This week I speak about my trip to Washington State where I attended Guns & Gis class 009. This was my second time attending the camp (the first time was class 007 in Louisiana in March 2023) and there is a reason why I, along with six other friends from 007, came back. Guns & Gis is a three-day immersion camp in which you learn tactical pistol shooting and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.... sign me up! However, it's more than that; what really stood out to me is the camaraderie you build with complete strangers in one weekend. The vibes are awesome, and everyone shares one goal: become a better version of themselves. I DO NOT go into the minutiae of the training however; I do share what occurs and why it is important in the current climate. Please enjoy and see below if you are interested in attending.

Website - Guns & Gis Camp - Vida Jiu-Jitsu (vidabjj.com)

Instagram - @gunsandgisofficial

This week I sat down with my boy and Rapper, Kieran Stewart. Kieran was born in Barnegat, New Jersey and since his youth, has aspired to be a rapper. Eleven years later, he has produced and is producing songs, while also performing live (usually at the Love Lounge in Plainfield, NJ). What is truly admirable is Kieran's discipline, passion, and resilience. He is determined to improve with each performance and is confident that he will perform on the big stage. Kieran's story is truly inspiring for those who may be currently grinding or thinking of doing something on their own; if this is the case, he has one message for you "don't chase, just do". You can find Kieran's music on Spotify at KiERAN and follow his progress on Instagram @kierangram_. Please enjoy!

We are back with another JitZone episode for all you Jiu Jitsu fanatics! Today, I piggyback off of the theme of last week's episode about letting go because I believe it has a profound impact toward one's progress in the sport. I talk about my personal experiences of having more fun, working on my weaknesses, and focusing less on the outcome of each round. The result? My game has improved. I talk about sparring with people better than you, putting yourself into uncomfortable positions, working your weaknesses, and just having fun on the mats. Once I stopped focusing on the submissions, they came more easily. Jiu Jitsu contains a lot of life lessons and with the right approach will help you grow both on and off the mats. Enjoy!

This week, we start a new chapter of the show of having one host! As mentioned on the previous episode, Jon had to leave due to personal circumstances, however we are grateful for his hard work and contribution to the show! That being said, I give my opinion about two specific areas that I am currently working on in my life: 1) Knowing Your Worth and 2) Letting Go. I hope you get something out of this. Sit back and enjoy the show!

This week we say goodbye to cameraman/co-host Jon. Jon was with the show for 23 weeks and did a phenomenal job in increasing the video quality and brought some interesting viewpoints to each conversation. Jon's decision to leave stemmed from personal priorities which we respect in the fullest. We are grateful for his hard work and dedication to the show and wish him the best in his future endeavors. Jon is a friend for life. Please enjoy the show.

This week we were joined by another member of the Pure MMA family, Trevor Patterson. The one thing we have learned from the start of the show is that the Pure Community is filled with amazing people whose stories are truly inspirational and today is no different. Trevor recounted his journey of forty years in Martial Arts and how it's shaped him to be the man he is today. Trevor is a true student of the arts, and his passion for self-improvement has allowed him to learn a plethora of disciplines, which are the following: Taekwondo, Shotokan/Goshin Ryu Karate, Kickboxing, MMA, and Jiu-Jitsu. Trevor's attitude toward martial arts at 46 years of age is no different than when he started; his goal is to keep learning and re-falling in love with the arts and hopes his story will cause others to do the same. He also shares cool stories of hardcore training sessions with fighters such as: Dan and Jim Miller, Frankie Edgar, Amanda Nunez, Andy Main, and many more savages. Sit back and enjoy!

This week we speak about the importance of getting out of your comfort zone, which stemmed from an encounter Joe had earlier in the day. We share our view on why growth comes from discomfort and also share some examples from our lives. Getting uncomfortable is never easy but is essential and there are different levels to it. Essentially, we are always striving to be better. The conversation flowed nicely and we shared some great insight. Finally, this episode was combined with the Q&A segment that we posted on our Instagram. Enjoy the show!

This week we had an awesome conversation with Ryder Clemmo. Ryder is a Father, firefighter in Pennsylvania, former Recon Marine, former wrestler, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) practitioner. Ryder had a tough childhood, which included: a rough home life, getting bullied, arrests, and more. Then one fateful day, everything changed after receiving a beating from a Senior wrestling "teammate", which left him battered. Ryder decided that he would learn how to defend himself and change his life. However, at 18 he was given an ultimatum by a Judge: either 1) enlist in the Marine Corps. or 2) go to jail. Needless, to say Ryder joined the Marines and it changed his life. Ryder recounts many funny and badass stories about his time in the Corps, while simultaneously describing the lessons learned. His message is simple, you are not the only one going through rough times. You too can overcome any obstacle; you're not alone. We also have great BJJ conversations as well. Please sit back and enjoy Ryder's story as much as we did.

This week we had an intriguing conversation with David Zwoboda, who is hosting the first ever holistic wellness and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) summit in Tulum Mexico. The name of the camp? Flowstate Jiu Jitsu. Its goal? A wellness summit to integrate the mind, body, and soul through the use of psychedelics and BJJ. If you don't know much about psychedelics, you must listen to this episode because David explains in detail their benefits and impacts. David also elaborates on how they will be implemented to help each BJJ practitioner's experience at the retreat. David leads ayahuasca retreats in Peru with the help of the indigenous people, so he has an intimate relationship with it and other psychedelics. We delve into spirituality, as well which is always fun. David's purpose is simple; he wants to make the world a better place. Honestly, this summit sounds like a blast and we will consider going to one in the future. If you would like to attend or learn more about the summit, you can visit Tulum 2023 - Flowstate BJJ Camp — Becoming Om. There are spots available for August 11-17! We strongly encourage everyone to listen and learn from this episode.

Today we sat down with JD "Skutch", husband, father, and owner/founder of JD Core Training, a gym in Fairfield, New Jersey. From the start, we could feel JD's authenticity and strong presence. JD is not only mentally/physically strong, but he is also centered and ambitious. Having played collegiate football, JD knows what it takes to be the best version of yourself on a consistent basis; you are either growing or you are not. Couple these attributes with a passion for fitness/helping others and you have a recipe for success. JD is a natural leader because he lives the same principles that he preaches to his clients, on a daily basis. This is evidenced by his desire to consistently challenge himself when training for marathons (in which he will be competing in some this year) and for his first 100-mile run! In addition to growing his gym, JD has also created the persona of JD "Skutch", with the goal of creating a positive outlook on personal excellence to the youth and their parents. JD believes that parents should emulate the same principles they teach their kids. If you would like to learn or support JD you can follow him at the following pages:

@itsmeskutch - Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

@jd_skutch - Personal

@jdcoretraining_thecore - business

skutch radio - Youtube

Enjoy the show!