Tell me how you REALLY feel.People have said some pretty wild things about me on the internet.So instead of ignoring them, I decided to read them on the podcast.Bad coach. Obnoxious. Mr. Know It All. American Jiu Jitsu is stupid. Apparently I look like Nick Fuentes. We’re going through some of the meanest, funniest and most unhinged comments from the I Suck at Jiu Jitsu community and seeing how accurate they actually are.Leave your own insult in the comments. Maybe you’ll make the next episode.Free Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck 00:00 Josh is a terrible coach02:53 You guys asked for this episode05:39 “Shrimping primes the nervous system”08:56 Has BJJ gotten boring without Gordon Ryan?17:51 Apparently I’m actually a good coach20:28 The Hot Take Hotline gets weird21:50 “Smoking weed creates cults”27:08 I’m mean to my ukes29:31 Comments from an old competition video33:11 You guys called me out35:10 “This dude is a total nutsack teacher”37:25 Americans will never understand martial arts41:47 Apparently I look like Nick Fuentes44:56 Is Gracie Barra a cult?49:35 “There is no argument for American Jiu Jitsu”50:34 What does AJJ even mean?51:37 The BJJ vs AJJ debate nobody accepted53:59 Finally, a nice comment56:17 “Get to the point”57:28 Maybe I need more gimmicks58:58 Why I actually love your comments1:00:38 I have a list

What happens when jiu-jitsu starts looking less like an individual sport and more like the NFL?I sit down with the St. Louis Outlaws management(Lloyd Wideman and Eric Longar) to talk about what PGF is actually trying to build: franchises, drafts, team strategy, scouting, sponsors, contracts, and a real pathway for grapplers to become professional athletes. We also get into what makes someone worth signing, why the Midwest may be sitting on a ton of overlooked talent, and whether team jiu-jitsu could actually be the future of the sportSign up for the Outlaws Qualifier: https://smoothcomp.com/en/event/34563?background=transparent&linktargets=inherit&embedView=1Check at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnodFree Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck Register for Grappler 4 Good: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/mission-111/grapple-for-good0:00 Intro1:20 Why buy a jiu-jitsu franchise?8:49 Going all-in on the PGF vision12:50 How the St. Louis Outlaws were created17:45 What PGF feels like from the inside21:34 The ridiculous 10th Planet origin story23:47 What PGF is like for the athletes28:03 Why the PGF rules are different33:02 Money bags and rewarding exciting jiu-jitsu37:09 How team competition actually works39:05 Who are the Outlaws signing?47:31 How PGF qualifiers and the draft work53:44 Building a team without ruining the culture57:27 The perfect professional jiu-jitsu athlete1:06:39 Contracts, sponsors and athlete expectations1:07:45 Finding the Midwest’s hidden talent1:13:09 Where the Outlaws go from here1:15:07 PGF expanding to 16 franchises1:17:32 Why Midwest jiu-jitsu needs a bigger stage1:20:43 Final thoughts on the St. Louis Outlaws

I thought Master Worlds was going to be a quick, fun trip to Vegas.Instead, I watched a brutal jumping guard injury, got delayed 14 hours, paid way too much for water, and almost coached one of my best friends out of the Master World title he had been chasing for years.This episode is basically my honest review of Master Worlds from a coach’s perspective. The injuries, the chaos, the weirdness of Vegas, the heartbreak of losing, and the stuff that actually makes the whole experience worth it.Somewhere in the middle of all of it, I got reminded what jiu jitsu competition is really about.Check at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnodFree Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck Register for Grappler 4 Good: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/mission-111/grapple-for-good0:00 Master Worlds Was Supposed to Be Fun2:14 The Jumping Guard Injury Problem10:21 Why I Even Went to Master Worlds13:06 My Perfect 38-Hour Vegas Trip Goes Wrong15:48 Spirit Airlines Delays Me 14 Hours19:11 Losing at Master Worlds Isn’t the End of the World23:37 The Real Reason I Went: Nick Sanders27:29 Nick’s Master World Title Run29:05 I Almost Cost My Friend a World Title30:39 “We Got Him”31:18 Maybe Jiu-Jitsu Competition DOES Matter34:14 My Honest Review of Las Vegas35:26 Vegas Is One Giant Airport Terminal37:01 $6.50 Water Is Criminal41:40 What Makes Master Worlds Awesome47:12 When Jiu-Jitsu Becomes Your Identity50:17 What Losing at Master Worlds Actually Means53:46 Master Worlds Actually Was Fun

Do jiu-jitsu schools still need mat enforcers? I think they do.I’ve spent a lot of years around jiu-jitsu schools, and for a good chunk of that time I was the guy coaches called when somebody needed to be… corrected.In this episode, I tell some of my best mat enforcer stories, including dojo stormers, fake black belts, gym bullies, getting “green lit,” and the scariest enforcement I’ve ever seen.But the real point is bigger than beating somebody up. A good mat enforcer protects the culture of the gym. A bad one can ruin it.Rener's Full Video: https://youtu.be/dcOjQBp7jX0?si=iJi6mcljbJbm0dWVCheck at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnodFree Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck Register for Grappler 4 Good: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/mission-111/grapple-for-good0:00 The Mats Don't Lie2:33 The Viral BJJ Callout That Started This5:50 Why Every Gym Needs a Mat Enforcer8:06 CONFESSION: I Was a Mat Enforcer10:17 I Got My First Assignment at 1510:52 Our Gym Got Dojo Stormed13:16 Coach Put Me Against the "Black Belt"14:20 What Getting "Green Lit" Means18:18 With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility23:21 The Guy Who Wouldn't Stop Hurting Students24:19 I Called in the Monster26:14 The Scariest Enforcement I've Ever Seen27:20 What Mat Enforcers Are REALLY For29:28 The Most Powerful Person Besides the Coach32:35 When My Coach Still Calls Me In34:04 The Viral Gracie University Beatdown36:07 What He Did After Losing Matters40:23 The Rule Every Mat Enforcer Should Follow45:16 Where Mat Enforcers Actually Came From46:40 Why I Was Enforcing at 15 Years Old49:56 The Dark Side of Being the Enforcer51:17 Finally Beating Your Old Mat Bully52:39 How Tough Guys Create Gym Culture57:06 The Original Old-School Mat Enforcer59:54 What a Modern Mat Enforcer Should Be1:01:59 What If YOUR Gym Has a Mat Bully?

I'm a black belt, ask me anything.You asked, I answered. No prep, no filter, just straight answers to the questions I usually dance around.If you train, you'll get something out of this. If you coach, you'll get more.In this one I get into why most of what you drill is wasting your time, how to tell if a concept is actually helping you or just confusing you, when gym loyalty turns into manipulation and how to spot it early, what to do with a talented student who has a bad attitude, why the gap between two black belts can be bigger than white belt to black belt, and my honest hot take on where jiu-jitsu is heading right now.Plus how many 150lb blue belts I could fight in a row before I lose?Come argue with me in the comments.Got a question or hot take? Call 951-HOT-TAKE and leave a voicemail. Anonymous unless you say otherwise.Want my curriculum? The one I use to run all three HeadNod schools. Go to skool.com/headnod, first 7 days free.Free from BJJ Mental Models: Rob Biernacki's Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles at bjjmentalmodels.com/isuckCome train at one of my 3 Southern IL Gyms: Headnodhq.com 0:00 - Could you beat 100 blue belts in a row?1:47 - Welcome to the Q&A episode2:13 - Do you still feel like you suck at jiu-jitsu?5:36 - What's something you'll never teach again?8:30 - When do concepts become too vague to help?13:45 - The Saturday class that humbles black belts15:54 - I Suck at Jiu-Jitsu School18:15 - Have you ever gotten in real trouble for the podcast?19:50 - My first podcast ever (nobody guessed it)20:33 - How close have you come to ending the show?21:08 - The episode I'm most proud of that flopped23:12 - Podcast Josh vs. real Josh25:46 - What does HeadNod do worse than other gyms?27:30 - Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles28:28 - What goes through your head when a student leaves?35:08 - How has jiu-jitsu affected your faith?38:02 - Handling a talented student with a bad attitude39:56 - When does gym loyalty become manipulation?42:13 - How do I keep HeadNod from becoming what I criticize?43:02 - Should coaches promote someone they don't like?45:06 - Feed the algorithm gods46:02 - Should coaches care if students cross train?46:56 - Toxic student vs. difficult student48:07 - My biggest hot take: morality as currency in BJJ53:55 - Do you miss competing?59:54 - Do you care if black belts respect your jiu-jitsu?1:01:13 - Why I got donkey guarded by Jeff Glover in khaki pants1:08:30 - Could you beat the 25-year-old version of yourself?1:10:44 - Wrap up

What if...

It’s not the black belt.It’s not winning Worlds.It’s not the perfect technique.It might not even be the journey.It’s all about the people you get to do jiu jitsu with.But there’s another side to community.The wrong gym, wrong coach, or wrong group of people can make you start to hate something you once loved. And once a community becomes valuable, there will always be people who want to exploit it.This episode is about finding your people, appreciating them while you have them, and protecting the community you’re lucky enough to be part of.👇 Who is someone Jiu-Jitsu brought into your life that you’d still be friends with even if neither of you trained anymore?Subscribe for more Jiu-Jitsu philosophy, competition stories, training advice, BJJ culture, and questionable opinions from the I Suck at Jiu-Jitsu Show.Check at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnodFree Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck00:00 What Jiu-Jitsu Is ACTUALLY About03:25 It Took Me 18 Years to Learn This06:49 The Friend Who Changed My Jiu-Jitsu10:52 The Best Years of Competition12:28 Is Catalina Island Actually Japan?18:43 Jiu-Jitsu’s Greatest Gift19:28 The Wrong Gym Can Make You Hate Jiu-Jitsu25:20 The Friend Who Bet on Me29:03 You Can’t Buy a 10-Year Friendship34:05 How to Know If You Found the Right Gym38:18 Ponzi Schemes, Influencers & Fake Community46:53 Protect Your Jiu-Jitsu Community50:20 Your Best Friends Might Be on the Mat53:16 Appreciate Your Training Partners54:18 Goal vs. Journey vs. Community

Dorian Brownlee is one of the most recognizable photographers in Jiu-Jitsu.

In this episode we talk BJJ photography, Daisy Fresh, content creation, the IBJJF circuit, Jiu-Jitsu culture, Jiu Jitsu drama, and what it really takes to build a life around Jiu-Jitsu full time.

📸 Dorian: @bjjedits

🥋 Josh: @thejoshmckinney

Check at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnod

Free Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck

Can a BJJ blue belt actually win a street fight, and could you beat up Jonah Hill?Jonah Hill’s viral jiu-jitsu rant opens a much bigger question: how well does modern day BJJ really prepare you for violence outside the gym?Josh breaks down “blue belt energy,” shares a recent confrontation in downtown St. Louis, and explains the difference between fighting and real self-defense. Learn why live rolling matters, why top position is king, and the three rules every grappler should remember when a fight becomes unavoidable.Check at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnodFree Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck 0:00 Can Blue Belts Win Street Fights?1:35 Jonah Hill’s Viral Jiu-Jitsu Rant2:46 The “Blue Belt Energy” Problem5:29 Why Jiu-Jitsu Should Make You Avoid Fights7:53 99% of Fights Are Avoidable11:23 My Downtown St. Louis Near-Fight17:44 Bruce Lee’s “Fighting Without Fighting”22:29 Fight vs. Self-Defense24:25 Sport BJJ vs. Real Fighting26:18 Why Live Rolling Transfers29:10 Win the Fight, Lose Everything31:01 The Truth About Jonah Hill33:07 When Fighting Is Unavoidable34:51 Boundaries and Distance Management37:37 The “Never Throw the First Punch” Rule41:05 Avoiding the Sucker Punch43:54 Safest Positions in a Street Fight46:35 Three Rules for Winning a Fight48:25 Can the Average Blue Belt Win?50:31 Why Younger People Fight Less53:39 What Black Belts Understand

Is Jiu-Jitsu Brain Washing You?Your BJJ coach may be great at jiu-jitsu, but that doesn’t make them: your spiritual leader, financial advisor, relationship counselor, or life coachIn this episode, Josh breaks down the warning signs of cult-like gym culture, how loyalty turns into control, why good coaches sometimes lose perspective, and how to tell whether your academy is a healthy tribe or a place you need to leave.Warning: Don't blame me if I shatter the glass and make you realize you've been paying $199 per month to be a member of a CULT.Check at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnodFree Mental Models Course "Jiu Jitsu for imbeciles" : bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck 0:00 Meet Your New Jiu-Jitsu Cult Leader2:24 Could You Be in a Cult Without Knowing It?6:18 Your Coach Is Not a Spiritual Leader16:05 When a BJJ Gym Becomes a Tribe22:41 Coaches Who Control Where You Train27:04 A Coach Tells a Student to Reject College30:03 The Simplest Test for a Dangerous Coach45:24 Coaches Dating Their Students51:39 Is Your Gym a Tribe or a Cult?54:41 Kids, Steroids and Exploitation58:45 The Biggest Warning Signs1:06:29 How to Choose the Right Gym

Henry Akins is 50 years old, and his jiu-jitsu is still getting better.

In this episode, Henry explains how older grapplers can keep improving without relying on speed, strength, or brutal training sessions that eventually break the body down.

We discuss why injuries are the biggest threat to long-term progress, how to remove unnecessary strength from your game, and why positional training and flow rolling may be the best ways to train after 40.

Henry also explains how he exhausted and beat me down me after barely training for nine months, and why your jiu-jitsu should become more effective as you age.

If you want to keep training, improving, and giving younger grapplers problems for decades, this episode is for you.

Check at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnod

Half off BJJ Mental Models with promo code "JOSH": https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/pricing

00:00 Henry Akins beat me down

02:24 The biggest mistake grapplers make after 40

09:13 How to roll with less strength

15:01 Physicality versus technique

19:30 Start training like you are 80

24:32 The truth about Rickson Gracie

29:16 How Henry passed my guard

41:30 You only need to master 5% of jiu-jitsu

47:02 How to choose the right game for your body

59:26 The best training method for grapplers over 40

1:08:06 Roger Gracie’s positional training strategy

1:11:04 How to flow roll correctly

1:21:49 Techniques older grapplers should avoid

1:24:38 Recovery and training frequency after 40

1:25:00 Henry barely trained before beating me

1:31:05 The real reason people should train jiu-jitsu

1:32:16 Henry’s training schedule at 50

1:37:28 Where to learn more from Henry Akins

Every Jiu-Jitsu gym has that guy.The person everyone avoids when it’s time to roll. The person who treats Tuesday night training like the ADCC finals, refuses to tap, coaches you while losing, and somehow has an excuse ready before the round is even over.But here’s the uncomfortable part:That guy usually has no idea he’s that guy.After 18 years in Jiu-Jitsu and 11 years running schools, Josh has seen exactly where these habits lead. Some people become incredible training partners who make everyone around them better. Others slowly become unsafe, exhausting, uncoachable... and eventually avoided.In this episode, Josh breaks down what it actually means to be a great training partner, a good teammate, and a student who never stops improving.Train hard. Protect your partners. Stay out of drama. Stay coachable.And don’t be that guy.Check at our new Skool Jiu Jitsu Curriculum: https://www.skool.com/headnodHalf off BJJ Mental Models with promo code "JOSH": https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/pricing0:00 Why Everyone Hates You1:57 The Worst Training Partner10:57 Why Winning Practice Hurts You22:22 Why You Rolling Too Hard is dumb25:00 My Students nearly ended me for $20036:29 Why You Must Respect the Tap39:56 Why Vulturing Makes People Hate You42:06 The Most Annoying Training Partner Habit45:17 The Time I Was the Problem51:17 Why Gym Drama Ruins Teams55:25 Why Purple Belts Stop Improving1:02:15 A Final Story