BJJ Mental Models

Jeff Shaw is guest hosting this week, and he's joined by Rosie Miller! Rosie is a jiu-jitsu educator known for explaining complicated positions in plain language. In this episode, Rosie walks through how the cross-grip pass works, and why she now teaches it starting from the tripod position instead of the entry. Topics include: collapsing the knee shield, counterattacks like the omoplata, gi versus no-gi differences, and teaching with games.

Follow Rosie on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/rosierollz

Rosie's instructionals, YouTube and everything else:
https://rosierollz.com

Follow Jeff on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/jeffshawbjj

Rosie's seminar at Bellingham BJJ on September 12, 2026:
https://bellinghambjj.com

Rosie's seminar at Framework BJJ Seattle on September 13, 2026:
https://frameworkseattle.com

Resources discussed in this episode:

Mastering Crazy Dog Passing, by Isaac Doederlein:
https://doederleinjj.com/mastering-crazy-dog-passing

Omoplatapalooza: The Omoplata System by Bellingham BJJ:
https://youtu.be/WwWmjmgdL5Y

Mental models discussed in this episode:
Phases of Passing
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/phases-of-passing

Waypoints
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/waypoints

Head Position
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/head-position

Grips Dictate Position
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/grips-dictate-position

Predictable Responses
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/predictable-responses

Elbow-Knee Connection
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/elbow-knee-connection

Technique Chaining
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/technique-chaining

Constraints-Led Approach
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach

Funneling
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/funneling

⬆️ 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.com

Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

Follow us on social:
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

Music by Enterprize:
https://enterprize.bandcamp.com

In this mini-episode, we discuss trading up: the strategic importance of getting more than you give in any jiu-jitsu exchange.

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.com

Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

Follow us on social:
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

This week, we're joined again by Brennan Strimple! Brennan and his wife founded Rochester Jiu Jitsu in 2014, and almost all of their kids classes are taught by black belts. In this episode, Brennan explains why kids don't grapple like adults, and what the rest of us can learn from teaching them. Topics include: teaching goals instead of moves, coaching cues kids actually understand, how slowly kids process instruction, treating the tap like a video game respawn, and building young athletes.

Follow Brennan on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/coachbrennanstrimple

Follow Rochester Jiu Jitsu on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/rochesterjiujitsu

Train at Rochester Jiu Jitsu:
https://rochesterjiujitsu.com

Mental models discussed in this episode:
Concepts Over Techniques
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques

Effortful Retrieval
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/effortful-retrieval

Ecological Dynamics
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-dynamics

Constraints-Led Approach
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach

Win Conditions
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/win-conditions

Gamification
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification

Direct vs. Proxy Control
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/direct-vs-proxy-control

Incremental Learning
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/incremental-learning

Cognitive Load
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/cognitive-load

Spaced Repetition
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/spaced-repetition

Curse of Knowledge
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/curse-of-knowledge

Investing in Loss
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/investing-in-loss

External Cues
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/external-cues

⬆️ 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.com

Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

Follow us on social:
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

Music by Enterprize:
https://enterprize.bandcamp.com

In this mini-episode, we discuss labeling: the practice of attaching a name, category, or descriptor to something in order to make it easier to identify and understand.

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.com

Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

Follow us on social:
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

This week, we're joined by Charles Harriott! Charles has been doing martial arts since he was four years old, and after years of traveling the world teaching seminars for BJJ Globetrotters and BJJ Fanatics, he recently opened his own gym, Lofi Dojo, in Gainesville, Florida. In this episode, Charles walks through the dichotomies of jiu-jitsu, the apparent opposites that often turn out to be sliding scales. Topics include: climbing versus leaping, gameplans versus improvisation, following the meta versus innovating, concepts versus techniques, and fun versus adversity.

Train with Charles at Lofi Dojo:
https://instagram.com/lofi.gnv

Follow Charles on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/charlesharriott

Support Charles on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/charlesharriott

Get Charles's instructionals on BJJ Fanatics:
https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/instructional-videos/fighter_charles-harriott

Mental models discussed in this episode:
Silver Bullet Fallacy
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/silver-bullet-fallacy

Certainty Heuristic
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/certainty-heuristic

Position Over Submission
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/position-over-submission

Placeholders
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/placeholders

Concepts Over Techniques
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/concepts-over-techniques

Ecological Dynamics
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-dynamics

Constraints-Led Approach
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach

Self-Organization
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-organization

Growth from Discomfort
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/growth-from-discomfort

Keep It Playful
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful

Psychological Safety
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/psychological-safety

Gamification
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification

Prioritize Longevity
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/prioritize-longevity

⬆️ 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.com

Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

Follow us on social:
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

Music by Enterprize:
https://enterprize.bandcamp.com