BJJ Mental Models

This week, we're joined by Todd Richards! Todd is a black belt under the great Keith Owen, who tragically passed away in 2022. In this episode, Todd shares his experience building atop and evolving an existing curriculum, sharing stories from how a group of Keith Owen's black belts took over gym instruction following his passing.Find Todd online at Flow Frame Jiu-Jitsu:https://flowframejiujitsu.comTrain with Todd at Team Rhino Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Meridian, Idaho:https://teamrhinoidaho.comMental models discussed in this episode:Technique Chaininghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-chainingLabelinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/labelingGoodhart's Lawhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/goodharts-lawInvariantshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/invariantsThird Placehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/third-place⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:https://bjjmentalmodels.comNeed more BJJ Mental Models?Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletterLearn more mental models in our online database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/databaseFollow us on social:https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodelshttps://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodelshttps://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.socialhttps://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodelsMusic by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

In this week's mini-episode, we discuss opening salvos: the tactics and strategies you use when entering into an engagement. Ensuring your opening salvo is successful helps tremendously for standup and the engagement phase of guard.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:https://bjjmentalmodels.comNeed more BJJ Mental Models?Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletterLearn more mental models in our online database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/databaseFollow us on social:https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodelshttps://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodelshttps://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.socialhttps://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

This week, we're joined again by Nick Volpe from Dark Bear Jiu-Jitsu! In this episode, Nick breaks down a very holiday-relevant technique: the gift wrap!Follow Nick on Instagram:https://instagram.com/darkbeardojoTrain with Nick at Dark Bear Jiu-Jitsu in Staten Island, NY:https://darkbearjiujitsu.comMental models discussed in this episode:Crossing the Centerhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/crossing-the-centerPriit's 45° Rulehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/priits-45-degree-rulePredictable Responseshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/predictable-responsesCenter of Gravityhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/center-of-gravityAsymmetric Warfarehttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/asymmetric-warfareProbabilistic Thinkinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/probabilistic-thinking⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:https://bjjmentalmodels.comNeed more BJJ Mental Models?Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletterLearn more mental models in our online database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/databaseFollow us on social:https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodelshttps://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodelshttps://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.socialhttps://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodelsMusic by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

In this week's mini-episode, we discuss the importance of doing what works. If a) you can do it against good opponents, b) you can do it repeatedly, and c) it aligns with your goals, then it's a good technique regardless of what anyone else says.Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:https://bjjmentalmodels.comNeed more BJJ Mental Models?Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletterLearn more mental models in our online database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/databaseFollow us on social:https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodelshttps://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodelshttps://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.socialhttps://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta

This week, we're joined by Nick Salles! Nick is a black belt under Mikey Musumeci and co-founder of Movement Art Jiu-Jitsu. In this episode, Nick discusses epistemic humility: a scientific philosophy reminding us that our knowledge is always incomplete. Topics include: democratic learning environments, creating conditions for exploration, constraints-led training, recoverable vs. unrecoverable errors, gym culture, and the limits of AI in skill acquisition. Follow Nick on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thatnicksallesTrain with Nick at Movement Art Jiu-Jitsu in Warminster, PA: https://www.movementart.onlineLearn online with Nick at Movement Art Online:https://movementartonline.comMental models discussed in this episode:Silver Bullet Fallacyhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/silver-bullet-fallacyGrowth From Discomforthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/growth-from-discomfortZone of Proximal Developmenthttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/zone-of-proximal-developmentReframinghttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/reframingSelf-Organizationhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-organizationRecoverable vs. Unrecoverable Errorshttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/recoverable-vs-unrecoverable-errorsDiscipline Equals Freedomhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/discipline-equals-freedomEffortful Retrievalhttps://bjjmentalmodels.com/effortful-retrieval⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:https://bjjmentalmodels.comNeed more BJJ Mental Models?Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletterLearn more mental models in our online database:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/databaseFollow us on social:https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodelshttps://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodelshttps://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.socialhttps://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodelsMusic by Enterprize:https://enterprize.bandcamp.com⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models!MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at:https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta