BJJ Mental Models

184
Wrestling #42

Your guide to a conceptual and intelligent Jiu-Jitsu approach.  BJJ black belt Steve Kwan and a slate of expert guests explain the concepts, strategies, and tactics behind the gentle art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Recent Episodes
  • Mini Ep. 45: Spaced Repetition
    Mar 13, 2025 – 10:24
  • Ep. 327: Perseverance, feat. Stephan Kesting
    Mar 10, 2025 – 56:44
  • Mini Ep. 44: Effortful Retrieval
    Mar 6, 2025 – 08:54
  • Ep. 326: Dropping In, feat. Rob Biernacki
    Mar 3, 2025 – 01:20:18
  • Mini Ep. 43: Interleaving
    Feb 27, 2025 – 07:20
  • Ep. 325: Economy of Motion, feat. Mike Mahaffey
    Feb 24, 2025 – 56:10
  • Mini Ep. 42: Body Tethering
    Feb 20, 2025 – 07:00
  • Ep. 324: Breaking Social Contracts, feat. Josh "Kintanon" Wentworth
    Feb 17, 2025 – 01:06:14
  • Mini Ep. 41: Redundancies
    Feb 13, 2025 – 10:12
  • Ep. 323: Collaborative Camps, feat. Josh "Kintanon" Wentworth & Jesse Walker
    Feb 10, 2025 – 56:48
  • Mini Ep. 40: Placeholders
    Feb 6, 2025 – 07:22
  • Ep. 322: Technique Zero, feat. Marc Ste-Marie
    Feb 3, 2025 – 54:58
  • Mini Ep. 39: Surface Area
    Jan 30, 2025 – 08:27
  • Ep. 321: Submission Series: The Woj Lock, feat. Chris Wojcik
    Jan 27, 2025 – 59:56
  • Mini Ep. 38: Ratchet Control
    Jan 23, 2025 – 06:06
  • Ep. 320: The Language of Injury, feat. Scott Fritzinger
    Jan 20, 2025 – 52:23
  • Mini Ep. 37: Rotational Control
    Jan 16, 2025 – 09:55
  • Ep. 319: 4 Pillars of Successful Gyms, feat. Eliot Marshall
    Jan 13, 2025 – 01:15:17
  • Mini Ep. 36: Waypoints
    Jan 9, 2025 – 07:10
  • Ep. 318: Still Not Nice, feat. Beatrice Jin
    Jan 6, 2025 – 54:22
  • Mini Ep. 35: Tokui Waza
    Jan 2, 2025 – 06:36
  • Ep. 317: Takedown Safety, feat. Max Schneider
    Dec 30, 2024 – 55:34
  • Mini Ep. 34: Zone of Genius
    Dec 26, 2024 – 08:45
  • Ep. 316: Content Overload, feat. Jake Luigi
    Dec 23, 2024 – 56:30
  • Mini Ep. 33: Layers of Strategy
    Dec 19, 2024 – 11:19
  • Ep. 315: Defensive Angles, feat. Priit Mihkelson
    Dec 16, 2024 – 01:04:46
  • Mini Ep. 32: Funneling
    Dec 12, 2024 – 09:00
  • Ep. 314: Reluctant Leadership, feat. Ken Postnikoff
    Dec 9, 2024 – 57:30
  • Mini Ep. 31: Asymmetric Warfare
    Dec 5, 2024 – 09:27
  • Ep. 313: Second-Level Coaching, feat. Fiona Geisinger
    Dec 2, 2024 – 01:10:36
  • Mini Ep. 30: Predictable Responses
    Nov 28, 2024 – 07:59
  • Ep. 312: Fulcrums, feat. Kelsey Carter
    Nov 25, 2024 – 01:00:38
  • Mini Ep. 29: Alignment Over Position
    Nov 21, 2024 – 08:38
  • Ep. 311: Complexity and Intensity, feat. Chris Paines
    Nov 18, 2024 – 01:11:36
  • Mini Ep. 28: Position Over Submission
    Nov 14, 2024 – 08:09
  • Ep. 310: Integrating Theory and Practice, feat. Aldo Vergel de Dios
    Nov 11, 2024 – 01:04:36
  • Mini Ep. 27: Inside vs. Outside Channel Control
    Nov 7, 2024 – 10:25
  • Ep. 309: Submission Series: The Anaconda Choke, feat. Drew Foster
    Nov 4, 2024 – 01:04:35
  • Mini Ep. 26: Crossing the Center
    Oct 31, 2024 – 07:22
  • Ep. 308: From Good to Great, feat. Jake O'Driscoll
    Oct 28, 2024 – 01:01:19
  • Mini Ep. 25: Hybrid Break Mechanics
    Oct 24, 2024 – 05:34
  • Ep. 307: Agents & Representation, feat. Sara Rafferty
    Oct 21, 2024 – 01:03:25
  • Mini Ep. 24: Slicer Mechanics
    Oct 17, 2024 – 07:39
  • Ep. 306: Tactics for Jiu-Jitsu Anxiety, feat. Amanda Bruse
    Oct 14, 2024 – 50:47
  • BONUS: My 7-Year-Old Explains Jiu-Jitsu to Your Dumb Ass. 🤣
    Oct 11, 2024 – 12:49
  • Mini Ep. 23: Rotational Break Mechanics
    Oct 10, 2024 – 10:43
  • Ep. 305: Common Coaching Language, feat. Rob Biernacki & Island Top Team
    Oct 7, 2024 – 01:03:23
  • Mini Ep. 22: Linear Break Mechanics
    Oct 3, 2024 – 09:22
  • BONUS: Why We Should Play the Sport, feat. Avery Lorenzato
    Oct 1, 2024 – 01:36:38
  • Ep. 304: Beer League Jiu-Jitsu, feat. Trey Hucks
    Sep 30, 2024 – 55:26
Recent Reviews
  • MMcDowell23
    Best BJJ podcast for learning
    This is the best BJJ podcast I’ve found that can help us as new BJJ practitioners. It is helpful to start with early episodes to get a basic groundwork for the concepts discussed throughout other episodes.
  • Old white belt
    Thank you
    Very good information to a new older white belt. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.
  • bbbbbassas
    Thank you
    Very informative
  • arandomlife4me
    A unique gift
    I haven’t found a bjj podcast like this and it is exactly what I’ve been wishing for. This podcast has amazing guests and the topics have helped me so much and have also helped me get in touch with amazing business owners. Can’t wait to hear more.
  • Freehatch
    Best BJJ podcast out there
    Great host. Great guests. Great topics. This should be on any practitioners regular listening list.
  • NachoTrader
    More and Louder
    This is really a 6-Star review. When I first came across this podcast, I couldn't believe it. Steve Kwan was not only willing to bring up toxic issues in the jiu-jitsu community but openly discuss them, the underlying problems, along with beneficial resolutions. His guests are well-spoken thought leaders in the sports world and bring insights into the concepts of teaching, learning, enjoying, staying safe, and participating in the world of jiu-jitsu. We need more people like Steve Kwan in the Jiu-Jitsu world. This has quickly turned into my favorite jiu-jitsu podcast and I can't wait to eventually listen to every single episode. Paul Kindzia - author of Master Jiu-Jitsu Master Life.
  • aland74
    Best BJJ Podcast
    As a female hobbyist, often times I feel like I am not the target audience of other BJJ podcasts. Steve’s approach to selecting guests and topics is a refreshing take. He is interviewing knowledgeable practitioners, regardless of gender, competition success, world medals, etc. Through the pandemic and my first pregnancy, the podcasts allows me to advance my game despite being off the mat.
  • Blck mamba
    Great Podcast
    I truly love listening to the weekly conversations about bjj concepts. It is less about learning techniques but more about understand why you are doing what you are doing! It is a great addition to my weekly trainings
  • Taicjc
    Best jujitsu podcast !
    Just came across this podcast this month. I am really enjoying the content since I have always been a fan of the conceptual approach to learning. This is a great way to work on your mental games and exploring new approaches. I have only listened to the first 10 episodes but have been able to apply the concepts immediately. Also great way to teach people new to grappling. Keep up the good work!
  • Sapien Boxing
    Accelerated Progress
    These guys and their conceptualizing of jiu jitsu have been such a great supplement to my gym training and I think they deserve a lot of credit for helping improve my understanding of the sport’s fundamentals and for accelerating my progress as a newer white belt
  • Kt12457865
    Best BJJ podcast
    The conceptual approach these guys take is extremely helpful. The podcasts on alignment and uke in particular have helped me as a white belt. A must listen if you want to sharpen your game as you are entertained. Also, Steve is one of the few voices trying to make BJJ as inclusive as possible. He works hard to empower everyone, and takes steps to make sure the podcast reflects that commitment (e.g. removing the Kilstein interview).
  • Gustav_Mauler
    One of the best BJJ podcasts out there.
    When I first started listening to this podcast, I must have gone back to the first five episodes about ten times each. Every episode is packed with such in-depth and useful knowledge that they merit repeated listening. Thank you both for sharing your knowledge.
  • Espn app jgaff
    My favorite BJJ podcast
    Love the content
  • KeiTee
    Excellent podcast!!!
    Great discussions and topics mixed in with intellectual conversations about Jiu Jitsu using mental models. Super glad I found this podcast. Matt and Steve are awesome hosts and really mesh well together. I like how they close the loop to reiterate what the main ideas are. Great content and valuable insights!
  • roidzrage1
    Love it
    Love the podcast, I really enjoy the conceptual approach.
  • yanoyawanit
    IT'S BRILLIANT
    Best bjj podcast I've come across. Just needs an ocassional dose of Bernacki for that BAM!
  • Bbbaaacccon
    Principles > Techniques
    This podcast has changed the way I approach training for BJJ. I find myself constantly reflecting on Base/Posture/Structure in a way I never have before. Thanks fellas!
  • CosinePiMinus1
    Probably the Best Podcast about BJJ
    Most podcasts talk about culture or do interviews. Not this one. Expect concepts and strategies which will help your game and change the way you look at the gentle art. I found myself pausing the episodes to take notes. I often talk with classmates about how to visualize or execute some of the models in this podcast. The only downside of this podcast is the audio quality. The levels are too low and I sometimes the speakers move too far from their microphones. Blue Yeti makes great inexpensive microphones and a pop filter wouldn’t be a bad idea. When I recorded podcasts we took the audio in audacity and met over a google meetup. Each person recorded their audio locally and then shared it in a Dropbox folder afterward. Later we spliced the audio together and synced it up using an audio queue at the end of the podcast like a countdown we did in sync. Now I’m rambling. But anyways Download this podcast and make your Jiu Jitsu better. Mine has definitely improved as well as my whole visualization of the art. Thanks guys for make a great podcast!
  • Terrance Hall
    This BJJ podcast is superior because...
    It has helped me to reorient my perspective so I may be a better student of principles, rather than techniques. The hosts are articulate and give thoughtful discussions and I find myself pausing and taking notes. Plus, they have a wordpress site with more information. I can honestly say the insights in the first episode were profound for me! Thank you for that. Terrance H.
  • jimmydiaz626
    The worse
    This has to be the most garbage of all Jiu Jitsu podcast.... sorry guys had to do that first,this is the best g-dam podcast about my beautiful art I’ve ever heard and I want it only for myself I quit my Facebook and gram just so I wouldn’t be tempted to share it plz keep it going until I’m too old to roll
  • BTLien
    Great content
    I’ve been waiting for a podcast that focuses on conceptual BJJ topics rather than interview or specific techniques. These fellas do an excellent job of discussing high level subjects that apply broadly to jiu jitsu development at all stages. I listen to episodes on my way to train and find it The audio quality could be better but it is definitely improving as they continue to publish episodes. I hope they keep going.
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