In this episode, I had the pleasure of meeting Elaine Biersdoerfer. Elaine is a Gracie Barra Pelham, Alabama Blue Belt, under Judo and Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, professor Kaliffa Oliveira.

Elaine is my new hero and inspiration. You may remember Elaine from winning the world over at the Pan American Games with her masters 7 division highlights. On the surface, you may make the mistake of only seeing a silver-haired grandmother of 7, who just happens to be 72 years young, but underneath the veneer is an incredibly fierce, driven, relentless BJJ practitioner and competitor.

There are so many things to love about Elaine, one of the virtues she shares with us is a raw sense of vulnerability we can all empathize with. For example, during one point in the show, she details a tournament match she lost that she studied and trained so very hard for and admits she did not execute what she trained, her voice shakes with the deep disappointment that embodies the moment and it nearly pulled my heart out of my chest. At another point, Elaine says she’s pursuing a sport that she isn’t good at, but in the end aren’t we all? She just has the courage to say it. Don’t get the wrong impression, she loves BJJ and says she would never quit. So when you wake up and think about skipping class, just remember Elaine is showing up.

Some housekeeping notes: Elaine lives in rural Calera, AL so her internet connection is not the best. Also, you can now support the show by becoming a monthly patron by hitting the support button on our website at https://anchor.fm/foreverwhitebelt/. You can also send us a message by clicking that “message” button on that same page. We also now have a merchandise store at https://teespring.com/forever-white-belt where you can buy FWB shirts, hats, coffee mugs, and lots more.