Flowhold Fellowship

What keeps you improving when you’re no longer the beginner in the room?Jiu-jitsu black belt, MMA fighter, and coach Sloan Clymer joins Noah Oliver to talk about finding tougher rooms, staying curious, and putting the coach role aside to become a student again.Fresh off eight weeks in Thailand, Sloan shares stories of coaching his wife, Paige Clymer, for ONE Championship, training Muay Thai in Bangkok, and taking a fight on just hours’ notice. We discuss how teaching exposes gaps in your own understanding, why admitting “I don’t know” builds trust, and how coaches can help students handle competition nerves without adding pressure.Along the way: GSP, Kimbo Slice, the fighters who shaped Sloan’s approach, and how training changes the need to prove yourself. The conversation moves beyond the mats into leading by example, preparing for parenthood, music, and finding your own style in martial arts.00:00 Introducing Sloan Clymer and Flowhold Fellowship02:46 Friendship and Learning From Each Other07:15 The Black Belt Plateau11:05 Cross-Training When You Live in a Small Town17:31 Why Teaching Makes You Better24:02 Building Trust by Admitting What You Don’t Know29:24 How a Thailand Trip Became Eight Weeks34:06 Inside a Muay Thai Training Session39:39 Heat, Recovery, and Training in Guam43:00 Taking a Fight on Hours’ Notice48:42 Competition Is a Skill You Can Practice56:39 Giving Students Room to Lose and Learn01:06:24 Paige Clymer’s Journey to ADCC01:15:30 Switching From Coach to Student01:23:57 GSP, Kimbo, and Learning to Appreciate Fighters01:33:48 Sloan’s MMA Mount Rushmore01:40:55 Street Fights and the Need to Prove Yourself01:46:32 Losing a Friend and Rethinking Violence01:57:43 Lessons From Sloan’s Dad02:03:39 Balancing Strength and Gentleness02:09:09 Setting an Example for Kids02:15:56 Preparing for Parenthood as Athletes02:22:10 Rap, Early Albums, and Remembering a Friend02:26:55 Creativity and Finding Your Style in Martial Arts02:31:17 Training Partners and Gym Etiquette02:37:28 Closing Stories and Thanks