BJJ Mental Models

In this week's mini-episode we explain one of the most commonly discussed mental models in Jiu-Jitsu: position over submission.  This concept teaches us that it's often better to maintain position than risk losing it by hunting for submissions.  This episode explains the reasoning behind "position over submission," as well as the exceptions.

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


Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!

If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game.  We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.

Sign up here for a free trial:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

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https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/

Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/

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This week we're joined by Aldo Vergel de Dios!  Aldo is the black belt head coach at Motion Jiu-Jitsu in Metro Manila, Philippines.  In this episode, Aldo discusses a problem relevant to students and coaches alike: how to integrate conceptual Jiu-Jitsu thinking with on-the-ground practice.

Follow Aldo on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/aldojitsu

Train with Aldo at Motion Jiu-Jitsu:
https://www.motionjiujitsu.com/


Resources discussed in this episode:

BJJMM Ep. 162: The Language of Coaching, feat. Nick Winkelman
https://bjj.plus/162


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Concepts Over Techniques
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques/
  
  
• Constraints-Led Approach
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach/
  
  
• Cognitive Load
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/cognitive-load/
  
  
• Ecological Dynamics
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-dynamics/
  
  
• Inside Channel Control
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/inside-channel-control/
  
  
• Probabilistic Thinking
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/probabilistic-thinking/
  
  
• Invariants
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/invariants/
  
  
• Incremental Learning
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/incremental-learning/
  
  
• Self-Organization
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-organization/
  
  
• Phases of Guard
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/phases-of-guard/
  
  
• Curse of Knowledge
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/curse-of-knowledge/
  
  
• Psychological Safety
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/psychological-safety/
  
  
  

Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!

If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game.  We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.

Sign up here for a free trial:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/

Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/

Follow us on social:
https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/

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

In this week's mini-episode we discuss two important and related concepts: inside channel control and outside channel control.  Inside channel control refers to taking the inside route around your opponent's weapons, such as going under or between their legs as you'd do with X guard.  Outside channel control refers to taking the outside route around your opponent's weapons, such as outside hook / de la Riva guard, closed guard, and matrix back takes.

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


Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!

If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game.  We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.

Sign up here for a free trial:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/

Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/

Follow us on social:
https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/

This week we're joined again by Drew Foster!  Best known as u/darce_knight on Reddit and @drewdarce on Instagram, Drew is a black belt instructor at Elevate MMA in North Carolina, the host of The Neon Belly Podcast, and the host of the State of the Meta podcast on BJJ Mental Models Premium.  In this episode, Drew breaks down the mechanics behind the anaconda choke.

Follow Drew on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/drewdarce

Listen to Drew on The Neon Belly Podcast:
https://theneonbelly.buzzsprout.com/

Buy Drew's instructionals on the d'arce and anaconda choke:
https://darcedynamics.com/


Resources discussed in this episode:

BJJMM Ep. 136: The Anaconda System, feat. Matt Skaff
https://bjj.plus/136

BJJMM Ep. 169: Submission Series: The D'Arce Choke, feat. Drew Foster
https://bjj.plus/169


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Limb Coiling
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/limb-coiling/
  
  
• Alignment Over Position
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/alignment-over-position/
  
  
• Position Over Submission
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/position-over-submission/
  
  
• Body Tethering
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/body-tethering/
  
  
• Concepts Over Techniques
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques/
  
  
• Overwhelming Force
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/overwhelming-force/
  
  
• Asymmetric Warfare
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/asymmetric-warfare/
  
  
• Gamification
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification/
  
  
• Myopia
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/myopia/
  
  
• Single vs. Double Lever Control
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/single-vs-double-lever-control/
  
  
  

Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!

If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game.  We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.

Sign up here for a free trial:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/

Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/

Follow us on social:
https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/

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

In this week's mini-episode we're talking about crossing the center, an ancient mental model that appears in many martial arts beyond Jiu-Jitsu — and for good reason!  The "center line" refers to an imaginary line running down the middle of your body, where your spine is.  Forcing your opponent to "cross the center," or pass their arm or leg across the center line of their body, is a surefire way to break their posture and structure.


Further study:

BJJMM Mini Ep. 1: Base
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/15022850-mini-ep-1-base

BJJMM Mini Ep. 2: Posture
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/15078064-mini-ep-2-posture

BJJMM Mini Ep. 3: Structure
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/15121901-mini-ep-3-structure

BJJMM Mini Ep. 4: Alignment
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/15154544-mini-ep-4-alignment

BJJMM Mini Ep. 5: The Alignment Scorecard
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/16022574-mini-ep-26-crossing-the-center

Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki (exclusively on BJJMM Premium)
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/

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


Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!

If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game.  We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.

Sign up here for a free trial:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/

Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/

Follow us on social:
https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/

This week we're joined by Jake O'Driscoll!  Jake is the black belt head coach at Essence BJJ in Perth, Australia.  Best known for coaching Adele Fornarino to her incredible 2x ADCC 2024 World Championship win, Jake is also an accomplished competitor in his own right, having just won the IBJJF 2024 Pan Pacific No-Gi Heavyweight Championship in Masters 1.  In this episode, Jake shares lessons on crossing the gap from good to great, and what separates the best in the world from the other outstanding grapplers in the sport.

Follow Jake on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/jakeod_essencebjj

Learn from Jake on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=112559996


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Extreme Ownership
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/extreme-ownership/
  
  
• Zone of Genius
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/zone-of-genius/
  
  
• Compartmentalization
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/compartmentalization/
  
  
• Habits Over Results
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/habits-over-results/
  
  
  

Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!

If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game.  We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.

Sign up here for a free trial:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/

Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/

Follow us on social:
https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/

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

In this week's mini-episode we finish our series of discussions on the different types of breaking mechanics in Jiu-Jitsu!  This episode explains hybrid breaks, or submissions that combine multiple breaking mechanics such as linear breaks, rotational breaks, and slicers.  Hybrid breaks are often more powerful than those relying on a single breaking mechanic.

(A note on terminology: a "break" as described here is technically more of a "tear," as you're not breaking bone, you're tearing soft tissue.  However, we'll use the term "break" as it's the more commonly accepted and understood term in Jiu-Jitsu.)

Before you listen to this episode, check out:

Mini Ep. 21: The 3 Joint Rule
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/15817572-mini-ep-21-the-3-joint-rule

Mini Ep. 22: Linear Break Mechanics
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/15860578-mini-ep-22-linear-break-mechanics

Mini Ep. 23: Rotational Break Mechanics
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/15901564-mini-ep-23-rotational-break-mechanics

Mini Ep. 24: Slicer Mechanics
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/15940713-mini-ep-24-slicer-mechanics

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


Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!

If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game.  We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.

Sign up here for a free trial:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/

Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/

Follow us on social:
https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/

This week we're joined by Sara Rafferty!  Sara is the agent and manager for Jiu-Jitsu standouts like Adele Fornarino, Brianna Ste-Marie, and Jake O'Driscoll.  In this episode, Sara shares her advice on how athletes can leverage agents, managers, and representation to negotiate better sponsorships and fight contracts in Jiu-Jitsu.

Follow Sara Rafferty on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/a_rafferty

Follow Carolina Vallejo on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/carovallejojj

Resources discussed in this episode:

Getting to Yes, by Roger Fisher & William Ury
https://amzn.to/3YxuU6n


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• The Golden Rule
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/golden-rule/
  
  
• Timeframe Paradox
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/timeframe-paradox/
  
  
• Abundance Mindset
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/abundance-mindset/
  
  
• Trading Up
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/trading-up/
  
  
• Anchoring Bias
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/anchoring-bias/
  
  
• Self-Competition
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/
  
  
  

Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!

If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game.  We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.

Sign up here for a free trial:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/

Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/

Follow us on social:
https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/

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

In this week's mini-episode we continue our series of discussions on the different types of breaking mechanics in Jiu-Jitsu!  This episode explains slicers, a submission that usually targets the bicep or calf, and discusses why these submissions may be underused due to IBJJF ruleset restrictions.

(A note on terminology: a "break" as described here is technically more of a "tear," as you're not breaking bone, you're tearing soft tissue.  However, we'll use the term "break" as it's the more commonly accepted and understood term in Jiu-Jitsu.)

Before you listen to this episode, check out:

Mini Ep. 21: The 3 Joint Rule
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/15817572-mini-ep-21-the-3-joint-rule

Mini Ep. 22: Linear Break Mechanics
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/15860578-mini-ep-22-linear-break-mechanics

Mini Ep. 23: Rotational Break Mechanics
https://podcast.bjjmentalmodels.com/243161/episodes/15901564-mini-ep-23-rotational-break-mechanics

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


Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!

If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game.  We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.

Sign up here for a free trial:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/

Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/

Follow us on social:
https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/

This week we're joined again by Amanda Bruse!  Amanda is a black belt under André Galvão training out of Atos HQ and a BJJ Mental Models sponsored athlete.  In this episode, we continue the topic from Amanda's last appearance: how to manage the anxiety that comes with Jiu-Jitsu competition.  Amanda presents specific, evidence-backed tactics for managing Jiu-Jitsu anxiety for athletes of all levels.

Follow Amanda on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/amandabruse.bjj/


Resources discussed in this episode:

BJJMM Ep. 210: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, feat. Dr. David Ley
https://bjj.plus/210

BJJMM Ep. 218: Overcoming Competition Anxiety, feat. Amanda Bruse
https://bjj.plus/218

Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence, by Gary Mack & David Casstevens
https://amzn.to/4dOPNiK

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Dr. Carol Dweck
https://amzn.to/4eFfG5L

The Power of your Subconscious Mind, by Dr. Joseph Murphy
https://amzn.to/3NnVGbX

Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment, by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn
https://amzn.to/3Y6cadB


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/
  
  
• Visualization
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/visualization/
  
  
• Controlled Breathing
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlled-breathing/
  
  
• Mindfulness
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/mindfulness/
  
  
• Law of Contrast
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/law-of-contrast/
  
  
• Reflecting "As If"
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/reflecting-as-if/
  
  
• Staying Loose
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/staying-loose/
  
  
• Growth Mindset
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/growth-mindset/
  
  
  

Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!

If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game.  We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.

Sign up here for a free trial:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/


Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get tips, tricks, and breakthrough insights from our newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter/

Get nitty-gritty details on our mental models from the full database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database/

Follow us on social:
https://facebook.com/bjjmentalmodels/
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels/

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