the social media app just for Jiu Jitsu! Download My Jiu Jitsu Journey in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-jiu-jitsu-journey/id6751400933
Subscribe to Submission Coffee or purchase your Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable tee shirt here: https://thejiujitsumindset.com/
If you've found this video, you're probably looking for more information on:
• The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset Robson Moura interview
• The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset Robert Drysdale interview
• The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset Pedro Sauer interview
• The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset Mark Schultz interview
• The Jiu Jitsu Mindset Todd Fox interview
• The Jiu Jitsu Mindset Reggie Almeida interview
• Brazilian Jiu Jitsu podcast
• BJJ jiu jitsu, BJJ podcast
• Combat sports, grappling, mixed martial arts, self-defense, MMA and UFC
Tough Over Strong — Steve Ficca on Grit, Kids & the Jiu-Jitsu That Never Bored Him
2026/10/11
Pete Deeley sits down with Professor Steve Ficca of Odin's Halls BJJ in Las Vegas — a coach who found jiu-jitsu after boxing gyms and shuttered wrestling schools and never looked back. They talk about the first thing that never bored him, using the art to drive across the country and see the world, why competition is a tool for growth rather than a paycheck, and the lessons he wants every kid to carry off the mat. Along the way: why the losses teach more than the wins, the difference between being tough and being strong, and the perseverance that keeps him going through every injury.
☕ Submission Coffee: https://submissioncoffee.com
My Jiu Jitsu Journey app — on the App Store
Follow: @jiujitsumindset
Chapters
00:00 Welcome — Submission Coffee and the My Jiu Jitsu Journey app
01:00 If martial arts had never come into his life
02:16 "The first thing in my life that never bored me"
04:42 From Kung Fu flicks to a boxing gym in the hood
05:46 Judo, wrestling, and finding jiu-jitsu — the most user-friendly martial art
06:39 The teachers who shaped him; a gym where everyone is good
08:16 Tammy Grego, hitchhiking home, and using jiu-jitsu to see the world
09:42 Competition's real role — a tool for growth, not a paycheck
11:38 Everybody should compete once: the lessons of a fight without the danger
13:40 "May all your hardest struggles be on the mat"
14:14 Kids, stoppages, and learning that life isn't fair
15:47 Why the losses are the real teacher
19:01 Knee injuries, and moving from competing to coaching
20:23 The hard-headed 10-year-old who became his best kid
23:54 Coaches as surrogate parents; the moments kids carry forever
30:36 Tough vs. strong — and the Iron Man mindset
32:50 What he hopes people learn: hard work, and pushing through
33:35 Closing
Get the social media app just for Jiu Jitsu! Download My Jiu Jitsu Journey in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-jiu-jitsu-journey/id6751400933
Subscribe to Submission Coffee or purchase your Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable tee shirt here: https://thejiujitsumindset.com/
If you've found this video, you're probably looking for more information on:
• The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset Robson Moura interview
• The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset Robert Drysdale interview
• The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset Pedro Sauer interview
• The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset Mark Schultz interview
• The Jiu Jitsu Mindset Todd Fox interview
• The Jiu Jitsu Mindset Reggie Almeida interview
• Brazilian Jiu Jitsu podcast
• BJJ jiu jitsu, BJJ podcast
• Combat sports, grappling, mixed martial arts, self-defense, MMA and UFC
The Body Grows From Stress | Cameron Shayne on Aging, Movement & the Warrior Mind
2026/09/13
Founder of Budokon Cameron Shayne joins Pete Deeley for a deep conversation on the warrior's mind: why a warrior is not an athlete, why the body only grows from stress, how the self-talk of aging quietly holds us back, and how to judge the source of any advice you're given. A masterclass in the mindset underneath the movement.
Watch the full video on YouTube: [YouTube link]
Submission Coffee: https://submissioncoffee.com · My Jiu Jitsu Journey app on the App Store
Follow: @jiujitsumindset
IN THIS EPISODE
00:00 Warrior vs. athlete: what martial arts really shapes
10:08 The hero's journey and "make yourself a great person"
24:05 Untangling the body like a junk drawer
31:11 A late black belt, and training with the best in the world
38:30 Learning what you didn't know you didn't know
51:38 The body grows from stress
58:54 Don't talk yourself old
67:41 Be critical about the source of your advice
70:47 Rich vs. happy: knowledge vs. wisdom
#jiujitsu #bjj #mindset #budokon
Jiu-Jitsu Is the Serenity Prayer | Professor Eli Knight
2026/09/11
Professor Eli Knight returns to The Jiu Jitsu Mindset, and this time we build the conversation around the hero's journey — the call, the crisis, the near-quit, the mentor, and the message he'd leave behind.
Eli is a Royce Gracie black belt and one of the clearest thinkers working in self-defense jiu-jitsu. He talks here about the loss that pushed him into a taekwondo class as a teenager, the cousin who went to jail while he went to martial arts, the year his daughter was born and he nearly walked away from all of it, and why he still isn't sure who he would be without jiu-jitsu.
He also gives one of the best answers we have had on what the art is actually for: "Jiu-jitsu to me is the serenity prayer. It teaches you how to accept things you can't change, how to change things you can, and how to know the difference." And then, at the very end, he takes the whole thing apart again with a bar of soap.
CONNECT WITH PROFESSOR ELI KNIGHT
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KnightJiuJitsu
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knight_jiu_jitsu_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@knightjiujitsu
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/KnightJiuJitsu
Instructionals: https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/eli-knight
THE JIU JITSU MINDSET
Website: https://thejiujitsumindset.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJiuJitsuMindset
X: https://x.com/jiujitsumindset
Find a school near you: https://thejiujitsumindset.com/pages/jiu-jitsu-schools-near-you
SUPPORTING THE SHOW
Submission Coffee — https://submissioncoffee.com (still not a performance-enhancing drug)
My Jiu Jitsu Journey — free to try on the App Store and Google Play
CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome back — year five of the podcast
00:29 Submission Coffee and the My Jiu Jitsu Journey app
01:25 Professor Eli Knight returns: the hero's journey
03:35 Crisis, loss, and the class that caught him
05:28 The soft kid who learned to face chaos
08:45 Zen, Daoism, and what religion didn't give him
10:03 "He went to jail, I went to martial arts"
11:17 It doesn't make you a good person — it reveals you
12:21 Pete's story: six years old outside Macy's
14:48 The year he almost walked away
18:42 The leap of faith into a martial arts career
20:10 "I'm not 100% sure who I am without jiu-jitsu"
22:19 The mentor: "you're off in the woods looking for Yoda"
25:35 Coaching with real care — Fit to Fight and Ryan Hoover
27:05 Instructor vs. coach: knowing what you are
30:36 When the fighter is already redlining
33:21 Technique vs. principle is a false choice
34:57 What he'd want people to take away
36:56 Jiu-jitsu is the serenity prayer
38:57 The bar of soap
#jiujitsu #bjj #brazilianjiujitsu #selfdefense #eliknight #martialarts #thejiujitsumindset
Professor Chris Burns: Rickson's "Invisible Jiu-Jitsu" & the Mission of Rickson Gracie United
2026/09/08
Host Pete Deeley talks with Professor Chris about preserving Gracie Jiu-Jitsu—specifically Rickson Gracie's interpretation focused on practical self-defense, common-sense solutions to common attacks, and "invisible jiu-jitsu" principles like connection, base, timing, and control rather than strength or athleticism. Chris explains how self-defense knowledge has been diluted by sport-focused training, why losing this curriculum forces people to "reinvent the wheel," and how he was injured after seeking self-defense but ending up in a sport school. He describes building Rickson Gracie United as a structured, global curriculum with tiers and affiliate academies, adding stress and live sparring, and keeping sport and self-defense unified while making training accessible for beginners, kids, and non-competitors. The conversation also touches on Rickson's character, honesty, boundaries, and how jiu-jitsu teaches realistic self-assessment.
00:00 Welcome and Updates
01:07 Movie References Warmup
03:07 Why Preserve Gracie Jiu Jitsu
08:23 Invisible Jiu Jitsu Basics
09:49 Hickson Gracie Unite Launch
11:05 Making Self Defense Accessible
14:06 What Gets Lost Without It
15:17 Personal Story and Injuries
17:39 Jiu Jitsu Telephone Effect
21:04 Sport Growth and Realism
23:32 Sport and Self Defense Unity
30:52 Who Self Defense Is For
32:18 Training Is Not Fighting
33:08 Trauma Empathy On Mats
34:00 Why Rickson Matters
36:27 Good Person Boundaries
38:13 Honesty Ocean Metaphor
42:55 Teaching Kids Through Play
44:51 Belts Competition Context
46:49 Confidence For Daughters
49:28 Internet Backlash Tribalism
52:52 Open Hand Learning
55:24 Lose To Learn Timing
58:16 Preserving Hickson Legacy
01:00:38 Mats Are Contextual
01:01:57 RGU Links And Farewell
Jiu Jitsu Mindsets: Professor Juanta Wolf on Art, Fatherhood, Gym Culture & Competition
2026/08/28
Host Pete Deeley welcomes Professor Juanta "Tater" Wolf to discuss building a jiu jitsu life and academy while balancing family and community. Pete shares updates on the My Jiu Jitsu Journey app (including a new weight-loss component) and invites gym owners to carry Submission Coffee. Juanta explains that before jiu jitsu he focused on painting and murals, describing his style as therapeutic, abstract "Afro Cubism," and connects that improvisational approach to how he rolls and avoids rigid game plans. He credits becoming a father as the turning point that moved him from hobbyist to daily coach and eventual owner, bringing his son to the academy since four months old. Juanta recounts how he found his first gym through a graffiti painting encounter with coach Aaron, emphasizing serious training paired with fun, welcoming culture, and he shares his love of competition, a memorable injury match win, and a student moment when his cousin's daughter showcased jiu jitsu at a school talent show. He closes with where to follow Prairie Wolf Jujitsu online.
00:00 Welcome and Updates
01:32 Meet Professor Juanta
02:38 Art Before Jiu Jitsu
03:54 Flow State Training
05:25 Fatherhood and Ownership
09:26 Finding the First Gym
11:40 Building a Fun Culture
13:34 Why Compete
17:09 Injury and Breakthrough Win
20:07 Student Impact Story
22:05 Tater Man Nickname
22:42 Where to Follow and Farewell
Change, Initiation, and Jiu Jitsu as a Modern Mystery with Professor Jason Hawkins
2026/08/16
Change, Initiation, and Jiu Jitsu as a Modern Mystery with Professor Jason Hawkins
The host of The Jiu Jitsu Mindset welcomes Professor Jason Hawkins, promotes the My Jiu Jitsu Journey app's new weight-loss component, and mentions Submission Coffee's wholesale program for gym owners. They discuss change as deep transformation rather than habit tweaks, framing growth as transmuting suffering into consciousness and using a marathon "pain is inevitable, suffering is optional" story plus the Yoga Sutras' "now" as a call to seriousness when ordinary coping fails. They explore initiation as guided "death, burial, resurrection," historically tied to near-death clarity, with compassion distinguishing it from abuse, and note women are "initiated by nature" while men often need imposed rites. They relate initiation to martial arts as modern mystery schools: sacred space, gi/belt symbolism, told-shown-done learning, humility, trust, and moving from technique to principle and "no habit." They cover Nietzsche's camel-lion-child, three paths (hardship, self-study, surrender), boredom as a gatekeeper, devotion vs outcome-seeking, and responsibility as the warrior ethic.
00:00 Welcome and Updates
01:08 Meet Jason Hawkins
01:50 Why People Change
03:04 Pain vs Suffering Story
03:59 Yoga Sutras and Now
06:02 Transformation Not Habits
10:02 Gross to Subtle Path
13:32 What Is Initiation Today
16:35 Near Death and Rites
21:59 Pete's Grandfather Lesson
25:57 Mysteries and Three Steps
31:27 Nietzsche Camel Lion Child
36:21 Iron John Colors and Jiu Jitsu
38:22 Pick Your Moment
38:33 No Habit Mastery
38:46 Rolling With My Son
40:33 Skill Stages Explained
42:01 Mystery School Question
45:05 Sacred Space Rituals
48:13 False Danger Real Growth
52:00 Practice Reverence Discipline
54:16 Warrior Responsibility
01:01:03 Mystery Cannot Be Told
01:04:03 Miracles And Attention
01:05:57 Boredom Gatekeeper
01:08:16 Devotion Over Discipline
01:11:50 Closing Reflections
Coach Levi Frank (Super Billy Gilly!)| Developing Self-Belief Through Jiu-Jitsu
2026/08/07
Host Pete Deeley welcomes Coach Levi Frank to The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset, shares updates on Submission Coffee sponsoring the Momentum Martial Arts Competition Team and the ad-free My Jiu Jitsu Journey app, then explores how martial arts transformed Levi's life. Levi explains he lacked confidence before MMA/jiu-jitsu and was influenced by watching UFC, school bullying, and a difficult relationship with his older brother. He credits Professor Darian Cobon with changing his worldview and mindset, replacing false security with confidence built from training and work, helping him calm overthinking and improve daily life. Levi argues competition is necessary because it tests training and changes people mentally regardless of outcome. He recounts a memorable amateur MMA TKO against a striker, following Darian's guidance to secure mount and finish with ground-and-pound. Levi also describes the impact of teaching kids and seeing dramatic confidence and life changes in students, and jokingly adopts the nickname "Super Billy Gilly" for his love of the guillotine.
00:00 Welcome and Sponsors
01:14 Life Without Martial Arts
02:39 Bullying and Early Motivation
04:03 Coach Darian Mindset Shift
05:26 Confidence Beyond the Mats
08:55 Why Competition Matters
11:43 Most Memorable MMA Fight
14:35 Ring vs Schoolyard Violence
18:39 Teaching Kids and Raising Lions
21:21 Gym Transformations and Wins
23:54 Super Billy Gilly Name
24:39 Closing and Next Meetup
Professor Kenny Kim on Martial Arts as a Calling, Resilience and Rebuilding
2026/08/04
Host Pete Deeley welcomes back Professor Kenny Kim to discuss when martial arts became a lifelong path for him, starting at age four or five and realizing by high school he wanted a future in martial arts. Kim shares how training helped him overcome racism, bullying, and childhood shyness by building confidence and a desire to lead and teach, even while competing. He describes a major period of disillusionment in his late 20s/early 30s: business stress from running an academy since age 20–21, debt around $100,000, selling his academy for $100,000 to reset, briefly pursuing home inspection and then thriving as a personal trainer before returning to open a new school in 2006. Kim credits close teammates and world champions for shaping him and emphasizes humility, aging as a privilege, and giving back. He also previews Mat Made's expansion: matmade.com now hosts short stories and a large U.S. jiu-jitsu directory with 7,000+ listings and a rebooted, raw vlog-style academy-visit series.
00:00 Welcome and Sponsors
00:58 Kenny Kim Returns
01:48 Martial Arts Beginnings
03:47 Confidence Through Training
06:01 Competitor to Teacher
07:53 Burnout and Debt Spiral
11:39 Starting Over in 2006
14:53 Hustle and Self Learning
16:51 Brothers and Mentors
18:57 Legacy Humility Giving Back
21:52 Mat Made Directory Expansion
23:37 New Raw Vlog Series
25:14 Closing Thanks and Farewell
Damien Blotzke on Martial Arts: Life Pivots, Competitions, and Self-Mastery
2026/07/24
Damien Blotzke on Martial Arts as a Life Pivot, Competition, and Self-Mastery
Host Pete Deeley opens by promoting the Momentum Martial Arts competition team, joking about "submission coffee" as a performance enhancer, and announcing the ad-free My Jiu-Jitsu Journey app with a small monthly fee. He then interviews fighter Damien Blotzke, who says martial arts shaped his identity and gave him tools for learning, problem-solving, listening, and self-control. Blotzke describes being adopted by his brother Darian and moving to Nevada on short notice as a pivotal fork in the road that placed him in a strong learning environment and allowed him to pursue fighting. He cites Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings and discusses competition as mental, spiritual, and physical, emphasizing breathwork to quiet his inner critic and fight camp as preparation. He recounts memorable bouts, including his first amateur loss at 16, later success, and a five-round fight where he dominated. Deeley shares his own early competition experience and they discuss Momentum's supportive culture. Blotzke suggests the superhero name "Spike Elbow" and shares social links: dthekidmma and Momentum Martial Arts.
00:00 Welcome and Sponsors
01:24 Meet Damien Blotzke
02:18 Adoption and New Start
07:34 When Martial Arts Clicked
10:49 Musashi and Life Lessons
13:08 Competition and Inner Voice
16:56 Most Memorable Fights
20:17 Host Competition Story
24:21 Momentum Community Impact
27:43 Spike Elbow Superhero
28:52 Where to Follow Damien
29:26 Final Thanks and Wrap Up
The Might Mocifer! | Professor Mo Gobena on Fear, Community, and Competing: Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, and Life
2026/07/19
Host Pete Deeley welcomes Professor Mo Gobena to The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset, mentions sponsorship of Momentum Martial Arts Competition Team, Subscription Coffee, and the My Jiu-Jitsu Journey app. Mo shares how martial arts evolved for him from overcoming fear as a kid in dangerous 1990s Las Vegas after his family migrated from Africa, to athletics, and now community at age 40. He describes a formative lesson from hearing the John Diggins "circus bear jiu-jitsu" story about experimenting without fear of losing, and how that mindset shaped his approach beyond wrestling and boxing. Mo argues most practitioners should compete at least once or twice for stress inoculation and self-defense readiness, and recounts memorable MMA fights, including taking a last-minute heavier opponent and winning by TKO. He explains how competing helps coaches empathize with students, and highlights watching Damien, Coach Darian's brother, fall in love with jiu-jitsu. Mo also shares his nickname "Mighty Mocifer," his stand-up comedy hobby, and upcoming shows including the Savage Henry Comedy Festival.
00:00 Welcome and Sponsors
01:25 Meet Professor Mo
02:14 Martial Arts and Fear
05:00 Growing Up in Vegas
07:37 Learning to Experiment
11:39 Journey Over Belts
14:55 Why Compete
18:45 First MMA Fight Story
24:37 Coaching Through Competition
27:24 Student Success Damien
32:13 Mocifer Nickname
35:08 Comedy and Closing
La Cazadora (The Huntress): Cassidy Roblero's Martial Arts Journey
2026/07/12
Cassidy Roblero ("La Cazadora") on Martial Arts as an Outlet, Competition Mindset, and Building Confidence
On this episode of The Jiu Jitsu Mindset, the host shares updates on the My Jiu Jitsu Journey app (a zero-advertising, subscription-based jujitsu-only platform) and Submission Coffee sponsoring the Momentum Martial Arts Competition Team, then interviews Momentum athlete and coach Cassidy Roblero. Cassidy describes starting boxing at 14 and MMA/jujitsu/Muay Thai at 15 during a personal crisis, crediting martial arts with providing a healthy outlet, structure, community, and inner calm. She discusses mentorship from Coach Darian and how martial arts principles apply to life, reflects on women's growing opportunities in combat sports, and explains how competition tests skills and mindset under pressure. Cassidy recounts pivotal experiences from her first jujitsu competition and first MMA fight, emphasizing self-belief, resilience, honesty, and adapting technique for safety, and highlights the confidence gains she sees in kids who train. She shares her fight name, La Cazadora ("The Huntress"), where to follow her (Cass on the Mats), and notes she's rehabbing a neck/shoulder with hopes to fight in September or October.
00:00 Welcome and Updates
01:46 Meet Cassidy Roblero
02:40 Martial Arts Saved Me
04:09 Crisis to Calm
07:08 Coaches and Life Lessons
09:24 Women in Combat Sports
13:27 Why Compete
18:07 First MMA Fight Mindset
22:05 Confidence and Resilience
27:53 Kids Program Transformations
33:21 The Huntress Identity
34:11 Follow and Next Fight
Jiu Jitsu as a Life Pivot: Humility and Persistence | The Splendid Savage Professor Carlos Reyes
2026/07/07
Professor Carlos Reyes (Splendid Savage) on Jiu-Jitsu, Humility, Self-Defense, and Life Change
Host Pete Deeley welcomes Professor Carlos Reyes ("Splendid Savage") to The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset, promotes the My Jiu-Jitsu Journey social app and Submission coffee, and discusses how jiu-jitsu redirected Reyes' life away from trouble associated with his band years, alongside faith. Reyes describes being drawn in through punishing early experiences, including being repeatedly submitted by a much smaller blue belt, which taught humility and openness to learning. He recounts a DUI and time in jail that prompted a commitment to jiu-jitsu, and how competition can inoculate practitioners against stress, though it should not be forced. Reyes contrasts sport-focused training with self-defense principles, emphasizing "DNA" concepts like base, connection, leverage, and weight distribution. He shares a student's transformation—losing 70 pounds and gaining confidence—illustrating jiu-jitsu's off-mat impact, and closes with where to find him online.
00:00 Welcome and Announcements
01:42 Life Without Jiu Jitsu
04:31 First Roll Reality Check
06:58 Humility and Honest Growth
12:13 Jail Wake Up Call
15:37 Habits and Incremental Change
17:30 Why Compete at All
20:27 Competition as Stress Training
26:16 Most Memorable Rolls
29:10 Self Defense Awakening
30:40 Sport Gym Shark Tank
31:53 Choosing the Right Gym
37:36 Principles Over Moves
39:48 Embracing Failure and Time
43:47 Student Transformation Story
49:26 Virtuous Cycles and Lifestyle
51:21 Splendid Savage Identity
52:44 Wrap Up and Where to Find
Sensei George Rego on the Martial Arts Mindset: Be Difficult to Harm but Easy to Respect
2026/06/23
Host Pete Deeley welcomes listeners back to The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset, promotes subscription coffee and announces the new app "My Jiu-Jitsu Journey," then interviews Sensei George Rego about his lifelong martial arts path. Rego describes walking into an old, gritty dojo as a child and feeling instantly "at home," drawn to the combination of real physical capability and character, honor, and discipline—echoing Miyamoto Musashi's "twofold way" of sword and pen. He discusses the unique trust of training, the deep teacher-student bond, and the grief of losing his sensei. Rego shares lessons on discipline becoming self-discipline, navigating students who disappear, and his motivation for writing "The Founding of Jujutsu and Judo in America," including Teddy Roosevelt's ju jitsu connections. He concludes that a strong martial artist should be difficult to harm but easy to respect.
00:00 Welcome and Updates
01:05 Meet Sensei George Rego
02:01 Why Martial Arts
03:25 First Dojo Awakening
05:54 Quiet Strength Ideal
09:14 Twofold Way Mindset
13:21 Loss of a Sensei
15:02 Teacher Student Bond
19:08 Trust and Time on Mat
22:18 Students Who Disappear
23:44 Refocus on Students
25:07 Sensei Beyond Fighting
27:13 Systems and Discipline
29:14 Gravitas of a Master
31:05 Why Write the Book
33:53 Research and Roosevelt Dojo
35:05 Preserving Hidden Lineages
36:22 Where to Find the Book
36:57 Audiobook and Bestseller Run
38:33 Hard to Harm Easy Respect
Flow and Feel: Jiu-Jitsu Wisdom with Professor Darien Cobon
2026/06/13
Host Pete Deeley welcomes Professor Darien to discuss how lessons from jiu-jitsu transfer to life and how first principles, efficiency, and environment shape learning. Professor Darien emphasizes concepts over flashy techniques, urging beginners to build fundamentals like posture, base, weight distribution, and inside position so submissions become reliable and safer. They compare learning to surfing and chess, highlighting "time on the board," pattern recognition, and applying knowledge through feel rather than memory or forcing outcomes. The conversation explores mindset as staying connected to yourself, observing thoughts, avoiding reactive "shootouts," and seeking truth even when it means admitting you've lost a position. Darien shares experiences training with Howder and an unforgettable hour-long roll with Rickson Gracie, plus how adopting his younger brother helped transform his life into a fight-team leader and UFC Fight Pass competitor.
00:00 Welcome
01:12 Why Jiu Jitsu Transfers
02:50 Teaching Evidence First
03:59 Concepts Before Techniques
06:51 Building Safe Training Culture
08:52 Feel Versus Know
10:21 Fight Your Fight Principles
13:08 Mindset and Self Awareness
15:58 Mind as Radio Frequency
17:18 Teaching Inspiration and Metaphors
19:17 Coaching Focus Structure Weight
20:38 Educated Instincts
21:21 Invisible Jujitsu
23:25 Overthink Good Outcomes
25:34 Chess Like Calmness
28:53 Composure Under Pressure
30:51 Most Memorable Roll
35:26 Students Changed Lives
38:00 Calculated Nickname
38:45 Closing Thanks
Podcast reviews
Read The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset podcast reviews
Dky6785 2025/01/10
Thank you
I recently discovered this podcast and want to thank you for your work and words of encouragement. I tried a class at GB a couple years ago and never ...
Peace in Kenya 2024/08/19
So glad I found this!
This podcast is such a great resource for those practicing jiu jitsu! These practical and unique tips can really help improve your practice!
jack boyovich 2022/12/28
Great Podcast
I am absolutely loving this Podcast! I may be biased because I train at Gracie Barra Ocotillo, but Professor Lucas and Peter are both amazing people a...
Love Thy Podcaster 2022/11/14
Fascinating!
Not a sport I’m familiar with but man what an interesting listen!
nmnguyen7 2022/07/22
Fantastic podcast
Fantastic podcast put together by an all-around great guy. Peter is entertaining and insightful. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Peter and Prof Luca...
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