JitsuBoy_Podcast

Part 2 of my chat with Leicester Shootfighters Head Coach, Nathan Leverton. We touch on martial arts but today is mainly about another of Nathan’s passions, movies… as well as a random dabble into how to best hoard off a troop of duck sized horses… and what armoury they may bring to the table…

One of the early pioneers of MMA in the UK… a highly skilled grappler and coach, respected the world over… students ranging from UFC fighters, to scrawny students from university… head coach at Leicester Shootfighters, podcaster and above all else, a very good friend of mine. Nathan “Levo” Leverton will need no intro to most martial artists, but there’s a lot more to him than you may even realise! We chat about martial arts (of course); movies (the joys of VHS in particular); learning and teaching effectively (activities over drilling); and hairstyles too! This is a packed episode, and I can’t wait for part 2! In the meantime, grab a coffee, and settle in for a good one 🤙

In today’s episode I sit down and have a good catch up with Harees, who I know from Leicester Shootfighters. As well as being a fellow competent martial artist, he is also a former police officer, climate change researcher, mental health advocate, and all-round interesting human being. We talk about martial arts as a tool for building adaptability; the real changes that can affect climate change; good mental health practices in lockdowns / social isolation; should black belts all be competition tested; and of course get a little into leg lock efficacy (dirty, dirty leg locks 😝) Grab a beverage. Sit back. I hope you enjoy 🙏

In today’s episode I highlight the fantastic work of challengingmnd.org, who provide support and lasting memories for families affected by motor neurone disease. I have completed several challenges in support of them, most recently was a 100km walk. The charity was set up by a friend of mine, and former GB decathlete Alex Gibson, who is now living with MND. The more we can raise awareness of this amazing cause, the better! So please check out their charity, find them on social media, share their good work and donate whatever you can spare. Thank you.

This episode is a catch up with Sanjay from Notepad Philosophy Podcast. Fellow martial artist from sunny Leicester. We talk about his beginnings in martial arts as a way of combating bullying; great coaches by the name of Alan Orr, and Nathan Leverton; as well as hip-hop starter albums (I almost said LPs there, showing my age 🤣) and psychological tips for learning and journaling to cope with PTSD.

Today’s episode is a catch up with BJJ brown belt Travis Erlam, head coach at Dark Horse Martial Arts (formerly Bow Valley Jiu Jitsu). We talk about jits; our experiences learning from 2 of “the dirty dozen”, leglocks, recent controversies in the sport; as well as Tim Hortons Iced Capps, and what an all round awesome place Canada is 🤙🇨🇦. Travis also has his own podcasts, “The Sleepless Mind”, for some late night ramblings on general topics, and “Coach Travis” for all things martial arts / BJJ related. Head on over and check those out, right after this episode 👊

Today’s episode is a bit more free form rambling about my new LS BJJ logo design, what I want it to represent and how it came about. I also touch on skiing, deadlifting and baking bread… not all at once of course, that would be silly!

In this episode I discuss a bit about my thoughts on the pros and cons of training with and without a gi (for any non martial artists, a gi is the fancy pyjama and belt set that you would recognise from traditional martial arts) I try to give a different insight from the normal gi mimicking clothing argument, and come at it slightly differently...

In this episode, I talk a little about managing injuries, and general expectations of our capabilities as we get older. There’s a brief dip into my experience of American football, (“I do NFL man” 🤣) and a run through of some of my martial arts injuries and how I feel about managing them (“I do UFC man” 🤣). Enjoy!