This topic was brought to mind from a recent Instagram post that made me think a lot about the issue. (Shout out to @bjjproblems) Is it okay to wear my Gi into a store after training? Before training? Let's discuss!

Today’s episode is an in-depth talk with a Pedro Sauer black belt, John Ralph, one of our instructors at Studio 540. John has a no-nonsense approach to Jiu Jitsu- no frills, no fancy pants flashy moves, just straight up takedown, pass, pressure and submit. Slow and steady, leading you down a path where you think you have many options, but they really just end in being submitted.

We dive deep into many topics of Jiu Jitsu and I hope you enjoy this episode!

Continuing on with our interviews of instructors at Studio 540 today, we have Kosta Maltezos. 

Kosta began his training at the Gracie Academy in Torrance, California. He had the privilege of training with the Gracie family and shared some amazing insight about what it was like to train in front of and with Helio Gracie. 

We also touched on the origins of Studio 540 and the contrast of training now versus the earlier days. 

Enjoy the episode. 

In this episode, I talk with Studio 540 Black Belt, Gerry Ebert. Gerry comes to us by way of Rodrigo Madeiros. As you’ve caught on by now, Rodrigo’s is a rich source of a lot of well-known BJJ athletes. You should go to YouTube and search “Rodrigo Medeiros belt promotion.” Specifically, look for videos from the era of 2008-2012 and it will blow your mind to see the faces in the room.

Gerry and I weave in and out of all sorts of topics like

- LOTS of talk about competitive nature in Jiu Jitsu

- Early days as a white belt, training with and coming up with superstars of our sport

- Gerry's favorite belt promotion and why

- Overcoming plateaus in Jiu Jitsu

- How Jiu Jitsu helps you overcome adversity in your life

Some might say that grappling is a young man’s sport. I disagree! I mean, let’s look at Helio Gracie and his brother Carlos. They lived to 96 and 92 years old, respectively and still trained until they died.

Now, of course… grappling in your younger years can come easier, but I can’t wait for you to hear this interview with Richard Colavin, who started training… not in his 30s, not in his 40s, but YES in his 50s.

In this interview, we talk about starting BJJ in his 50s, the early days of BJJ in San Diego and his motivation to keep training in his late 70s. Enjoy!

Jess Ralph is a black belt and a fantastic instructor at Studio 540. Jess and her husband John have created quite the following with their no-nonsense, high percentage and fundamental style of Jiu Jitsu. Go to our Instagram to see just the turnout for their Thursday night and Sunday classes!

In this episode, we touch on some great topics, including what it was like for Jess to be one of the few women training Jiu Jitsu in her regioin all the way up to brown belt. Jess is such a loveable, sweet soul and I think you’re gonna love this interview.

Jake Buracker is a well-respected black belt and one of the new owners of Studio 540. He came to us by way of Virginia, Hawaii, training with BJ Penn, to San Diego to train with Clark Gracie, and has been with us at Studio 540 since our start.

Training with white belts: throw them into the deep end or let them splash around in the wading pool?

I blew it... I did a post on Instagram and collected a bunch of great responses to the question, "What do you think about while training Jiu Jitsu?" Buuuuut I forgot to include them in the previous episode. (Which was the whole purpose of the post!) 😄 Ah well, here you go, just the responses. Enjoy.

What goes through your mind while you're training? Do you control it? Is it busy, or more like an empty warehouse? In this episode, I interview members at Studio 540 to see what they think while training. (My favorite: When was my last snack?)