This isn’t meant to be discouraging, but I want to take a minute to be real with you. Not every lesson in jiu-jitsu is sunshine and rainbows. At least, it’s not dressed that way. Two of my favorite things that are part of what make jiu-jitsu what it is. 1) There are no lies on...Read More

Why a Fundamentals Class? I wanted to write a post answering some of the (many) questions that I’ve gotten regarding the implementation of our Fundamentals Class.The primary goal of this class is to give the brand new student a starting point, and the more experienced students a degree of separation.  Toddlers need space to learn...Read More

Man. There’s getting to be a ton of options for jiu-jitsu training. It seems like a new school opens at least quarterly. So, as the prospective student, how do you know which one to choose? I’ll give you some ideas on what I think it’s important to look for when choosing a place to train....Read More

Every time you watch a combat sports match about to start, what does the referee say? “Protect yourself at all times”That’s one of the first rules of any combat sport.They don’t say “make sure you don’t hurt the other guy”. They say that YOU should protect YOURSELF at all times.What does that mean though? Have...Read More

I had a request to write a blog post on making the jiu-jitsu academy environment a more comfortable place for women. Being as I’m not a woman, I thought the best place to gain perspective on that was to ask one. The following is a guest post sharing some thoughts on the subject. The author...Read More

Here are some things that will help you get into the groove of the room a little more smoothly, if you are new to jiu-jitsu. First thing – Ask a ton of questions. You have no idea what’s supposed to be going on or what you should be doing. The path away from ignorance is...Read More

My Coach would remind us periodically that the most important person in the room wasn’t you. It was your training partner, because without them, you don’t get to train. The most important group in the room? The white belts. Jiu-jitsu is really tough to learn on your own, as most of us have found out...Read More

Sometimes this question comes up, and sometimes I can tell people are trying to ask about this without sounding impolite. Folks who aren’t all that familiar with jiu-jitsu run across a short video clip of someone demonstrating a technique where they end up standing on their head, and the viewer gets curious. Sometimes (…sometimes), I...Read More

Personal Defense training is probably one of the most contested subjects that two people could get into. Some people say it’s not necessary at all, and some people think you have to be Super Ninja 6000 and have a backpack full of tools to go to the grocery store. Like most things, the answer is...Read More

It’s no secret that I love Jiu-jitsu. So much so, that I really do think it has room for everyone and whatever their pursuits and goals are, whether that be the sport, the martial art, or using jiu-jitsu as a general physical outlet. I do, however, have a frustration. It’s more of a frustration that...Read More