Author Archives: byronjabara

Epi 319 Alia Garcia-Valadez

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Alia is a 39 year old blue belt and an active competitor. She started doing kickboxing and eventually started doing BJJ. She is also a teammate of our very own Joe Thomas.

Alia getting Silver at master worlds (after the interview was recorded)

We talk about:

  • Her start to martial arts
  • Dealing with health issues that resulted in a stroke or TIA
  • Changing her training to protect against future medical issues
  • Making goals to get fit
  • Promoting women’s Jiu-Jitsu
  • Taking a role as a “Team Mom”
  • Networking at tournaments
  • Training with smaller teammates
  • Having fun while training
  • Advice for a first tournament
  • Changing her mindset for a tournament
  • Self talk before a tournament

Links:

Quote of the week:”Persistence overshadows even talent as the most valuable resource shaping the quality of life.” Tony Robbins

Article of the week: Is Jiu-Jitsu Training Violent?

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Epi 318 An Amazing Journey with Stephan Kesting

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We talk about:

  • His start with martial arts
  • His first experiences with grappling
  • Starting Grapplearts.com
  • Getting a life saving kidney transplant from his brother
  • Doing his 1000 mile canoe expedition
  • Some of the tools he carried
  • Dealing with difficult weather
  • Jiu-jitsu training tips
  • Building a big gas tank for the mats
  • Being a problem solver
  • Dealing with the dangers of the water
  • Dealing with isolation
  • Staying safe when bears are near
  • The cost of a big trip like this
  • Pushing your limits

Links:

Quote of the week: The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. Walt Disney

Article of the week: Be A Better Coach by Not Instructing Your Students

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Epi 317 Living the Dream Nick Unander

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This is our second interview with Black Belt Nick Unander. You will find Nick training and teaching in Paralimni Cyprus. Nick had a recent health scare and he updates us on his story and shares much wisdom about his continued BJJ journey.

We talk about:

  • Teaching BJJ in Cyprus
  • Having tourist train in his academy
  • Dealing with a recent health scare
  • The roles of a coach
  • Making adjustments to his workouts
  • Changing his diet to be more healthy
  • His plans for travel
  • What should new students be working on?
  • Training in a difficult environment
  • Training on a tight schedule
  • Advice for starting BJJ as an older student

Links:

Quote of the week: “Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.” ―W. Clement Stone

Question of the week: As a blue belt, I am going to try no-gi for the first time, any tips?

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for AndriodThis entry was posted in Uncategorized by byronjabara. Bookmark the permalink.

Epi 316 Top Level Competitor Dante Leon

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This week we have an interview with Dante Leon. We cover everything from getting ready for ADCC to tips for the listeners.

We talk about:

  • Training both gi and no-gi
  • Training with specific rules in mind
  • Training for a particular person or training to take on a bracket
  • Kicking in the door of the black belt division
  • Staying healthy and lifting weights
  • Training around injuries
  • Training for professional vs recreational
  • Getting your mind and body ready for peak performance
  • The importance of his team
  • Training smart
  • Tips for lifting to get better at BJJ

Links:

Quote of the week: “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” -Napoleon Hill

Article of the week: The Gentle Art of Choking

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for AndriodThis entry was posted in Uncategorized by byronjabara. Bookmark the permalink.

Epi 315 One Month of Training in One Day

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This week we hope to help you accelerate your BJJ training. Every now and then you have a day on the mat that produces great growth. We talk about days we have had like this and help you to create more of them for yourself.

Byron, Gary, and Joe

We talk about:

  • Is it possible to experience one month of growth in one day
  • Attending seminars
  • Increasing your training
  • What to do before class to help you have a great class
  • Preparing for a seminar
  • Creating better training days
  • Having great training partners
  • Learning from teaching BJJ
  • Taking a private lesson
  • How instructors create accelerated learning
  • Gary doing better vs the kids class

Quote of the week: “You got to go down a lot of wrong roads to find the right one” Bob Parsons co-founder of godaddy

Comment of the week: “One thing jiu-jitsu has taught me for life is, when you are under tons of pressure, always keep in mind to breathe and not panic, cause there is always a window to change your outcome. Learn that no matter how hard the struggle is in that moment, when you see the opportunity present itself, learn from the struggle and enjoy the outcome.” Chris from the BjjBrick private FB group

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Epi 314 Atos Black Belt Nikki Sullivan

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This week we have an interview with Atos Black Belt Nikki Sullivan. Nikki has a wealth of information and her down to earth style is great to hear in the interview.

We talk about:

  • Writing for Belt 2 Belt and Yoga for BJJ
  • Starting martial arts at her college
  • Doing her first BJJ competition
  • Making a change to do BJJ full time
  • Getting her black belt
  • The value of her coaches and teammates
  • Trusting your coach
  • Internal dialog for BJJ
  • Keeping a positive attitude
  • Using movies and music to change your mood
  • When to take time off

Links:

Quote of the week: “A good firefighter knows how, an educated firefighter knows why.” Chris Walker

Article of the week: How do you drag yourself out of the BJJ slump

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Epi 313 Masters 7 Purple Belt Dave Brown

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This week we have in interview with 61 year old purple belt Dave Brown. Dave has had several live changing results from BJJ. This interview Dave shares his story of weight loss and success on the competitive mats.

We talk about:

  • His start to BJJ after watching his son in a tournament
  • His wrestling background
  • How BJJ got his health going in the right direction
  • Working with his doctor to be safe with his training
  • His off the mat training of weights and running
  • Competing as a blue belt
  • Getting his purple belt
  • Training with his son
  • Dealing with being sore and injuries
  • His goals for Masters Worlds
  • Doing at least one tournament a month
  • The advantage of his schedule

Links:

Quote of the week: “The fire service is 150 years of tradition unimpeded by progress.” Old fire saying

We answer a question about what someone who has been training for about a year should be working on.

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for AndriodThis entry was posted in Uncategorized by byronjabara. Bookmark the permalink.

Epi 312 Learning while rolling

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In this episode we talk about one of the most important things to learning BJJ efficiently. You need to be learning while you roll. We share a bunch of tips for a variety of situations.

We talk about:

  • Tips for rolling while you are new
  • Training with someone that has much more skill
  • Looking at common things in your defeats
  • Giving advice while rolling
  • Asking questions while rolling
  • Keeping a good attitude

Quote of the week: “Take the wood and make one of your own” Donatello

Article of the week: Top 5 Taboo Topics in BJJ

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for AndriodThis entry was posted in Uncategorized by byronjabara. Bookmark the permalink.

Epi 311 How Training BJJ Saved Josh Myers

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This week we have an interview with Josh Myers. Josh credits BJJ with being a part of surviving cancer.

We talk about:

  • His start to BJJ
  • Getting a cut inside his mouth from hard training
  • Getting diagnosed with cancer
  • Getting skin grafts
  • Putting stress on your body
  • Other health benefits of BJJ
  • Tap Cancer Out
  • How to help a friend that has cancer

Links: Josh shares his story here

Quote of the week: “Time is a vindictive bandit to steal the beauty of our former selves. We are left with sagging, rippled flesh and burning gums with empty sockets.” Raphael

Q&A What is the first top dominant position i should work on?

Your-First-Year-Of-BJJ-artwork-1199

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod