March 07, 2022

How You Bear It: Triumph and Resilience in Life (Interview w/ Tom DeBlass)

51 minutes

In this episode, I interview Tom DeBlass, a BJJ World Champion, 3rd Degree Black Belt, and Owner of Ocean County BJJ academy. We discuss his new book and how his upbringing and past experiences have shaped both his BJJ career and his role as a coach and mentor. He shares his knowledge, insight, and wisdom with us and provides amazing advice for athletes looking to become an elite World Champion.

About Tom:

Born and raised in New Jersey, Tom is Jiu-jitsu world champion, 3rd degree black belt, professional UFC and Bellator fighter, 3x winner of the ADCC trials, author and world-class coach, Tom DeBlass became a hero in the martial arts community for his blue-collar roots and no-excuses approach to life. Today, he heads dozens of academies and has coached elite athletes such as world champion Gary Tonon. He’s also the creator of some of the most popular jiu-jitsu instructionals in the world.

Here’s a glance at what you’ll hear from Tom and I in this episode:

He shares what inspired him to write his book

The advice he gives his students to prevent them from falling into similar patterns that he did

Advice he gives to athletes who struggle to celebrate their successes

How his upbringing in MMA and BJJ impacted the way he coaches

His insight on navigating the "pressure to perform"

The mental shifts he made when making the transition from avid competitor to becoming an inspirational leader and instructor

What his training looks like when preparing for competition

What he looks for in a student who desires to become a world champion

The advice he'd give to athlete who desire to be the best in the world

Three tips he believes are essential in order to reach the level of becoming a World Champion

Three pieces of advice for those wanting to run a successful academy

What's next for him in BJJ and life

His favorite takedown and submission

The #1 tip he recommends to improve your half guard game

Episode Resources:

Tom DeBlass' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomdeblass/

BJJ Fanatics DVD - Half Domination w/ Tom DeBlass: https://bjjfanatics.com/products/half-domination-by-tom-deblass-1?gclid=CjwKCAiAyPyQBhB6EiwAFUuaksZ6STdpEQO1MUzZ7ioHrGNjF1S0jWPWfqGgqBCBu22vtCzNTqqtuxoCBUYQAvD_BwE

Podcast Links:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/bodybybossllc

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