BJJ Mental Models

In this week's mini-episode we discuss the Red Queen effect, a hypothesis based on a quote from Alice in Wonderland that is oddly applicable to science and Jiu-Jitsu! It teaches us that sometimes we n...

10 Jul 20256min

In this episode, Steve Kwan talks with elite competitor Elisabeth Clay about returning to Jiu-Jitsu after major life changes like pregnancy and injury. Clay shares her personal journey of Jiu-Jitsu an...

7 Jul 202555min

In this week's mini-episode we discuss the concept of systematic abandonment, a mental model co-opted from business strategists like Peter Drucker and Michael Porter. Systematic abandonment teaches us...

3 Jul 20259min

In this episode of BJJ Mental Models, Steve Kwan is joined by Jake O’Driscoll from Essence BJJ in Perth for an in-depth discussion on the straight foot lock game. Jake explains his unique finishing me...

30 Jun 202559min

In this week's mini-episode we discuss the concept of flow, a mental model for peak performance first proposed in 1975 by the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio co...

25 Jun 20258min

In this episode, we're joined once again by Giles Garcia, head coach of Ronin Grappling in Glasgow, to tackle the complex topic of living your values in Jiu-Jitsu. Giles explores the challenges coache...

23 Jun 20251h 24min

In this week's mini-episode we discuss growth mindsets, a mental model popularized by Carol Dweck in her hit 2006 book, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success." Growth mindsets are defined by belief ...

19 Jun 20258min

In this episode, Steve sits down with Cody Maltais, head coach at Elevate MMA in Durham, North Carolina, to explore the art of developing coaches in Jiu-Jitsu. Cody shares his journey from Marine Corp...

16 Jun 202557min