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Ep. 407: Day Zero Jiu-Jitsu, feat. Jesse Walker & Shelby York

Ep. 407: Day Zero Jiu-Jitsu, feat. Jesse Walker & Shelby York

From BJJ Mental Models

September 7, 2026 · 1:09:42 · E407

This week, we're joined by Jesse Walker and Shelby York! Jesse and Shelby own Rough Hands BJJ in Louisville, Kentucky, a gym of about 200 students with an unusually high number of women and older grapplers (the average student is around 43). In this episode, they walk a complete beginner through what happens before your first jiu-jitsu class. Topics include: vetting a gym, what to bring, why you should tap early, panic and intensity, injury risk.

Learn more at Rough Hands BJJ:
https://roughhandsbjj.com

Follow Jesse and Shelby at Rough Hands BJJ on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/roughhandsbjj

Resources discussed in this episode:

Yoga for BJJ, by Sebastian Brosche:
https://yogaforbjj.net

Women's Grappling Network on Facebook:
https://facebook.com/groups/341922519178021

Mental models discussed in this episode:

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

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

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