I Suck At Jiu Jitsu Show

Do jiu-jitsu schools still need mat enforcers? I think they do.I’ve spent a lot of years around jiu-jitsu schools, and for a good chunk of that time I was the guy coaches called when somebody needed to be… corrected.In this episode, I tell some of my best mat enforcer stories, including dojo stormers, fake black belts, gym bullies, getting “green lit,” and the scariest enforcement I’ve ever seen.But the real point is bigger than beating somebody up. A good mat enforcer protects the culture of the gym. A bad one can ruin it.Rener's Full Video: https://youtu.be/dcOjQBp7jX0?si=iJi6mcljbJbm0dWVCheck at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnodFree Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck Register for Grappler 4 Good: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/mission-111/grapple-for-good0:00 The Mats Don't Lie2:33 The Viral BJJ Callout That Started This5:50 Why Every Gym Needs a Mat Enforcer8:06 CONFESSION: I Was a Mat Enforcer10:17 I Got My First Assignment at 1510:52 Our Gym Got Dojo Stormed13:16 Coach Put Me Against the "Black Belt"14:20 What Getting "Green Lit" Means18:18 With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility23:21 The Guy Who Wouldn't Stop Hurting Students24:19 I Called in the Monster26:14 The Scariest Enforcement I've Ever Seen27:20 What Mat Enforcers Are REALLY For29:28 The Most Powerful Person Besides the Coach32:35 When My Coach Still Calls Me In34:04 The Viral Gracie University Beatdown36:07 What He Did After Losing Matters40:23 The Rule Every Mat Enforcer Should Follow45:16 Where Mat Enforcers Actually Came From46:40 Why I Was Enforcing at 15 Years Old49:56 The Dark Side of Being the Enforcer51:17 Finally Beating Your Old Mat Bully52:39 How Tough Guys Create Gym Culture57:06 The Original Old-School Mat Enforcer59:54 What a Modern Mat Enforcer Should Be1:01:59 What If YOUR Gym Has a Mat Bully?

I'm a black belt, ask me anything.You asked, I answered. No prep, no filter, just straight answers to the questions I usually dance around.If you train, you'll get something out of this. If you coach, you'll get more.In this one I get into why most of what you drill is wasting your time, how to tell if a concept is actually helping you or just confusing you, when gym loyalty turns into manipulation and how to spot it early, what to do with a talented student who has a bad attitude, why the gap between two black belts can be bigger than white belt to black belt, and my honest hot take on where jiu-jitsu is heading right now.Plus how many 150lb blue belts I could fight in a row before I lose?Come argue with me in the comments.Got a question or hot take? Call 951-HOT-TAKE and leave a voicemail. Anonymous unless you say otherwise.Want my curriculum? The one I use to run all three HeadNod schools. Go to skool.com/headnod, first 7 days free.Free from BJJ Mental Models: Rob Biernacki's Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles at bjjmentalmodels.com/isuckCome train at one of my 3 Southern IL Gyms: Headnodhq.com 0:00 - Could you beat 100 blue belts in a row?1:47 - Welcome to the Q&A episode2:13 - Do you still feel like you suck at jiu-jitsu?5:36 - What's something you'll never teach again?8:30 - When do concepts become too vague to help?13:45 - The Saturday class that humbles black belts15:54 - I Suck at Jiu-Jitsu School18:15 - Have you ever gotten in real trouble for the podcast?19:50 - My first podcast ever (nobody guessed it)20:33 - How close have you come to ending the show?21:08 - The episode I'm most proud of that flopped23:12 - Podcast Josh vs. real Josh25:46 - What does HeadNod do worse than other gyms?27:30 - Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles28:28 - What goes through your head when a student leaves?35:08 - How has jiu-jitsu affected your faith?38:02 - Handling a talented student with a bad attitude39:56 - When does gym loyalty become manipulation?42:13 - How do I keep HeadNod from becoming what I criticize?43:02 - Should coaches promote someone they don't like?45:06 - Feed the algorithm gods46:02 - Should coaches care if students cross train?46:56 - Toxic student vs. difficult student48:07 - My biggest hot take: morality as currency in BJJ53:55 - Do you miss competing?59:54 - Do you care if black belts respect your jiu-jitsu?1:01:13 - Why I got donkey guarded by Jeff Glover in khaki pants1:08:30 - Could you beat the 25-year-old version of yourself?1:10:44 - Wrap up

What if...

It’s not the black belt.It’s not winning Worlds.It’s not the perfect technique.It might not even be the journey.It’s all about the people you get to do jiu jitsu with.But there’s another side to community.The wrong gym, wrong coach, or wrong group of people can make you start to hate something you once loved. And once a community becomes valuable, there will always be people who want to exploit it.This episode is about finding your people, appreciating them while you have them, and protecting the community you’re lucky enough to be part of.👇 Who is someone Jiu-Jitsu brought into your life that you’d still be friends with even if neither of you trained anymore?Subscribe for more Jiu-Jitsu philosophy, competition stories, training advice, BJJ culture, and questionable opinions from the I Suck at Jiu-Jitsu Show.Check at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnodFree Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck00:00 What Jiu-Jitsu Is ACTUALLY About03:25 It Took Me 18 Years to Learn This06:49 The Friend Who Changed My Jiu-Jitsu10:52 The Best Years of Competition12:28 Is Catalina Island Actually Japan?18:43 Jiu-Jitsu’s Greatest Gift19:28 The Wrong Gym Can Make You Hate Jiu-Jitsu25:20 The Friend Who Bet on Me29:03 You Can’t Buy a 10-Year Friendship34:05 How to Know If You Found the Right Gym38:18 Ponzi Schemes, Influencers & Fake Community46:53 Protect Your Jiu-Jitsu Community50:20 Your Best Friends Might Be on the Mat53:16 Appreciate Your Training Partners54:18 Goal vs. Journey vs. Community

Dorian Brownlee is one of the most recognizable photographers in Jiu-Jitsu.

In this episode we talk BJJ photography, Daisy Fresh, content creation, the IBJJF circuit, Jiu-Jitsu culture, Jiu Jitsu drama, and what it really takes to build a life around Jiu-Jitsu full time.

📸 Dorian: @bjjedits

🥋 Josh: @thejoshmckinney

Check at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnod

Free Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck

Can a BJJ blue belt actually win a street fight, and could you beat up Jonah Hill?Jonah Hill’s viral jiu-jitsu rant opens a much bigger question: how well does modern day BJJ really prepare you for violence outside the gym?Josh breaks down “blue belt energy,” shares a recent confrontation in downtown St. Louis, and explains the difference between fighting and real self-defense. Learn why live rolling matters, why top position is king, and the three rules every grappler should remember when a fight becomes unavoidable.Check at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnodFree Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck 0:00 Can Blue Belts Win Street Fights?1:35 Jonah Hill’s Viral Jiu-Jitsu Rant2:46 The “Blue Belt Energy” Problem5:29 Why Jiu-Jitsu Should Make You Avoid Fights7:53 99% of Fights Are Avoidable11:23 My Downtown St. Louis Near-Fight17:44 Bruce Lee’s “Fighting Without Fighting”22:29 Fight vs. Self-Defense24:25 Sport BJJ vs. Real Fighting26:18 Why Live Rolling Transfers29:10 Win the Fight, Lose Everything31:01 The Truth About Jonah Hill33:07 When Fighting Is Unavoidable34:51 Boundaries and Distance Management37:37 The “Never Throw the First Punch” Rule41:05 Avoiding the Sucker Punch43:54 Safest Positions in a Street Fight46:35 Three Rules for Winning a Fight48:25 Can the Average Blue Belt Win?50:31 Why Younger People Fight Less53:39 What Black Belts Understand