Jiu jitsu has many physical and mental benefits, and it can be a vehicle to improve your life during challenging circumstances. It can also be a way to avoid dealing with your feelings. In this episode, my friend Mai and I talk about how childhood trauma, divorce, and anger issues have impacted her training. We explore how her relationship with jiu jitsu became unhealthy, and where she wants to go from here.

This week's episode has a very special guest: Elaine Wynn, aka Jiu Jitsu Grandma. Elaine and I chat about what it was like to start jiu jitsu at 69, the benefits she's seen from training, and how she measures success.

The crew and I head to Stockton for Jiu Jitsu World League's Golden State VII. I take you through my thoughts and feelings leading up to the competition day and all the big moments at the arena. Will Daniel make weight? How many times will Jason yell at me to shrimp? Do I know how to use butterfly hooks? Come along with me on my journey of answering these questions and coming to a new understanding of my relationship with competing.

In this episode, I talk with my friend Jacki about the anxiety she started experiencing when she transitioned to a new gym, what’s it’s like to have a partner who also does jiu jitsu, and her thoughts on how we can all be more considerate training partners.

In this episode, I catch up with my friend Gurwant, who is a white belt at San Lorenzo Jiu Jitsu. We talk about her experiences competing, how she's dealt with anxiety, and the beauty of building a jiu jitsu family.

Have you ever felt self-conscious about your jiu jitsu, or felt like you weren't a useful training partner because of your skill level? In this episode, I talk about the importance of diverse training and explain why I believe everyone holds value as a training partner.

Do you ever find yourself comparing your jiu jitsu journey to others? Wishing you started younger or done things differently? Me too. In this episode, I talk about embracing what is rather than focusing on what could have been.

From the moment I committed myself to jiu jitsu, I knew it was going to be a path that would force me to confront a range of challenges. While I have so many days that I love training, there are also days that are really hard and times that I question myself. In this episode, I share some of the mental challenges I've faced and talk about what it means to me to love jiu jitsu.

In this episode, I discuss how jiu jitsu changed my relationship with my body. While I’ve always believed in the mental and physical benefits of exercise, I used to care a lot more about using fitness to achieve a certain aesthetic. Jiu jitsu taught me to value my body not for what it looks like, but for what it can do. How has jiu jitsu affected your relationship with your body?