Setting Yourself Up For BJJ Success

Your environment determines your success. How the impact of your gym culture is going to really determine the future of your jiu-jitsu. And look, I think this plays out in a lot of different ways in terms of business, life, everything. But ultimately, if you're someone who wants to be really competitive, I do believe you need to be in a competitive space. But also, if you're someone who doesn't want to be a competitor, then maybe it is better for you to find a gym that isn't so focused on that. And really, I I've I've seen this play out in a few realms recently. And so I wanted to kind of get into the chat. Um, you you would have seen this a bit yourself, Joe, with your own experience in gym life and also, I guess, uh, having worked with some some high-level people yourself, seen them hang out in some higher-level circles. Yeah, I remember when I taught Jack Della Maddalena how to box. Those days. Uh, introduced Hamza to wrestling, of course. Yeah, you know, these are reasonably high-level individuals. No. No, yeah, I mean, you know, in the gym thing, um, I think a a really good example that comes to my mind is, uh, like middle-aged middle-aged women who come into our gym. Sure. Uh, Jungle Botany, and they come in and they're like, you know, whatever, just like everyone that comes to to a gym like ours, they're usually just looking to get fit. Sure. Kind of generic sort of goal set. And then, you know, and they never really have much ambition around the training thing. And then after six, eight weeks in this culture where, you know, there's women doing multiple sets of weighted chin-ups and double body weight deadlifts, they're like, holy fuck, like at first some some of them are like, they're often in awe, but kind of maybe a little bit repulsed by some of it. But then give them a few months and it's like, oh, I'm working towards my first chin-up. Yeah, that's the standard. And you're like, fuck, how cool, like you never would have meant, like that was never even in your mind before, right? You wouldn't have occurred. Because they didn't go to a gym where that was happening as just a regular thing. Mm. So, yeah, I do really think that the the culture you're in can just shape the the the output or the outcome of what you get. Yeah. For better or for worse. Yeah, the expectations piece is is huge. Like I I just I've noticed it recently, uh, the gym I train at, uh, there's been two people who've come into the space that have made it even more competitive. I mean, I think it was the standard was already very high. So you're a strength gym. Yeah, this is the strength workshop. Uh, there's a gentleman named Bradman, and he is he's rated as the third strongest guy in Australia in the open class. Right. He's a giant. The guy's like 6'7, whatever, 150 kilo, like he's a behemoth. The other day he tried to deadlift 400 kilos. And almost did. It was very close. And no one had pulled 400 in the gym yet. And it's only like his second week. He originally trained with all those guys a year or two ago, and he'd gone down to Victoria, he'd done a bunch of stuff, and it's like he's back. And he's like, well, fuck it, I'm I'm about to put everybody on notice. And everyone's like, goddamn. You like if you've never seen anyone put that much weight on a bar, and you see it in person, you're like, there's no room for collars. Like that's all the plates. That's nine plates. What the hell is going on right now? And it was just like colossal. And the fact that he would attempt it and and came very close, it's like, holy shit. Even all the other big strong guys are like, fuck. Got to step up now. You know, like Yeah, that that presents a problem. Yeah, and uh also recently a guy called Scotty, um who I trained with originally, uh a couple of years back. He is definitely up there as one of Australia's strongest guys under 100 kilos and under 90 kilos. He has the Australian record for deadlift, which I think is 365 kilos under 90 kilos. Oh, wow. Under 90 kegs. Which is It's absurd. ridiculous, right? And so he and I have a funny relationship because people probably similar to you and I, but he and I maybe even look more similar. He thinks you're a dickhead? No, actually. Uh, I'm I might act like a dickhead, but he no, he, you know, he's he's younger than me, and so I think he tolerates me as a an annoying older brother figure. And I I tolerate him as an annoying younger brother figure. And the dynamic plays out. But he is he is far stronger than me. And so he came in and uh he's been injured recently, but he he wiped my bench press record off the board. My one little glory was that I'd I'd improved my bench press enough to have the the record under 100 kilos. He just within a week, just gone. And he told me. He said, he's like, oh, good to see you, mate. Oh, I'm done. I was like, oh, just uh I beat your bench press record. It's just it's gone now. I was like, what the fuck? What? Oh. And so just it's a funny thing that this agitation, if you think about like a an oyster, the grit in the oyster is what creates the pearl kind of thing. Oh, wow. You know, it's it's similar. Having a gym nemesis, like this idea or having someone who pushes you, it it it changes how you act. For sure. And I I I suppose like thinking to, you know, your framing of the the point though, if you're in the if you want the competitive thing and that's what brings the best out of you, then that's probably the kind of relationship you're looking for, isn't it? Yeah. But if competition is not the thing, No. Someone having someone like that around you, you'd probably be like, fuck this joint. I'm I'm not into this guy. Oh, 100%. And you wouldn't be a good lifting buddy for someone that's like, man, I just want to show up a few days a week and, you know, I'm happy to get a little bit of improvement month to month. Yeah, and I'm not I'm I tend to I can, you know, I I read people pretty well. And so I can read if someone's not up for that kind of a relationship. You know, I just be like, oh, cool, man. And just don't talk to them. Cuz I'm not like I'm, you know, I got like whatever, 3 to 400 milligrams of caffeine in me. I came to express intensity. And yeah, it just doesn't always work well with people. So I I just know that they either just stay in my own zone or only banter with folks who are kind of into that, you know. Yeah. And and so the reason why I feel this is Did that gym, has that gym shifted your shifted your barometer of like what's possible for you? I I think so. I mean, I I I already thought it might be possible for me to do something like that. So I that's why I went to that environment. But I think the other good thing is there is a number of ways to get to the top. So what has been conveyed to me is that you don't have to go a million percent all the time. Like you don't. Like, you know, and and so that's where uh Dan, who's like uh coaching a bunch of us and like Sean, who's also one of the head coaches there, like he will say, hey, man, don't don't max out today. Don't do that. And so that's, you know, that's sensible. There's got to be a a responsible adult in the room. And he is an exceptionally strong person and he, you know, he's trained long enough and he understands enough that he he knows. And and we all know it. But it it's good to have someone in the room to kind of temper the the vibe because you look across and you see somebody doing something and say you you might be on a similar program. You're like, well, do I need to go harder? And it it's important to have the leadership and the advice to say, actually, that's not appropriate for you right now. It's not like, oh, you can't go there. It's just not right now. And I think that that that's where we get into like standards and habits that when you have experienced people in the room, whether it's for competition or business or anything, they could say to you, hey, man, you haven't got the wrong idea, but maybe it's not the right time. And and that that bit of nuance can save you from injuring yourself or committing to a bad business deal or whatever it might be. Like, um, for for some people out there, you might be part of like a um like a business group. Like a a once a month get together. I know some people who do that. Yeah, a mastermind. Similar. And and people kind of share their challenges and it allows camaraderie, but it also allows like group learning. And I think when you're in a gym culture where people are sharing and open to that, that's really helpful too. So when you're when you've got some struggles, whether it be professional or personal or whatever, like it does help you to kind of be able to say it out loud and and and get a bit of feedback. So when it comes to culture, it's not only just the coach, it can be just the people around you willing to share with you. Yep. Have have you found that, Joe? Because you've, you know, you've obviously worked with a lot of different coaches and you've also like had mentorship from coaches and business folks. Um, have you because kind of I guess when it comes to business and owning your own business, you kind of have to piece it together for yourself. There's not always just like a business gym club where you can go hang out. So, I mean, you I guess where I've seen it is, uh, like we had mentioned him before, uh, John Marsh. He had organized his own uh business mentorship for people. But we both know John as like someone who's very focused on marketing and and it's not always just KPI stuff. He he gets more into the like a philosophical side of business, I guess. Um, have you had anyone who's helped like influence you or uh guide you for business or anything like that? Yeah, a bunch of people. Yeah. A bunch of people, yeah. Like, um, I mean, you know, there's there's I've had business coaches that are one in particular that was specifically for gyms. And so that was, you know, very that was kind of that club, right? Where it's like all gym stuff and all designed exactly for us, which at a time was really good. Um, was exactly what we needed. But then, yeah, I mean, there's been other kind of, um, you know, less official sort of mentors over the years, and still is. Um, that I, you know, even John Marsh to a point has been a mentor to me, you know. And so, yeah, there's been heaps. Yeah. Yeah. The two elements that you need to guarantee your success in the gym are guidance and accountability. The big mistake that we see people making when training for BJJ is doing random workouts. That's why we made the bulletproof for BJJ app. We have our online community that can give you feedback and help you out. And then we also have our structured programs that will get you fitter, stronger, and more flexible for BJJ. We got a 14-day free trial. Get in there, try it out. And if you decide that it's not for you, we have a 100% money-back guarantee. So, go to the Play Store, go to the App Store, download the app, and we'll see you on the inside. And well, I think the other thing I wanted to say on this is you can often learn from people indirectly. Just observing them. You know, you see somebody, you don't necessarily talk to them, you know, whether it be like a a senior belt or whatever. And you see them come in and for example, they come in and they do their warm-up, and it's seems weird. You're like, why do they do all those exercises? And then it's only later you talk to them, they they say, oh, I I fell off my motorbike and dislocated both my shoulders. And so I have to do this, otherwise I can't train. And you're like, oh, wow, I had no idea. Or you see them taping their knuckles or strapping their ankle. They they have their own preparation. And even though it doesn't necessarily make sense from the outside, you start to like observe how organized they are or how um how they prepare for training. And that then has a subconscious effect on you being prepared for training. You know, like these when you observe um better habits that can I I think I've learned a fair bit from people who were better than me uh in jiu-jitsu, in judo, in wrestling, just by um not through them telling me directly or me even asking them, but just kind of showing up and trying to pay attention to what they're doing and being like, ah, maybe that's important. I didn't know that was important and but they're doing that. Um, yeah, stuff like that. And so I I I've seen it I've seen it definitely in the lifting space with people preparing their gear, uh, you know, like preparing their knee sleeves or their wraps or um preparing their hands, taping their thumbs, like doing these different stuff. And you think, oh, that seems a bit odd. And then when you when you are then trying to do what they are doing, you're like, oh, I should have I should have taped my thumbs. Or you know, whatever it might be. And so one of those things, which I got, this is sounds strange. There's a there's an odd tool you might have seen it, Joe, it's called a callus plane. You've seen those? Yeah. Now, for those of you out there Yeah, right. So for those of you out there who are not in the, you know, um heavy gripping. I mean, we all do jiu-jitsu, we grip, but it when you um do hard objects hard objects, whether you're climbing ropes, rings, bars, you do build up calluses. And it's not so much the callus that tears, it's the softest skin connected to the callus that then tears. So if you build up some mighty calluses, but you don't maintain them of sorts, you can get some big tears and that can kind of take you out of commission for doing anything. Cuz it takes a while to heal. So a good friend of mine, Emily Friedel, who was a a kettlebell world champion back in the day, shout out. She had crazy calluses. She had calluses that basically extended all the way down her fingers to her palms. Oh, wow. And she was always working them back with this callus plane. And it's just basically a like a razor blade angled. And it was kind of gross, but she'd be working back her calluses on a regular basis because she was doing kettlebell snatches and clean and jerks like every fucking day. And she's like, well, if I don't do this, then I can't do this every single day. And I was like, wow. That's kind of gross, but I respect it. Cool. Like, you know, and she was so strong and so fit. And and it was just something like that where I'd never thought about it until I completely tore a huge callus and then I was bleeding out my hand and I couldn't grip for for like weeks. So it's just it's something like that where it doesn't seem obvious, but when you look at the pros, or you look at someone who's very experienced, it makes a big difference. And I don't even think this is necessarily about competition and performance. It can also be about like teaching kids class. Like I've seen some really good kids class instructors come very prepared for dealing with kids who get distracted because they're organized, they they're able to run a really good kids class. Yeah. Not just show up and be like, like the the Ben Affleck fucking um memes where it's just like pulling on a cigarette like, oh, fuck, another kids class, like fuck my life. You know, like someone who has taught a lot of kids classes, knows how to deal with kids. And because they're prepared, you can see them being like, wow, they they magically are able to manage this herd of cats. So what are you getting at there? Like the like maintaining a standard. Yeah. Like preparation and and also I think it's that they've done something a lot of times, which makes it look far easier than it is. Yeah. So when you get in there, you're like, fuck, this is really hard. I'm fucking struggling here. But by being around people who are expert at it, you start to pick up things which will make you get better. Yeah. And so I think that's where this idea of like not only the expectation, but the habits and the standards of these people um help you get better. And uh I mean, you would be familiar, Joe, with the the like phrase like you are the sum of the five people you spend your most time around. Yeah. And um, you know, if you hang out with, for example, a bunch of jiu-jitsu guys who always smoke weed, you're like, that seems cool. Smoke a bit of weed after class. You're going to be a jiu-jitsu guy that smokes weed. Yeah, yeah, because it it just has that kind of impact on you. Um, have you Whereas if you hang around five jiu-jitsu guys who also trade heavily in the forex market and in cryptocurrency, you are going to be a fucking gazillionaire, son. Son, sign up for my fucking forex program. Results may vary. Yeah. Do your own research. No, no, it's true. Like, you know, whatever, it all it all rubs off, right? Like I am I I I kind of I've all I um, you know that, you're the sum of the five people you hang around. I've always you know, like it's a it's a it's a it's a great point. It sounds cliché, but I've always had a bit because it's kind of like, yo, go and get friends that are better than the friends you got and go hang around with fucking finance douchebags and you can be rich. But but but no, there's some truth to that, right? Like you do just sort of become whatever the environment, the context that you're in. So, I remember this like back at school, there was a period there where I was hanging around some fucking dropkicks. And I was doing dropkick shit. Yeah. You know, breaking into cars and whatever. And at some point I'm like, fuck, this is all a bit silly, isn't it? This is not really, you know, it wasn't I don't remember consciously, but there was a point where I was like, I'm going to kind of not do that anymore. Yeah. Going around to so-and-so's house and just ripping bongs all night and then someone getting into a fight. That's not really that fun anymore. Right. Um, so, yeah, like it it it it absolutely does play out that way. Yeah. And and and sometimes it's it's not always what you think, right? Like you you you imagine to yourself, oh, if I go to this gym where everyone's so good at jiu-jitsu, it's going to be a certain way. And then you go and they're like, they're doing a prayer circle. Like, oh, that's strange. You know, and then they if that's what fucking takes. I'll regard it there. Uh, you know, like what you know, sometimes we paint a picture in our mind of what it takes to be successful, but when you actually spend some time around people who are good at a thing, it it the reality is is quite different. And it's only by spending time around them that you go, oh, wow, okay. Well, they're doing a bunch of stuff I'm not doing. So maybe through adopting these different behaviors. And and obviously it's different for everyone. Like what works for you is not necessarily what works for me. But when you have certain conversations with people and you're like, oh, so what are you doing tonight? They're like, oh, I'm going home, doing my food prep or I'm going to go watch some video of this match or you're like, oh, okay. That sounds okay. I've never heard anyone say that before. And you know, I've I've I've only been able to improve my level through just constantly observing people who are better than me. And it doesn't mean I got to spend that much time hanging out with them, but when I did, I tried to absorb their their good habits, I guess. And not so much the bad habits. A bit of aura farming. I didn't know. No. I I I I think I was building XP, Joe. I think that's more what it was. The aura farming will come later. But um, but there it is, folks. I I really feel like you you underestimate it and once you identify a good culture, you get amongst it and absorb that. Nice.