BJJ Mental Models

This week we're joined by Edwin "Junny" Ocasio!  Fresh off his first world championship win, Junny joins us to expand on a conversation he had with Emily Kwok on The Highest Levels (an ongoing BJJMM Premium podcast).

In this episode, Junny explains how he thinks about optimization, when to dig deeper into optimizing an area of his game, and how to avoid over-optimizing.

Follow Junny on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/junny_bjj

Subscribe to Junny's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/junnyocasio

Get Junny's instructionals on BJJ Fanatics:
https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/instructional-videos/fighter_junny-ocasio


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Consistency
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/consistency/
  
  
• Diminishing Returns
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/diminishing-returns/
  
  
• Concepts Over Techniques
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques/
  
  
• Ecological Psychology
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-psychology/
  
  
• Do What Works
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/do-what-works/
  
  
• Shuhari
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/shuhari/
  
  
• Funneling
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/funneling/
  
  
• Cognitive Load
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/cognitive-load/
  
  
• You Are What You Train
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/you-are-what-you-train/
  
  
• Self-Competition
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/
  
  
• Intention
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/intention/
  
  

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/

This week we're joined again by Greg Souders!  In this episode, Greg joins us to bust some common Jiu-Jitsu myths, including: the "win or learn" debate, why teaching with "training wheels" doesn't work, the problem with instructionals, and whether belts matter.

Follow Greg and Standard Jiu-Jitsu on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/gdsouders
https://www.instagram.com/standardjiujitsu


Resources discussed in this episode:

BJJMM Ep. 203: Evidence-Based Coaching, feat. Greg Souders
https://bjj.plus/203

BJJMM Ep. 206: How We Learn to Move, feat. Dr. Rob Gray
https://bjj.plus/206

The Primal MMA Coaching Podcast
https://theprimalmmacoachingpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

Jim Carrey Karate instructor skit on In Living Color
https://youtu.be/h_vvI26NnwE


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• You Are What You Train
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/you-are-what-you-train/
  
  
• Perception-Action Coupling
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/perception-action-coupling/
  
  
• Do What Works
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/do-what-works/
  
  
• Concepts Over Techniques
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques/
  
  
• Critical Control Points
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/critical-control-points/
  
  
• Self-Competition
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/
  
  
• Intention
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/intention/
  
  
• Kaizen
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/kaizen/
  
  
• Feedback Loop
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/feedback-loop/
  
  
• Constraints-Led Approach
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach/
  
  

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/

This week we're joined by Alec Baulding!  Alec is a black belt under Romero Cavalcanti, an accomplished competitor, and a reputed YouTube content creator.  In this episode, Alec shares his thoughts on the journey from Jiu-Jitsu student to teacher.

Subscribe to Alec's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/AlecBaulding

Follow Alec on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/alecbaulding

Get Alec's instructionals on his website and BJJ Fanatics:
https://www.alecbaulding.com/
https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/alec-baulding


Resources mentioned in this episode:

How Jozef Chen is Changing BJJ — YouTube
https://youtu.be/p0kK1JlC8Gw

Instagram accounts suggested by Alec
https://www.instagram.com/dubious_dom
https://www.instagram.com/jonthomasbjj
https://www.instagram.com/heather_morganbjj
https://www.instagram.com/giancarlobodoni


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Feedback Loop
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/feedback-loop/
  
  
• Shuhari
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/shuhari/
  
  
• Beginner's Mind
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beginners-mind/
  
  
• Consistency
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/consistency/
  
  
• Gamification
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification/
  
  
• Respect People, Not Positions
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/respect-people-not-positions/
  
  
• Teach to Learn
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/teach-to-learn/
  
  
• Learning Modalities
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/learning-modalities/
  
  

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/

This week we're joined again by Erin Herle!  Erin is a black belt under Rubens Charles "Cobrinha" and is the founder of #SubmitTheStigma.  She's also a mental performance consultant with a Master of Science in Sport and Performance Psychology, which is relevant to our topic of conversation today.

In this episode, Erin talks about mental toughness.  She explains how mental toughness is an attribute you can train, how many people define it incorrectly, and what to expect when you work with a mental performance consultant.  She also explains the limitations of mental performance coaching and the ethical importance of staying within your area of competency.

Take Erin's mental toughness quiz:
https://www.erinherle.com/mental-toughness-quiz

NOTE: Erin is only running this quiz for a limited time.  In the future, this link might cease to work.  If you get an error accessing the quiz but still want to take it, please contact Erin directly at the social links below.

Follow Erin and her programs on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/erinherle
https://www.instagram.com/trainyamind
https://www.instagram.com/submitthestigma

Work with Erin:
https://www.erinherle.com/


Mental models discussed in this episode:

• Self-Competition
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-competition/
  
  
• Beginner's Mind
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beginners-mind/
  
  
• Investing in Loss
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/investing-in-loss/
  
  
• Habits Over Results
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/habits-over-results/
  
  
• Keep it Playful
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful/
  
  
• Gamification
  https://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification/ 
  
  

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/

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/

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/

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:
https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/

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/

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/bjjmentalmodels/

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

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/