Why Strong Heart Academy? Black Belt Explains

In this comprehensive discussion, we delve into the unique approach and philosophy behind our training programs at the Strong Heart Academy.

We explain the benefits of our specialized classes, which cater to various age groups, promoting effective learning and safe practices.

The conversation highlights our online resources and curriculum designed to enhance the learning experience for our students.

Furthermore, we describe the encouraging culture of our academy, our location, and how new students can get started with a free trial.

Please listen to get a deeper understanding of our unique approach to martial arts training.

Video Transcription

Meet Professor Mike and Strong Heart Academy

Hi, it's Professor Mike. I'm really excited to talk to you guys about what makes Strong Heart Academy different. I'm a third-degree black belt under Caio Terra, the 12-time world champion, and we are proud to be the premier school in the North Valley. We are surrounded by other schools, and I just want to point out why we are really excited to be here.

Our Long-Standing Presence

Experience and Establishment in the Community

I've had this academy the longest in this area out of all the academies. I'm the most established. I have more experience. I've been training longer than everyone around me. I have 23 years of experience, multiple black belts, and I also have multiple black belts teaching at my academy. We've been in these locations longer than anybody else too. So we're really established in the community.

Community Outreach and Stability

Reliable, Committed and Community-Centric

We also do outreach in the community. So we're not going anywhere. You know, this isn't something you're going to sign up for and it will be gone. We've been in business for almost 15 years. We were established in 2009.

Cleanliness and Hygiene

A Clean, Safe, and Welcoming Environment

Our academy is very clean, and you'll notice this when you walk in, it smells good. I don't know how many academies you can walk into where it smells fresh. Some people, like gym rats or old wrestlers, might not mind a gym smell, but for parents, you don't want to smell sweat. We always make sure our academy is spotlessly clean. We want it to be like Disney; clean, clean, clean.

Fitness Facilities and Amenities

Beyond Martial Arts: A Comprehensive Fitness Facility

We encourage people to bring water, but we also have a water fountain for refilling your drinks or for drinking from directly. We also have a gym in the back with a full weight setup. We have a squat rack, bench press set, and plenty of dumbbells. We have different barbells, kettlebells, and more.

Shower Facilities

Stay Fresh with our On-site Shower Facility

We just ask that you put your things away. We also have our own shower here. So if, especially for the morning people, you want to take a shower before heading to work, you have access to a shower here. We just ask that you wear shower sandals, and bring your own soap and towel, just like at any other gym, such as LA Fitness.

Class Arrangement

Optimal Class Structuring for Effective Learning

Our facility alone is much nicer than any around us. We also have two rooms with mats. We have a mat on the south side and a mat on the north side. This allows us to run two classes simultaneously. What that does is it allows us to break up all our programs.

Age-Appropriate Training

Separation of Age Groups for Effective Training

So you're not going to have a 20-year-old training with a four-year-old. Some of these academies around me have just one kids' program where they are all jumbled together. Now, you have to do what you got to do, which I understand. But if you think about how your child progresses in school, you know, back in the 1800s, there would be one schoolhouse and everyone's in one class.

Understanding Different Learning Capabilities

Catering to Diverse Learning Needs

But kids don't learn like that. So a four-year-old is not going to learn the same as a nine-year-old. And a nine-year-old is not the same as a 13-year-old. The size difference means they can't wrestle with each other - a four-year-old and a nine-year-old should not be wrestling together.

Age-Specific Class Structure

Our Unique and Age-Appropriate Class Structure

So we have separate classes. We break it up to four and five-year-olds, six and seven-year-olds. And then sometimes we allow seven to 12-year-olds in our last class, which is our kids' class. We have a Tiny Tigers for ages four to five, Mat Monkeys, which is six to seven, and then our older kids' class which is eight to 12.

Adolescents and Adult Training Classes

Classes for Teens, Adults, and Masters

And then from there, we have a teens' class, another class that is separated. So that's, you know, your 13 to 15, and then 16-17 year-olds, depending on their size, they can join the adult class. And then pretty soon I'm really excited because we're going to have a master's class. And I don't think anyone in the valley has this, but it's going to be 35 and older.

Master's Class

The Master's Class: For Mature Practitioners

So if you're, you know, in your 30s, late 30s, 40s, 50s, and just feel a little intimidated and don't want to go against a 20-year-old that's been doing this since they were a teenager, this class is going to be at a great pace for both men and women 35 and older. I'm really excited about that. Hopefully, we'll get that going in June. It's just a couple of weeks now.

Gi and No Gi Options

The Flexibility of Gi and No Gi Training

And we also have options for Gi and No Gi for adults. And those are just some of the things that kind of set us apart.

Our Unique Curriculum

The Strong Heart Academy Curriculum

What separates us so much is my curriculum. I have an online curriculum that is free. Okay, we have another one that is a paid option, but that's going to give you more options. You can look up anything you want. Gi, No Gi, yoga, foam rolling, everything. But our curriculum itself, every month you have access to one month of curriculum.

Lesson Breakdown

How Our Training Week is Structured

So you'll know what we're teaching every week. Okay. And basically, we break up our Mondays and Tuesdays and our Wednesdays and Thursdays. Every position is broken up. So let's say this week would be guard. We're working on guard at the beginning of the week, we're working on passing the guard the second part of the week or defense.

Reviewing the Curriculum

Optimal Learning through Curriculum Reviews

And it goes through every week, different position, offense, and defense. And you're going to have the option of watching it before you participate in class. So you're not completely lost. "What are we doing today?" Or if you didn't understand something, you can go back to those videos and rewatch them just to get a better understanding.

Continuous Learning

Rewatching and Understanding the Curriculum

Maybe we taught three things and you've only remembered one. If you want to know the other two, go back to the videos; it gives you that access.

Kid-Friendly Curriculum

The Kids' Curriculum: Learning with Peers

On top of that, we have a separate program that I filmed with my own children. That's the kids' curriculum. So, kids have a separate curriculum from adults, and they can watch other kids doing Jiu-Jitsu. I've found that kids don't watch adult shows. They watch shows with other kids in them. So, I wanted to make a curriculum that they can watch kids doing.

Easy Access to Requirements

Test Requirements and Student Info Access

I thought it'd be easier for them to understand. They have access to all that as well. And so, they also know what their testing requirements are going to be; that information is on their student info page. They're going to have all the requirements for all the tests. They're going to have all the videos set up for that as well.

Our Open Environment

Transparency and Clarity in Training Goals

So, there's never any confusion about our curriculum or what you're trying to achieve for each position. You will know what that is. It's not a guessing game. And we have such a friendly, open environment that everyone comes in and can ask questions of other students.

Collective Growth

Learning from Each Other: The Strong Heart Academy Way

Not just the professors, but my purple belts, my blue belts, and my brown belts. They're going to give you great advice and help you work through positions, and everyone is very patient.

Uplifting Each Other

The Power of Community in Skill Development

We're all trying to uplift each other together so that we can all get better together. If the people below you are getting better, then you are too. There's no one pushing them forward. You need people behind you. You need them to be pushing you forward.

The Principle of Sharing Knowledge

The No-Secret Techniques Policy

So if you're not willing to help the people behind you, you're not going to be able to push the people in front of you, because you're not getting better; you're holding back. We don't want to hold back information from anybody. There are no secret techniques here. Everything is explained, and you'll fully understand what you're trying to achieve here.

Aligning Goals

Understanding and Accomplishing Your Goals

And we want to help you through your goals. What are your goals when you come in? We want to help walk you through those goals.

Identifying Your Goals

The Variety of Goals Welcome at Strong Heart Academy

Is your goal fitness, self-defense, or simply to meet new people and learn a new skill? All of these are valid goals in our positive culture, where everyone is willing to help each other.

Building an Academy Culture

The Importance of Time in Cultivating an Academy's Culture

When you're starting with a new academy, there isn't a culture yet. It takes time to build a culture.

Invitation to Join

A Warm Welcome to Try Out a Class

We would love to have you guys come in and try out a class. We're located on the border of Scottsdale, at 30th Street and Union Hills. We're just two minutes from Desert Ridge and Scottsdale.

Easy Accessibility

Finding Us Made Easy

You can find us right off the 101 or the 51, whichever is most convenient for you. If you're in the North Valley, you can get to us in 20 minutes or less.

Trying Out the Academy

The Invitation to Experience a Free Trial

We would love to have you on the mat to see if we can meet your goals and make sure we align together. You can try out a free trial. We offer a free trial. Check out our website, StrongHeartAcademy.com, fill out the waiver, click on the link, and you're ready to go.

Connect with Us

For Any Questions, Feel Free to Reach Out

If you have any questions, you can ask us on our website or call us. We prefer that you try out a class to get a good understanding of our structure and to make sure it fits your needs.

Thank you.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Black Belt in Jiu Jitsu

At Strong Heart Academy, we offer comprehensive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) classes in Scottsdale, Arizona, guiding students through their martial arts journey.

A common question we receive is, "How long does it take to get a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu?"

In this blog post, we'll explore the factors that influence BJJ belt progression, the time commitment involved, and tips for success in your BJJ journey.

Factors Influencing BJJ Belt Progression

1. Individual Commitment: The time it takes to reach a black belt in BJJ depends on your dedication to consistent training, focus on learning, and persistence in overcoming challenges.

2. Training Frequency: Practitioners who train more frequently will generally progress faster than those with less frequent sessions.

3. Athletic Background: Previous experience in sports or martial arts can impact your progression, with a solid foundation potentially shortening the time required to reach a black belt.

4. Quality Instruction: Receiving instruction from knowledgeable and experienced coaches, like those at Strong Heart Academy, is crucial for steady and safe progression.

Average Time to Reach a BJJ Black Belt

While the time it takes to reach a black belt varies for each individual, on average, it takes approximately 8 to 12 years of consistent training. The journey includes progressing through the following belt ranks:

1. White Belt (1-2 years)

2. Blue Belt (2-4 years)

3. Purple Belt (1.5-3 years)

4. Brown Belt (1-2 years)

5. Black Belt

Keep in mind that these are general estimates and that the actual time may differ based on individual factors and commitment.

Tips for Accelerating Your BJJ Progression

1. Train Consistently: Establish a regular training schedule and make BJJ a priority in your life.

2. Focus on Fundamentals: Develop a strong foundation in BJJ basics, as these skills will serve as the building blocks for more advanced techniques.

3. Set Goals: Establish short-term and long-term goals for your training and monitor your progress over time.

4. Supplemental Training: Incorporate strength and conditioning exercises, yoga, or other sports to improve your overall athleticism and BJJ performance.

5. Compete: Participating in BJJ competitions can accelerate your learning by providing valuable experience and feedback.

6. Learn from Multiple Sources: Study BJJ techniques and strategies from books, videos, and seminars to deepen your understanding of the art.

Conclusion: Embrace the Journey to a BJJ Black Belt

The path to a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu is a long and rewarding journey filled with personal growth, challenges, and accomplishments.

By dedicating yourself to consistent training, focusing on fundamentals, and learning from quality instruction at Strong Heart Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona, you can make steady progress towards your BJJ goals.

Remember, the journey is just as important as the destination.

Enjoy the process and embrace the life-changing benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Empower Yourself with Self-Defense Classes in Scottsdale, AZ

At Strong Heart Academy, we are dedicated to providing top-notch Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and self-defense classes in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Our expert instructors teach practical and effective techniques that empower individuals to protect themselves in various situations.

This blog post will guide you through the benefits of self-defense training and what to expect from our classes at Strong Heart Academy.

Benefits of Self-Defense Training

1. Personal Safety: Learning self-defense techniques can help protect you and your loved ones in potentially dangerous situations.

2. Confidence and Empowerment: Knowing how to defend yourself can boost your self-confidence and give you a sense of empowerment.

3. Physical Fitness: Self-defense training improves your strength, agility, and endurance, promoting overall health and well-being.

4. Mental Fortitude: Developing the ability to remain calm and focused under pressure is a valuable life skill gained through self-defense training.

5. Social Interaction: Joining self-defense classes connects you with like-minded individuals, fostering a supportive community.

What to Expect from Our Self-Defense Classes in Scottsdale, AZ

1. Expert Instruction: Our experienced instructors at Strong Heart Academy are passionate about teaching practical self-defense techniques based on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu principles.

2. Real-World Scenarios: We focus on realistic situations, such as personal attacks, home invasions, or street altercations, to prepare you for various scenarios.

3. Progressive Curriculum: Our self-defense program is designed for all skill levels, starting with foundational techniques and gradually introducing more advanced skills.

4. Women's Self-Defense: We offer specialized women's self-defense classes to address unique safety concerns and empower women of all ages and backgrounds.

5. Safe and Supportive Environment: Our gym fosters a welcoming atmosphere that encourages learning and growth for all students.

Join Strong Heart Academy's Self-Defense Classes Today!

Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced martial artist, our self-defense classes in Scottsdale, AZ, can equip you with the skills and confidence to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Enroll in our self-defense program at Strong Heart Academy today and take the first step towards personal empowerment.

Visit our website for more information on our class schedule and membership options.

What to Wear to No-Gi BJJ? A Comprehensive Guide

At Strong Heart Academy, we offer a range of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) classes in Scottsdale, Arizona.

One of our most popular offerings is no-gi BJJ, a form of grappling without the traditional gi (kimono) worn in other BJJ classes.

If you're new to no-gi BJJ or considering joining our classes, you might be wondering what to wear.

In this blog, we'll guide you through the essential no-gi attire and how to choose the best gear for your training.

The Importance of Proper No-Gi Attire

No-gi BJJ has specific requirements when it comes to training gear.

Wearing the appropriate attire not only ensures your comfort and safety but also helps you perform at your best during training and competitions.

In no-gi BJJ, you'll need clothing that provides flexibility, breathability, and durability, while also minimizing the risk of injuries.

What to Wear for No-Gi BJJ Training

1. Rashguards: A rashguard is a tight-fitting, moisture-wicking shirt made from materials like polyester or spandex. It helps reduce friction between your body and the mat, preventing skin irritation and mat burn. Rashguards also offer muscle compression, which can enhance your performance and recovery.

2. Shorts or Spats: For no-gi BJJ, you'll need shorts or spats (tight-fitting leggings) to wear on your lower body. Choose shorts with an elastic waistband and no pockets, zippers, or buttons to avoid injuries during training. Spats offer similar benefits to rashguards, such as compression and protection from mat burn. You can wear them alone or under your shorts for added coverage.

3. Groin Protection: A groin protector or cup is essential for male practitioners to avoid injuries during grappling. Many brands offer comfortable, low-profile options that won't impede your movement.

4. Mouthguard: A mouthguard is crucial for protecting your teeth, jaw, and gums during no-gi BJJ training. Choose a boil-and-bite or custom-fit mouthguard for optimal comfort and protection.

5. Athletic Tape and Joint Support: Athletic tape can help support your fingers, wrists, and ankles during training, while knee and elbow pads can provide additional joint protection.

Tips for Choosing the Best No-Gi BJJ Gear

1. Quality Materials: Invest in gear made from high-quality, durable materials to ensure long-lasting performance.

2. Comfort and Fit: Choose attire that fits snugly without restricting your movement. Look for moisture-wicking materials to stay dry and comfortable during training.

3. Style and Design: Personalize your no-gi attire with your favorite colors, patterns, or designs. Many brands offer a wide range of options to suit your preferences.

4. Trusted Brands: Shop from reputable brands known for their quality no-gi BJJ gear, such as Tatami, Venum, and Scramble.

Summary

Wearing the appropriate no-gi BJJ attire is crucial for your comfort, safety, and performance during training at Strong Heart Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona.

By following this guide and investing in quality gear, you'll be well-prepared for your no-gi journey

How Long Does It Take to Get a Blue Belt in Jiu-Jitsu? The Definitive Guide

Welcome to the Strong Heart Academy blog!

As a leading Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym in Scottsdale, Arizona, we aim to provide valuable insights and resources to help you on your martial arts journey.

Today, we're going to answer a common question among aspiring BJJ practitioners: "How long does it take to get a blue belt in Jiu-Jitsu?"

This comprehensive guide will break down the factors that impact your progression and provide actionable tips to accelerate your growth.

Let's dive in!

The Journey to a Blue Belt: Understanding the Process

Earning a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a significant milestone, as it signifies your transition from a beginner to an intermediate practitioner. The time it takes to achieve this level can vary widely, depending on factors such as training frequency, personal aptitude, and the requirements set by your instructor or BJJ association.

The Average Timeline: What to Expect

On average, it takes about 2 to 3 years of consistent training to earn a blue belt in BJJ. This estimate assumes that you train 2-3 times per week and are committed to learning and applying the techniques taught in class.

However, this timeline can vary significantly based on individual factors. Some practitioners may reach the blue belt level in as little as 1 year, while others may take 4 years or longer.

Key Factors Influencing Your Progression

1. Training Frequency: The more often you train, the faster you'll develop your skills and understanding of BJJ concepts. Consistency is crucial – training regularly will accelerate your progress toward a blue belt.

2. Personal Aptitude: Some people naturally pick up techniques and strategies more quickly than others. However, persistence and dedication can help you overcome any initial challenges.

3. Instruction Quality: Learning from experienced instructors who provide clear, detailed instruction can significantly impact your progression. At Strong Heart Academy, our expert instructors are dedicated to helping you achieve your BJJ goals.

4. Competition Experience: Participating in BJJ competitions can accelerate your learning by exposing you to various techniques, styles, and levels of practitioners.

Accelerating Your Progress: Actionable Tips

1. Train Consistently: Aim for at least 2-3 training sessions per week to build a solid foundation in BJJ.

2. Set Specific Goals: Establish clear, achievable objectives for your training, such as mastering a particular technique or improving your overall fitness.

3. Seek Feedback: Regularly ask your instructors and training partners for feedback on your performance to identify areas for improvement.

4. Supplement Your Training: Consider adding BJJ-specific strength and conditioning to your routine to improve your physical capabilities and overall performance on the mat.

5. Study Outside the Gym: Enhance your understanding of BJJ concepts and techniques by studying instructional videos and attending seminars.

The Blue Belt Curriculum: Techniques You Need to Master

To earn a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you must demonstrate proficiency in a variety of techniques and positions. While the specific requirements may vary between instructors and associations, the following techniques are typically included in a blue belt curriculum:

Fundamental Positions and Techniques

1. Basic Guard Passes: Master techniques such as the knee cut pass, stack pass, and leg drag to effectively pass your opponent's guard.

2. Sweeps: Become proficient in essential sweeps, including scissor sweep, butterfly sweep, and hip bump sweep, to reverse your position and gain control.

3. Submissions: Develop a strong foundation in fundamental submissions like the rear naked choke, triangle choke, armbar, and kimura.

4. Takedowns: Learn essential takedowns such as the double leg, single leg, and judo throws to establish dominant positions from the standing position.

5. Escapes: Master essential escapes from positions like side control, mount, and back control to regain guard or reverse the situation.

Concepts and Strategies

1. Guard Retention: Understand the principles of guard retention, including framing, hip movement, and grip fighting, to prevent your opponent from passing your guard.

2. Positional Control: Learn to maintain control and apply pressure from dominant positions like side control, mount, and back control.

3. Transitioning: Develop smooth transitions between positions and techniques to maintain control and create submission opportunities.

4. Submissions Chains and Defenses: Understand how to chain submissions together and develop solid defenses to protect yourself from attacks.

Benefits of Achieving a Blue Belt in Jiu-Jitsu

Earning a blue belt is not only a significant milestone in your BJJ journey, but it also comes with numerous benefits:

1. Improved Technique: Your progression to a blue belt reflects your mastery of fundamental techniques, which will serve as the foundation for more advanced skills.

2. Enhanced Problem-Solving: As a blue belt, you'll have a better understanding of the intricacies of BJJ, allowing you to strategize and adapt to various situations on the mat.

3. Increased Confidence: Achieving a blue belt boosts your self-confidence, both in your BJJ abilities and in other aspects of your life.

4. Leadership Opportunities: As an intermediate practitioner, you'll have opportunities to mentor and guide less experienced students, further solidifying your own understanding and skill set.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Blue Belt Journey

Can I get a blue belt faster if I train more often?

Training more frequently can accelerate your progress, as it allows you to develop your skills and understanding of BJJ more quickly. However, it's essential to balance your training with proper rest and recovery to avoid burnout and injuries.

How important is competing in tournaments for blue belt promotion?

While competing in tournaments is not a strict requirement for promotion, it can significantly impact your progression. Competing allows you to test your skills against a variety of opponents and gain valuable experience that can translate to faster improvement on the mat.

What should I focus on once I achieve my blue belt?

Once you've earned your blue belt, it's crucial to continue refining your fundamental techniques and start exploring more advanced concepts and strategies. Focus on developing a well-rounded skill set and seek out opportunities to learn from experienced practitioners and instructors.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, the time it takes to earn a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can vary widely, but with dedication, consistent training, and a focus on continuous improvement, you can accelerate your progress toward this significant milestone. At Strong Heart Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona, we provide top-notch instruction and support to help you achieve your BJJ goals. Check out our class schedule and join us on the mat to begin or continue your journey toward a blue belt and beyond.

What Age to Start Jiu-Jitsu and Why: A Comprehensive Guide

Welcome back to the Strong Heart Academy blog.

As a leading Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym in Scottsdale, Arizona, we are committed to providing valuable information and resources to help you and your family excel in martial arts.

Today, we will discuss a common question among parents and prospective students: "What age should you start Jiu-Jitsu, and why?"

Let's explore the best age to begin training, the benefits of starting early, and how to find the right program for your child.

The Ideal Age to Start Jiu-Jitsu

While there's no definitive age requirement for beginning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, most experts agree that children can start learning the basics as young as 4 years old. At this age, children have developed enough motor skills and coordination to participate in structured classes and understand basic techniques.

However, it's important to find a program specifically designed for younger children, often referred to as "Little Ninjas" or "Tiny Tots" classes. These classes focus on building essential skills and values while incorporating age-appropriate techniques and games to keep kids engaged and having fun.

The Benefits of Starting Jiu-Jitsu Early

Starting Jiu-Jitsu at a young age offers numerous physical, mental, and social benefits, including:

1. Improved Physical Fitness and Coordination: BJJ training helps children develop strength, flexibility, and balance, which are essential for overall health and well-being. Research has shown that regular participation in martial arts can significantly improve physical fitness in children.

2. Enhanced Focus and Discipline: Jiu-Jitsu requires concentration and self-discipline, as students must learn complex techniques and strategies. This increased focus can translate to better academic performance and success in other areas of life.

3. Increased Self-Confidence: As children progress in their Jiu-Jitsu journey, they will develop a sense of accomplishment and pride in their abilities. This boost in self-confidence can help them navigate various challenges throughout life.

4. Development of Social Skills: BJJ classes provide a supportive environment for children to interact with their peers, fostering teamwork, cooperation, and communication skills. Studies have demonstrated that martial arts training can help improve social skills and decrease aggression in children.

Finding the Right Jiu-Jitsu Program for Your Child

When searching for the perfect Jiu-Jitsu program for your child, consider the following factors:

1. Class Structure and Curriculum: Look for a program that offers age-appropriate instruction, with a focus on fun, skill-building activities, and values like respect and discipline.

2. Qualified Instructors: Ensure the instructors are experienced in teaching children and have the necessary certifications and background checks.

3. Safe and Clean Facilities: A well-maintained training environment is crucial for your child's safety and overall experience.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, starting Jiu-Jitsu early can provide your child with a strong foundation for a lifelong love of martial arts and the numerous benefits that come with it. At Strong Heart Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona, we offer a range of children's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes designed to help young students develop essential skills in a fun, supportive environment. Contact us today to schedule a trial class and begin your child's journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

How to Tie Your Jiu-Jitsu Belt: A Step-by-Step Guide by Strong Heart Academy

Welcome to the Strong Heart Academy blog! As a premier Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym in Scottsdale, Arizona, we're committed to providing you with the highest-quality instruction and resources to help you excel in your martial arts journey. Today, we'll be covering a fundamental aspect of BJJ training: how to tie your Jiu-Jitsu belt correctly.

Having a properly tied belt is not only essential for maintaining a professional appearance, but it also ensures that your belt stays in place during training and competition. Let's dive into our step-by-step guide on how to tie your Jiu-Jitsu belt the right way!

Step 1: Find the Center of Your Belt

To begin, locate the center of your belt. Hold the belt out in front of you and make sure the ends are even. The middle of the belt will be the starting point.

Step 2: Wrap the Belt Around Your Waist

Place the center of the belt on your stomach, just below your navel. Wrap both ends of the belt around your waist, crossing them over in the back. Bring the ends back to the front, ensuring that the layers of the belt lie flat against your body.

Step 3: Cross the Ends Over

With both ends of the belt now in front of you, cross the right end over the left end. Make sure the belt remains flat and snug against your body.

Step 4: Tuck the Right End Under the Layers

Take the right end (now on top) and tuck it under all the belt layers wrapped around your waist. Pull it up and out, making sure to keep the belt tight.

Step 5: Make a Knot

Grab both ends of the belt and ensure they are the same length. Fold the end that is on top (previously the right end) over the bottom end. Then, take the bottom end (now on top) and thread it through the loop created by the top end. Finally, pull both ends tight to secure the knot.

Your Jiu-Jitsu belt should now be tied correctly, with the knot lying flat and horizontal across your waist. The ends of the belt should hang down evenly.

Additional Tips for Tying Your Jiu-Jitsu Belt

• Always ensure your belt is clean and in good condition. If your belt is frayed or damaged, it's time to replace it.

• To prevent your belt from coming undone during training, consider using the super lock knot technique for added security.

Wrapping Up

Now that you know how to tie your Jiu-Jitsu belt, you're one step closer to mastering the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. At Strong Heart Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona, we're dedicated to helping you reach your full potential in martial arts. Check out our class schedule and join us for a session soon!

How to Practice Jiu Jitsu Alone

In this video, Professor Mike Martin, a third-degree black belt under Caio Terra, shares his insights on training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) on your own.

He explains that BJJ is more challenging to train for on your own than striking martial arts, which can be practiced on a bag or in a mirror.

BJJ requires an opponent, but there are many drills that you can do on your own, including movement drills, warm-ups, and workouts.

Professor Martin recommends using bjj2go.com, where you can find a range of drills and resources that you can use to improve your skills in BJJ.

In the video, he also discusses the importance of hip escape warm-up drills, hip thruster drills, mobility drills for balance on the ground, and neon belly drills.

Video Transcription

Hi, I'm professor Mike Martin. I'm a third degree black belt under Caio Terra. I own and operate strong heart academy in Phoenix, Arizona.

We are at 32 street in Union Hills and today I want to talk about how to train on your own.

Done With an Opponent

One of the things about Jiu Jitsu that sets it apart from a lot of martial arts is it is more difficult to train on your own.

Okay. Many things you can do in striking martial arts. In the mirror or on bags, there's less options in Jiu Jitsu.

Now, because things are done on an opponent. So in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, your goal is to submit your opponent or control your opponent to a point where they're ready to give up.

And there's no strikes, no punches, no kicks, nothing like that, no knees. Now you could obviously add those for some defense purposes, but they're not in sports Jiu Jitsu.

And generally not taught during most Jiu Jitsu classes. Now you need a partner to work on because I'm going to do a move on the partner.

Many times again, striking, you can practice your jab, crosses, hooks, your boxing in a mirror, and you don't have to hit anything.

And if you have a bag, you can practice hitting an actual bag. Now when you spar, that's when you need a, another person that's still very useful to learn how to spar for distance and things like that.

Practice on Your Own

Same thing with Jiu Jitsu. But in order to practice on your own, there's many drills you can do. We can do movement drills.

On my online platform, for strong heart, we use our curriculum, goes through it. It's bjj2go.com. And on there, I have plenty of things you can do on your own.

We also have like workouts and warmups. So learning how to warm up on your own is very helpful, especially if the old or you get, you want your body to be loose before the class starts.

Or if you're going to compete, how to get your body tuned up and ready to go versus just go straight out there.

Even when I was young, I, I like to warm up versus just go straight out there. But now that I'm older, it's even more important that I learn these movements to kind of, it's like greasing the bearings is the way I kind of think about it.

Get my joints ready to be used. It blood flowing through my muscles mobility work, things of that nature. Now there's a whole set of drills in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that we can do that are movement specific to jiu jitsu, not just warm up drills.

So we can practice various, hip escapes, almost every jiu jitsu class you go to will have some form of hip escape warm up drills that they do.

The Value of Movement Drills

Now I've had, I've seen many people start to say recently like, you know, those are useless but I don't, I don't believe they are.

I think learning how to hit escape and continually not being lazy with your hip escape keeps you sharp in your ability to move your hips in and out of position.

So when you're attacking, you may need to move your hips. When you're escaping, you definitely need to move your hips.

So it's a valuable tool that you can use that's a movement that it's not always needed with another partner. You can do this by yourself.

Drill at Home

Now if you're at home, this is something that can be done on a rug, something like that. It's not as hard on the ground.

You're not going to have to move as much. If you have mats, I have plenty of students that have mats at their house like a five by five by five by ten, five by eight.

Those are great. You don't need much more space than that. You can put it in the garage. People have dedicated rooms in their house, which is awesome.

You can drill by yourself and you don't need a partner. There's also drills, movement drills. People call them egg beaters, where you're moving your legs and directionally.

It kind of warms up your knees, but also if someone's trying to grab a hole with your legs, how to circle your legs out of the grip.

It's hard to grip. I'm grabbing your circling your legs one direction and other direction. This also helps moving your hips and moving your knees, getting those knees warmed up.

You're ready to have good guard retention, which would say is make sure someone stays in front of you and not getting around your legs.

That's your guard retention, retention, keeping them in your guard. Your guard is anytime you're using your legs between you and your opponent.

This is a great drill. You don't need another opponent to do. You can do it with or without another person.

We do other hip warm-up drills, hip thruster drills, mobility drills for balance on the ground. You can also take a medicine ball and do neon belly drills, warm-up drills off of putting your neon a belly and then windshield-wipe your legs side to side.

There's plenty of these drills online too. If you go to bgj2go.com it has them all, but you can find them on YouTube for free.

There's many of them out there. They're not going to be listed in a row like bjj2go. It's not going to be as convenient.

But you can search them and you've got to find good ones of people that know how to teach properly. Unfortunately there's a lot of people that aren't great teachers, but they have a ton of content out there.

It might take you a little bit longer, but it's out there for free if you'd like. I also like to use a punching bag.

If you have a punching bag, maybe the rings broke on it. You can't hang anymore. Or you just don't really want to hang anymore.

You're not striking anymore. You can put it on the ground and you can do so many drills on a punching bag, learning how to mount off of it, how to change sides from the side control position.

There are plenty of those drills out there as well. Learning how to fall properly, dropfalls, which is done almost every judo class.

Falling and Standing for Self-Defense

We like to do them in at Strongheart too and technical stand-up. How to fall, how to stand back up. To me is one of the most important things for self-defense that you can do.

So many people don't know how to fall properly. If you fall improperly and you hit your head, you're going to knock yourself out.

Then there's no defending yourself at that point. Or you're going to post an arm and hurt your arm. You can't defend using your arm because it might be broken, dislocated, wrist hurt, fingers hurt, all these things.

And learning how to stand back up even just so you can run away is really important. A lot of times when people stand up, they lean forward, which exposes your head to a kick or a punch, like a soccer kick, like a real street fight.

And learning how to lean out of it to stand up and not turn your back, turn away to get up.

If you turn your back, someone can kick you from behind. Jiu Jitsu they will take your back and choke you.

But just for self-defense purposes, it's so helpful. When I teach my self-defense classes, I really emphasize falling and standing up just as much as like striking and covering your face, defending strikes and striking back.

Where You Can Practice?

I think falling and standing up is huge. And important to prevent injuries too. But those could all be done at your own.

You could do it in the grass, you could go to a park, you could do it on mats, like I said before if you had them at your house.

If you have a rug, I would go very slowly with these. Again, we have those on bjj2go.com also. We'll help you show you how to drop fall properly, starting on the ground and working way up and then back down.

More Training to Learn

Now there's back fall, side falls and front falls. All those are very valuable and helpful to get you learning how to fall properly, reduce any kind of injuries or take injuries out of the equation altogether.

You don't need any partners for those type of drills. Check it out. You guys can see all these drills and workouts that you can do too.

Workouts by yourself that are jiu jitsu centric, I would say. We have those on there too, even foam rolling, how to stretch properly and foam roll to get your muscles ready to go.

I like to do that after training or before training both. Check that out. It's a short one today. I just want to talk about how you can actually train by yourself.

Obviously, at the end of the day, you will need to join a class with others. I don't believe training, garage training is a great way to do jiu jitsu is better than zero training.

But if you want to supplement your training, you can do it on your own and there are plenty of drills that you can do on your own just to get a little bit better, more comfortable when you're in class.

When you go to an actual class, these things are a little bit faster, a little bit more warmed up and you'll understand them a lot better.

Your body movement is a lot better. One thing I like to also say is when you first start jj2, one of the things you learn in the beginning is just how to move correctly on the ground.

I'll tell people all the time, once you're past one year's old, there's really no other sports on the ground other than grappling.

If you play any sports, basketball, baseball, hockey, even, it's all on your feet and we are used to the movement and the balance on our feet.

Learning your balance on the ground is a great way to understand how to move properly for jj2 class. When you actually do lose live sparring, you're not falling over and losing a position because your balance is very good on the ground.

All these kind of solo drills that we call them are great for that great balance understanding of how your body works on the ground and how others do to break someone else's balance.

When you're trying to do a sweep, learning how to break someone's balance is to sweep them off their base and come on on top.

Very helpful just understanding your own balance and how your body works and with posts.

Conclusion

That's it for today. Just want to go over those solo drills.

You can check them out at bjj2go.com. Then we also have these warmups on our curriculum that everyone on my students have access to if you're a member of Strong Heart.

You can check us out at StrongHeartAcademy.com. If you want to try a free trial, just hit the free trial button.

I'm going to start putting up all our prices up soon just to get that out of the way so everyone knows what our value is.

When you come in you understand the value of what you're getting and check us out. Thanks. Peace.

What is the Difference Between Judo and Jiu Jitsu

In this video, Professor Mike Martin, a third degree black belt and owner of Strong Heart Academy, discusses the differences between Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). He shares his insights on how Judo and BJJ have evolved over the years, and how they differ in terms of grappling and scoring. He also provides a brief overview of BJJ rules and belt ranks, and how they vary based on age and competition level. If you're interested in learning more about the fundamentals of Judo and BJJ, this video is a must-watch.

Video Transcription

Hi, I'm Mike Martin professor under Caio Terra. He's a 12 time world champion. I'm a third degree black belt. I've been training for about 23 years now.

And I've had my academy strong hard academy since 2009. We are the longest running academy in the north valley Phoenix.

And it's been an honor to teach all these families and adults for the last, whatever 14 years now. Today I want to talk about the difference between judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

What’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?

Many times when people ask me what it is, what's Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? And I like to say it's similar to judo because judo is in the Olympics and maybe people have seen that to understand it.

You know, when I first started to do it, everyone would give you knife hands like karate and like, no, it's not karate, you know, Austin Powers just say judo chop.

There's no chops on judo. That's why it was even funnier. But judo starts standing and they used to do a lot of lot more stuff on the ground, which is called Ne waza.

Ne waza is the grappling part of judo. Now, because of the nature of bringing judo into the Olympics, they changed the rules to sport jujitsu.

There's much less grappling. You have a very short window of time to do something on the ground in judo. And jujitsu matches also start in sport jujitsu standing.

But it's only two points. If I take my opponent down, I get two points. In judo, if I take you down with speed and force, it's called e pon, which is one point.

The goal of judo is to score one point. Pin or let's see, or submission. Now, only at the black belt level do they allow most submissions.

Many submissions are also cut out of judo too. And just that kind of happens with with sports that join especially comments for us to join the Olympics that get to get to the tend to get watered down, I would say.

Judo Used to Have More Grappling

So you know, judo, like I said before judo used to have a lot more Ne waza, a lot more grappling, which would look very similar to Brazilian jujitsu.

So when Brazilian jujitsu, my goal is to submit my opponent in sport jujitsu, depending on the rule set. Whoever scores the most points when the timer goes off or gets a submission.

So if I'm losing 20 to zero, but I pull off a submission, I make you say tap. You say, you know, uncle basically, we say tap.

The matches over immediately and I would win the match no matter how many points you've racked up. So it's kind of cool.

Some of the wrestling if you're losing by quite a bit and I get, I can still get a pin and win the match.

Now in wrestling, they have tech where you can win by so many points above. They just the matches over you're beating them so much.

But I have seen matches in Brazilian jujitsu where the guy was losing by a significant amount and the other guy just got lazy or cocky or whatever.

And then the other person was able to get a submission before the timer goes out. Now in, excuse me, in jujitsu matches are based on time for different belt ranks.

Different Belt Levels and Divisions

So generally speaking, white belt is five blue belt, a six, purple belt is seven brown belt is eight and then black belt skips to nine or 10.

And these are for, I'm Jeff rules and the international Brazilian jujitsu. Federation rules plus depending on your age. So if once you're over 30, they call you masters division and every five years is another master's division.

So 32 34 is masters one. Masters two is 35 to 40. And then 40 to 45 is masters three and so on and so on and so on.

Match Length

So all those matches are going to be five minute no matter what belt you are. You can be white, black blue, purple, brown, black, it's all the same as five minutes.

And once you start doing jujitsu, you kind of appreciate that like when you're getting older, like man cuz right now I'm 43 and a 10 minute matches a lot to ask.

And if you're in a big tournament, you know, we might have six to eight matches. So, you know, can you do 80 to 90 minutes of as hard as you can 100%.

So if it's a normal level of, you know, you can do 70 minutes of. It's a class, that's not as bad in class, but when you're doing a competition, much more difficult.

Jujitsu matches are much shorter. I don't remember the exact amount of time. There's no periods. It's just a straight match just like jujitsu.

But again, in the end of the day, most matches are won by e-pawn, meaning you threw your opponent and they landed on their back with speed and force e-pawn one point.

Now you can do half, half point. I think you can afford a quarter point for if you land on your side or butt.

When you hit the ground, sometimes they give you a certain amount of time to try to get it to submission.

Now, they don't give you much time. I'm talking less than a minute. You've got to get a submission going. You need to be actively going for submission.

Now, the good news with this, I would say, is as far as watching a match, it's more exciting because it's a faster pace.

But in brazilians jujitsu, it takes time to set things up to go right to a submission. It's very difficult. In jujitsu, many people even do what's called pulling guards.

Guard Descriptions

There's no take down. I didn't take you down. I have to get a grip and then I sat and I tried to get a guard going, which is basically my legs between me and my opponent.

So, I'm sort of guard. Then, I'm going to get something to happen. I'm going to try to sweep you, meaning get you off your feet or off your base.

I end up on top of you in a more dominant position. Now, you're going to get points for more dominant positions.

So, a sweep is two points. Take down the two points. If I were to pass a guard, pass around someone's legs.

If the legs were between me and you, I get around them, pass the hip line. With control, I'm going to get three points.

If I mount its four points and if I take your back, it's four points. So, positional dominance is going to create more points structure.

You cannot come off a position and go back to try to get more points. You have to continually go forward.

So, once you go to mount, there's no where you can go other than taking the back and vice versa. You need to be going for submissions.

Now, at any point, you can go for submissions from guard. Almost all positions, you can go for submission. They're submissions everywhere.

So, and bad positions and good positions. Generally, you want to be on top if you can. And that's just not the case in judo.

Pins, Guard, Stances in Judo

Now, they do have pins in judo. You have to hold someone down for 25 seconds, I believe. And honestly, doing jujitsu is that's pretty simple.

Like, I can hold someone for 25 seconds. Not these, you know, in Olympics, these are Olympic athletes. It definitely would be way harder to hold Olympic athlete down for 25 seconds.

But the first thing I would have to get him to the ground. So, that would be a challenge. They'd all allow pulling guard in judo.

You have to stand up. You'd be disqualified. So, even the types of takedowns and stances are going to be a little bit different too.

So, in judo, you are required to stand straight. Now, they didn't always have this as a rule set. Rules have changed over time.

But they don't want you bent over. You need to make sure that you are straight. In Jujitsu, it's going to look more like wrestling or folks out wrestling where you're bent over and your hips are far away.

So, many throws are difficult to pull off because you can't get your hips close enough to your opponent. Or, you have to figure out ways to make that happen.

How can I get my hips to my opponent to apply a take-down? So, getting someone to go backwards versus forwards is a lot harder versus in judo where I'm required to stand up straight and erect.

Also, once I get a grip, I have to do something with it fairly quickly in judo or you're going to get called also.

Jujutsu, I have a lot more time. They will call you for stalling in judo, Jujutsu, but nothing like judo. Judo's matches are so quick.

It's not uncommon 30-second matches because again, I'm just trying to get a grip and throw you as fast as possible.

We'll get you off balance with a series of throws and breaking your balance or destroying one's balance, which is Kazushi, and taking you down off of that.

I love both. I started Jujutsu, well, first I started wrestling and then I went in to Brazilian Jujutsu and I just wanted to get some judo take-downs.

I already had wrestling take-downs. So I joined a judo club in the valley and they awarded me my brown belt.

I would say definitely Rusty compared to where I was. We do teach judo throws in my academy, but I'm not as sharp.

Judo is Great for Self-Defense

I would say as I used to be, but I do love judo. I think it's great for self-defense. Also, sport judo's cool.

I love judo too more because I have more options with submissions and just stances and less penalties and things like that.

I think it's more fun and the order you can't, you can go a little longer, I think, in judo two versus judo.

Taking those falls in judo, it's only falling and getting thrown hard. So it could beat you up a little bit more.

I think judo's a little bit more forgiving on the body. Like many schools will start on their knees, especially there's no room versus judo's always starting standing.

So that's some of the differences right there. I enjoyed my time in judo. I sometimes I want to go back and just take it in my black belt in judo, because I don't like things undone.

But it's been difficult as running a gym and family and things like that to go out and pursue that black belt again.

The judo's just why I attended only spoke Japanese. They were Americans that ran it, but the one guy lived in the Kota Khan in Japan.

They were white boys, but they spoke fluent Japanese, which is crazy. And they did not like you speak in English.

So when he's teaching, it's all in Japanese after class before you can speak English, but he's teaching in Japanese. All every move is in Japanese when he's teaching things, he's saying things in Japanese.

I still caught on no problem. I didn't really have a problem with it. Pronounciations were hard. I barely speak English, but I did appreciate trying to keep the name straight.

Because in jujitsu, some moves have multiple names. And wrestling has this issue too, where judo does and judo has that name.

And that's it. And they don't change really. Sometimes they have a set amount of throws. And there's just variations, but the set amount is the set amount.

There's no new ones. So, jujitsu is evolving all the time. Very few things are not like illegal. Certain knee reaping they call is illegal and many things.

And you can do double eggs and you're not allowed to do that in judo anymore, grabbing the legs. Which is goofy, but that's just kind of the rules.

Conclusion

But thank you for listening for me today about just going over the very basic differences of judo and jujitsu. But at strongheart we do do judo takedowns.

I like to start all my matches, start standing just to get used to it. And I do take the falls and do take downs myself as well.

But I mix up my wrestling and judo together. And then we teach one throw per month at my academy. So you have your curriculum, but we stick with one throw, one take down every month.

So every month you get a new take down, do you take down, do you take down, do you take down?

And then it rotates back through again. So we have a set amount of judo throws and set amount of wrestling throws plus pulling guard.

So hopefully that clarifies some differences between judo and jujitsu. And I hope you appreciate it. Thank you. Peace.

Learn How to Move for Jiu Jitsu

As you learn how to move for jiu jitsu, one of the most important things is to remain one step ahead.

This is one of Strong Heart Academy's 21 truths for brazilian jiu jitsu.

When you can stay one step ahead, whether on the mat or in life, then you're able to increase your chances of success.

In this video podcast, I dive deeper into this Strong Heart principle.

Watch below!

Video Transcription

Hi, I'm professor Mike Martin from Strong Heart, Martial Arts Academy. We teach Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA striking for kids and adults.

We're in Phoenix, Arizona, North Phoenix, 32nd Street, and Union Hills. If you want to check us out, Strongheart Academy dot com.

I'm a second degree black belt under Caio Terra. And I'm sorry, I'm 3rd degree black belt under Caio Terra, almost 4th degree.

But I’ve been at this for about 23 years, but doing it for a long time. We've had our academy since 2009 but today I want to talk about our 21 truths, which is behind me.

Concepts of Jiu Jitsu

These are things that I think are extremely important just to keep in mind conceptually for Jiu Jitsu. And I'm very big on concepts of Jiu Jitsu, not just the actual technique.

I think it's a, it's a better, it's a deeper understanding of something when you can conceptualize understanding something versus just the facts of something.

Because, just as humans I think it gives you a better depth of knowledge of, of the particular thing that you're talking about or, or trying to learn is the concept.

So the 21 truths this one we're talking about today is always be one move ahead. And this is the 20th of the 21 truths.

And so what that means is that you need to be always knowing what your neck is. Is. Okay. And you want to be ahead of your opponent.

Human Chess

So we kind of talk about also that that Jiu Jitsu is like chess. It's, it's commonly referred to like human chess.

And good chess players are multiple moves ahead, but in Jiu Jitsu, I think you have to have a minimum of one move ahead.

And because we're constantly moving at the same time we both can counter at the same time as well. So if I'm a, ahead, then I'm going to know hopefully what your next move is.

And I like to think of it as leading the dance. So whoever is leading the dance gets to make the decisions.

So when you're ahead of your opponent, you are acting and your opponent is reacting. So now, you know, they have to counter what you're doing and encountering is slower than action is faster than reaction.

Okay. That's a common kind of self defense term. You know, even in military terms, you know, the shocking are part of the awe is that you went first and now they're responding.

And if it was a surprise, it's even more that's more shocking. Violence of action as well, you know but in Jiu Jitsu, if we're ahead, if I start an initiate contact, initiate a take down, initiate a sweep, initiate a garp pull then I'm always going to be leading the dance.

I'm always going to be slightly. Ahead. And even if we teach, if we keep pace with each other and you're attacking the same time, if I'm always ahead, one move ahead, you're constantly trying to keep up, trying to keep up.

So this is really important for multiple reasons, but if you, the more knowledge you have, the easier it is for you to, cause will be ahead of your opponent.

Know Your Opponent

If you know your opponent, you know then you're going to be able to even go. Easier to be ahead of them because you know what they like to do.

You know, they're their favorite things that they're going to do. And, you know, you might know they're opening move. I'll tell students all the time.

There's certain schools in the valley. And, and Phoenix that I know that they're going to pull guard. They do not do take downs.

None. So just understand like, don't even think you're going to get a take down. They're going to pull before you, before you have an opportunity to try to take them down.

So really it narrows what I have to work on because I'm just going to take a take down. I'm just going to have to focus on passing, guard passing, because as soon as they pull, I'm going to pass.

Or once they're, I'm in their guard. I have to attempt to pass. So, you know, you're going to take that out as far as like, moves ahead.

Maybe they pulled first, but because you anticipated that, you kind of are a move ahead because I know that you're going to pull guard.

I'm immediately going to pass. Okay. And, versus someone that can do both that can do take downs and guard pull.

You don't know what they're going to do. You know, I'm, are they going to do, are they going to try to do a rep out wrestle me?

They're going to try to do judo on me. Or they're going to try to pull guard. And so, that makes them unpredictable and unpredictable person is way more dangerous in my opinion.

Very few people are so good that they could do what they want. And you don't, you can't counter. Because if I know what you're going to do, at least I can prepare ahead of time for my opponents and, you know, that's great.

Game Planning

Like that's game planning. You know, almost all sports, they game plan for their opponent. If you know your opponent. Now, and you do too many times the brackets.

You never know who that guy is. You can't do that. And if I have an opening move, we also talk about ABC's my A attack, B attack and C attack.

Then if I open up with an arm bar and depending on your reactions, I know your ABC's of reactions, I would also say that's going to lead me to my secondary and tertiary moves and so on and so on and so on.

So, what I want to do is certain attack, sweep, back take, whatever it is, you kind of need to know what your opponent's counter options are.

So, not only do you know your offense of the thing that you want to do. You have to know their defense because now when they counter, you're ready to counter their account and you're still going to be ahead.

You're still one move ahead because I already know when I do the arm bar that you're going to stack past me or you're going to stack to try to get your arm out.

So, I'm prepared to spin through or I'm prepared to change that angle of that arm bar, come out to the side and break the grip loose to finish my arm bar.

Or, I'm going to turn that into a sweep off the stack. If you don't stack properly, you don't put your leg up, you stack what you're still underneath, I can still sweep you over and I'm going to end up in a mount position and still have my arm bar.

So, that's me leading this dance and seeing where you go but that I'm moving you where I want to go.

I'm out when we're now moving you by constantly having that one step of a head, one move ahead. And, you know, where does that relate to your own life, it's not just your everyday life.

Benefits of Being One Move Ahead

I mean, it's super beneficial if you could be a move ahead, a move ahead of your in business. You know, move ahead, always ahead of move knowing what your, you know, what your customers are going to want is a step ahead.

What do my customers want for me? That's a step ahead. You're always a step ahead of them. What it anticipating their needs, you know, anticipating their needs is really important.

So, just conceptually understanding, always trying to be a move ahead is going to put you in lots of different scenarios that are going to help you and be beneficial.

So, you're not always reactive and you are active because again reactive is slower than active. If you are the person initiating, you're going to be ahead of the curve and being able to anticipate because everyone's going to be reacting off of you.

There's a lot of things and even a business that some businesses will lure weight for certain leaders of business leaders to do something.

They're waiting for them. What is their reaction to market? What the market is saying and then they kind of copy them basically.

But you're the one, you know, if you're ahead then you're the one leading that movement, okay, that movement.

Examples

You can see it in like cars, you know, Elon Musk, you know, love him hating whatever.

I mean he ushered in the modern era of electric cars and, you know, is there problems with it? There's problems with the car in general.

There's cars that have exploded over the years, you know. So, but he led the charge of electric cars and now all these other industries have copied him basically, you know.

So now you have Porsche has a electric car. I mean literally all manufacturers now are going to produce their electric car and some of really invested a lot of money into this because they believe it's the future.

But the first guy is he's a head, step ahead. So his market share is going to be bigger. You know, Elon Musk has a better market share of electric vehicles than Ford does and Ford is everyone else is playing ketchup.

Okay. Can they catch up? Yes. But again, in the industry you are a move ahead. You are ahead of everyone else.

Okay. So he's ahead of everyone else. They built the infrastructure and we are also playing catch up.

Conclusion

So being a move ahead is always going to be better, more beneficial for you in these types of scenarios.

If you are a competitive person, it's very advantageous to be a move ahead. And thank you for your time.

Peace.

Inner Strength Jiu-Jitsu

Today, we're diving into the world of jiu-jitsu and exploring the powerful concept of "inner strength." As practitioners know, jiu-jitsu is not just about physical prowess, but it also requires mental and emotional resilience. In this video, we'll be discussing how jiu-jitsu can help develop your inner strength and how it can positively impact your life beyond the mat. So, let's get ready to roll and uncover the secrets of inner strength in jiu-jitsu!

Video Transcription

Hi, I'm professor Mike Martin. I'm a third degree black belt under Caio Terra. I'm the owner and operator and head instructor at Strong Heart Academy.

We’re in Phoenix, Arizona at 32nd street in Union Hills. We want to come check us out today. I want to talk about the very last of our 21 truths that I came up with.

Jiu-Jitsu and Life

These are things that I think are really important for Jiu-Jitsu and for life. The very last one is strong heart means breaking.

Your limits. Okay. So I was listening to excerpt of a book about a lady that did research on, on kids and adults that seemed to be successful.

And one of the things she said was grit was the thing. The number one thing was grit. In your ability to overcome obstacles, push through have diligence through those things.

And when I named our school strong heart took me a long time, to come up with this name and just trying to emphasize that belief system of that true grit belief system.

And there are times where it's just very easy to give up. And people say, oh, it's not an option to give up.

Well, really, it's the easiest option is to give up. You know, you, you want the mindset of like, oh, it's not, it's not an option.

But the truth is it is an option. And your ability to push through those things can make you way more successful than others.

You know, the people that can go far that push more do more. I've been watching a ton of interviews with tier one operators they would call them.

Do You Want it More?

So Navy Seals even the Rangers Air Force controllers Delta Force. These guys. One of the things they all seem to have in common is like they're, they want it more.

Like to pass the qualifications is always about your ability to kind of just push farther. And in these courses, they seem to always, they're going to find your limit and then where you will break.

And then will you go a little bit more. And I remember hearing, I had actually had a book on one guy years ago, Navy Seals.

And he, he said his trick was just whenever he needed to go farther, he just would say 10 more seconds or one more minute.

And then it was just one more minute or one 10 more seconds. Can you go 10 more? Oh, I can go 10 more seconds and 10 more seconds 10 more seconds or one more foot.

Instead of like this long goal of like, I got to get 18 mile road marks or whatever. It's like, hey, can I get to that tree up there?

How Strong Can Your Mind Be?

Let's just make it to that tree. And your mind will go, okay, we can make it to the tree. And, and so much of this is, is how strong you can be your mind.

Sometimes our mind is our, it's our greatest weapon. And it's also our greatest enemy. And, you know, depending on how you're kind of built, you know, could be your past or just genetics is your willingness to do more and go farther, study more, push harder, train harder, those type of things.

And so those are, those are important to me. And those are important for me to emphasize, especially the kids. It's one of the greatest lessons I think that I can teach kids is that you can always do more.

And whenever you think you can't, you actually have way more, you know, David Goggins had the famous thing. You had like 40 more percent, you know, whenever you're done, you actually have 40 more percent.

Because your body only does what the mind will allow it. There's certain times where your body will shut down, but it's not where your mind says it is because your mind is trying to, you generally it's, it's avoiding pain and the thought of death.

Okay. And so it's just trying to keep you alive. So pain is not seen as progress and difficulties are not always seeing as progress in your brain.

Your brain is like, well, you know, this could lead to death. And so it is as extreme as that sound.

That's just kind of how our brains are wired to keep us alive for this, you know, however long we've been around.

I said survival mechanism. So, you know, your ability to kind of trick your brain and go, hey, I think can you go, can you go a little more?

Can we go 10 more seconds 10 more seconds. I like to watch the clock when I'm wrestling when I'm really exhausted.

I'll try to go, hey, there's only, you know, one more minute in the match one more minute. Can you go one more minute?

Just push one more minute and try to get to that end. You know, when I'm really exhausted, just we're like, oh, I just let this guy win.

You know, those are, those are the negative thoughts that your brain will talk to you and talk you out of things.

Strong Heart: Pushing Your Limits

So pushing your limits, you know, that's what we talk about. Strongheart is about pushing your limits. And I thought about, you know, people say, oh, he has heart.

That was my first thing. So I was like, oh, you know, there's brave heart. Well, I can't call it brave heart.

That was a movie. You know, I'm not going to get the license for that or something like that. But I thought the same kind of concept like, and then there was a movie.

No one lying heart. And you know, but it just I didn't like lying heart as much. I wanted, but I did want like strength and the strength of seeing that as a strength, not a weakness.

Your your ability to go more, do more and not give up and not just give up so easily. And some of you of us learned to give up easy and parents, unfortunately, a lot of modern parents are just very easily okay with their kids quitting things.

And it's okay, you know, you know, that you didn't get an A you got a B or it's okay, you got a C instead of a B and it's like, no, it's not okay.

Like you could you could have done it better. You know, we should we should want more and expect more of our kids and not crush them for failing.

But like, hey, it's okay to fail, but you should have done it better. And you can and I know you can do better.

Setting Expectations

And setting those expectations and then for me is like my kind of I feel as my responsibility as a structure is like to teach people, hey guys, you can do more than you think you can't.

And it's a very powerful, very powerful feeling when you learn that you can go that much farther break those limits.

We set limits and limitations in our mind of what we think is achievable. I've talked about this before about the four minute mile and and how they didn't think it was possible and tell one guy did it.

And then once the guy did it like a couple more people did it right away. And so when you set that limit for yourself, you know, it's it's like self-fulfilled prophecy, you know, like well I can never do that.

You know this is where I'm at, you know, well, yeah, whether you believe you can or can't, you're right, that's a head and forward saying.

And I believe it to be true. So because if you say you can't, you won't go farther than that limit.

You set that limit for yourself. You will not go any step farther. And so it's it's you know, obviously we want to be realistic, but you know that you can go a little bit farther than the limit you've already set for yourself.

And you should know that like whatever that limit is 10 more seconds. You know, 10 more dollars, five more steps, eight more push ups.

You know, whatever it is, it doesn't matter what it is. Try a little bit more push a little bit harder.

How Growth Happens

And then this is how growth happens. You know, when you're lifting weights, you're trying to get stronger. But if you never add weight to the bench, if you never add weight, you're just going to be stuck at whatever it is you're stuck at, you know, curling.

Oh, I can only curl 10 pounds. I can only curl 20 pounds, 35, you know, whatever. Everyone that can curl 100 pounds, which is an extreme amount of weight started a little less.

You know, at one point he was a baby, you know, like the, so you inch, incremental, like small steps increased to get better and better better.

And that's pushing those limits and not setting the limits for yourself. You can set a goal and then you're trying to beat that goal really, you know, some people just want to meet the goal.

I tend to try to push and surpass my goals.

Conclusion

So just a conclusion, it's one of the last things on my list of my 21 truths.

It is the last one on my list and it's just to understand that the name of my school is basically to break your limits.

Do more than you think you can. That's having a strong heart. And I'm not alone in wanting to quit things and not going to do the best I thought I could, but it's a constantly reminder for myself and hopefully for others that strong heart.

That's what it means, guys. That's what it means, strong heart to push yourself to do more and to break your limits.

Thank you. Peace.

Great Self Defense Classes Phoenix | Is Jiu Jitsu for You?

Great Self Defense Classes Phoenix | Is Jiu Jitsu for You?

A third-degree black belt, and owner of Strong Heart Academy, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, in Phoenix, Arizona, Mike Martin, discusses Self-Defense Classes Phoenix and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Is this martial arts training for you?

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Transcript: Self Defense Classes Phoenix

Hi, I'm Mike Martin from Strongheart Brazilian jiu jitsu academy. Today I wanna talk about, self-defense in Phoenix or Phoenix self-defense, and is jiu jitsu right for self defense. And the answer is very easy. Absolutely. I kind of talked about this with women on a previous podcast is, jiu jitsu good for women for self defense? Absolutely. But men is no difference. Okay. So, I could say for myself, when I started Brazilian jujitsu, I weighed about 140 pounds and I was, six foot tall. So I'm very thin I did do jiu jitsu before, but I wasn't strong enough to overpower bigger people, you know?

I was very thin. And, right now, you know, I've done 20 years of Jiu Jitsu. I've put on 50 pounds of muscle, but over 20 years, and maybe 40 pounds, I might have a little bit of fat on me, but I'm pretty lean for my age.

Self-Defense: What Jiu Jitsu Teaches

And one of the things that I would say that jiu jitsu does is it teaches you to use leverage versus strength and not that strength isn't as important, but just physics, mass. Okay. If you just add mass four mass versus three mass and they go head to head, okay. Four mass beats, three mass. Okay. So angles are important. Leverage is important. Okay. Speed, timing, aggressiveness. Those are all important attributes that you're gonna learn in Jiu Jitsu. Learning, to deal with a generalization when you get really nervous, because there's an altercation happening. Okay.

So many people, even if they're trained in something, but don't train live sparring like jiu jitsu does, or at Strongheart jiu jitsu does, you'd never get adrenalized and you never learn how to deal with when it actually happens. So even if you know a correct move to do, you have to learn how to do it live when someone is not letting you do it. And I feel like that is one of the biggest differences between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and so many other martial arts is the live sparring, our ability to get after it in a safe way, cuz we're all gonna be able to have the ability to say, tap or tap physically, and then having the trust in your partner to let go. Now, in a real altercation, obviously, you know, you don't know if the person's gonna let go, if you say tap or I give or whatever.

Okay. Most likely not. Okay until they've calmed down or they feel like you're not gonna be a threat anymore. So your ability to, preserve under pressure okay, is important. And your ability to stay calm and make correct decisions. Okay. Learning how to frame so that the weight isn't on top of you. Okay. And then the last part of all that I would say is, confidence. You know, so many people lack confidence. And as far as predator prey, when a predator, even in the wild is looking for a prey, it looks for something that it perceives as weak. Okay. Especially large cats, large cats don't want to be injured. They generally stalk and surprise attacks, something it's either an injured animal, a young animal, an old animal. Okay. So if they say, oh, they're not gonna go off after the biggest one, they're gonna go off of the weakest one.

Different Self Defense Scenarios

So as far as like self defense, I mean there's many different self defense scenarios. But if you, if, someone that is a bully or someone that is just starting to wants to start something, someone that's trying to take advantage of you, rob you, they're gonna look for a target that is weaker because they don't want to get caught. They don't want to get hit. They don't wanna get hurt either. And they're not gonna look for the toughest biggest guy. Okay.

Self Defense: Confidence and Calm

So your ability to be calm and be confident, just walking around in regular day life, I definitely believe it gives you a sense of confidence knowing that you feel that you could take care of yourself. And I feel like that radiates out almost like a beacon to other people to know, ah, that's not an easy prey. I'm not gonna mess with that one.

Even if you are a smaller person, it doesn't matter. I've often said, if you see, bouncers in security somewhere and you see a little guy, that's the scariest of all of them, the big guys are almost like window dressing. They might never have had a trained fight cuz nobody messes with the big guy. They literally don't. You could ask big guys, they don't get in fights because nobody wants to start a fight with them. So you know, the littler people they might get in more fights. Okay. And if they, if you have a job and you're smallest one, most likely they know that you can handle yourself. Okay.

Self Defense Comparison

The last part of that is if you do get cauliflower ear, that's almost, I always tell people it's like a tree frog, the arrow tree frog, you know, it's the most dangerous poison in the world that, Amazonians will dip, poison darts in, it's a brightest frog.

So all the other animals know, do not mess with this animal. The frog's like this big, it's not the size. It's the bright, they know you mess with this. You will die. Okay. I find that like sometimes a cauliflower ear for people to know is like a sign. Hey, that's not the one. That's not a good idea. I've seen a funny meme once that had a guy in a bar and it was like Dan Henderson, famous MMA fighter and wrestler. And he has his ear and the other guy's just like barking in front of his girl. And it was like, this guy has no idea. You know, that, that is a symbol of like, don't mess with this person. Now you might not ever get cauliflower ear doing Brazilian Jiu jitsu. You know, it's not most people, many people don't get it.

Cauliflower Ear: A Self Defense Symbol?

But I do understand that it is like almost like a, a beacon to say like warning, warning, warning, you know, less likely to mess with you. People. I forget, I have it. I'll step in an elevator sometimes and go, oh, did you wrestle? Do you fight? I'm like, oh yeah. And then I realize, oh, they're talking about my ear. You know, not, I have no outward symbol. I'm not talking about it. We I've never met this person, but it'll just come up sometimes.

Power of Knowledge and Self Defense

And again, people don't wanna mess with someone that knows something. And then the power of knowledge is if I know something and you don't, that's, that's so powerful. You know, most people that get in fights have never trained to fight. People that train to fight don't fight. And if you're a professional fighter, you surely don't fight because Hey, I get paid to fight.

Why would I pay, fight you for free? <laugh> you know, I'm a prize fighter. I don't, I don't, I don't mess around. I can get injured with you. I'm a professional. Like I don't wanna get injured for $0. Okay. So real fighters don't fight. They just don't. Unless they absolutely lose their mind with CTE or something like that, but jiu jitsu you don't get it because there's not hitting. You're not constantly getting punched, but you can learn to defend yourself for punches even on the ground. If a guy is standing, you can upkick. We just saw in a UFC fight last two weeks ago, a lady upkick into the kidneys and as kidney shot, the other one dropped to the ground. You could upkick to the face. If you're in the guard, you know, if you take someone's back, you could elbow in the back and there's no rules in the streets.

Striking and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Okay. Striking is easy to add to Brazilian jiu jitsu. Very easy. Once I control a position, you cannot defend yourself against strikes until you say I give. And then the last part is you don't have to strike it all. I could take a hold of someone, hold them down until the police come. Okay. They will not move. They're not gonna hit me. They're not gonna grab a weapon because I have control of their arms. Okay. S

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu a Great Self Defense?

So do I think it is a great self defense? Absolutely. If you're looking to get into self defense and you wanna learn, okay. We have a great program at strong heart strongheartacademy.com click on the trial button, try a class out. You have nothing to lose. It costs $0. The price of admission is, courage. Get in your car and to drive down. That's the hardest part.

The hardest part is to get here. And even people that train, you know, when you're tired, ah, I had a long day, the hardest part is getting in the car and getting there, not the workout. The hardest part is getting there. So I encourage you. If this is something you're looking to, do you feel like, man, I feel like I need to know a little bit something, more, something that boosts your confidence.

Professionals and Jiu Jitsu

Even I think people are professionals working professionals, training Jiu Jitsu feels like you have an extra confidence level. If I have to give a sales presentation. So much of it is your confidence in your persona. But if you have this thing, that's like one part of my life is kind of taken care of. So many parts of our lives are constantly in flux, but you're like, man, this part of my life, I'm, I'm confident I can defend myself and all my family and my friends. That's powerful, really powerful stuff. Every, UFC fighter, every MMA fighter knows at least some jiu jitsu. If they don't, they go to the ground, they will lose. Okay.

Self Defense: Most Fights Are on the Ground

The last part of this I would say is most fights go to the ground. Somebody sucker punches 'em they're on the ground. Somebody tackles someone they're on the ground, you trip over something in the street you're on the ground. So your ability to even learn how to fall correctly, say drop ball. So you don't hurt yourself on the way down. And your ability to stand back up is part of jiu jitsu. Okay.

Summary: Strong Heart Academy Self Defense Classes Phoenix

So, I appreciate your time. And if you wanna try out in you're in the Phoenix area and you wanna learn Phoenix, self defense, go to strongheartacademy.com, hit the trial button and try out a class for you. See if we're right for you, have a great day.

Top Women's Self Defense Classes Phoenix AZ

Women's Self-Defense and Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Right?

A third-degree black belt, and owner of Strong Heart Academy, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, in Phoenix, Arizona, discusses Women’s Self-Defense and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

View our blog here.

Watch the video below:

Transcript:

So today I want to talk about, women's self defense and is Brazilian jiu jitsu, right, for women, for self defense, to defend yourself? And I would say absolutely yes. In Phoenix, you know, I don't know the statistics right now, but there's definitely a feeling that, crime is on the rise. And I think this is nationally right now, too, since the pandemic happened.

Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu a Great Self-Defense?

And a lot of women will, will call and ask, Hey, is, is Brazilian jiu jitsu a great self-defense? Or is it good for self-defense? I'd like to take self defense classes. And, the answer is yes.

Self-Defense Techniques in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

So we don't always specifically use, self-defense techniques in Brazilian jiu jitsu.

It is incorporated to what Brazilian is. And, because most fights end up in a clinch or on the ground, meaning, someone might throw a punch, but then someone tries to grab a hold of somebody. And then we're tussling when we're literally locked together, that's called the clinch. Okay. Now there's wrestling clinch and there's Moi Thai clench. Um, those are very helpful. Okay. But if you've grappled, you can control a lot of the strikes in the clinch. So someone trying to hit you, you can control the strikes then if you're a lot smaller than your opponent, okay. And there's nowhere to run, you can't run away. Then the best option is to take that opponent to the ground. Okay. Once you're on the ground, if you are on top, you have a severe advantage over your opponent. If you're on bottom, Brazilian jiu jitsu teaches you how to escape from those positions.

And I don't know of any other martial art as effective as that. They're none. There's a lot of, you know, Croma gosh, tried it. Some karate they'll incorporate like ground, oh, we do ground. And they just take little pieces of Brazilian jiu jitsu. And then like, oh, this is what we do. The problem is they don't do it live. Okay.

Live Martial Arts Sparring

And I've talked about it before the, the best martial arts are the ones that actually spar live, where you're not letting me do what I want to do. And I'm not letting you, what do, what you want do, you know, it's one thing when they're like, okay, grab my wrist, grab my wrist with the other hand. That's like the joke, you know, is, but meanwhile, they would just be punching you in the face. Okay. Or attacking you. So learning to deal with someone that's trying to oppose their will, or you trying to impose your will on someone when they're not letting you do it.

Okay. That's the sparring aspect of Brazilian jiu jitsu.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: A Must for Self-Defense

I absolutely think it is a must, or self defense. You have to have resistance. Otherwise the realism's not there and in Brazilian jiu jitsu, even more important, even more important than the actual technique, which sounds crazy is learning to deal with adrenalization. Okay. Adrenalization happens when your body is trying to tell you to, fight or flight. Okay. Now sometimes your body wants to flight when there's not an option to flight and that it can be an issue. Okay. And you need to learn how to deal with that. There's also a freezing effect. Sometimes people get frozen like deers do. Okay. And you're a prey. You want to, it's okay to freeze so they can't see you. But if you're already in a conflict, there is no hiding. And I don't think that that is bad thing to hide.

You know, if someone is chasing you and you can hide for sure hide, but make sure you have an out, so you're not cornered. Okay. Once you're cornered, you have to fight. There's no option. Okay. And the fight has to go a hundred percent. Okay. There's no like, oh, I, I kind of just wanna not hurt him. No, you have to defend yourself to the fullest. Okay. And make that person regret the decision that they had to attack you. Okay. We're not trying, we're not talking offensively, going out and attacking people. We're saying we are defending yourself. Okay.

Are Women Easy Targets?

Now, sometimes people think that women are easy targets. Because the truth of the matter is they have 50% muscle mass of upper body muscle mass compared to a male. This is all typical numbers. Okay. There's always outlier there's women that are probably stronger than me.

That could deadlift more than me. Okay. But on average, on average, you know, most women aren't as strong and are not as tall. Okay. For sure. This is on average. Are there, some women that are over six foot tall for sure, but it's very, it's not, it's not the norm. Okay. Those are few and far between and still those women generally are, are still 50%, not as strong as a man. Okay.

Learning to Deal with Leverage

So in learning to deal with leverage, okay. To leverage the fact that you don't have as much strength. And for me personally, this was, helpful because when I started Brazilian jiu jitsu, I was about six foot tall. I was 20 years old, but I was very thin for a six foot tall person. So I was about 135, 140. I just very skinny. I would say I was scrappy cuz I wrestled.

But, I didn't have the muscle mass that most of the people in class did and every class we sparred and instead of using it as an excuse that I was smaller, I just learned how to get good at jiu jitsu, Brazilian jiu jitsu and there's tactics in jiu jitsu that you can use as a smaller person to defend yourself. And I think it's hugely valuable, for everyone, but especially women. Again, you are a smaller statue. My wife she's about 5-4, 5-5, maybe. I'm six foot tall. And even for a woman, 5-6, 5-7, that's a pretty tall woman. But you're still shorter than an average man. I think the average man is about 5-10, 5-11. You know, if we're talking about six foot-2, 6 foot-5, those are very big people. Even for myself, it can be hard to, grapple with someone that large. Okay. But Brazil Brazilian Jiu jitsu Jteaches you how to use your leverage to gain advantage over your opponent.

Okay. How to escape bad positions. Okay.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Overcoming Panic and Emotions

And then how to not panic when you're in these bad positions, which is also extremely helpful. When you, if you start panicking, you don't think clearly you don't breathe clearly and you're not gonna react correctly. Because we spar every class at strong heart. You're gonna get the feeling of that. A generalization of panic. You know, I, I, I don't wanna scare people saying that that you're gonna panic in class, but you all have a, you know, it's a controlled environment, but, when you start wrestling for the first time, it could be very, alarming if you've never done it before. So it's very helpful to learn how to deal with those emotions, deal with those thought processes.

Being Prepared: BJJ

So when it happens for real, you're prepared, it's not a, it's not something that you're not prepared for.

Okay. It's like the Boy Scouts, you know, being prepared, it, it's gonna help your outcomes for sure. Or business, any business that's not prepared. Excuse me for, everything, you know, is when something bad happens, you're just not ready for it and it can set your business back. Okay. So, you know, it's the same thing in the life. If you're not prepared for a dire situation, it can catch you off guard. And if you're not mentally ready to shift gears, from peace to violence, that's also could be an issue. Okay. I've seen so many people why I don't wanna hurt them. Um, well you're being attacked. Okay. And you need to defend yourself and you know, we're not talking about, unjust violence. We're talking about just violence because you're, you're defending yourself with the people around you or even your children. Imagine you're a mom.

Okay. You know, I know any mom would die for her children, but do you, know how to defend, defend yourself so you don't have to die. Okay. We don't want, we don't want people to get hurt. We want people to defend themselves so they can be, live another day and be with their children, be with their family. Okay.

Husband and/or Boyfriend Will Defend Me

I've had many times in the past women have told me when I've done. Women's self defense seminars that, oh, well my, my husband, he's such a tough guy or my boyfriend. He's a tough guy, but you know, they go to work, they have jobs, they have lives that they're not around 24-7, you're going out to run an errand. Okay. And you gotta go to your car and back there's, that's no man's land. Okay. Depending on where you park. If there's anyone around, you know, there's a lot of people I would call street people right now that are homeless, have psychotic issues, are on drugs and they're desperate, you know, times can be desperate right now. So, you know, you wanna be able to defend yourself against these people that might approach you. They might be completely harmless, but what if they're not? And you need to be prepared for those scenarios.

Using Weapons for Self-Defense

And I'm not against weapons either. I practice regularly on pistols, but there are levels of when you can use, a firearm. Okay. Now I think actually women have an advantage with that because you can kind of prove that, it's gonna be harder to defend yourself. And if it's a, if you think your life is threatened, you can defend yourself with a pistol, but are you willing to pull that trigger and kill someone? Okay. And studies, say that, most people are not. And even officers, although we see so many, videos of officer shootings, a lot of times they miss quite a few rounds because they're not willing to take a life and, Brazilian jiu jitsu makes it so you don't have to take a life.

Defend Yourself Without Killing

You could defend yourself without killing another person, which is also why it's great for the police. I believe all police should be at least a purple belt. Like Andrew Lang said, the president candidate, from the last election, you know, he said, all Brazilian jiu jitsu should be mandatory, purple belts. And I highly agree with that. Your ability to defend yourself and others is paramount to be a police force that you are trying to protect the public. But women is no different. So, I highly recommend that women train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Women's Only Self-Defense for Jiu Jitsu

Now we also run into like, well, do you have a women's only class? And sometimes we, we used to have a women's only self defense class or, women's jiu jitsu class. But the truth is most women are going to be attacked, not by other women. So you're gonna be attacked by men.

That's just, are the statistics, rarely women attack other women, you know, they either attack their spouse or boyfriend or actual children, unfortunately. They're not attacking other women. It's very, very, seldom that ever occurs. That's like the smallest of populations that ever happens. So the mass amounts of physical altercations are gonna be between a man and a woman, a man trying to attack a woman, unfortunately. And if you're training in Brazilian jiu jitsu, I highly recommend you're training with men so that you are used to the size difference, the physical presence of a man. And it's not as scary, you know? And, as intimidating, like, oh, I've done this before your mind goes, okay, this is a big giant man, but I know I could defend myself and at least get out of the situation and not be stuck underneath person.

Sexual Assaults and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

The last part I wanna talk about this would be in sexual assaults. Okay. You know, most sexual assaults. They're trying to get you down, on the ground. Okay. They could have also pushed you against an object. Okay. And assault you from behind. But, even then your ability to grapple on that situation and face the person okay. And defend yourself that way is gonna, help tremendously with Brazilian jiu jitsu. Okay. Not being taken down, not being forced against a wall, forced against a hard object. And then the last part is that they're trying to take you to the ground, trying to take your pants off. You know, there's so many techniques there that can prevent that from happening. And, you know, even teenage daughters, you know, I only have boys, but I can't imagine, my fear if I had teenage daughters, they're out there in the world.

And, so many women are assaulted and sexually assaulted. The numbers are, are, are disturbing. How many men are that evil. And it's an unfortunate thing in society. And I hundred percent agree.

Teaching Men to Be Better

We need to teach our men better and are boys better. But also the reality is that there's a percentage of the men that are doing this or will always do this. So, I think it's a twofold thing. You know, teaching my children, my, my boys to be morally sound men that don't take advantage of women or hurt women ever. That's my, that's my responsibility. Okay. And then, if I had a daughter teaching her to defend herself, so it's like a twofold problem. People go, oh, we're just, you know, it's, don't men should just be better for sure. Men should just be better. For sure.

I'm not arguing that fact. But if we could just, teach our boys better, plus teach our women to defend themselves. I think, the statistics would play out a little bit better and there'd be less assault. And, there'd be a lot more happy stories of women able to defend themselves. And, hopefully if that happens, then men will start thinking twice before they start attacking.

Are People Who Attack, Trained?

I also don't believe that most people, that attack people are trained in anything. So your, your advantage to being trained versus an untrained is crazy. If you've ever taken a Brazilian jiu jitsu class, you'll see this from, once you're in six months after six months of training and a new person walks in the door, your ability to handle yourself is insanely. It's crazy, the difference. It really is crazy. The difference if you were consistent for six months and then a new person walks in the door and you're gonna start wrestling that person tonight, they don't know anything, your ability at least to keep them in front of you and not hold you down or not get on your back.

I mean, it's empowering. It really is empowering.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Can Empower Women: Confidence

And I think jiu jitsu can empower women to help have confidence in their ability to defend themselves or at least get out of the situation. And then keeping, someone when, when you have the confidence. Okay. I believe it makes you less of a target too. Predators look for soft targets in the wild and in, humanity too. Okay. Why would you want a hard target? That's going, I mean, if you even, I mean, for all my wife watches, all these murder shows, you could look it up. I mean, all these guys, the serial killers are always looking for easy targets, gullible targets. They, they trick, okay. They're weaker, they're vulnerable. Okay. You know, I, I would, if you're doing Brazilian jiu jitsu, you will be less vulnerable that I can promise you. Okay.

Can You Defend Yourself?

Can it defend you against everything? Absolutely not. Okay. There is no full proof anything okay. Weapons can be used against us. Okay. So, and even if you do have a pistol, you lose your pistol. It jams. What, what do you do then? You know, can you defend yourself? You should be able to defend yourself. And Brazilian jiu jitsu is perfect for that. Okay.

Striking Classes for Women

We also offer a striking class, which is great learning how to use distance and circling, your ability to move in striking. We don't just sit you in front of a bag and you're just doing like a cardio, kickboxing. I know a lot of women like cardio, kickboxing classes. You're still gonna get cardio out of this, for sure. You're hitting bags, you're hitting mitts, but we're also working with others. You could spar if you like. But learning how to move on your feet and not be a sitting still target to get pummeled on is very important.

I want it to go to the ground. Once it gets to the clinch. Now we're talking about Brazilian Jiu jitsu now with striking. It is a disadvantage. If you're a smaller person, number one, why you have so many weight classes in striking, martial arts, be it kick boxing, boxing, Muay Thai, MMA, even karate. Okay. And there's different women and men divisions. It is because there is a huge disadvantage. If you're smaller, reach is a big thing, physical, weight difference, you know, cause power comes from, mass, rotation, and speed. So your mass, that's why heavyweights are such knock outs. If they hit you correctly in the right spot, okay, they're gonna drop you even a sledge hammer, moving slow. It's still gonna hurt you. Now. A sledge hammer moving fast is gonna do extreme damage. And then think about a sledgehammer.

The rotation you're swinging. It creates more force as well. So the taller someone is the more rotation they're gonna have, okay. To create power in a strike. So where I love striking, I've boxed, I've kicked boxed. I've done, MMA. I fought MMA. For sure there's a difference. And there's a size, difference and advantage there, okay.

Where Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Comes into Play

And this is where Brazilian jiu jitsu comes into play, where like, I cannot knock this guy out. I need to either take them down or I need to be able to create distance so I can get out of the situation. Okay. When you're in a corner, there is no other option. So we're going to have the clench and get it to the ground. Even if I were to pull guard, okay. At least I have up kicks and up kicks can knock someone out. So learning how to be on the ground, practice your up kicks practice.

Upkick standups to stand back up after I've struck him in the nose. If you can bloody his nose. Okay? Most people aren't used to having a bloody nose, your eyes water, you can't see properly. And then you can get out of that, that situation. Okay. I'm not even talking about chokes involved. Most people wear a collared shirt. Okay. If you're wearing a collared shirt, you can be choked. If you're wearing a jacket, you can be choked. Okay. Those are advantages for a Brazilian jiu jitsu player. You know, people talk about Nogi, but the reality, why would I, if someone's wearing a weapon that I can use, why wouldn't I use that? Okay. That's not a knock against Nogi. I love Nogi. But for self defense purposes, women, you can take advantage of that and choke someone. If you could choke someone unconscious, there is no fighting.

Sometimes if you break someone's arm, a limb, from a kimora, an arm bar, if they are so whacked outta their head, they still might be to fight now, not as a, as well, they can't fight as well, but they still may continue to fight if your ability to choke someone unconscious, okay. Using all the various chokes in Brazilian jiu jitsu. And you're confident in that. I mean, you could save your life for sure. You could save your life.

Women's Self-Defense in Phoenix | Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

So, you know, this is just my, my take on, women in self defense and in Brazilian jiu jitsu, you know, in Phoenix, Phoenix, women's self defense is imperative that, you know, some form of self defense while living in Phoenix.

Okay. So you can check us out Strongheartacademy.com. If you like our, content on, AZ ADHD podcast, please like, and subscribe, it helps me out. I like doing these just cause they're fun, but we should be trying to grow, any time you're trying to do something, you should try to grow and get better. So I encourage you please. If you enjoy this content, please subscribe, please, share like, even comment you could say, Hey man, I think that's total nonsense. You know, I encourage, interaction.

So thank you and peace.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Truths of Strong Heart Academy

Strong Heart Academy’s 21 Truths for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

1. Train MORE than you think you can.

2. Control your opponent.

3. Always KILL.

4. Use angles.

5. If they don’t tap they nap or snap.

6. Be first, with attacks or take downs.

7. Take the high ground, always be on top.

8. The Guard is active, sweep, sub, stand.

9. Flow, Jiu-Jitsu means gentle. Sub hard.

10. Never grip hard until you attack.

11. Attack so your opponent must defend.

12. A counter attack should be revenge.

13. Always smash.

14. The present is the most important match.

15. Chokes are nasty, always with brutality.

16. Never telegraph your intention.

17. Breathe!

18. Jiu-Jitsu is live chess, you MUST think!

19. Know your ABC attacks completely.

20. Always be one move ahead.

21. Strong Heart means BREAK your limits!

Black Belt Mindset: Discussion on What It Takes

Black Belt Mindset

A third-degree black belt, Mike Martin discusses what he thinks it takes for black belt training. Mike owns Strong Heart Academy, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, in Phoenix, Arizona.

View our blog here.

Watch the video below:

Talk about what I think it takes to have a black belt mindset

Transcript: Black Belt Mindset

Today's podcast is brought to you by Strongheartacademy.com where no heart is no victory. We are also brought to you by BJJ2go, if you wanna build your game and learn jujitsu, go to BJJ2go.com. Okay. So today I just wanna talk about, um, being a black belt, um, this weekend, last weekend, uh, on the fifth, we did a belt graduation. It's the first one I've done ever. Um, I've always given black belts, like are given belts out during class. Like you're already, uh, we do a black belt test at, at strong heart. Um, you have to have the hours required, then you take your black belt test and then we do a gauntlet. And then after the gauntlet, we, I would give the belt for blue belts and purple belts and brown belts. Um, and then black belts, we've done them during, like Kyle would come out and we'd do a seminar and then we'd do a black belt, like the, a little bit ceremony for the black belts.

Black Belt: Reasoning

Um, and you know, my reasoning was that, um, when you're ready, you're ready and I don't want you to have to wait. You know, some of these schools will do once one graduation a year, twice a year. And I always like bother me. What if, like, you know, you have to go outta town for work that weekend. What if, um, your mother is in the hospital that weekend? You know what, it, it's just not, I didn't never seem fair to do that. So we're gonna start doing 'em quarterly. You will have the option. Um, if you, again, you still have to have the hours, you still have to do the black belt test and you still have to do a gauntlet. Um, and a lot of these schools, you know, they just go, I think you're ready. And then they give you a belt. And then, uh, I don't, I'm not a fan of that. Uh, we always had a test, um, and we'll always continue to have a black belt test.

And, um, so that being said, um, you know, we're gonna continue forward, but I think every three months we're gonna have one of these and see how it goes. It went great this weekend. Um, you know, I gave two black belts out. Um, uh, they were earned, uh, Joseph Westbrook. He's trained with me since the beginning. Uh, he trained bef outta school that I ran for years and we both trained together there. So he's been trained about 15 years. So, you know, it's a long road sometimes. And then Adrian is trained with me. I'm not even quite sure, maybe seven years, six years. Um, but he trains almost every day, sometimes twice a day, uh, sometimes three times a day. And he was my first black belt that was from white to black. The, a lot of the guys that I've given black belts to were, um, were started at blue, or they've trained a little bit somewhere first, you know, I've taken most of my black belts all the way, but, or most of the way, but he was the first one I took all the way from white to black.

And for me, that was a big deal. And, um, and I, I told him like, you're gonna be, you're my expectation's gonna be even higher for you, man, cuz you're gonna have to set the bar now. And um, and I think he did, you know, I, I asked him to do a couple things, fix a couple things, work on a couple things and, and he did that. He applied and, and got it done. And you know, Westbrook has been my friend forever. Um, one of my really good friends and um, um, just I'm happy for both of them. We gave out a number of other black belts too. You know, bunch of people got belts. I saw a bunch of, uh, old students of mine that don't train anymore or train. I have like one guy that trains in another school and it was just good to see him, you know?

Um, it was a good, it was good memories. It was good memories. And I was very appreciative of the whole, the whole day. And it was like a very, um, it was good for me. It was good for my soul. So, um, we'll continue those. And uh, I think everyone enjoyed it and, and liked it and, and we'll go forward and we got some good pictures, uh, Marcel, um, from Marcel visuals, he, uh, does photography and videography and he did a great job and, and I'll post those videos up. And if you ever wanna check him out, it's Marcel visuals.com I believe. Um, and he has his own studio too. You can go to a studio and do professional shot, you know, professional shoot, you know, he does with models all the time. Um, so I'm happy for him too. He's one of my students, I'm just happy that he's doing his passion in life.

And it's so hard. Society is not really built for people wanting to do their passions. It's very built for getting the, getting the machine, be your cog and, uh, and shut your mouth type of thing. So it's, it's hard to do your passion, but I think in the long run, even the struggles, you know, you'll be happier on the journey if you do those type of things. And one of the things during the gauntlet or during the graduation was, uh, Adrian said, uh, he whispered to me, I always knew I was gonna be a black bow. And it was like a kind of a mind blowing epiphany, whatever was like, yeah, like you, you have to believe that you can get there. And man, fortunately, there's a lot of watering down in jujitsu right now. I've seen a lot of guys getting black belts and it's not because it's like less time because I think you can get black belts a lot faster.

Black Belt: World Titles

Now I would still say, you should ha you know, unless you're winning world titles, I still say it should take six, a minimum of six years, you know, guys are doing it four or five. That's cool. But have you won any of the world titles? You know, the Kyle got in three, but he was winning world titles after world title, after world title, after world title, doing open divisions. Like, yeah, man, like you gotta give that guy a black belt, but like there's guys getting black belts that I just don't, I don't know that I personally would give them a black belt and maybe my standards are a little high and none of my guys have won titles or anything, but like they have the years in the experience in, and they have the battles in and, um, they've helped others. They've done the things that I feel like are required to be a black belt.

And um, to me, like you almost have to be a, a kind of a crazy person. You have to be super dedicated in order to do it. And you have to really want it. You can't, can't be like a, a hobby. You know, you just, you could be a hobby, no problem. But if you wanna be a black woman, it's gotta be a little bit more than that. It's like your way of life. Um, and I think it's just hard to be a black belt without that. And you can, you can for sure, but it's harder. And I, I highly recommend going all in if that's what you wanna do, if you want to be a black belt. And that doesn't mean you have to, again, doesn't mean you have the world win world titles, but definitely if you wanna win world titles, you have to be all in.

You cannot be a toe in you can't be lukewarm. You gotta be red hot for it. And you gotta love it. You gotta love that grind. And if you don't love the grind, I think it's really hard to get to that to the end. And it's not the end, but like it's the first end. I would say, it's the first end, the first major milestone and that blue belt's kind of a milestone too, cuz you're start like, okay, I think I understand the basics now, but black belt means like you've mastered the basics. In my opinion, you have mastery of the basics. Uh, we went to a seminar. I won't say who, not that long ago. And I saw some black ball Sarah and they were like, they didn't know what da Heva was. Da Heva is so old. <laugh> it's not like this new fancy thing, man.

Like you should know how to play daily. Heva even if it's not your game to play, you should know what it is. He's like, you don't know what it is. How, how are you a black belt? I don't understand. You know, some of that could be not. And these guys, cuz these guys were new black belts, but some of that could be like, you're so old that you never train. You know, it was new back then and 20 years ago. But uh, you're not, you know, you don't play it. But sometimes these guys like they stop learning when they're black are like, ah, I know everything I need and maybe that's true. But like anytime you're in an industry and you quit learning, the industry passes, you buy, uh, jujitsu is no different, you know, jujitsu is constantly changing and there are certain areas I think I'm behind that.

I need to work on, but I try to work on stuff. I really do. Um, age. Isn't the factor that stops me from learning. That's that's um, a limiting mindset that I don't like. And I don't think you should have that as a black belt. It's like, oh I'm a black belt. I'm done learning. No, not really man. Or it could be, but it shouldn't be, that's uh, not a good way to think about or do it. And you could definitely quit after black belt. I mean, it's a, it's a big accomplishment for sure. But like I'm so in, I so love jujitsu that I can't imagine quitting. It's like, uh, marriage, you know that you love someone, you don't, why would you do quit? You know, unless you're physically cannot do it. But even then man, I would be around it. I would be pointing and I would be around and I would still study.

I would be watching Jiu Jitsu and you gotta have that love, man. I just think you gotta have that love to get to the end. You can't make a black belt without a love of it. And uh, you know, I've heard some people lately saying there should be no belts, you know, we should just compete. Whoever's the best wins. And I've, I mean, you know, in wrestling that happens, but there's definitely levels to this. And to say there's not levels is weird because even in basketball, I'm a big basketball fan. Like the difference between high school basketball and college basketball and then the NBA basketball and then the NBA champions or all stars. Those are all levels, man. And those aren't belts per se, but those are definitely levels. You know, you, you, most high school kids will get destroyed by college and most college kids would get destroyed by, um, by NBA players.

So it's it's for me, it's like the same concept, even junior high, junior high to high school. Now some of that is like physical growth, but it's also knowledge and skill set too. I mean that those come with time and hours put in and it just takes the hours and, and Ji's just no different. And uh, so that's how I look at those kind of belts almost is like, um, depth of knowledge and depth of application and skill. Um, and if you just don't have that, just think it is a, uh, it's slows down the, and even like college, you know, you can get a bachelor's, but you can get a master's or you can get a PhD in so many fields that you wouldn't under. Didn't think you can get a PhD in, but you can get a PhD in a lot of things.

So it's like, those are levels, you know, you can consider those like belts almost because, um, it's the mastery of the subject and you're trying to master get a level of mastery of the subject. And I in, I always heard, you know, calling someone master I'm like, I don't like that cuz I feel like you never really master anything, but you definitely have a certain level of mastery of something. Um, but the master is like, I know everything there is to it in my mind and it's just like not possible <laugh> and that's the beauty of logistic. Cause it can keep me motivated and not bored because there's always something new and there's always little adjustments. I don't wanna say micro adjustments, but there's micro adjustments that you can make for sure at a higher level to make you better. And uh, I think that's an awesome journey and um, it was cool to see their families there and support them at the graduation and um, and it went great.

I think it went great. So I definitely wanna continue these and March is funny because um, I got my black belt in 2009, um, on March 24th. So this month will be my black belt, um, anniversary and I I'm coming. I should be getting my fourth Stripe pretty soon. I got meet up with Kyle somehow and get that done. And uh, it's also the month I started to Jitsu. So it was like March 1st ish. Uh, like it was the first week of March in 2000, the year 2000. So I've been at this for 22 years and um, there's times where I've been tired and getting burned out, but I've never dropped jujitsu. I never not trained jujitsu. Uh, the longest I ever took off jujitsu 22 years was two months for a shoulder injury, uh, surgery, I should say. And that was not, I was supposed to do nine months.

Um, but that's just like my love for this. And man, I feel like sometimes I get confused that people don't have the same love with me, which is delusional on my part. But um, you know, that's a super projection, but I think you have to have the same love to get to that end. And it can't be like, this is something I do now. It could be, this is something I do that helps me be straight and narrow and keep me motivated and goal setting. That's true. Um, and it could be like a utility for you even more than a passion. So the utility of it is, is important. You know, I make people write out certain questions I ask when they do their black belt test, they gimme a sheet that I want you to fill out. And um, somebody, she wrote out a thing and she said, you know, one of the things that J's done for me is that it gives me excuse to tell my friends that I can't go out tonight and ha and party.

And I was like, yeah, it does. And, and this did the same thing when I first started. Cause I started at, when I was 20, you know, I was 21. Um, and then when I turned 21, you know, you, you can go out and, and go to try to pick up girls and you're going to bars and things like that. But like in the middle of the week, that's not healthy. And then you can't do that when you're getting you can, but you shouldn't be doing that when you're getting older, you know, you got years in. And like I thought that was a great thing that she said that was like, it gives me this excuse not to go out. And again, that, that would be like the utility of it. Um, this week, one of my students said, Hey, it's my two year anniversary of being sober.

And I, we look, I looked down the line and there was four other people in the line that I didn't say anything, but I know that that they've been, uh, they have a sober way of life as well. And you know, they had their struggles and I think jujitsu's also helped them with that journey. You know? So there's five people in this line of maybe there was a smaller class, like 12 people. So five outta 12 had, are, have used and maybe are using jujitsu as a vehicle to stay clean and sober and do something positive with your time because everyone has time and you gotta, you're gonna fill it no matter what. Even if you sleep all day, it's filling your time with sleep and you might as well do something positive with it. And it can give you an excuse to be positive.

Like, oh man, I gotta do jujitsu. I can't go out tonight. Sorry. And I think the non Jitsu people are like, think, look at you. Like what, why are you rolling around with a bunch of people, but they don't, you know, they don't understand it and they're not in that place in their life where they're ready to make a change. They just wanna party party, party, party. And I get it. It's, it's fun, but there's consequences to that. So, um, and to say that there's no consequences, Jitsu, for sure there's gonna be injuries, but I went over that in the past too, man. Like you get older, there's always injuries. Our body breaks down, no matter what you did, lack of exercise will break your body down. So at least you're gonna have good stories and you'll be in shape in between, in between the injuries.

But, um, I'd rather play those prices than the liver damage or whatever your, uh, fun choice is that you do. That's gonna wear that body down. So, um, yeah, these are just kind of reflections over the weekend and, and of the graduation that we had and I'll put some pictures up, um, you know, Marcel took some great pictures and, and uh, I'll figure out how to get everyone's pictures. We took a picture of everyone getting their belt. So I'll try to do that for you guys and, and get those out for you. Um, sometime this week. Um, some of you, I, I, I text, but it's just too many people to send via text and, and, um, their com I can't know how much I can compress these pictures too. So I'll get those out. I appreciate everyone showing up to for the graduation and, and, um, supporting the people that got, uh, new belts and leveled up. And, um, it was just a great experience overall. So it was a short one today. I just wanted to share that with you guys and hope you guys have a great weekend. Peace.

Black Belt Training starts here.

Reverse Half Guard Knee Bar: Demonstration from Third Degree Black Belt

Reverse Half Guard Knee Bar

Mike Martin, Owner of Strong Heart Academy, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Phoenix Arizona, and third degree black belt, demonstrates reverse half guard knee bar.

Response When Opponent Defends

In reverse half guard, attacking the knee bar then switching to a foot lock when the opponent defends.

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In reverse half guard, attacking the knee bar then switching to a foot lock when the opponent defends.

Transcript: Reverse Half Guard Knee Bar

So I'm in, uh, I'm trying to attack this knee bar. So when I come in, sometimes he grabs the sleeve or I just can't get it out. So when I come and I roll here, I'm going, I can't extract it. I'm gonna take this foot instead. Okay. Now I'm gonna reach through if I can grab it. That's fine. Many times you can't grab it. You're just gonna grab the toes. Top of the toes are gonna pull the heel, pull the heel to your chest and push it in. Or if you can reach at this point, you can get your, your, your foot lock. Okay. But depends on the size of the guy's foot. How strong he is to finish the toe hold. If the foot he starts coming out, I'm gonna use this as a lever again, and pull out catching with my head and finishing.

Thank you.

Strong Heart Principle to Live By | HEALTH

View all 8 principles here.

The next one is health. And you know, this is kind of mixes with balance. A lot of these mixed together, which I think is important too. But health is, you know, eating right, sleeping, exercising, and mental health as well, working on mental health. We have a serious mental health issue in the country right now. Um, and so I think jiu jitsu's a huge help for it, but it's, it's just an aspect of your mental health. You need to be working on other things and ex, and be a, be a person that self examines yourself and be brutal with yourself.

You know, am I working on the things that I need to do for my mental health? You could have anxiety, depression, um, you know, you know, how are your relationships? That's part of your health too. Okay. Stress leads to physical ailments. It's proven. Okay. So dealing with your stress in a positive way, instead of drinking or drugs or medicating, you know, everyone's so many people taking Xanax. Oh, it's legal. Okay. But, and, and maybe you need it if you're having severe panics. Okay. But you need to deal with the root cause. What is causing the anxiety and maybe therapy might be a thing that you need, okay. Or a psychiatrist or psychologist maybe read on these subjects. Is there something that, a book that might help you, you know, faith, um, I think is a huge part of this too, you know, like not everyone has faith, but I, I believe, um, a good part of balance and health is your mind, your body and your soul.

And, um, health, I think is an important part of that. You know, that Trinity of, of health and balance, um, uh, so, you know, making, making sure you're, you're eating properly, you know, myself, I have a, I have a sweet tooth, you know, and I, I drink way too much soda. And, uh, our doctor, you know, I, I drink, uh, pop, whatever you wanna call wherever you're in the country. Uh, I call it soda, but, um, it's not good for you. It's not healthy. I need to be drinking. I drink a lot of water, but I need, I would like to cut out as part of my thing. Like my list, you get cut out more. Um, I'm trying to cut down on my carbs a little bit. I'm decent at that. You know, my, my, my, uh, my food intake is probably where I suffer the most.

I, I do exercise. I do have, I am a man of faith. I do work on my mental health. Um, I am very conscious of my mental health. Um, and all those things are struggles. You know, not, no one's saying that any of this stuff is easy, but it's, if you don't work on things, um, they don't change.

BJJ Mount: Simple Mount Demonstration by Third Degree Black Belt

Simple Mount Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | Demonstration

Mike Martin, Owner of Strong Heart Academy, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Phoenix Arizona, and third degree black belt, demonstrates a simple mount.

simple mount, mount, Bjj, Brazilian jujitsu, strong heartbjj

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Watch the video below:

simple mount, mount, Bjj, Brazilian jujitsu, strong heartbjj

Transcript:

Okay. From mount position. I wanna tuck my feet under their butt. My hand is gonna come under the head. I want my shoulder into his face so that he looks at my free hand. My other hand's gonna go wide. All we're doing is just, this is we're gonna call home base or Mount. Okay. You can lock your feet onto the butt. And I wanna put my hips into him for pressure.

Mount Position

You should never be up like this in Mount. We'll lose the position. Okay. If I have my hand here and my arms out here, he can end up rolling me this direction. So I want his head, this direction facing, looking at my hand posting with my hand. So right now we're not worrying about submissions. We're just worrying about understanding what, when I say Mount, what does it look like? Sitting on their chest feet locked under the butt or tucked under the butt.

Bjj Mount - Feet Wide:

If I had my feet wide and he pushed on my hips, I'm gonna fall off. Yeah. So especially for smaller people, we gotta make sure that we're tucking our feet under the butt. If you push on my hips now I don't go anywhere. And he tires himself out. If we were to push on my chest, okay. From the beginning we could arm bar him, but the beginning, I wanna learn how to swim, swimming through. So he pushes on my chest. I swim through, he pushes on my hips. I grab the head. He pushes on my knee and I'm gonna push his head away. Lift up on his hand, pushes on my other knee. I Push his head away lift up.

Thanks.

Strong Heart Principle #4 - INTEGRITY

View all 8 Strong Heart Principles here.

Okay. The next one is integrity for me. This is the easiest one. Uh, for a lot of people, it's it, it's hard because sometimes you're gonna have to, um, when you're doing what's right, it's sometimes it's gonna be painful. And this is just, uh, I'm fortunate that the way that I was raised, I, I, this is just part of my, the way I was raised. So I, I I've always had integrity. Um, and for me, my, uh, reputation is very important. Um, and not a false sense of reputation, a, a real reputation. Um, I try to do what I say I'm going to do. Um, and that's why I try not to, you know, I I've expressed this as a biblical concept for me, that I, that very few people I think talk about, but, you know, Jesus used to say, make your, yes, your yes and your no, no.

Don't make promises. Don't make proclamations, you know, it's yes. If you say, so, I'll say, let me think about, let me, I'll try to do it, but I try not to say yes or no, because I, I want to try to do it. And I don't want to give you a false, you know, I know certain people, I tell them, don't tell me they're gonna be there unless you're gonna be there. If you're not gonna, you know, I give people a lot of breaks, but after like three I'm like, I don't don't tell me you're gonna be here. Okay. Just be here. And then I'll, I'll be thankful that you showed up or Mike, I'm gonna do this thing. Great. And then they don't show up and kids really, this is a big one with kids. If you're a father or a mother, you know, you tell them you're gonna be somewhere or do something, you, you know, this you'll lose trust with this.

Okay. So integrity is about doing what you say you're gonna do, even if it's gonna be painful. Okay. And, um, and honesty is, it's part of the honesty. You know, I have integrity. I'm not, I'm not gonna be, uh, dishonest with people, you know, you know, and if you do, you need to apologize and take and, and make amends. And part of our current zeitgeist is a problem with, um, forgiveness right now. Um, but, uh, it's, I think we need to bring it back. And, and with honesty, if, if people are honestly, um, uh, you know, apologetic and they wanna make it right, then you should be willing to have forgiveness because understanding that you make mistakes as well. But, um, you know, there's a level of trust when someone has integrity and you see someone and like, man, I know, you know, Mike, he says he is gonna do it.

It's gonna do it. You don't even, people have a tendency to just believe them because you've built up integrity. You've built up a, a level. And it's kind of like a fuel tank, you know, like, you know, you, you, you, every time you don't do what you say, it goes down and down and down and down, and you start looking at your fuel gauge. You're like, mm, I don't know. There's not much there. Um, you know, you want to trust that someone's gonna do what they say, and it's a big one for me. Um, and it's, I judge people a lot for this one. You know, this is a big one for me. So it's easy for me. I know some people might be a little bit harder. Um, but I, I, I, it's a principle that you should be work working on that if someone, if you were to die tomorrow and they're at you at the funeral, they would say, you know, John DOE, he was a man of integrity.

Jane DOE. She was a woman of integrity. Um, that is something that I want said when I die, but, but an honest version, you know, I wanted to say it. And they mean that I actually had integrity, not just because I'm, I'm dead and they wanna, you know, make me look good. I, I wanna earn, earn that.

BJJ Positions: A Simple Explanation by Third Degree Black Belt - Strong Heart BJJ

BJJ - Jiu Jitsu Positions

Mike Martin, Owner of Strong Heart Academy, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Phoenix Arizona, and third degree black belt, explains BJJ positions.

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Transcript - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

We're gonna do a quick run through all the positions today in Brazilian jiu jitsu or basic positions from fundamentals. This is standing position. My leg is forward. You could also be square. My elbows are in very much like wrestling. We are in guard, closed guard. My legs are locked. I have two separate grips, uh, many various grips we can use he's on his knees. His knees are widening knees on his toes. If possible his posture is up, not leaning on me and his hips are low on his feet. This is half guard. My leg is between his legs. I am framing with my arms so they cannot put weight. And my shin is on his chest. This is Mount position. My arm is wide. One arm is under the head and my legs are locked under his hips. I stay low my chest on his face. He needs his knees up. It's easier to escape from the position.

BJJ Positions

This is side control position. My hand is arm under his hips under his arm. Under his head. My shoulder is in his jaw. My head is turned sideways. My knees are wide and touching him. You cannot see in the photo. So my hips are as low as possible. You can see my back is almost flat, so my butt should not be up in the air. It's easier to get rolled. His knees are up and one knee is up towards me. So it's not easy for me to Mount. He's also framing with his arms. One arm on my neck. One is on my hip. This is case kata position. I'm a little bit high here. Usually I like to get my armpit near his armpit by where I'm gripping his arm and my legs are wide to not get rolled. I'd also put my head lower. If he is, uh, flexible, uh, to hook my head. This is neon belly position. Uh, you would hop up on here from a side control normally, or a guard pass. Um, I have two grips to stabilize myself in my, my leg must be straight out by his head

North south position. My knees are wide. You can also sprawl on a north south position. Uh, he's not in a good position here. This is used many times for attacking, but also contr, uh, moving from side control to the other side, without hopping over the body. We go north south and transition to the other side or attack. This is wrestler's position or turtle position. I'm actually in a wrestler's position. It's not very good for jiu jitsu. He can actually escape from here. I usually sit behind the hips instead. Um, he's not in a great position either, but I'm going to work to attack or get my hooks in for a back control. This is back control. I get my hooks in, meaning my legs in between his legs. My head is tucked and my cheek is on his shoulder. So I don't get headbutted in the face. I have a grip over an under grip or seatbelt grip with my hands at a Gable grip. Now we're on the side, same position. This is actually better, easier to attack. I can also transition to a Mount position. Uh, my hands are gripped and I do not lock my legs. That is all.

Thank you.

Strong Heart Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - Student Principle #2: LOYALTY

View our 8 Strong Heart Academy Principles to Live By

So the second, uh, the second one that we do is loyalty and loyalty. I'm not gonna say a ton about loyalty, but loyalty is, um, earned, just kind of like respect is earned and I'm not, um, one that is, um, forces people to be loyal to strong heart.

You know, we, I allow people, you know, I don't own, my students is the way I look at it. There's a lot of schools that are like, you don't, can't go to any other school or whatever. You know, I, I, I encourage them to be part of the community of jiu jitsu as well, go to open mats, go to seminars. Um, you know, there are certain things where look, if you're competing, you have to be a little bit careful with what you're going out and showing others, because just like any team, the sons don't hang out in practice with the Lakers or whatever, you know, whatever team they're opposing team, you just don't do that. So there's that, but the loyalty aspect is kind of an earned thing. Kind of like trust is earned. You know, if you would be loyal to strong heart, if I, if you think that I am worthy and you think strong heart is worthy of your loyalty, that's how loyalty works.

And then, you know, if we've built trust over the years, if I were to make a mistake, um, you would give me a little bit of, uh, wiggle room. If I'm, you know, if apologetic about something, um, to keep your loyalty and you, you know, you're loyal to your family, you're loyal maybe to your country, to your school. These are, these are not a bad thing. Um, sometimes we get confused with nationalism and it's like, oh, it's a bad thing. And not necessarily we are, we are a people groups. Um, and there's nothing wrong to be loyal to a certain group, but it needs to be deserving of the loyalty is the way I would, I would say that. So, um, you know, you're lo loyal to your relationship with your spouse or your girlfriend. Um, but until that relationship, the loyalty is gone. If there's a cheating aspect or someone that's trying to ruin your, your, your life alive, you know, you shouldn't be loyal as much as like it's time to separate from that person.

And, um, and I, I, I, you know, if you expect people to be loyal to you, you need to be the, understand the same concept. Like, am I worthy of loyalty? Okay.

BJJ Recovery: 5 Things This 3rd Degree Blackbelt Does

BJJ Recovery: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training

Mike Martin, Owner of Strong Heart Academy, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Phoenix Arizona, and third degree black belt, talks about the 5 things he does for BJJ recovery.

5 Things for BJJ Recovery

The 5 Things I Do for BJJ Recovery. I Started Training Brazilian Jiujitsu in 2000. Ive Trained through My 20's, 30's, and Now in my 40's. These Are the 5 things I do to Recovery and train as much as I can. You can try these by going to Strongheartacademy.com and trying a FREE Trial Class. or BJJ2GO.com is our online platform that can be used any where. or if your not in Phoenix find an Academy near you.

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Transcript

Today's podcast is brought to you by Strongheartacademy.com where no heart is no victory. We are also brought to you by BJJ2go, if you wanna build your game and learn jiu jitsu, go to BJJ2go.com.

Jiu Jitsu Athlete Recovery

Okay. So this one is gonna be about recovery, um, for Jiu Jitsu um, athletes. Um, obviously the older you get, the more important recovery is, um, and how serious you take it. But if you're younger and you start young, you just get the pattern set up and it's gonna be easier and easier and easier and easier recovery. Everything I'm gonna talk about today is, uh, no TRT, no steroids, nothing like that. Obviously those are super recovery tools. People think of steroids like that makes you stronger. No, it allows you to work out more, to get stronger. Um, when you're sore, it's like hard to just work out again.

Muscles and Energy

Like your muscles are just shot, uh, and energy too. So what steroids do is just allow you to cover fast or fast, faster. You can do two, three workouts a day where someone, you know, might take one to two days off per workout, just so your body heals up and you'll get injuries. Um, today we're gonna talk about just what you can do, um, without any steroids at all. And tier T now people get fishy with the TRT. They're like, you know, especially jiu jitsu athletes, um, you know, after a certain age, you're like, well, you could take, you know, TRT because you have low testosterone. You can go to a doctor. If you're gonna do it, go to a doctor, please do it. There, don't buy illegal steroids. Okay. Um, but uh, you need to be careful with those things, because I do think there's a higher risk of heart, uh, failure.

And, you know, if you have prostate problems, which you're getting older, you could actually increase the prostate. So, but they'll test you for those things, um, to make sure you don't have any prostate problems. Um, but it, if you are not catching, you're not getting tested a lot. It could lead to cancer and other problems too. So the other problem I have with TRT is that, um, once you're on it, you're not gonna get off of it. It's like for life basically. So, um, it takes a while to, if you, if you get off, it I've know people got off it and it's like, their body never really comes back. Like their testosterone doesn't stop producing testosterone. So, um, and they're so used to being on testosterone and the benefits that they get that it's like once they come off, there's a mental pro problem too, even though like their levels might get better.

Time and Energy Levels

Um, it takes time and to get used to, um, not having that recovery that you did with taking testosterone and your energy levels and all those type of things too. So, um, it's hard to get off of them once you're on them. So again, once you're on them, it's like you're on them. So just, just a word of caution, if you're gonna do that, it's completely legal, um, easy to do. Uh, just be careful. So, uh, I don't do any of those things. Uh, I'm 42, uh, as of today or as of now. And, um, I've tried everything for recovery. Um, the number one thing though, so we're gonna do five things. The number one thing is gonna be sleep. Um, you know, Americans are extremely sleep deprived. We work a lot. Uh, we don't take a lot of holidays, our vacations, um, me included, you know, I work about six days a week.

I always make sure my Sundays is my family day. Uh, and I try to just go to church and I don't do any other, um, I try not to do, I don't do any jiu jitsu for sure. Or business. Uh, unfortunately I do to work around the house. I should take that day should be completely nothing day, but I run outta days to get things done. So sleep is the big one for me. I make sure I get enough sleep. I do sleep in. I'm kind of a weird guy. I, I like I'm a, a night O um, but whatever your schedule is, figure out how you can get your eight to nine hours of sleep. If I get 10 hours of sleep, I feel like I feel like I'm 10 years younger. Um, and so just keep that in mind, you know, and, and when you're young, you might be able to get a day, a couple days in a row of like five, six hours of sleep.

Sleep

It's just not, it catches up to you. There's a price to pay and you can't really catch up sleep. You just gotta get your sleep habits back, set a time that you want to be unconscious. And what, how long does it take you to get from that, to that now? Uh, I have a doctor friend. He wrote me a whole like prescription of how he does it. And I don't mean drugs. I mean, like he goes, go to the bathroom, do read a little bit, do this. Once you get in bed, you do not leave your bed. The last thing with the sleep thing is, well, not the last thing, but is make sure your room is very dark. You don't want that blue light when you're staring at your phone right before you go to bed. Uh, I tend to read off of an iPad, so that's not good.

Reading

I do a lot of reading before I go to bed. Um, but I think it's better for my eyes versus like, uh, reading a book with bad lighting is not good. Uh, I have really good eyes still for my age. I don't have any glasses or nothing, so I like that better, but they say that blue light makes it more difficult to go to sleep. Definitely don't have any TVs in your room. Uh, so many people, I, I know have TVs in rooms. I I've gotten away with that one. It's kind of me thing with my wife. She's always had TVs in a room and I said, look, this is be hard for her to sleep. You know, it's not good for you. You're not supposed to have any light, your body reacts to light. That's how it wakes up. So knows if it's day or night and, and humans are meant to sleep at night.

Jiu Jitsu: Clear Thinking

So there's always exceptions to this rule. Again, like I said, I, I like to go to bed really late and I like to sleep in. It's hard to do that. Just find your routine. What's gonna work for you. And really, really, really, really try to get that eight hours minimum of eight hours. Um, you know, I've done the game before, like, okay, if I go to bed now I'll get, oh man, I'll get five hours. I'll get six. It's just, you'll break down your body needs rest. Your mind needs rest. You won't think as clearly, you'll be, you know, you'll make mistakes in jiu jitsu. You'll make, make mistakes in your job. Um, you'll get be irritable. There's so many things it's actually bad for your, uh, diet, your metabolism, lack of sleep slows your, um, it, it slows down your metabolism. So there's, there's so many benefits.

I mean, there's so many studies about sleep. That would be my first one. Um, the second one I would say would be water. Um, um, I'm in Arizona, I'm in Phoenix, it's a desert. So we gotta drink a ton of water. It's summer as currently as we're speaking. And that's gonna be 106 today. I think, um, you're sweating. You're an athlete. If you're doing GE Jisu, you know, you have that big, heavy GE you're basically exercising with the jacket on it's great exercise. You're sweating so much, and it's easy to be in kind of a deficit and like a low grade dehydration. Now your body needs water to, for everything to move waste, to, uh, rehydrate your muscles. Um, I find you can get more injuries when you're dehydrated. And again, back to not thinking clearly when, and when you're not thinking clearly dehydration sometimes is that if you're getting headaches, those are all things, uh, for me, like I'm, I'm making sure I pound that water and we're back, uh, technical difficulties.

Water Intake: BJJ

So, uh, back to water, um, that's helps with your metabolism also. So if you're trying to lose weight, um, cutting weight, uh, water's important. Even if you're cutting water weight, you wanna rehydrate first. So tech tech, uh, you know, MMA fighters, uh, or actually anyone cutting a lot of weight. If you pound a gallon a day, you can do a gallon gallon and a half a day, gallon and a half, and you slowly cut it during the week until you're ready for the water cut and the water cut's always done the night before the weigh in, or the day of the weigh in. So, you know, even that you, the water's super important and you will just feel so much better with energy wise. You know, that's what I'm saying by recovery. Like you're tired, you're sore. Water is huge. It is a huge benefit to making sure you're getting enough water intake during the day.

And in Arizona, you're just constantly sweating. If you're outside, if you have an outside job, um, you know, you're, you need to be making sure you're getting a gallon a day. You know, this is not eight, uh, eight, eight glasses of water. I don't know where that ever came from. I don't know how many ounces in a glass. So what is that like? How big is this glass? Just make sure that you're drinking a gallon of water if you're an athlete. Um, and I think even, even back east where it might be a little cooler, I think a gallon is still a good gauge just because, um, you're an athlete and you'll be sweating so much when you train. So especially if you're train twice a day, you definitely gotta get a gallon of water in you, cuz you're kind of always. And when you wake up in the morning makes you drink a glass of water, a big glass of water.

First thing in the morning, before we get your coffee, before we get your, whatever you're drinking in the morning water first. Okay. Cuz you slept again. Let's say that we did the eight hours. That's eight hours of no water. Um, we want to, we need to, we're gonna be dehydrated. You're gonna pee you probably in the morning. You're gonna lose some hydration there. You probably sweat during the night. Uh, so you need to get that water back inside you and you'll feel you'll feel so much better. These so far, these are very simple things that cost $0. Okay. Now the third one I'm gonna talk about is, uh, protein. So, uh, protein helps me tremendously. Now my favorite protein is actual steak. Now steak is gonna have some other stuff in it that I think for me, I just feel like it helps, um, with my intake.

Protein for BJJ

Um, so you know, I'm going through I'm training a lot. Um, I wanna make sure that I have enough protein that my muscles, uh, are performing at the right, uh, level. They're going to feel better, not so sore. Okay. I think creatine is in it. Irons in steak too. Uh, I was using P protein. Somebody recommended pre proteins, a plant-based protein. Some people have problems with weight, figure out what works best for you. Now the other thing that I use, I go to Costco and I buy those things of protein, uh, shakes. Pre-made shakes. Why? Because I'm lazy. I don't want to clean shakers out. I don't, it makes a mess. Uh, they have like 30 grams of protein, low sugar. I shake it up after I get done training. And before, before I train, I pound one after training, I pound another one. Um, that's how I do it.

Now you can do the measures like your weight, how much protein you should ingest. You can look those measurements up online. Uh, but protein, you have to be taking in protein. Again. If you don't eat meat, there's P protein is awesome. Hemp, protein. Um, it's still protein guys. It's still gonna help you out now for me again, if I eat a steak at night, I will feel amazing. The next day I really do. Red meat is huge for me. Um, but I think everyone operates a little bit differently. Besides protein. Everyone needs protein. Uh, if you're not getting enough protein, your muscle's gonna break down and then you don't recover. Okay. So the next part would be for muscles too. Is foam rolling. Now I like to use, uh, foam rollers. If you go to BJJ, uh, BJJ to go.com, which is our online platform.

I have a whole series on foam. Rolling on there. You can check it out. You can look online too. If you'd like, I like to use, uh, different balls to get different areas. Uh, and different softness of a ball will help different areas too. I, I start with my feet and I work my way up. So I stand on the, on a, uh, lacrosse ball and I roll out my feet first, work my way up, my calves thighs inside. And I, and think about each, uh, limb six sides of a limb, okay. Or four. However you wanna look at it. Six is more accurate, um, or massages. So I try to get a massage. I get to two a month. Uh, but I also foam roll. So I would foam roll when I'm really sore. I start formula wheeling. Some people formal before they do exercise too.

Warming Up for BJJ

I've I actually think that's a great way. The older you are, the more warmups you need. And again, preventing those injuries I think is huge and extremely helpful. Okay. Now here's the last one. The fifth one is a sauna or cold plunge. So I use a sauna when I work out, I do one. So on per week I try to do 30 minutes. Uh, but I think two is, would be more ideal. I just don't have access to twice a week. So once a week I do a sauna or they call it heat, shock proteins. I don't know what that means, but I do know that I feel much better from saunas. Um, my recovery is so much better. I'm gonna start doing my cold plunges again. I used to do that when I'm really, I mean, I'm really drained cold plunge. I used to do four to 12 minutes.

Now people are telling me 12 minutes was too long, but I just threw a bunch of bags of ice in a bathtub with water. One thing I would recommend with this, I think I talked about it before is making sure someone's in the house. So if your legs give out, you don't fall and bash your head and die in the bathroom, you know, buck naked. The other thing, I always, always, I put a swim trunk on just in case. Uh, something goes wrong in a pass out. I don't wanna be naked. You know, it's not a good look. So, um, if you have access to an actual cold pledge tub, hopefully I'm gonna get one of those soon. Those are money, they work awesome. And I would highly recommend doing that now. Here's I mean, one more. My bonus thing that I do is I go to a place called, uh, route sport, me, shout out to route sport me.

I've had them on this show. Um, and we've interviewed those guys. They're great. And I kind of think of that as prehab. Okay. Prehab is like, I, I work out with, 'em only once a week. They give me exercise for the week, but I'm too lazy. I don't do them. Um, I'm gonna try to, I'm try, try to start doing that guys, but, um, it's hard. So, um, but that has made my leg stronger. It's prevented injuries. Um, they give kind of like massage, cupping, those type of things, you know, scraping, those are also recovery tools. So that's kind of like all in one. Now that would be like a bonus thing. You know, that costs more money. Totally understand it. If you can't do that, foam rolling is cheap. You don't need a massage pay for massages. Protein can be expensive, but look, it's part of your health.

Health and Diet: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

It should be part of your diet. Just get it into your diet. Somehow again, I go to, uh, Costco, I buy the big thing. I think it gives me 18 protein shakes. Um, and it's about 25 bucks, 26 bucks, you know, so, you know, probably spend 50 bucks a month probably on protein, not including steaks, but you know, it's your health, health is wealth is the way I look at it. So, you know, you could be spending money now or spending money later in the hospital when you're older and you're all broken down and your body doesn't work. Right. So, um, you're gonna spend money it's just up front or, or, or, or later on, I'd rather do it front and feel better for longer, you know, uh, nobody gets out alive, but uh, I want my time to be my batteries, keep going dead.

So I don't know, uh, sorry about that. I'm, I'm pretty much done with it anyway, but I wanted to say that, you know, figure out what works best for you, but these are my top five is, uh, water or sorry, sleep water foam, roll protein sauna. And then I go to sports, uh, uh, Shawn at sports men, a ton of my students go to the hint, those guys, again, it's gonna cost you some money, but it's your health man. And you will feel great. Like what does it cost to feel? Great. People buy objects to feel great too, but you're physically still not gonna feel great. So this is gonna make you mentally and physically better. You gotta work on your mind too. You know, you could add in meditation in there too. Um, but those aren't my top five, my top five is still gonna be sleep, water, protein, massage, and sauna.

And, um, the sauna again might cost you mu a little bit of money, but cold plunge is not. If you get a bunch of bags of ice, you could jump in your own tub, just be, be careful and mindful how long you're in there for four minutes is good. Um, you and I don't even, I don't even figure out the temperature. I just set cold, fill the tub and then put about three bags of ice in and I feel great. So it's not exact measurement. Um, but I do feel pretty awesome from that. You'll get more energy and my recovery. I mean, I feel so much better when I do those type of things. So thanks for listening for, uh, strong hearts, five, uh, ways to recover. And again, with your age guys, you're gonna have to be more mindful, more and more mindful. I'm trying to stay in jiu jitsu.

Aging Goal: BJJ

My goal is to make it to 70. I want to roll in my seventies, not just like, hang out, I wanna be rolling. And it doesn't mean I wanna be beating 20 year olds, but I wanna be able to hang, be able to keep people in front of me. Okay. So those are my goals, uh, for my happy life, happy, happy jiu jitsu. And uh, if you have any other questions, you could always reach out to me, uh, at Strongheartacademy.com and uh, if you wanna take out any classes, we have a free trial program on Strongheartacademy.com. Just hit the trial button, please subscribe. Uh, I always hear on, uh, YouTube Hulk smash, the subscribe button button. It helps me out. I appreciate any comments, leave comments. Uh, you can tell me I'm a fool. I should be taking TRT, whatever you wanna call. I don't care. It's fine with me. Opinions are great. Uh, good or bad. I don't have, I don't have a sway either way.

And that's it have a great weekend and peace.

Side Control BJJ - Strong Heart BJJ

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Mike Martin, Owner of Strong Heart Academy, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Phoenix Arizona, and third degree black belt, demonstrates side control.

Jiu-Jitsu Side Control

side mount, side control, maintain, Bjj, brazilian jiujitsu, jiujitsu, Jits, Gi

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side mount, side control, maintain, Bjj, brazilian jiujitsu, jiujitsu, Jits, Gi

BJJ - Side Control Submissions

Okay for side control. Uh, we're gonna go top and bottom. So from bottom position, we're just talking about hand position. He needs forearm on my hip. It's gonna prevent me from changing sides. Other hand is gonna be on my shoulder, forearm underneath my neck. My knees are as wide as I can go in the beginning. We're gonna start with our hand under the hips and one hand under the head. I want my hips as low as I can. Either sitting on my, um, heels. You could be on your toes as far or feet can be flat. Same as Mount. I wanna push his face with my shoulder and hand underneath his hips. My knees need to be touching. I do not want to sprawl. It's too easy for him to get away. So on my knees, my butt is low as I can, and I can actually push my chest to make it tighter shoulder pressure in the face.

BJJ

From here, we can transfer. My hand comes underneath the arm and I'm just gonna clasp my hands. This is called a Gable grip. No thumbs go over and same shoulder pressure, but I'm not flexing at all. I'm just pushing my shoulder forward. Many people make a mistake of like, try to squeeze as hard as we can. We're just wasting energy. Let gravity do the work for us from side control. From his perspective, he needs to be flaring his elbow up and making it uncomfortable for him to hold me and then pushing on my hip so that eventually he would get his knees inside to the fanning and try to pull guard again.

Thanks.

Strong Heart BJJ - Student Principle #1 - Service

View all 8 Strong Heart Academy Principles to Live By.

So the first one is service and the way we talk about this is service to others. You know, I try to encourage the kids to, do community service and, and understand that you are part of a community as humans and helping the people around you.

So we give pins out, awards out for 10 hours, community service. And the goal is just to get you in the service mindset. And I know for myself, all the service things that I do, I mean, they hugely impact my own life. Not the people that I help. Like obviously they help the, the people that I help, but I get something out of it. There's something about being a human and helping others. And, what it does for yourself. Like you have a sense of gratitude, for the things that you have that maybe others don't. And, it sets a community, you know, when you're working with others. So we highly encourage service. I encourage this with adults too. And you know, my, we, we even say that, you know, I allow for these community hours of community service, some of 'em don't like, what, what can I do as a kid?

I'm like, you could pick up trash in a neighborhood. Sometimes we think if it has to be like this complicated thing, it really doesn't, you know, you can go at school, you could pick up trash around the playground afterwards, just ask for a bag. I guarantee you, the teachers will say, absolutely, I'll give you a trash bag. You go out there, wash your hands afterwards. And, and, and thank you. So these are just things that we, we try to encourage, encourage, encourage, you know, be a part of the community, help your community, help people around you. And I think that's something that we're missing right now in, in society is everyone's very me, me, me, me, and you're encroaching on me. And, and it's like, how about us? You know, us? And the other thing I encourage kids is to help their grandparents.

You know, America has a, a very strange relationship with grandparents. Um, you know, they're separated like a lot of countries in the world, grandparents live with you. Okay, now, now grandparents live separately. Either they have their own place or they're maybe at a, a nursing home. So I encourage, you know, helping your grandparents, wash their car, pick up dog poop at their house, help them with their laundry pick weeds. Um, there's many things that kids even young as four can do and get these, this, this helping your grandparents out. And, um, you should be, and your grandparents will love it because you're hanging out with them. Um, it's kind of the way I believe that things should be okay.