The Mental Arts

This title isn't totally there to game the algorithms... 

Dr. Valerie Worthington is a jiu jitsu black belt currently teaching and training in Gracie Humaita Philadelphia. I first "met" Valerie through her writing on Breaking Muscle and Inverted Gear blogs, where I admired her ability to weave together life and jiu jitsu principles to enrich the experiences of both. Her personality, which I would describe as pragmatic wittiness, is what makes her ideas so compelling for the jiu jitsu practitioner. In this podcast, we talk about her journey in jiu jitsu, her current calling in and out of the sport, and how to make the best of any tough situation.

Be proactive, be, be, proactive! 📚🔍

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Be on fire, but don't end up in flames 🚒

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Sometimes you're the hammer, and well, sometimes you're the one who hates cliche advice. 🤨

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If there was ever an experience on deep wisdom delivered with humor and grace, I would not be surprised if Jaime Montemayor was the main instructor. Since that fateful day in which I decided to take his advice on fixing my stand-up game (which is still in development), he has become a great friend and training partner to me. While we are no longer training together at the same academy due to life circumstances, I always look forward to corresponding and learning with him.  

In this episode, we discuss: 

• Why reality is not as rosy as the commercials would let you believe 
• The nuances of flow and the concept of "no mind" 
• What makes for a good drilling partner 🧐
• The difference between co-creation and co-discovery in the training experience 
• Why you (probably) should think twice about training with that injury
• How to be happy training no matter what

...And more!

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If you've ever wondered what it's like to be with a real-life mermaid...here's your chance.  Well, OK, not exactly...but I can guarantee that you'll love listening to this interview with Perri, one of my teammates who trained with me out of an academy in Washington DC. Perri has a wonderful sense of adventure that has spanned all across the world and now in Washington, DC, where she met me while we trained jiu jitsu. I love Perri for her spunk and spicy approach to life, which includes a healthy dose of laughter and lessons. 😊

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JIu jitsu brown belts are a unique breed. They seem to straddle the two worlds between the magical domain of black belts, and the dank purgatory of the blues and purples. 

But I can assure you that Travis Outten, or "TO" for short, is a pretty normal human being. I guess if you define "normal" as someone who can look at you emotionless while sweeping you 6 feet into the air, or asking vulnerable blue belts with a stony straight face: "Why did you let me arm drag you?" 

All higher rank gaslighting aside, this interview has great insights on TO's perspective with regards to staying calm in stressful situations, how to deal practically with size differences, and why you should always bring a gi everywhere you go (if we *ever* get to going places again, that is). 

Come for the sardonic humor, stay for the wisdom, and don't forget about the in-between. 

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Are you someone that people commonly think of as a jiu jitsu intellectual? Do you get hours and hours of enjoyment from watching footage, discussing technique strategy with your teammates, and theorizing on the most obscure aspects of the grappling arts?

Then do I have the guest for you. Evelyn Ting talks about what it's like to be a cerebral observer and practitioner in jiu jitsu. It's filled with a lot of questions, some answers, and a whole bunch of comments about the human condition.

While the sport is like a playground for an intellectually-curious individual like Evelyn, it also is not without its moments of insecurities and challenge. That's when we learn that even though we love cultivating our minds, we can also enhance our lives by taking care of our heart and spirit. 

The way that Evelyn sees the world is quite unlike the way that most of us see it. Listen to her carefully, you'll learn something new about yourself, others, and the world.

04:20 Enneagram and personality styles in BJJ
14:00 How Tracy met Evelyn and BJJ in college
22:00 Gyms and the differences between them
25:35 Qualities of good BJJ coaches and training partners
31:00 Ranks and learning from each other
34:50 Advice for new, smaller white belts
37:00 Failure in tech vs. BJJ

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To say that Jonah Cunningham is a comedian-philosopher would be an understatement. He has such a fun whimsical view of life combined with a seriousness and wisdom that anyone can benefit from. This podcast will take you on a journey of lessons learned from many years of training, as well as some hilarious anecdotes about what it means to be an adult. 

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Why is the blue belt the “puberty belt?” Well, at blue belt, you’re starting to grow in your technique, but you really don’t have control of your emotions, everyone is out to get you, and your body is changing (read: broken) all the time. In this interview, Beatrice Jin and I shoot the breeze on what it's like being a blue belt in jiu jitsu, why we won't shrimp unless forced, and the elements of a successful competitor.

Beatrice is a passionate Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and active in the BJJ competition circuit. She has medalled multiple times at IBJJF tournaments, including gold at the D.C. Open and bronze at the most recent Seattle Open. As an instructor, she works to bring the best out of students so that they can improve technically, mentally, emotionally, and athletically.

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