Grapple with the Bat

The Fire Returns!!!! On this episode we get to have a 1 on 1 session woth Mr Alec Burns and answer ALL of your listener questions including which is more important to cycle: Acai or Jesus? What's your Strength and Conditioning Programme? Hardest Rolling Partner? Favourite Session of the Week? Who is Eric Cartmans Father? Along with all of the insightful answers to those well thought out questions, we break down the fight between Islam and Folks, with some thoughts on MMA Scoring, as well as preview the highly anticipated 4th bout between Gordon Ryan and Felipe Pena!!! Super Fun Episode with a truly bright future prospect.

Double Guest Episode!!!! The M16 Breakout Performance Award Winner Luke Marko alongside another standout performer in Alec Burns jumped on the Podcast to share their story! In this episode we get to hear their Grappling Origin stories ranging from Full Contact Karate to Back Oval Challenge Matches... These guys really have come a long way. It is always enlightening to hear the perspective of the new generation and of course they surprise me every time with their outlook on training, competing and goals for the future. Very well spoken and full of potential, we barely scratched the surface woth this episode so we are officially going follow up with ROUND 2 next week!!! Give this episode a listen for a chance to be introduced to two humble and respectful athletes, then fire me some questions to ask them on the next episode.

EPIC EVENT!!!! Another incredible showcase took place At the M16 Invitational and as always the Bat-Phone was live at the evebt to get all the behind the scenes action. In this episode we hear from competitors before and after their matches, we get spectator reactions as well as on the spot match breakdowns and commentary. Of course, it wouldn't be the same without the banter so plenty of that too! Being that this was truly a standout event with some breakout performances, upsets and sharp technique on display, it really was a privilege to cover this one and I hope this listen reflects just how much enjoyment we all got on the day!

Only the most serious faces for the most serious podcast on the most serious topics regarding the most serious sport.... With no Razz, No Bullying, No Banter and Absolutely No One Getting Cancelled. I can honestly say, this episode is likely the most fun I'm going to have all year and it's barely mid way through January. Any time Declan Moody and Adam Jones are in the house you know it's going to be a fun show and adding fellow podcast and combat analyst Gingerbeard in to the mix only made it slightly worse. Of course we got all the B team inside knowledge and stories straight from the source. We also broke down every single match on the upcoming M16 Invitational which is set to be an absolutely massive event. And in an interesting turn we even got live commentary for Nora's match on CSC from Declan and the table as this episode was recorded as the event was in progress. Jam packed with so many insights, tangents and stories, this one can not be missed.

In this episode we break down all of the aspects that go in to gradings in the art of Grappling and Jiu Jitsu from the perspective of the coaches as well as the students. In the lead up to the end of year 2022 Grading at The MatLab Grappling Academy, I decided to chronicle the entire experience, gain insights through interviews on the day as well as share my own personal views on what goes in to the Decision making process. Ever wondered what your coach is thinking? How they choose who to grade? Curriculum vs Syllabus? Hobbyist vs Competitor? Gi vs No Gi? Sandbagging? Knowledge vs Application? Intent vs Outcomes? Grading on a Scale vs Standardized approach? We tackle all of these issues on this episode with a candid and honest approach as well as get immediate reactions and feedback from students who were present, and who graded on the day. This is a really unique take and I'm very happy to share this with everyone. Enjoy!

This Episode we dive deep in to the passion one must have in order to set up, progress and expand a small business in the field of Grappling and Jiu Jitsu. Nathan shares his experience and reveals exactly what goes in to this labour of love behind the scenes from concept design to fabrication, keeping up with order shipment and even dealing with online negativity. We also get to hear about the inspiration behind the truly unique and creative designs that Continuous Flow are known for and give credit where it's due to all of the local artists involved. Of course, what would the Bat-Phone be without some analysis, banter and candid insights regarding recent Grappling events including Pan Pacs, Acai & Jesus vs Naturuotolo, Extreme Heel Hook Rippery and Nerd Life... but most importantly: Our collective responsibility to create a welcoming environment for all who wish to join our Grappling Community.

This Episode is all about insight in to the mind of a Competitor. I recorded this on the days before, during and after the IBJJF Pan Pacific Championships in which I competed in the Adult Black Belt Heavyweight and Open Weight Class Divisions. My goal was to provide a timeline of thoughts and processes to relate to as I know so many of us go through competition anxiety and have trouble overcoming those mental barriers. From watching the Division fill up, the Bracket Release, Pre Competition Strategy, Travel and Road Stories, Comp Day Mentality, Post Match Breakdowns and Honest Reflections, it is all in here and it's as real as it gets. I really hope that when you listen to this you can relate to the experience, find some value in the lessons and of course, have a good laugh at my expense!

*Internationally Credentialed Strength & Conditioning Coach with decades of experience. *Current Head Coach of Strength and Power for the Adelaide Crows. *Founder of Grip Strength & Conditioning, working with Grappling and Combat Sports Athletes across the globe. Sam Dodge is an amazing resource of elite level knowledge currently residing right here in Adelaide South Australia and I have finally had the opportunity to sit down with him and talk shop regarding all things S&C. In this episode we get so many great insights in to Sam's depth of knowledge as he recounts his first hand experiences with the evolution of S&C all over the globe. Elements such as individual vs team programming, intensity scheduling, coach/athlete accountability and constructive communication are discussed and Sam even breaks down my own current planning and helps me re configure session live on air!!! Along with being an elite Coach, I count Sam as a great friend and as you can tell by the tone of the recording, we get along like a house on fire, so aside from everything else, it was a great chat between friends as well.

In this episode we introduce to you the First Ever Blue Belts graded at the MatLab Grappling Academy!!! I believe one of the largest gaps in grappling is from white to blue and this was such a fascinating look at how two great yet very different practitioners were able to walk in the doors, open up to a whole new world of knowledge, experience the trials and tribulations of rolling and then finally find the clarity of technique that allowed them to be awarded the new rank of Blue Belt. This journey is one we all undertake and is a path that some of you are still on! It's always great to hear how people with such different lifestyles whther it's family, work, athletic endeavour of hobby pursuit can come together and share in the process of bettering their life through grappling. We discussed so many great topics including the impact of the grappling community for positive Mental Health, finding the right weight class for competition, the different schools of thought regarding Strength and Conditioning for combat sports, the process of technical programme development at MatLab and of course fan out over the many outstanding performances at ADCC.

Incredible. As I was recording this podcast I found myself consistently realising, moment after moment, just how lucky I was to have the privilege to sit down and speak with this man. We hear everything from Richies early home life in Ireland, joining the French foreign legion, travelling to Australia and entering the world of coaching. From there, well the journey truly begins. From the perspective of a man with a degree in Sports Psychology, we learn all about the mentality structure that generates successful high level athletes and we both speak candidly about our own learned experinces on the job regarding the truth and honesty behind combat sports, necessary for some much needed life progression. Honestly, I learned so much from listening to Richie speak and I kept my promise by shutting my mouth and allowing the wisdom to flow forth. So much can be gained from this that I can't do it any justice with a written description, all I can say is, please listen.