This week we're joined again by Priit Mihkelson!  In this episode, Priit reveals something surprising about the way he runs his gym: he teaches submissions first!  This is pretty funny and surprising coming from "the Defensive BJJ guy," but there's a good reason why he does things this way.  Listen to learn why.

Follow Priit on social:
https://www.facebook.com/priit.mihkelson
https://www.instagram.com/priit_mihkelson

Learn from Priit on Defensive BJJ:
https://www.defensivebjj.com/


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Constraints-Led Approach
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach/
  
  
• Ecological Psychology
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-psychology/
  
  
• Gamification
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification/
  
  
• Consistency
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/consistency/
  
  
• Controlled Breathing
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlled-breathing/
  
  
• Staying Loose
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/staying-loose/
  
  
• Perception-Action Coupling
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/perception-action-coupling/
  
  
• Win Conditions
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/win-conditions/
  
  
• Certainty Heuristic
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/certainty-heuristic/
  
  
• Do What Works
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/do-what-works/
  
  
• Inversion
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/inversion/
  
  
• Making Smaller Circles
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/making-smaller-circles/
  
  

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/

Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake 

This week we're joined by Heather Morgan!  Heather is a BJJ black belt under André Galvão and a prominent online instructor.  In this episode, Heather discusses how she attacks from her favorite guard pass: the knee slice.

Follow Heather on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/heather_morganbjj/

Subscribe to Heather on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/CaptMorgan0820

Check out Heather's knee slice course:
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/kneecutcrashcourse


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Controlling the Distance
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlling-the-distance/
  
  
• Surface Area
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/surface-area/
  
  
• Core Mechanics
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/core-mechanics/
  
  
• Waypoints
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/waypoints/
  
  
• Dilemmas
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/dilemma/
  
  
• Committed Techniques
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/committed-techniques/
  
  
• Technique Chaining
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-chaining/
  
  
• Critical Control Points
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/critical-control-points/
  
  
• Elbow-Knee Connection
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/elbow-knee-connection/
  
  
• Mirrorred Stances
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/mirrored-stances/
  
  
• Predictable Responses
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/predictable-responses/
  
  

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/

Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake 

This week we're joined again by Rob Biernacki!  In this episode, Rob talks about the concept of gamification, how it optimizes learning, and how both students and coaches can gamify Jiu-Jitsu.

Keep an eye on Grapplearts for Rob's upcoming gamification instructional:
https://grapplearts.com/

Learn from Rob at BJJ Concepts:
https://bjjconcepts.net/

Follow Rob on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/islandtopteam

Train with Rob at Island Top Team:
https://islandtopteam.com/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

“Taint-Based Leverage” decal design
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/patches-decals

Rob Biernacki's Taint Sweep — YouTube
https://youtu.be/1WaQsxvafH8

The Art of Learning, by Josh Waitzkin
https://www.joshwaitzkin.com/the-art-of-learning

BJJMM ep. 185: F**k Your Jiu-Jitsu, feat. Rob Biernacki
https://bjj.plus/185

Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Gamification
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification/
  
  
• Constraints-Led Approach
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach/
  
  
• Investing in Loss
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/investing-in-loss/
  
  
• Keep it Playful
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful/
  
  
• Ecological Psychology
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-psychology/
  
  
• Making Smaller Circles
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/making-smaller-circles/
  
  
• Critical Control Points
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/critical-control-points/
  
  
• Keep Your Identity Small
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-your-identity-small/
  
  

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:

Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake 

This week we're joined by Victor Hugo!  Victor is a black belt under the Ribeiro brothers and a multi-time ultra heavyweight world champion.  He's also an accomplished businessperson, being both the head coach at Six Blades Jiu-Jitsu in Lake Travis and the founder of several online Jiu-Jitsu brands.

In this episode, the big man shares some incredible insights on the intersections between the worlds of business and BJJ.  Victor explains how he balances all these projects, how his businesses have supported his competitive career, and the unexpected crossovers he discovered between these two different worlds.

Follow Victor on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/victorhugojj/

Train with Victor at Six Blades Lake Travis:
https://jiujitsulaketravis.com/

Learn from Victor online at VH Jiu-Jitsu:
https://www.vhjiujitsu.com/

Buy Victor's Big Man Flow merch:
https://bigmanflow.com/

Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Transfer of Learning
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/transfer-of-learning/
  
  
• Compartmentalization
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/compartmentalization/
  
  
• Raise the Level in the Room
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/raise-the-level-in-the-room/
  
  
• Building Your Triggers
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/building-your-triggers/
  
  

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/

Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake 

This week we're joined by Scott Sievewright!  Scott is the head coach at Primal MKE in Milwaukee and the host of the Primal MMA Coaching Podcast.  In this episode, Scott shares his pragmatic take on ecological dynamics for beginners and coaches alike.

It's a great gentle introduction to eco, covering topics such as: how eco differs from traditional methods, the importance of making mistakes, and why we shouldn't be afraid of developing bad habits.

Follow Scott and Primal MKE on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/primal_mke/

Listen to Scott on the Primal MMA Coaching podcast:
https://theprimalmmacoachingpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Ecological Psychology
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-psychology/
  
  
• Growth From Discomfort
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/growth-from-discomfort/
  
  
• Keep it Playful
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful/
  
  
• Habits Over Results
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/habits-over-results/
  
  
• Psychological Safety
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/psychological-safety/
  
  
• Self-Organization
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-organization/
  
  
• Intention
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/intention/
  
  
• Train With Purpose
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/train-with-purpose/
  
  
• Constraints-Led Approach
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach/
  
  
• Incremental Learning
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/incremental-learning/
  
  
• Feedback Loop
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/feedback-loop/
  
  
• Training Handicaps
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/training-handicaps/
  
  

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/bjjmenta

Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake 

This week we're joined by Dorothy Dao!  Dorothy is a competition black belt now training under the Mendes brothers out of AOJ in Costa Mesa, California.  Previously Dorothy had trained mostly with larger partners, but at AOJ she's found an elite competition team within her own weight class.  In this episode, Dorothy shares how she's found success training with both much larger partners and also competitive athletes her own size.

Follow Dorothy on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/not_dorothydao

Learn more about the Better Fight Fellowship:
https://www.betterfight.org/

Follow the Better Fight Fellowship on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/betterfightfellowship

Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Limb Coiling
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/limb-coiling/
  
  
• Elbow-Knee Connection
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/elbow-knee-connection/
  
  
• Dictate the Pace
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/dictate-the-pace/
  
  
• Grips Dictate Position
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/grips-dictate-position/
  
  
• Inside Channel Control
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/inside-channel-control/
  
  
• Force Compression
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/force-compression/
  
  
• Constant and Variable Tension
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constant-and-variable-tension/
  
  
• Ecological Psychology
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-psychology/
  
  
• Controlled Breathing
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlled-breathing/
  
  
• Staying Loose
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/staying-loose/
  
  

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/

Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake 

This week we're joined again by Lachlan Giles!  In this episode, Lachlan talks about the philosophy of self-organization, where students take ownership of their own learning journey.  We also touch on use cases for Lachlan's amazing platform SUBMETA and his thoughts on ecological dynamics in BJJ.

Learn with Lachlan on SUBMETA:
https://submeta.io/

Follow Lachlan on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lachlan_giles/

Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Self-Organization
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-organization/
  
  
• Ecological Psychology
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-psychology/
  
  
• Do What Works
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/do-what-works/
  
  
• Constraints-Led Approach
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach/
  
  
• Raise the Level in the Room
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/raise-the-level-in-the-room/
  
  

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/

Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake 

This week we're joined again by Rob Biernacki!  Rob is fresh off an amazing performance at ADCC Open Canada 2023, where he won gold in the Masters division and Island Top Team took the #1 overall adult team rating.  What makes this so impressive is that in addition to being a small team, they're also mostly hobbyists.

In this episode, Rob breaks down his competition mindset: a rejection of the "alpha" tropes we see all over social media.  Rob's approach is about trusting in your training, being comfortable with the work done, yielding to the possibility of loss, and identifying as perseverant.

Follow Rob on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/islandtopteam/

Join Rob's online academy, BJJ Concepts:
https://bjjconcepts.net/

Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Keep Your Identity Small
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-your-identity-small/
  
  
• Cognitive Dissonance
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/cognitive-dissonance/
  
  
• Kaizen
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/kaizen/
  
  
• Beginner's Mind
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beginners-mind/
  
  
• Raise the Level in the Room
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/raise-the-level-in-the-room/
  
  
• Train With Purpose
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/train-with-purpose/
  
  
• Self-Competition
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/
  
  
• Probabilistic Thinking
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/probabilistic-thinking/
  
  
• Win Conditions
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/win-conditions/
  
  
• Keep it Playful
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful/
  
  

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/

Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake 

This week we're joined again by Stephan Kesting!  In this episode, the legendary Grapplearts instructor breaks down key concepts from his latest instructional, Rolling Backtakes for Everyone.

Follow Stephan on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/stephan_kesting/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Dope Mount, The Easiest Way to Get to the Mount —Stephan Kesting
https://youtu.be/hhZx5ZFhSQw

Rolling Backtakes for Everyone, by Stephan Kesting
https://www.grapplearts.com/rolling-backtakes-for-everyone/

Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Predictable Responses
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/predictable-responses/
  
  
• Committed Techniques
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/committed-techniques/
  
  
• Economy of Motion
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/economy-of-motion/
  
  
• Asymmetric Warfare
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/asymmetric-warfare/
  
  
• Static vs. Dynamic Control
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/static-vs-dynamic-control/
  
  
• Investing in Loss
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/investing-in-loss/
  
  
• Critical Control Points
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/critical-control-points/
  
  
• Keep it Playful
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful/
  
  

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/

Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake 

This week we're joined by Chris Wojcik!  Chris is a black belt under Jeff Serafin, an accomplished competitor, and the writer of the popular BJJ newsletter The Grappler's Diary.

In this episode, Chris talks about the evolving standup game in competition Jiu-Jitsu, involving a hybrid of wrestling, Judo, and BJJ.

Subscribe to the Grappler's Diary on Substack:
https://chrismwojcik.substack.com/

Get Chris' free ebook:
https://christophermwojcik.com/learn-bjj-faster/

Follow Chris on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/chrismwojcik/


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Committed Techniques
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/committed-techniques/
  
  
• Controlling the Distance
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlling-the-distance/
  
  
• Mask Your Intentions
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/mask-your-intentions/
  
  
• Kuzushi
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/kuzushi/
  
  
• Grips Dictate Position
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/grips-dictate-position/
  
  
• Growth From Discomfort
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/growth-from-discomfort/
  
  
• Investing in Loss
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/investing-in-loss/
  
  
• Technique Chaining
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-chaining/
  
  
• Tokui Waza
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/tokui-waza/
  
  

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/

Get Jake O'Driscoll's triple threat ankle lock course, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/jake