In this week's mini-episode, we discuss table selection: a concept from poker teaching us that choosing the right environment greatly increases our odds of success.

Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro


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MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:
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This week, we're joined by Todd Richards! Todd is a black belt under the great Keith Owen, who tragically passed away in 2022. In this episode, Todd shares his experience building atop and evolving an existing curriculum, sharing stories from how a group of Keith Owen's black belts took over gym instruction following his passing.

Find Todd online at Flow Frame Jiu-Jitsu:
https://flowframejiujitsu.com

Train with Todd at Team Rhino Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Meridian, Idaho:
https://teamrhinoidaho.com


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Technique Chaining
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-chaining
  
  
• Labeling
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/labeling
  
  
• Goodhart's Law
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/goodharts-law
  
  
• Invariants
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/invariants
  
  
• Third Place
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/third-place
  
  
  

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https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

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https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

Music by Enterprize:
https://enterprize.bandcamp.com

⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!

MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

In this week's mini-episode, we discuss opening salvos: the tactics and strategies you use when entering into an engagement. Ensuring your opening salvo is successful helps tremendously for standup and the engagement phase of guard.

Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro


⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!

The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:
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Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

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https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!

MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

This week, we're joined again by Nick Volpe from Dark Bear Jiu-Jitsu! In this episode, Nick breaks down a very holiday-relevant technique: the gift wrap!

Follow Nick on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/darkbeardojo

Train with Nick at Dark Bear Jiu-Jitsu in Staten Island, NY:
https://darkbearjiujitsu.com


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Crossing the Center
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/crossing-the-center
  
  
• Priit's 45° Rule
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/priits-45-degree-rule
  
  
• Predictable Responses
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/predictable-responses
  
  
• Center of Gravity
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/center-of-gravity
  
  
• Asymmetric Warfare
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/asymmetric-warfare
  
  
• Probabilistic Thinking
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/probabilistic-thinking
  
  
  

⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!

The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:
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Need more BJJ Mental Models?

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https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

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https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

Music by Enterprize:
https://enterprize.bandcamp.com

⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!

MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

In this week's mini-episode, we discuss the importance of doing what works. If a) you can do it against good opponents, b) you can do it repeatedly, and c) it aligns with your goals, then it's a good technique regardless of what anyone else says.

Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro


⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!

The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

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https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

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https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

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https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
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⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!

MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

This week, we're joined by Nick Salles! Nick is a black belt under Mikey Musumeci and co-founder of Movement Art Jiu-Jitsu. In this episode, Nick discusses epistemic humility: a scientific philosophy reminding us that our knowledge is always incomplete. Topics include: democratic learning environments, creating conditions for exploration, constraints-led training, recoverable vs. unrecoverable errors, gym culture, and the limits of AI in skill acquisition.

Follow Nick on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thatnicksalles

Train with Nick at Movement Art Jiu-Jitsu in Warminster, PA:
https://www.movementart.online

Learn online with Nick at Movement Art Online:
https://movementartonline.com



Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Silver Bullet Fallacy
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/silver-bullet-fallacy
  
  
• Growth From Discomfort
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/growth-from-discomfort
  
  
• Zone of Proximal Development
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/zone-of-proximal-development
  
  
• Reframing
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/reframing
  
  
• Self-Organization
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-organization
  
  
• Recoverable vs. Unrecoverable Errors
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/recoverable-vs-unrecoverable-errors
  
  
• Discipline Equals Freedom
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/discipline-equals-freedom
  
  
• Effortful Retrieval
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/effortful-retrieval
  
  
  

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https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
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Music by Enterprize:
https://enterprize.bandcamp.com

⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!

MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

In this week's mini-episode, we discuss the certainty heuristic: the natural human tendency to prefer answers that offer a simple, easy solution... even if that solution is wrong.

Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro


⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!

The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:
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Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

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https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!

MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

This week, we're joined by Thomas and Phillip Barreiro! They're both Division 1 wrestlers and multi-time Canadian national champions, plus the operators of Good Mind Grappling: an organization using wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu to address youth trauma. In this episode, Thomas and Phillip break down their "lazy wrestling" framework. They explain how effective stand-up grappling doesn’t require explosiveness, but instead relies on frames, hand fighting, pressure, and positional control. This episode reframes wrestling for Jiu-Jitsu athletes seeking safer, more sustainable ways to stay on top and dictate the match.

Support Good Mind Grappling:
https://goodmindgrappling.com

Follow Good Mind Grappling on social:
https://facebook.com/goodmindgrappling
https://instagram.com/goodmindgrappling

Join the Lazy Wrestling mailing list:
https://lazywrestling.com


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Inside Channel Control
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/inside-channel-control
  
  
• Controlling the Distance
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlling-the-distance
  
  
• Core Mechanics
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/core-mechanics
  
  
• Grips Dictate Position
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/grips-dictate-position
  
  
• Opening Salvos
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/opening-salvos
  
  
• Asymmetric Warfare
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/asymmetric-warfare
  
  
  

⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!

The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
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Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

Follow us on social:
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

Music by Enterprize:
https://enterprize.bandcamp.com

⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!

MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

In this week's mini-episode, we discuss the importance of probabilistic thinking: viewing Jiu-Jitsu as a game of probabilities where your goal is to create (and maintain) the greatest possible chance of success.

Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro


⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!

The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

Follow us on social:
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!

MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

This week, we're joined by Jesse Phillips! Jesse is a BJJ black belt under Brian Johnson and the head coach at Gentle Giant Jiu-Jitsu. In this episode, Jesse explores burnout in martial arts and real life, often caused by the crushing weight of personal expectations that we place upon ourselves.

Follow Jesse on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/gentlegiantjiujitsu

Train with Jesse at Gentle Giant Jiu-Jitsu in Seattle, WA:
https://www.gg-jj.com


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Survivorship Bias
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/survivorship-bias
  
  
• Self-Competition
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition
  
  
• Compartmentalization
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/compartmentalization
  
  
• Keep Your Identity Small
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-your-identity-small
  
  
• Stress and Recovery
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/stress-and-recovery
  
  
  

⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!

The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

Follow us on social:
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

Music by Enterprize:
https://enterprize.bandcamp.com

⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!

MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta