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The Art of Fear and Embracing Vulnerability in Jiu Jitsu
Fear and jiu jitsu go hand in hand. Fear of signing up for a martial art. Fear of looking weird in a Gi. Fear of looking stupid while you’re training. Fear of injury to yourself or others. What exactly are YOU afraid of? Signing Up When I first signed up for jiujitsu, I was quite…
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The Submission Only Downtown Showdown in Leg Lock City
Why did I sign up for a competition that is submission only? Why did I sign up for a competition that allows all leg locks except for heel hooks? Why did I sign up for a competition that allows mouth and nose smothering by hand? Why did I sign up for a competition that allows…
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Book Review: Jiu Jitsu 201 From Blue to Black and Back to White by Ricardo
Congratulations! You are now a new BJJ blue belt. I bet you’re thinking, “now what?” I recently wrote a post where I go into detail about what I am expecting myself to do now that I have a blue belt. You can read that here. Today I want to share with you a book I…
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Got Your Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Now What?
So you got your blue belt, now what? This post is sort of a companion post to this one https://downculture.com/2023/04/10/how-i-became-a-blue-belt-in-brazilian-jiu-jitsu/ – kind of like a part 2. As a white belt you were told to just “keep showing up” and to defend and survive. Well, you kept showing up, defended like your life depended on…
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How I Became a Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
As the story goes, most people don’t do jiujitsu, and people who do end up joining, don’t make it to blue belt. And then once they do make it to blue belt, end up quitting. Why is that? Why do most white belts quit before they get their blue belt or quit when they get…
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Getting Your Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
I had a big dumb smile on my face on the ride home after practice. Then I thought to myself “wait a minute, now you have to compete in the blue belt division oh sh*t.” There was something in the air that night at the JiuJitsu gym. I noticed I was successfully sweeping more. I…
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How to Sign Up for a Free Trial Jiu Jitsu Class and What to Expect on Your First Day at a BJJ Gym
After reading my last blog post, I have successfully convinced you, with my incredible hypnotic powers of persuasion, to join a free trial jiu jitsu class. Now you want to see what all the fuss is about. You want to know why everyone is having so much fun without you. Don’t worry, I got you.…
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I will convince you to go to a free trial jiu jitsu class
Imagine yourself, walking around with confidence, your chest sticking out, your shoulders back, your head high, your stride strong. As you walk by other people, they notice the smirk on your face, a tiny grin that suggests you know something they don’t, an inside joke or a secret that they wish they knew. The people…
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Appearance on The Heuristic Podcast
At the beginning of January 2023, on a cozy winter Sunday morning, I was interviewed on a podcast about my past substance abuse, life, and jiu jitsu. It was more a conversation then it was an interview. Mike made the conversation flow easily and I could have chatted for another hour. Sometimes you can underestimate…
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8 Match BJJ Competition Extravaganza AND Why Getting Your Ass Kicked is a Great Way to Test Yourself
Ever since I competed in that eight match extravaganza (it was actually seven, but I’ll get into that later), I’ve been wanting to write about it but for some reason, I haven’t had the urge to write it. Wanting to write about it and not being able to find the words, sucks. Since re-purposing this…
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