Gracie Jiu Jitsu Rocks! podcast
Welcome to the Gracie Jiu Jitsu Rocks! podcast, a podcast dedicated to Gracie Jiu Jitsu and all things Gracie, including self defense, competition, anti bullying, women's self defense and empowerment, nutrition, and most especially the people involved in GJJ..This podcast is for the average Joe; it's for anyone who practices, trains, teaches, or just loves to talk about or hear about Gracie Jiu Jitsu. We'll explore the lives of Gracie JJ practitioners, how they got involved with the art, and what effect it's had on their lives.

Priit Mihkelson is a BJJ black belt and world renowned instructor. He is known for his innovation of Jiu Jitsu techniques and strategies, and his think outside the box philosophy. In this interview Priit discusses his current travels/seminars, his popular Defensive Jiu Jitsu and how it got started and has evolved, trenches and transitions, how his work is misunderstood, training to keep from getting into positions/submissions vs training from worst positions, his Viking heritage and his upbringing in Estonia, his martial arts journey, his involvement in the BJJ Globetrotters camps, misconceptions of Jiu Jitsu, his family, and much more….



Direct download: GJJR_Podcast_EP_154_-_Priit_Mihkelson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:19pm EDT

Professor  Ryan Young, 3rd degree Kama Jiu jitsu Black Belt, discusses his current Annual Thanksgiving food basket drive, why he loves Texas, starting his journey in Hawaii and his time with Relson, Rickson’s impact and influence on him, his Jiu Jitsu philosophy, running techniques through the self defense screen, is GJJ a complete martial art, staying out of the red zone, injuries in Jiu Jitsu, his family, not waiting to start one’s Jiu Jitsu journey, Dave Kama, and the powerful impact he’s had on his life, and more!

Direct download: GJJR_Podcast_EP_153_Ryan_Young.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:40am EDT

 Karel “Silver Fox” Pravec, 4th degree Renzo Gracie black and owner of Silver Fox BJJ  discusses coming from Czechoslovakia and escaping to the to US, his introduction to Jiu Jitsu, training with Renzo and his relationship over the years, opening his own school and what it takes to succeed, His YouTube channel and live troubleshooting streams, his relationship with Firas Zahabi and appearing on the tri star gym channel, his favorite sub and/set up, the submission continuum, how you can continue to improve even if you’re the best guy at your gym, comparing old school JJ and the modern game, how Jiu Jitsu has come full circle, self defense vs competition, advice for older practitioners, the last time he was out of your comfort zone, what success means to him and more

Direct download: 152_GJJR_Podcast_EP_152_Karel__Silver_Fox__Pravec.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:15am EDT

Professor Bernado Faria is a 5X BJJ champion, owner of Bernardo Faria BJJ academy, and Co-founder of BJJ Fanatics. In this episode he discusses where he grew up and how he got started in Jiu Jitsu, training with instructors Ricardo Marques, Fabio Gurgel, and Marcelo Garcia,his mindset and training leading up to his championships, his favorite technique and set up, the most important thing needed to be successful in competition, developing mental toughness, his academy core values and mission, BJJ Fanatics - how it got started and how it’s grown to be what it is today, some of his favorite BJJ Fanatics instructors and what makes them so good, how to partner with BJJ fanatics, his upcoming camp, what makes his such a nice guy, his parents’  influence on him and his attitude, choosing happiness and the power of positivity, being authentic, biggest changes he’s seen in Jiu Jitsu over the years, Mark Zuckerberg doing Jiu Jitsu, the parallels of Jiu Jitsu and life, and more!



Direct download: 151_GJJR_EP_151_Bernardo_Faria.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:27pm EDT

In this episode we celebrate the life of 4th degree Pedro Sauer Black Belt Professor Keith Owen through the eyes of his family,  affiliates,  fellow instructors, the people who loved him. Keith Owen was an incredible man. He was an incredible teacher, mentor, friend, husband, father, and an amazing human being who impacted so many people’s lives. He left this life too early but he was a true example of the belief of “it’s not how many years you live but the amount of lives you touch while you’re here.”    Featured in this episode are Ari Kay, Rob Magao, Carrigan Owen, Josh Arentz, Karlton Rowe, Todd Richards, James Foster, Alex Owen, Jeff Walther, Mark Cukro, Master Pedro Sauer, and Shirlane Owen (and clips of Keith himself).



Direct download: 150_GJJR_EP_150_Keith_Owen_Tribute_Episode.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:33am EDT

Mark Schultz, olympic gold medal wrestler, UFC veteran, and Pedro Sauer black belt discusses Why he purposely threw the last match of the 1988 Olympics, Foxcatcher movie and why he didn’t like it, His book - Foxcatcher and the real story of Foxcatcher, His epic match with Rickson, How he got into UFC 9, Why he only fought in one UFC, Pedro Sauer’s epic fight against Lance Batchelor, What he learned from Master Sauer, His thoughts on Rickson’s fighting style, Cornering Tank Abbot in the UFC, His thoughts on wrestlers in the early UFCs, and much more!



Direct download: 149_GJJR_EP_149_Mark_Shultz.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:47pm EDT

Jamie Marich, Ph-d and Anna Pirkl, LMFT, authors of Healing Trauma with Jiu Jitsu, discuss what trauma is and how common it is, the toll it takes on our lives, how trauma shrinks our worlds, the link/relationship between addictions and trauma, importance of physical play, moving from victim mentality to warrior activist, the range of response in Jiu Jitsu and why Jiu Jitsu is can be so effective in healing trauma, what instructors should know about trauma and the trauma informed attitude, and more!




Rickson discusses  writing his book, how his philosophy about fighting has changed through the years, learning to fight without emotion, Representing the Gracie legacy, His early fights in Japan, the spirit of the samurai, being treated like a God in Japan, cold exposure, meditation and his fire ceremony during his fight prep, the incredible power of breathing/ breathwork, the importance of visualization, achieving “empty mind”, If he ever felt like he failed at anything, what he feels is his greatest accomplishment, cooperative versus aggressive environments for teaching/learning jujitsu, technology’s impact on people, The people that really need Jiu Jitsu, Ichi wan Ichi go - savoring the moment being present with no regrets, thoughts on modern BJJ, what’s next for him and what is mission is now, etc



Direct download: 147_GJJR_EP_147__Rickson_Gracie.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:52pm EDT

In this interview Ricardo discusses his academy and how it got it’s name, the special things going on in addition to Jiu Jitsu out of his academy, working with wounded veterans and some modalities that have helped him, what he learned from Navy frog men, the KB1 foundation working with PTSD and suicidal ideation, the incredible variety of high level people he’s trained with that have impacted his Jiu Jitsu,  his career in the Navy, his medical career, his wife Heidi who is also a black belt, his family, his business advice for academy owners, the importance of a mentor, his Jiu Jitsu philosophy including his competition philosophy and strategy,  the biggest impactors in his life, and knowing the totality of Jiu Jitsu.
Direct download: GJJR_Podcast_EP_146.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00pm EDT

Randy McElwee is a Pedro Sauer Black Belt and owner / director of GRACIE® Jiu Jitsu Athens - Team Pedro Sauer at American Black Belt Academy in Athens, GA

He also serves on the board of directors for the Pedro Sauer association. In this interview he discusses various subjects including going into the Army and straight to Special Forces; what it took to get through SF training and biggest lessons he learned in SF; early days of Jiu Jitsu and piecing things together with the old VHS tapes;  bringing Rorion in and learning Jiu Jitsu philosophy from him; getting his blue belt from Royce; driving 2 hours one way to train early in his jiu jitsu journey; Pedro Sauer’s impact on him;  opening and running his academy; the importance of spending time with his son and how Jiu Jitsu facilitates that; leadership, and the significance of a team; importance of realistic weapons training; serious but fun training; Going Commando-discovering your warrior type; feeling fear but not letting it own you; biggest impacts on his life; and the joy he’s experienced through Jiu Jitsu, and more…

Direct download: 145_GJJR_Podcast_EP_145_Randy_McElwee.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:35am EDT

EP 144 Rick Ellis is a Roy Dean Black belt and founder of The Art of Skill. In this interview he talks about being a musician in his youth; his nomadic lifestyle; early days at Roy Dean’s academy and Roy’s effect on him; training with Luis Heredia in Maui;  training with Alexey Cruz in Maine; where the name 3rd Way Jiu Jitsu came from; the inner challenges; success and self growth of opening a new academy; collaborating with Roy dean on his original you tube videos; what JJ has given him, and more!

Direct download: 144_GJJR_Podcast_EP_144._Rick_Ellis.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:41pm EDT

Ray Griffin, Pedro Sauer Black Belt and owner/head instructor of Griffin Jiu Jitsu Academy in Orem Utah, discusses his journey, including starting with karate and his grandfathers’ advice, How UFC 1 affected him, starting and training JJ with Pedro Sauer in Utah, his family and the parallels of  JJ and parenting, his academy and how it really is a family affair, empowering women,  situational awareness and self defense, importance of firearms training and safety, Griffin tactical, working in real estate and how Jiu Jitsu comes into play in this space, and his thoughts on getting older in Jiu Jitsu and how Jiu Jitsu is for everybody, and BJJ vs Gracie Jiu Jitsu, and more!

Direct download: 01_GJJR_Podcast_EP_143_Ray_Griffin.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:39pm EDT

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