Ever since I started doing BJJ, I have loved watching videos, reading articles, and listening to BJJ podcasts. I have consumed most of the media that is free and have paid for a number of memberships to sites like Marcelo Garcia, Flograppling, and more. During my time teaching beginner classes, I realized how many people don’t even have a basic understanding of the grappling vernacular. And yet, so much of the educational material out there is filled with BJJ jargon.

I wanted to provide a way for beginners or newcomers to learn the language, understand the context, and have an idea of what to expect before they stepped on the mat. Additionally, I have a marketing background with experience in website content management systems, SEO, front-end development, video and sound editing, content writing, social media, and paid online advertising. While I’m certainly not an expert in all of these skills, I thought that I could bring together my general knowledge to provide a quality experience for people looking to learn more about BJJ.

If you are curious to learn more about my background, how long I’ve been training, and why I started BJJ, I’ve provided some more of that info below.

What Makes me Qualified to Talk About BJJ?

As a 4-stripe purple belt, I’m certainly no expert in BJJ, but I can at least share info on the basic concepts and fundamentals to newcomers.

Who is This BJJ Website and Podcast for?

• People who are just starting BJJ

• People looking to try a martial art

• People looking for a community to be apart of

• People who are tired of weight lifting or working out alone

• People who have never been or don’t see themselves as athletic

• People who want to learn more about the basics and fundamentals

• If you find yourself saying “well, duh” to anything, it’s probably not for you

What is my Athletic Background?

I took 1 year of wrestling in 8th grade, and I was awful. I started wrestling in 9th grade, but I dropped out almost immediately. I moved into track and cross country through high school. I wasn’t fast or competitive, and I didn’t particularly enjoy it. During those years, I wasn’t a huge fan of sports or being active.

It wouldn’t be until my early 20’s that I started gravitating towards being more active. I started to get into weight lifting around 22, but got bored and found BJJ at the age of 24. I started focusing on weight lifting again in early 30’s to compliment BJJ.

How did I get into BJJ?

I took my first BJJ class in the summer of 2011. A coworker asked about my ears and if I’d wrestled. I thought it was funny, since I had done so little wrestling in high school. At this time, I had been getting bored with weight lifting and looking into a sport I could try as a working adult. He said I should join him for a BJJ class at a local gym. I took a free class and immediately signed up. My coworker left the job a week later and I never saw him again. I stayed and fell in love with the sport.

How Often do I Train?

I train BJJ about 3-4 times per week and lift weights around 2-3 times per week. Additionally, I work a full-time job and am happily married. Like most of you probably experience, there never seems to be enough time in the day. That being said, I do what I can to maximize my training sessions, which usually includes staying 1-2 hours after class to roll with my training partners to work on takedowns and/or get in additional sparring.