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Go hard. Go crazy. Apply that to your life and to your training. That’s what Beast Mode is all about.

Who is anyone to say what you can and cannot accomplish in your life?

Sometimes, that voice can be the voice of doubt. That’s why it’s important to tell yourself every day that your wildest dreams are achievable and commit to the practice of accomplishing them.

It’s impossible to name every action step it takes to fulfill that dream, but as long as you commit to getting 1% better, embracing your inner crazy, going Beast Mode on it, the plan starts coming into fruition.

With that said, it’s a fine line between going Beast Mode and getting lost in all of your wildest dreams. In order to follow that passion, you also have to be able to ground yourself in your values.

Your honor carries you through the passion. If all you do is grind to achieve the goal, then what happens when you achieve it?

Having your integrity at the top of your mind is part of that practice of committing to yourself and going Beast Mode.

You have to know who you are at your core and stick to that. Understand who you have at your side to help guide you or work alongside you to do that.

Uplift who uplifts you. Guide who guides you. Stick with the people in your life who share your ethics, who value your presence and remind you of your worth too.

Work together to unlock that Beast Mode. It’s not always a competition and all of you can succeed together.

Community is the epicenter of everything we do. What we need to think about every time we enter the gym is how do we hold ourselves accountable for creating a community centering on love and freedom – and why is that so important in being a Student of the Game?

It always starts with the self.

We’ve talked about how KOS is important in grounding you through everyday life. This means committing to all the aspects of understanding yourself; your limits, your capabilities, your desires, your needs. All of that is necessary to know when you’re training, not only to be a better athlete but a better self.

Once you’re able to do that, you automatically become a better leader.

A leader isn’t made from someone who tries hard to show people what to do. It’s most effective when you lead by example.

In the long run, all these things add to our sense of freedom. While it could be contradicting for us to think that freedom means discipline, it’s important for us to reframe “freedom” as the way you feel the most yourself, the most liberated. Usually what that means is being more dedicated to your craft and learning how to control your boundaries.

As a community, we all commit to having that KOS which will help uplift us as individuals and as a team.

Committing to yourself, your beliefs, and committing to creating a stronger, more meaningful community all adds into you becoming a better leader and follower. 

Next time you’re ready to practice, think about the ways you can continue uplifting yourself and our community in training and in life. Always remember that you’re both a leader and follower at the same time.

In this month’s newsletters, we focused on the values of love, grit, gratitude, and faith – how it applies in life within each individual and within training in practice. While each value has its own meaning individually, there is even greater value when you look at them altogether.

First, let’s really break it down: what is love? There is no one definition that can really capture what it means to love. It’s different for every person, whether you feel it everyday or not.

When you think about love, it’s important to think about all the ways it’s present. From your loved ones asking if you’ve eaten that day to a stranger on the bus offering you their seat, both are acts of love whether conscious or not. It’s most often apparent in these littlest things.

In practice, we can think about it by fully loving the process of training, both the good and the bad, or the conscious and subconscious. It is not easy to dedicate yourself to improving your jiu jitsu, but it stems from a great love of self and of the practice.

This is when grit comes into play. Like we say, it’s about the 1% better that you gain every time you practice. It’s about looking at the smallest progress and feeling that gratitude, even when it feels like it’s not gaining as fast as you want it.

Let go of the idea that you need to accomplish something in a certain amount of time. There is no time limit to the radical act of loving yourself. There is no amount of time you need to surpass in order to reach your goals in the way you want. It’s about believing in your vision and knowing, wholeheartedly, that you are on your way there.

What is a Student of the Game? How can practicing sport have a nourishing, beneficial impact on your work and personal life? Are martial arts a sport, an art form or something more? 

Here at SOTG Lifestyle, we know the power Jiu-Jitsu has to transform lives – way beyond the confines of the gym. That’s why we travel to local schools to help young people channel their fire, and take those first steps on the right path. That’s how, after spending time in a correctional facility as a young man, I was able to pull myself out of that downward spiral, and get my career and relationships back on track. 

Practicing a martial art like Jiu-Jitsu means far more than building muscle mass, defeating opponents in competition and collecting belts. To be a dedicated practitioner is to adopt the philosophy and discipline of that art. It isn’t about the number of wins on your record, or how much you can bench press. 

As the great Jiu-Jitsu teacher Carlos Gracie Jr. says, “there is no losing in Jiu-Jitsu. You either win or you learn.” From absolute beginners, to black belts with decades of experience, we are all students when we enter the dojo. This unending willingness to learn and better oneself requires humility, and respect for our teachers and fellow students. Adopting this mindset will equip you to succeed in so many avenues of life. This is what we mean by being a Student of the Game.

Honor Your Craft

Which craft are you honoring this year? By this I don’t just mean Jiu-Jitsu. Your craft can be any healthy pursuit in life – from tuning up your bike so it runs super smooth, or cooking that perfect meal for a loved one. It can be honing a talent at work, or working on a hobby at home.

Building an intimate relationship with your craft becomes an outward expression of your inner self. It requires dedication, patience, and love. Your craft becomes a part of you: the way you think, the way you live, the way you see the world. 

Try honoring your craft with some extra hours this month, and see if you notice an uptick in your emotional and physical wellbeing.

White Belt Attitude

No matter your proficiency or skill set, a white belt attitude is key to development in Jiu-Jitsu. This philosophy can be applied across all aspects of life. 

Someone with a white belt attitude is humble in their approach to learning. They hold an ‘empty cup’, waiting to be filled. This someone seeks daily, weekly, monthly improvements to their craft. A person on a lifelong quest to learn, change, and intimately connect with their true self. 

A person with such an attitude can learn from anyone. They are able to find the ‘win’ in every situation, no matter the circumstances. The only ‘L’ they take are Lessons. What is the last ‘L’ you took and doubled up from?

Black Belt Mentality

Hand in hand with a white belt attitude, comes the black belt mentality. This is the core part of your being that embraces blood, sweat and years. That inner fire, doggedness and tenacity that won’t quit until a job is complete. 

Those with a black belt mentality understand the painstaking sacrifice and rewards involved in learning. They are calculated in their approach to information gathering, and are able to link actions together with the dedication of much time and practice. Only this mentality will lead to unconscious, smooth performance. Automatic results.

Achieving a black belt mentality not only means developing a deep relationship with your craft, but a mastery and trust of your inner self. What kind of mentality do you have?

Embrace Your Inner Crazy

Sometimes you need to engage beast mode, summoning that mamba from within to get over the finish line. This is what I call embracing your inner crazy. It is a counterpart to learning: a place of un-thinking, effortless performance. A decoupling of the mind and body.

This mind-state is key to success in Jiu-Jitsu. It means harnessing and redirecting aggressive energy into free-flowing, autonomous action. Allowing yourself to fantasize, and follow intuition on the path to success. 

Get 1% Better Each Day

Self-improvement doesn’t happen overnight. Meaningful progress – in Jiu-Jitsu, or in any walk of life – is gradual, and tough. This is why we focus on each percent, and celebrate these ‘small’ improvements like massive victories. 

As the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Romulo Barral says, “If everything is going too smooth, it is because you are in your comfort zone. The struggle is part of a champion’s life.”

Embracing the Get 1% Better Each Day philosophy means dealing with ‘the struggle’. It means sticking it out on the journey to where you want to go. Becoming who you want to be. 

It means Honoring Your Craft. It means striving to live every day with a white belt attitude and a black belt mentality. 

It means focusing on what you can do to better yourself each day, but not forgetting about what’s driving you forward and where you want to be. 

And most importantly, Getting 1% Better Each Day is about your journey as an individual. Don’t compare yourself with others. Compare who you are today with who you were yesterday. 

That improvement you see is the 1%.

In fighting circles, Jiu-jitsu is known for being one of the most challenging, disciplined and life-changing martial arts out there. It’s for everyone—with the right commitment and attitude, you can build huge mental and physical discipline and strength from Jiu-jitsu.

But if you’re new to the sport and thinking about starting, you probably have a bunch of questions. 

• What is Jiu-jitsu? 
• Where is it from and what’s its history? 
• Who can come to the beginners Jiu-jitsu classes?
• Do you have to be fit and athletic to train Jiu-jitsu? 
• What should newcomers expect? 
• What do I need to bring for my first class?

Because my beginner Jiu-jitsu classes in Hercules are now welcoming first timers and new students, it’s the perfect time to introduce you to a discipline that has changed my life in an incredible way. So I’m going to give you a 10 minute lowdown on Jiu-jitsu and my classes in Hercules. Let’s get going.

What is Jiu-Jitsu? A super quick intro and history

Jiu-jitsu is a family of Japanese martial arts and a system of close combat that can be used both offensively and defensively. Jiu-jitsu’s core philosophy teaches that an opponent can be subdued by turning their own force against them, using grappling. 

Jiu-jitsu developed in feudal Japan, with specific grappling techniques and holds developed to help defenseless farmers combat the raiding Samurai of the era. Today, Jiu-jitsu is a powerful and popular form of self defense. Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, in particular, is the combat style of choice for many of the world’s most successful mixed martial artists. 

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu was introduced to the US by Brazilian practitioner Carley Gracie, of the famous Gracie Jiu-jitsu family, in the 1970s. It has since attracted a steady increase of students and practitioners – with Jiu-jitsu’s use by prolific MMA fighters in the early 2000s causing a massive boost in popularity.

Now you know a little about the history and background of the sport, I’ll run you through a few of the key details for joining my beginners Jiu-jitsu classes in Hercules.

My Jiu-jitsu classes in Hercules: The lowdown

My Jiu-jitsu classes are held at Omni Movement Gym, 678 Alfred Nobel Drive, Hercules, CA. Students of all levels are welcome to join my classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9 to 10:30 am. 

For intermediate and advanced students, Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings from 6 to 7pm are when we take a deeper dive into Jiu-jitsu techniques. Classes based on pure Jiu-jitsu fundamentals, which are best suited to beginners, take place on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, from 7 to 8pm.

Jiu-jitsu is a fully inclusive sport, and I take pride in welcoming all to my classes—no matter your age, ability or background. If you would like a taste of Jiu-jitsu, why not take up a free three day trial? 

The benefits of Jiu-jitsu: Building fitness, strength and confidence

As well as being a great all-body muscular and cardio-vascular workout, Jiu-jitsu has a positive impact on the mental health and emotional wellbeing of its students. 

Undoubtedly, learning how to defend yourself can be handy if you’re in a tight spot. 

But the deeper benefits of Jiu-jitsu can be found in the disciplined mindset and heightened levels of confidence that arise from its work. 

Jiu-jitsu is not simply overpowering and defeating others. Rather, Jiu-jitsu teaches us the importance of yielding to an opponent’s force—utilizing their momentum to neutralize a situation, rather than fighting fire with fire. Success in Jiu-jitsu is down to patience, efficiency and control—not physical advantages in size or strength. This philosophy will prepare you for life. 

Mindfulness is Jiu-jitsu. Eating well is Jiu-jitsu. Bringing your community together is Jiu-jitsu. 

Jiu-jitsu will call upon every part of your physique. My students build fitness by pushing their bodies in new, challenging ways—and their minds are pushed into uncharted territory too.

Why choose me as your Jiu-jitsu coach?

I love being a coach. My passion is to help others realize their goals of physical and emotional wellbeing. But I also have the track record to back it up. 

I have been training in Jiu-jitsu since 2005, receiving my black belt under Sergio Silva. As ​​a professional mixed martial artist, my fight record was 8-3, fighting with organizations including Dragon House, Conquer FC, Impact MMA and URCC. I trained MMA under UFC veterans such as Darren Uyenoyama, and was coached to a championship by Tyson Griffin. 

Leadership is key to good coaching. Studying Jiu-jitsu to black belt, followed by my professional MMA career, has blessed me with the authority to lead enriching classes. There’s nothing I enjoy more than seeing a once shy or timid student growing in confidence, learning how to defend themselves, and also developing that ability to lead.  

And to give students the time, space and environment they need to grow, I’m totally committed to making my classes a safe and inclusive space for everyone.

Everyone’s welcome: My Jiu-jitsu classes in Hercules are a safe and inclusive space

One of my core values is inclusivity, and this shines through at my Jiu-jitsu classes. I practice respect, tolerance and acceptance for every individual. To reflect this value in my classes, I’ve worked hard to create a safespace where you can come to learn, train and grow—no matter your level of confidence, fitness or expertise. 

Everyone is welcome at my Jiu-jitsu classes. I only ask that you practise this respect, tolerance and acceptance of every other student.

What does this actually mean in the gym? It means that our classes are energetic, but not macho. It means you’ll be coached and guided, not judged. It means you can step out of your comfort zone safely. You can lose yourself in the training and discipline. You can close yourself off to fears and distractions and grow as a fighter, student and athlete.

And you will grow as all of these things. Because Jiu-jitsu is an incredible workout. You will move, work and stretch your body in new ways. Every week and month you’ll feel yourself becoming more self-aware. Over time, you’ll lose fat and gain muscle.

You’ll also give your mind some serious training. Jiu-jitsu is very mentally demanding, requiring spells of solid concentration and reserves of discipline.

What you can expect at your first Jiu-jitsu class in Hercules 

So, everything sounds great. You’re almost ready to dive in. But there are a few small practical details left to cover before you come along to your first class.

If you have a Brazilian jiu-jitsu gi or kimono, you can wear it to classes. If you don’t own a gi or a kimono, you can buy or loan one at the class. 

Otherwise, if you’re thinking about coming along for the free three day trial and don’t want to buy one until you’ve made a longer term commitment, you can come in comfy shorts and tee shirt.

Now the dress code is sorted, what else can you expect at the beginners Jiu-jitsu classes in Hercules? You can expect a load of social interaction, both with me (and any other coaches helping with the class) and the other students. 

You can expect a major challenge. You’ll work out muscles you didn’t know existed. And you’ll probably feel very uncoordinated for the first month. Maybe the first three. 

Take up Jiu-jitsu: A new challenge for the new year

We’ve all had an extremely difficult two years. All of our lives have been disrupted and many of us have lost loved ones. We haven’t been able to see our friends and family like we used to. We haven’t been able to train and grow together, to teach and be taught.

But things are changing. Finally there is light at the end of the tunnel. 

That means now is a great time to take up Jiu-jitsu, a new challenge for the new year. 

When you’re ready to take the first step, come on down to Omni Movement Gym. There’s a free 3 day trial and a warm welcome waiting for you.

We’re at 678 Alfred Nobel Drive, Hercules, CA. If you’re more comfortable chatting to me before your first class, hit me up on IG at sotg_lifestyle or email me at [email protected].   

Everyone’s welcome.