Caffeinated Jiu Jitsu
Welcome to where the grind of the mats meets the grind of the beans. Whether you're chasing stripes or the perfect pour-over, this podcast is brewed for you. Join us as we roll through conversations on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu culture, training, competition, and lifestyle—while spotlighting the coffee rituals that fuel our days. From interviews with black belts and baristas to deep dives on technique, recovery, and roast profiles, this is your go-to blend of grappling and great coffee. Sip. Roll. Repeat.
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Caffeinated Jiu Jitsu
Episode #26 - White Belt Chronicles: Yakov Kolan
Ever faced the nerve-wracking intensity of stepping onto the mat for your very first jiu-jitsu competition? Join us in the latest episode of Caffeinated Jiu-Jitsu, where we capture the exhilaration and chaos of a white belt's inaugural contest through the eyes of Yakov Kolan, a dedicated practitioner at Alliance Roswell. Celebrating his one-year training anniversary, Yakov opens up about the emotional roller coaster that greeted him at his debut competition. His honest reflections provide a window into the mix of anticipation and jitters that every new competitor faces.
Beyond the mats, we explore the world of jiu-jitsu as a transformative community, where camaraderie and mutual support propel individuals toward personal growth. Yakov's journey highlights the power of a warm and encouraging gym environment that nurtures consistency and passion for the sport. We dive into the mindset needed to navigate the sport's physical demands, including managing injuries and understanding the balance between pushing limits and knowing when to tap out for safety's sake. From gripping tales of training with injuries to the mental hurdles faced, we uncover the delicate dance of pursuing a passion while safeguarding one's health.
The episode culminates in a celebration of the profound impact jiu-jitsu has on personal development and community building. Whether it's fostering friendships in new places, setting realistic goals beyond just earning the next belt, or finding motivation in the shared experiences of fellow practitioners, jiu-jitsu becomes much more than a martial art. It serves as a great equalizer, uniting people from diverse walks of life through common struggles and triumphs. Join us as we reflect on the enriching social bonds and personal milestones that define the jiu-jitsu journey, revealing how this vibrant community helps individuals overcome setbacks and continuously strive for improvement on and off the mats.
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Welcome to Caffeinated Jiu-Jitsu the blend of white belt enthusiasm, black belt wisdom and a dash of caffeine for that extra kick. Dive deep into the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as we explore the journey, techniques, challenges and the sheer joy of the sport from a white belt's perspective. From intriguing interviews with renowned coaches and professors to playful fun episodes that'll have you chuckling mid-roll. We've got it all brewed and ready. Now stepping onto the mats and into your ears, here's your host, joe Motes welcome back everyone to another episode of caffeinated jujitsu.
Speaker 2:Uh, this is our first episode of a new series called the White Belt Chronicles and this is a series where we're going to take a look into the early stages of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journeys, of white belts, and celebrate really the uniqueness of the white belt journey and coming to you this evening this is the first episode. It's super bowl Sunday. We're recording this and my special guest and super happy to have him on is white belt at Alliance Roswell. This is Yakov Colin, colin, yep, yep, nice, nice. Uh, that's good. Yakov has been training at Roswell now for a year. Are you almost a year?
Speaker 3:Exactly a year.
Speaker 2:Nice what day did you make a year?
Speaker 3:February 1st, oh man.
Speaker 2:So like a year in what? Eight days, nine days, yeah, yeah, nine days yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah well, man, I can't wait to have the conversation and learn more about what inspired you to step on the mat. I mean, all of us have a story. I love hearing about people's story. I um, I mean, we had master Jacare on, I heard his story. Our professors come on and all the stories are different, different, but there's a lot of similarities. So I'm excited to hear yours. And but before we uh get into anything, uh, you just competed this weekend for the first time I did yeah yeah man, how was it?
Speaker 3:it was something a lot of feelings, I gotta tell you.
Speaker 2:What was it like building building up to going into the bullpen?
Speaker 3:So, you know, I'll even kind of think about, you know, the leading up week to it.
Speaker 3:So I was just doing a lot of travel lately and you know kind of getting in my head of I'm not going to be ready or, you know, my stamina is going to go down, and I tried this week kind of not thinking about, you know, competition. I tried to think about, you know, making weight. You know eat airplane food and whatnot. You know you get up a bit. So I try to, you know, make weight. You know, be ready. I got a bit of a cut here so I said, you know, I don't want to bleed during the match, which happened, by the way, but whatever, and you know. And then you know, getting getting in the bullpen, I was like, okay, let's start. I got, I gotta, I gotta start already. You know it's, it's there, I'm ready. You know, whatever it will be would be I'm I, I should be ready. Match started. I was like, oh wait, it's on, you know.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I uh, it was like a haze when I, when I I remember getting on the first time and I don't think things were moving in slow motion, but it was. It was a weird feeling. Yeah, it was, it was super weird man and it's something different. Twice I fought twice twice right and uh, so you got silver right and it was a what? It was a three, four person bracket, what, what? What division did you?
Speaker 3:fight in. So I fought in master two in light, lightweight nice and essentially there was another alliance guy, so I think they kinda they didn't go with the round robin. They started first, there was a ranked guy and another Alliance who also started for the first time and the defeated guy I fought. So essentially I also watched the match before, so maybe it helped. I don't know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And then I went up with a guy you know passed my way yeah, yeah, I, um, it's always nice if you get to see your opponent first. I remember the second competition I was in. I was able to beat my uh first uh competitor, but I, uh I don't know if it was because I watched him or not I, um, I don't know, I just the second time I competed, I just wasn't as nervous and I was a little more focused, and you know, but two of the three times I competed was at white belt. So, um, you know, I was like I, like yourself, you're four stripe white belt, right. So I was just like you, four stripe white belt. And, yeah, I, I wasn't as nervous. And then the second guy, he, uh, I, I did lose to him, but again, the nerves weren't as as bad or as strong. I guess you could say so.
Speaker 3:I agree. I mean, for my second fight I actually I was afraid I'm a bit gassed. You know, from all you know, first fight, you're just giving it all right and I'm kind of. You know, my hands are really stiff and I thought I had time to, you know, relax, but then suddenly they kind of cut 30 minutes from the wedding. You see her name suddenly move. I'm like wait, what the heck? I thought I was going to rest a bit more and I was like out of breath and I was okay, but let's not think about it, let's, let's leave, let's.
Speaker 3:Because I saw the guy and I said, okay, I can, I'm not, I know what this guy's going to do. It tall guy, he's gonna, he's gonna shoot, he's gonna, you know, pull guard right away or try to de la jiva. I knew it for sure and you know I went over with with professor and I was confident. I'll be honest here, I wasn't. You know, anxiety was out a bit. I felt like I'm ready. I just I was worried too much about my breathing, but you know, besides that, but then he did what we expected, but I wasn't able to stop it did you?
Speaker 2:did you do the box breathing that he talked to us about?
Speaker 3:No, I forgot about that. I'll be honest.
Speaker 2:I've been doing some research on that. I guess I haven't been doing research research. I Googled it after he was talking about it and I guess that's not really research, though right Googling it. I guess it's not really research, though right Googling it, I guess it's somewhat research today.
Speaker 3:It starts from there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's how many times you Google something, right, but yeah, I, I'm going to try it. Yeah, so I've been wanting to do a lot more research around the uh, the breathing techniques and I think, just to see if it helps with anxiety, because for my military days, I do a lot more research around the uh, the breathing techniques and I think, just to see if it helps with anxiety, because from my military days, I have a lot of anxiety that I deal with and stuff like that, and you always hear a lot about breathing techniques and things like that. So I think it definitely probably has its place for sure.
Speaker 3:I mean, it was a bit different because you know when we roll and we do sometimes you know three, four, five, 10 rounds even we did on Wednesday and you're kind of out of breath. But it's like this was so different because when you're rolling with someone, you know and it's like, okay, I'm gassed but you know, so I can rest for a second, and you know, worst comes to worst. I'm going to defend a bit, but here it's like I'm never gonna let go of a grip and whatever. And you get to a phase like way beyond I, I felt ever even 10 rounds in in, you know, in class. So it was like I was like I had this cough, like sometimes, you know, when you wake in the middle of the night and you have this nasty cough and it's annoying and it doesn't go away. That's what I felt. It was like I'm not asthmatic or something, but I can't breathe in it, you know.
Speaker 3:And but again, no, no excuses, I mean it's something I, I am, you know, I need to get used to. Hopefully it's, it's a one-time thing, you know. But and I'm, I'm, I'm ready to compete again. I already checked, you know, even even before may. Yeah, if there's anything near, there's in memphis. You know that's not too far, but that's next week. I can't even sign it. But.
Speaker 2:Well, so I was looking at cows down here at the house all this weekend Saturday and today and we were talking about that. We looked at the list of what was out there. I think I think I'm going to look at the tap out cancer. That's a good one. I think I'm going to look at the tap out cancer. That's a good one. I've been kind of wanting to do that one Um, but it's good.
Speaker 2:That was going to be one of my questions here in the intro about your competition is, you know, did you like it enough to want to compete again? And it sounds like you've already made your mind up. Like you're like, yeah, this is I'm going in and I love that. They're like so many people we have in our school, they many people we have in our school, they just want to compete. I mean, it's like it's part of the fun of it. You know, it's not like we, we only select a few people who go and compete, right, uh, I mean we got some great people doing jujitsu at the academy, but like our competition team is turning into like almost all of us want to do it at least once, it seems like, yeah, so that's really cool. Yeah, um, you know, just staying on this a few, few more moments, what? What did you think about? Just the whole atmosphere of, you know, your first jujitsu competition so you know you go in and it's the first time.
Speaker 3:So I actually never joined somehow every competition that was before that. I had some things I never, never even joined, I never. I didn't even know what was I'm coming towards, right, I going through the doors. Okay, let's find the team, you know, let's find everyone kind of getting into it. Seeing the the early fights I've seen you know our team compete and everything and and it's kind of, you know it's great, everyone's together and there's always someone you know who who's ready coming up and you know they spread it so much. We had someone fighting at 12, 2, 3, 4, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're running between mats, right?
Speaker 3:Exactly just going around.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And you know, all around and everything, and it was cool, like I didn't expect spending the whole day. You know I was scheduled to fight at four 30. I knew that the previous match I wanted to watch you know the one I'm going to get was at four. So okay, I said I'll come at three. I'm pacing around the house. I kept my wife's telling me just go. You know I am so excited and so I arrived there around one 30,.
Speaker 2:You know, and I'm, we ended up being there up until like seven something, and you know so yeah it's a day of it, and then next time I'll come prepared yeah, I always so I, I never fight no gi, so I don't fight on the sunday and, um, maybe one day, but I, um, when I was a white belt, I my my fight was the very last fight of the day, like the like no one else was around, like even people were starting to leave, even it was just like it was. It was, it was kind of it was. It was hard having that anxiety all day, like all day. You know, I just would have loved to gotten there and kind of got it, got it out of the way.
Speaker 2:And then for my blue belt competition, my first one. Um, I fought my division, which was pretty cool I think it was around noon or something and then I signed up for open division, kind of thinking the same thing like, oh, it's gonna, you know, these fights are gonna go fast, yeah, but the open division wasn't even starting until like 6, 30 or 7 and I was like whoa. And then I looked at everybody like all ultra heavy and I was like, oh, my gosh, this is horrible. Uh, well, that's great man. Uh, you know, congratulations on your first competition. Um, we had some great training sessions before. That was a crazy training session we had on Wednesday before we did what 10 rolls it was 10.
Speaker 1:10 rounds I was.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I think people were worried about me. I was looking pretty rough.
Speaker 3:I don't think anyone was there who didn't look wiped out.
Speaker 2:Gosh, it was insane. Well, let's talk about let's get into your journey insane. Well, let's talk about. Let's, let's get into your journey. Let's talk a little bit about maybe, kind of maybe, your first thoughts and impressions, or maybe that first day or even week in class, you know were you were you nervous to to start jujitsu. I know in some of the information you you shared preparing for the podcast, you've always had kind of a passion for sports and physical things. Um, you know what? What do you remember the most about it?
Speaker 3:So I was always doing something throughout, you know, my life. If it's, you know, if it's more active sports, if it's soccer or running or things like that, if it's uh, if it's you know, boxing, wrestling, there's always something. But I never really joined anything, for you know doing it for a while and anything. And I didn't even know that jiu-jitsu was something that you'd want to do four or five times a week. Right, it was like let's, you know, just, you know, do it two, three times a week. So you know, for many years, wherever I lived, you know, moving throughout cities, there's always a place close by and I never got into let's go and start. So one day I'm sitting on the couch and I'm like I'm seeing this, you know, commercial for Alliance, literally the first thing that comes up. I was like you know what, checking the distance, that's not too far, I don't care if there's even a gym that's closer, I'm going there because you know it won by default and I signed up.
Speaker 3:You know, I talked to Matt, came over to a trial and he's like after the trial, okay, I don't even want to do it because you know you get three trials. I'm like I don't need it, I don't need it. Let let's sign up. That's what I needed. I'm not, you know. Let's, let's do that on a regular basis. I'm telling him I can see myself doing this two, three times. He's like you know, if you want to get better, doing it four or five. And at first I said yeah yeah like see how it goes.
Speaker 3:Second week that was a thursday, so you know, I came thursday friday immediately that second week, four or five times a week straight for about six months.
Speaker 2:So you know, yeah never look back yeah, it's that consistency, it just it just grabs you. You know it, um, it just really kind of it's hard, hard to explain to people who who have never done jiu-jitsu or you know, sometimes I think we're looked at and people are like man, these people are crazy, have really drank the kool-Aid here on this jiu-jitsu thing. You do it all the time but it is an amazing thing that it gives you. I kind of had the same experience. I was training a couple times a day. It was for months, right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you started right away. High intensity, that's great.
Speaker 2:All right. So next question, man, how did you find the gym environment, the other instructors? I know you talked about meeting Matt, but what are, what were some of your first impressions of your training partners? Did anything stand out?
Speaker 3:So the thing that really stood out the most and I wasn't familiar with, you know, doing jiu-jitsu for the first time is that you know everyone cares, everyone's there. It's not like you get assigned with someone who's doing it for so long and it's like, oh, you're afraid of you know, not knowing how to do the drills and everything and no one cares.
Speaker 3:Everyone's there to help you, everyone's and and it was so and no matter who like that was, that was great. And then, you know, I ended up being assigned with kind of the same partners within time, right, I was doing a lot of noon, so we were kind of three, four people, always the same people, so we were all, you know, starting at the same time. If it's uh josh, if it's uh will, at the time he he was at the gym, if you remember him, and and and it was great and also if it's evening. So, marco, most of the time, and you know I was super helpful, super, you know, just great, you know to train with and you know, I remember thinking to myself this guy, a white, a white belt.
Speaker 3:I have a long way. He was still white belt at the time.
Speaker 2:I was like whoa okay, what did you find initially most challenging, or maybe surprising, about jiu-jitsu?
Speaker 3:So I'll be honest. I mean, the most challenging is after half a year around, I want to say July or so. You know, in one of the drills I kind of, you know, twisted my knee, started hurting, never stopped, really hurt it, and, you know, found out after a couple. You know you never check something right away, right, you kind of give it some time, take some pills or whatever, and then after a month and a half I go to the doctor. This doesn't go away. I don't roll anymore because it's bothering too much. Found out by Tormai Meniscus, which is kind of granted to happen, I think, during time, getting used to the fact.
Speaker 2:So how? Yeah, we're overcoming that. How long were you out?
Speaker 3:july and august I was. I was at first not even in class, but then I said you know, I'm just coming to class, do the drills and I won't roll, because it was very hard on me just sitting on the side not rolling. And uh, and I said you know what?
Speaker 3:no I don't want to lose class. If I can do it, I can do it. And I got a brace, of course also, you know, um, so, so, and I'm still, by the way, I'm still with the brace, I have to say that I don't use it for jiu-jitsu.
Speaker 3:But you know I don't feel anything and I didn't do any surgery, and you know. So I'm just gonna continue doing it and ask the doctor. He's like, do I need to do the surgery right now? He's like no, you can wait. I'm like I'm gonna wait, you know so you know just yeah the way, even wanted to compete in september.
Speaker 3:Um, like I thought I thought I'm okay, let's roll, you know a bit. But then you know july, and I was like, okay, I'm not gonna compete. And then after starting to roll again, I was like you know what, I wasn't even close to being ready. So it's like so much, it's good that I didn't start.
Speaker 2:Then yeah, I think it's one of my biggest. I think it's one of my biggest fears in this journey in jiu-jitsu for me is getting getting injured and, um, you know, getting getting injured to where I can't ever do it again, for whatever reason, like, like, it's one of those kinds of injuries because you know, like the, the, the torn stuff, you can rehab it and then you can. Uh, john Donahher, on one of his instructionals, was talking about when he had and I didn't know this about him, but he had his hip replaced and you can imagine, I mean, like what in jujitsu do you not use your hips for right? There's hardly anything right. You use it for literally everything. But he was able to overcome it through physical therapy and he was able to even adjust his game right and we can do that of justice, game, game right and we can do that.
Speaker 2:But, like, my biggest fear is like I don't know, maybe something with my back and I not be able to, you know, do something, or like it's like one of those things like, uh, rocky balboa, if you go and get hit in the head again, you're gonna probably die, or something like one of those type injuries. Well, you can't do this anymore. I think that's my biggest fear in jujitsu I'll tell you something funny.
Speaker 3:I even brought my car, so I I didn't even know how the competition is gonna be and I thought if I'll get you know in a submission someone's gonna. You know, do it so hard. You know something might break. I even remember I said don't forget, bring your your insurance card. You know something might break. I even remember I said don't forget, bring your your insurance card you know, just so if I break my hand or something I didn't even know.
Speaker 3:So that's, I think that's what I feel like, because I'm kind of stubborn and it's not smart. But you know, I don't want to and you might see that sometimes I don't want to tap, even if it's, you know, in the no, no, yeah, want to, and you might see that sometimes I don't want to tap, even if it's, you know, in the no, no, yeah, I do. I don't know, I think it's smart, I know it's silly and I don't know, is it, I don't know, testing myself if I could still go, and because of that, and especially in competition, I was afraid, like you know, and get yourself in trouble and not give up, and you know yeah, we hear it.
Speaker 2:So the phrase, what's the catchphrase? Uh, taps, tap soon, tap often, or something like that. Right is that they, you know they, we're taught to tap, especially in training. Um, but there are times where I'll fight the tap a little if I'm, if I, if I know I'm thinking about the escape, right, like if I'm going. But if I know like there's about the escape right, like if I'm going, but if I know like there's just no way, if anybody ever inverts on my arm, like from inverted arm bar, I'm tapping immediately when I feel their body on it, because there's just, you know, it takes seconds for that to break.
Speaker 2:Um, but yeah, I, I, I think it's, I think it's okay in the sense of, look, you know right, when you feel a little pressure or discomfort, maybe that's not a tap right, and maybe it's. We, we're taught escapes for for everything, almost. Um, you know, I, I think professor Maciel says it best you know, the only way out of a locked-in submission, though, is to tap right. So if it's fully locked in, the technique is completely there and their legs are where they're supposed to be and their hands are where they're supposed to be, like you just feel when you know, okay, yeah, this is time to tap right. So I think all of us probably and I don't think it's an ego thing either, I think it's just I want to try to at least for me.
Speaker 3:It's not ego, it's not like.
Speaker 2:I want to try to escape right. I want to try to keep going. I want to try to get myself out of this bad position.
Speaker 3:It's not ego, it's not like, oh, I'm going to fall asleep before I tap, or whatever. No, no, it's, it's like I want to see if I can you know get out of it or still. You know a few more seconds and you know that might be crucial one time. But you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, I think I've had maybe once, maybe twice, uh, you know, know, rolling with a training partner where they had a choke in and I wasn't tapping right away and they, they kind of gave up on it because they thought, well, maybe it's not as deep and it's as right, and then you know, I'm seconds away from going to sleep here and this guy doesn't know it, and and and, um, but yeah, so't I? I, I wouldn't think that. I think if ego is the reason you don't, someone doesn't tap, then yeah, that's an issue, because that you're going to end up getting hurt. Right, someone's going to end up getting hurt, especially in competition, because there's people in competition and some of these, these training centers, in these schools and academy, I mean, they're taught to rip and they're ripping submissions and training and you know it's. I mean, I've seen some crazy stuff on the IBJJF Opens when I watch them, like out in Texas and California, and the Europeans are insane. If you ever watch those on TV, the submissions, watch those on TV, the submissions. And yeah, I think, if ego is in play, then the practitioner is going to get hurt and for no reason. Yeah, you know, I mean, if you're already going to lose the match and the role. You don't want to have a broken bone to go with it For sure, right bone to go with it, for sure, right.
Speaker 2:So let's talk a little bit about maybe some uh, you know, I don't know if you, you did this and some people, I think, do it and some people may may not, but you know key milestones or kind of key lessons. Maybe you've learned around the kind of along the way. Have there ever been maybe any specific moments that stood out to you? And I know competition may be one of them, but like, uh, maybe it was your first submission that you you pulled off, or or it could be even. I mean, I still remember my first, first strike, you know, um, you've, you've got four of those now, you know, but are are there any, any milestones or any moments that that you can recall back, that kind of stand out?
Speaker 3:So of course you know there's the, the given milestones right, first stripe or second stripe, when you start rolling and and you know, any other stripe.
Speaker 3:But but I think what stands out for me because I'll be honest, I don't remember who I rolled with first or who I tapped first, I'll be, I just don't remember that. But I what I do remember is when I started to feel I'm actually getting better, significantly, like somewhat, I think it. I think it was not. You know, it was like somewhere between my third to fourth stripe, I think my second stripe was doing also the like, like after from second to third was doing also my injury. So it was kind of like you know half rolling, half not. But then from third to fourth I was like suddenly starting to feel right, I'm doing my moves, I have a rhythm, I have a game plan, like suddenly I know what.
Speaker 3:I'm not just reacting, of course, fighting, even till this day, of course against blue belts and everything. I don't really control anything, I just defend for five minutes. But actually when fighting you know the other white belts, or even you know sometimes if a blue belt will let me kind of do my thing. You know, of course it happens, right. I mean, I know when it happens and I just try to do it. And then it really struck me.
Speaker 3:It's like okay, now I'm seeing really big advancement because, like, I can control some paces or I know what I'm doing, right, it's not just like positional andal, and then, okay, there's one thing I'm trying to do when we drill it, but here it's like, okay, I'm, you know, on top and bottom and I'm gonna go for something which might be two, three moves away but I'm gonna go to it and that, really, for me, it's the biggest milestone.
Speaker 3:You know, maybe before the competition, right, I mean competition is kind of a big one, but you know, knowing that this is now the big, the biggest stamp for me, for me, not just the ones on the way that you know is based on attendance, right, the one that is kind of the feeling that I can come home, you know, in the drive, and most of the times you kind of drive back feeling like, oh man, I got beat today but I was, like you know, came back really happy, like, okay, I'm feeling, I'm feeling this like amped up suddenly in one day if we think about the, the impact jujitsu has um off the mats, both on and off the mats, what would you say are maybe one or two valuable lessons that jujitsu has taught you, about yourself, about life, about just anything.
Speaker 3:First thing is you know, we can always find a new hobby, right? I'm 35 years old, you know as they say, not too young, not too old, right 35, but you know that's right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know middle of the road man.
Speaker 3:There's something new you can always add and you know just finding the time to do it. You know family, kids. They got two kids, one on the way, and you know it doesn't matter, you know.
Speaker 2:So you have. You have two and one on the way.
Speaker 3:Oh, you're trying to catch up, man and you're getting there great supportive wife, you know. So she, she knows I love it and she always, you know, never I think once, and you know I do. I used to do four or five times. Now I kind of decreased it a bit, you know but, never, never, like no, don't go today.
Speaker 3:Or you know, as long as we are always in communication, it's like, hey, I'm gonna do the advanced class today, I'm gonna come back a bit later, or whatever. All good, and, and you know, and you can always start. You know, I like to see that. You know demanding job. You know two kids, pregnant wife, but you could still do it. So it's so so many things, you things, you know it's you're asking me, you know what, what does it teach you? And it's like, okay, you can always do something new and you can always give the dedication Right, and then you always get another stamp of how great your environment is, or is it not? But for me, you know, just, you know another stamp of. You know everything is great and my environment's helping me. You know everything is great and my environment's helping me. You know, get getting getting that done.
Speaker 2:You know basically my wife, right, you know I started when I was 42, yeah, so anything else, man, uh, like that maybe. Um, I know one thing for me I never really knew how far I could push my body. I mean, people think like let's take a marathon runner, for instance, that takes a lot of cardio, a lot of endurance, but it's different, man, and those three or five minute rolls, like it's an exhaustion, like you can't believe. So for me it was really realizing how far I could push my body, even, you know, in my 40s, from a physical aspect?
Speaker 3:no for sure. I mean, you know, I was always doing sports and you know, when I talked to professor and he's like how do I, you know, train my body for it before I started rolling? And he's like, no, you have to start rolling, that's the only way to get better. I'm like thinking to myself there has to be a way and I'm like always running or doing intervals or whatever, sprinting, but no, like the second you start rolling.
Speaker 2:You can be in the best shape of your life. I mean, we have people coming in they're in the best shape of their life, right? I mean, if somebody can look at tyler uh and say this guy's not in shape, the you know, they're the biggest liar on the planet, right, and he'll tell you it smokes you. You know, uh, cal and I were talking about that. Um, it was yesterday or today. He started doing hit training and stuff like that in the mornings and because that's what he said he wants to prepare for when he starts rolling right, when he gets a second stripe and uh, he's going to be in super shape. He's going to be more shaped than probably I I definitely was when I started, but he's going to hit that two minute mark and it's going to be, uh, it's going to be gas. You know, uh, it's it's crazy be, uh, it's gonna be gas. You know, uh, it's it's crazy. So, yeah, for me it was.
Speaker 2:It's cool to hear the, the different lessons that it teaches people early on. So let's, uh, let's pivot a little bit to. You know, one of the things I found, and still find to this day, um, super awesome about, about jujitsu is, you know, the connections that I've built, the friendships that I've made, the, the, the jujitsu community, right and um community. How has jujitsu or how has training maybe influenced your social and your personal life and building connections and relationships? And you know, I'm not asking like these, this, for you to go super deep emotionally here, but but, like you know, the, the, the sense of building a community and making those new connections.
Speaker 3:So, in general, uh, you know, I I moved here, uh only, uh, you know, in in in October 23. So, anyway, I was new to the area, uh new to the country. I mean, I've lived here before 10 years.
Speaker 2:I was about to say when you say moved here, do you mean moved to the country? I mean I've lived here before 10 years. I was about to say when you say moved here, do you mean move to the?
Speaker 3:us. I used to live here about 10 years ago for a few years, buti moved. I'm from israel and uh, you know, so I moved. I moved here also, ironically, in october, uh, you know, uh, 23, which is, you know, not mentioned as a good month, uh, but you know, not dwelling on that. So you know, everything was new, right and getting to meet new people, everything.
Speaker 3:And you know getting to know everyone and seeing. You know not just that they care about you improving, like we talked before, but you know you tend to spend a lot of time with these people know, and you get to care about, you know, ask about them a bit of. You know personal stuff, their work, you know. So you hear someone's you know looking for a job and or you know just talking about hey, how many, how many kids you have, what are you doing with the kids and everything. It's kind of nice, you know. It's like not just you, we're here and we're going to train and go, and it's kind of nice. Or sometimes we have the event you know we meet up at a restaurant, or you know we did one just before the holidays, and so you know it's kind of nice, especially since for me everything was kind of new, right. You know moving to a completely new place, you know kind of starting from scratch, even. You know with friends and everything. So you know kind of fit right in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's also I don't know if you've noticed this, but it seems to me like the bonds are quicker. I don't know if that makes sense. It's like I mean, especially if they're they're, they're pretty, pretty cool person. You know what I mean? I don't, I don't think we I've ever come across anyone that that, like I, I couldn't tolerate or whatever for for any reason.
Speaker 2:I mean, we, we have some amazing people in our school and academy, but it's almost like we come from different backgrounds. I mean, you just said you, you came here from Israel, right, and then you kind of alluded to it's probably during a lot of the conflict and stuff there, right. So your, your life experiences are way different than mine and probably most of the people, um, that we train with. But you know, we have doctors, we have nurses, we have CEOs, we have recruiters, we have we have high school students, I mean it's. But I think we, we bond so quickly because it's it's jujitsu, yeah, right, for an hour we're literally on top of each other, right, trying to strangle each other and, you know, giving each other pointers on how to do it better, and it's just kind of like just a great equalizer and I think that. That is um. I think that's something that helps with the, with the bonding part.
Speaker 3:yeah, in my opinion, everything's kind of already on the table, right, I mean it's not like you're just sitting across someone and like, okay, making an awkward conversation over a weird I don't know sales dinner or whatever, right, I mean this is, you're anyway kind of, let's say, exposed, right, I mean you're trying to tap each other and second afterwards, hey, good job, man, and and you know Just tend to kind of talk, you know doing drilling whatever, and everything opens up easy. You know, don't need to try even.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I, you know. Another question I wanted to ask something that come up when you were just now talking is what is there any part of the community and you know the bonds or connections you've made. Does any of that help keep you motivated to continue training?
Speaker 3:I can say I do you know check who's you know signing up.
Speaker 3:So it's always nice knowing like you know, although, especially now, I kind of signed for the evening so I can do also the, you know, the competition class. But it used to be like let's check if I want to see you know, kind of you know who you want to roll with or to partner with or stuff like that. I don't think it ever affected if I'll ever sign or not, but it could help if I do the noon or evening class for sure, like you know, yeah, seeing some specific names, you know, but I don't think if it wasn't like the choice was the couch or you know, going going to the gym.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're going to be training in at some point today. It's just which? Which session do you want to go? Yeah, again At some point today. It's just which? Which session do you want to go? Yeah, again. It's hard sometimes when you see I well for us for the app, and sometimes the app has issues, but I, um, I do check the app to make sure someone's going to be there. Um, I, I do for me.
Speaker 2:I definitely feel the community keeps me motivated. I enjoy, because I've trained across all sessions multiple times and they've always kind of all been in my routine and we all kind of rotate through all of them. It's not, you know, we used to kind of have the morning class, lunch class and those set for the evening classes, but now it just seems like as we've grown, it's kind of migrated through. But for me it's just like man, I'm excited just to see anybody in any of their sessions, right, because everybody's kind of so really cool and you know we all all vibe well together. Um, yeah, do it? Do I want to go and have to roll for an hour where everybody knows it's just going to be? Absolutely I'm going to just get destroyed the entire time? Um, yeah, it kind of sucks um, but if that's the only time I know I can get there, uh, yeah, I'm not going to sit on the couch right yeah, I mean again, even even if it's like you know, this thursday, for example, and you know I, I saw that no one's coming.
Speaker 3:You know happens that I had a competition, so coach did just like more of like, uh, like, uh, like stamina, uh and, and, like you know, all kinds of drills to help like conditioning. That was even great, that was even. I was like we should do that on a regular basis. I think we used to do something like that in competition in the earlier times and then it kind of stopped.
Speaker 3:So I was doing that for an hour and I was like that's excellent. So it's like, whenever I can come, regardless of who is there, I'll try. I'll try to see what's what. But you know I don't want to skip, you know going to class. You know there's always something to drill. Yes, you might need ribcage alignment if you get, you know, 30 minutes with coach, but you know, it's still easy.
Speaker 2:But you know, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's um, I, I always uh, I can't help myself when this happens. But you know, when someone makes their second stripe and they kind of come over to that side, then he eventually says, okay, now I'm going to roll with you. It's almost like a car accident. I can't look away. All right, I'm like people are smashing me and I'll have like randall on top of me smashing me and but I'll be looking at what's going on with coach in the in, in the new, because I know that pain. But no, I, um, I, I just it's, it's so, it's so cool to have the diversity of training partners that we have from a board. You know we have super high competitors, we have high energy people. We have it's just, it's fun you get. You got every flavor that you could possibly want to train with.
Speaker 2:And you know this is this is White Belt Chronicles and is white belt chronicles. And you know we're focusing on the, that first bit of your journey. And you know you've been through the early struggles and successes. I would say in jujitsu. You've already got some successes. I mean, you already have some hardware. You've got four stripes on your belt, you're you're working on studying for your test, for your blue belt. But if you could think about all the way back to day one or whatever, what advice would you give someone just starting out? You know some of these, a few of these people, even last week or two, have just walked in and started their trial class. What, what advice would you give some of them? What advice would you give some of them? And then you know if you could come up with an ad or something and it's going to be televised to those who may be sitting on the couch wanting to try jujitsu out. So, advice for those who are just starting and advice for those who may be thinking about starting.
Speaker 3:So for those who started I would say you know, come, enjoy, make the time for it. You know, try to be there as much as you can. You know and learn new things and see new things. You know, see what you could be right. Because you just start and you're like, am I going to be any good at this? And you know, for a long time you're going to feel like I don't know how to do this right. But you know you can see how people get and people are always helpful and everyone started the same Like, even for me, like amazing that now I'm already helping.
Speaker 3:You know a new generation right like of people and you know or even those with two stripes, just you know, passing their test and starting to tell them what to do. And I was like I was just there, I was just there. How am, how am I already? How so much help, you know. So it's if you make the time for it and and you dedicate it, you know a good amount of time for it, you'll be there and you know, and it's great. So that's definitely something I would say. Someone starting and like make.
Speaker 2:The consistency is what you're talking about. Yeah, I think that's important, um, especially if you really like it, you know, if you like you, you know, by that second class, if, if jiu-jitsu is going to be for you, I feel that way, I don't think. J think jujitsu is something you have to try for a month or for a week to decide if it's going to be for you.
Speaker 2:I believe you know, you know, and what about for those people who may be thinking about starting? I mean, I don't know if you've ever come across people. I used to come across people like this a lot. When they'd find out I was in the military. They'd be like, yeah, I've been thinking about joining. I mean, I've been. You know, I wish I would have joined. And we see this with jujitsu too. You know, we talk to people or we come across people and they find out, you know, we do jujitsu and they're like, yeah, I've been thinking about that. I hear a lot about that. What would you say to those people?
Speaker 3:You know, come try something new. You know it's like test your body. So many things, right, I mean we, we talked about it. You know, for now, in if it's, you know coordination, remembering, you know techniques, stamina, when you start rolling so many things. So even for me, before even rolling, I kind of felt I'm still doing some sort of a good workout. You know, I'm feeling that my body is doing all kinds of things, grips and whatnot.
Speaker 2:And you know, especially if someone's always doing some sort of sports, definitely something new, you know, type of fighting and definitely worth trying.
Speaker 2:Thanks so much for kind of sharing that insight and really just giving some perspective of how people can kind of reach those that are interested in training, those that are just starting because it's important right, those that are just starting because it's important right, and I think you talked a little bit about this already because you you shared about what happened with your knee, or it was your knee right, yeah, with your knee and um, but there's, there's always. You have those moments of doubt and if you do like and maybe this is talking to the, the other white belts out there who are kind of early in their journey how do you deal with things like that setbacks, moments of doubt. You know you had mentioned realizing that jiu-jitsu is starting to make sense to you, but before that you had to do something right, right, I mean, it makes sense you know, when, when you have the, the option, the opportunity, but sometimes you, you roll and and for a long time now I've been rolling only with blue belts.
Speaker 3:It just happens that you know noon classes, blue belts, you know, it's you Randall, you know Marco, and and at the evening, the same, you know, with competition class, alex.
Speaker 3:So there were times that I would come and I would get I always get, you know, being led and I'm only defending, you know, that's all I'm doing for five minutes. But there have been times that I would, you know, really be, you know, bad and I felt like you know, and like a few days straight going back feeling like man, this is, you know, I suck, right, I mean it's annoying, and you feel like you finish and you know after, you know the last round, after we're doing the row and people are sitting chatting and you're like sitting and like, damn, that was a bad. You know, I didn't feel like I did anything useful. Today it happened and again it happened after that milestone, definitely beforehand, but you know, to get over it. First of all I had people just come over and say it was noticeable that you were improving. Like don't bring yourself down, it's noticeable that you're improving, like, don't bring yourself down.
Speaker 3:So it's like Alex he likes to cheer me up when I get tapped too many times. Or even Sandy, one time I think wasn't rolling because something was, you know, maybe her knee, but she was like listen, I'm seeing it, you are getting better. I mean, don't you know, put yourself through much pressure and that helps. So we talked about the community. So the community will help you get over the setback 100%.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Thanks so much for uh sharing that. I uh, I couldn't agree more. I really like how you you know it. It sounds like you were saying that really it's the community that helps you overcome setback, and we've talked about the community earlier, earlier in the chat, and I think I think that's one of the community that helps you overcome setback, and we've talked about the community earlier, earlier in the chat, and I think I think that's one of the things that would keep me going too and did keep me going.
Speaker 2:I mean, I don't think I've ever said I want to quit jujitsu, but I mean there are times where your mind plays tricks on you, right? You You're like man, do I need to be doing this? But it lasts usually about four seconds and you go to the next role and do a lot better right? So well, let's talk a little bit before we get to the end of the episode today and talk a little bit about what's next. You know what are your goals?
Speaker 2:Maybe as a white belt, Most of the time as a white belt, our goal the time as as a white belt, or goals to become a blue belt. But there may be some more specific goals. There may be some things and techniques that you want to improve on, that you really like and and and that sort of thing, and then also now that you've started competing. So really two questions the first one around, uh, the things that you want to improve and things like that and your goals as a white belt. And then the second question is, now that you're competing, where do you want to end up in your competition career, say, four or five years down the road?
Speaker 3:you know, of course you want to do your blue belt. I also want, no, not just to study for the test, right as a test that you're just going over, but like really feeling that I'm, you know, I deserve that belt, right. I mean, there's always winning, winning, competition, and you're saying you, know if I win a competition?
Speaker 1:do I?
Speaker 3:get a belt and I'll be honest, if I would have won yesterday, I still don't think I would have, like I wouldn't want to get a belt because I'm still not there. So I want to have that feeling. So of course I'm going to study for the test regardless, right, you want to be prepared. But it's also feeling that I know, okay, I belong here, you know I can wear that blue with pride, right. So it's not just you know. So that's important for me to feel that, to see that I'm there.
Speaker 3:I'm still not there, of course, you know, still hopefully not too far. I want to say. I want to say that may want to feel different, may maybe, you know, especially if I can compete as well and you know tabak cancer, and then may maybe that's, that's enough, that's not too far, that's three months down, but you know. But, but also you know it builds with the moves, right. So I mentioned that I'm kind of having my own rhythm, but I I still think that I'm, you know, a lot of things stand up game for sure. I want to improve, I want to. Up until the competition, I wasn't even sure on what I don't. Usually I don't pull guard, right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I noticed you started doing that a lot more lately. Like you pulled the guard a few times when we were rolling last Wednesday I was yeah, usually go for takedown.
Speaker 3:Until recently. Do I pull guard, Do I try?
Speaker 3:to sweep or even go to takedown Whatever like a trip. You and I started kind of getting into what I'm going to try to do based on what and that's definitely something because, especially competing again, it's not like you know everything's competition. You know you want to win roles during the week week, but it's like if I don't have a plan going in and I'm just kind of, you know, moving around or getting grips, I'm getting just getting being led the entire row and I want to start doing. That gave me the confidence to kind of always be in a down position and kind of know how to defend, but I also need to start leading. So definitely something I I want to achieve yeah, is there any?
Speaker 2:has there ever? Is there any been? How can I say this? Let me start over. Is there any technique or guard or submission that that really, uh, you enjoy and that you're working on? Uh?
Speaker 3:you know, I started doing the last of a lot. Uh, you helped me also kind of improve that technique a bit. Yeah some good success in my last yeah, that's a good one. So uh, but now people know I do it, so they know how to defend it. So so it's kind of also well even if they know I'm gonna do it still.
Speaker 3:You know, being able to do so, or especially, for example, um, on the other side, being in guard and and I was always terrible and, and you know, escaping the guard, I could never escape it. And then I started doing, you know, uh, the south power pass, and suddenly boom, it kind of worked, but now people are expecting it. It kind of worked, but now people are expecting it. So I kind of have to set back. It's always harder for me now, but you know, so just improving, having those moves that I do and just perfect them every time, you know, and then no matter if people know they're coming, they're still going to work.
Speaker 2:As we kind of wrap up, is there anything that you know? Uh, maybe takeaways or lessons you'd like to leave with the, the listeners, and also, uh, you know how can, how can the listeners maybe connect with you, um, if they'd like to follow your journey? Uh, I have the caffeinated jujitsu community podcast. I don't know if you do anything on IG, twitter or anything like that. Um, like that, um, but yeah, you just any, any kind of final takeaways and then any, you know how, how can people get in touch with?
Speaker 3:you. They want to connect, learn more takeaways. Like you see, so many options open up once you start right. I mean you can just go to class, you know you meet people, or you can go and compete. I even see myself like hopefully again, you know, with a baby on the way. I need to see how it goes, but I want to even travel. For that I would say, you know, find something, you know, up to eight hours drive even, I don't care, do a weekend out of it, go there, you know I. I mentioned memphis at the start it's in a week.
Speaker 3:I'm not gonna do it because I can't even sign up, but like, if that would be in a month, I would do it, I would just go, you know. You know, take maybe another day off of work, just so you know it's an extended weekend, or whatever. Go, compete, be with the family I love you know getting the car driving. You know one of the the things that we, we kind of do a lot. So definitely more than just a hobby, right, I mean, it's embedded in my life, so definitely something that you know. Once you start, you can have so many options and, of course, putting aside the fact that, competing itself, you know putting yourself in deep waters. You know testing your body. You know thinking about the outcomes. That's, that's definitely something I want to.
Speaker 2:I want to do more you know, let me, let me ask you this um, not not to interrupt you or cut you off, but um, so you're about to have your third child and this is something I think about, because you know, I have five kids um all boys what's the ratio of your children, whether they're man, what? What do you think about them possibly seeing dad competing and all of this and then getting into jiu-jitsu? Have you thought about that?
Speaker 3:because I think about that. So my daughter always kind of I'm trying to get her to try a class and she's like sometimes, yes, I want to come and sometimes no. I even showed her, you know, in Instagram how old is she kids and she's like, yeah, you can do that and that kids are doing it as well. My son always says he wants, but he's four so he can't do it yet. So he might come and even in competitions first competition, I come, I go by myself and I don't you know first competition, I come, I go by myself. I don't even know the environment.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 3:But I know something, and you know always, you know, warms the heart and you know, after all, I came home and like, oh, we're so proud of you. And like, oh, we're so happy and I see the medal.
Speaker 2:I'm looking at your medal. Do I call this? I'd be? And I see the medal.
Speaker 3:Looking at your medal, like, oh, this is so cool. My dad he was like it's a good medal, come sit with me, tell me about what was the tournament. Like Like really expect, and that you know melted me away. It was so fun and like thinking about even telling my wife today. You know, let's see it's kind of a you know lengthy day, but let's see how we can do next. Next, you know, tournament, maybe we bring the kids, you know. Maybe, maybe you know, but definitely something I want to get them involved. I think, um, we also had a talk all the you know um, before the podium. So so you know, guy who won first place, the third, they all have kids doing both, have kids doing jiu-jitsu. And I was like man, everyone's bringing their kids, gotta how can listeners uh connect with you?
Speaker 2:do you have ig that people follow you at?
Speaker 3:I'm not really active email or anything you know, uh, ig, facebook, whatever. Um, it's just, you know my name, so yako van the score colon. But um, mean, I'm there, I go and see what Alliance just posted on a regular that's about it Exactly. That's all I do Fist-muffing. But you know, sometimes there's a conversation, Sometimes I'll upload something, but basically I'm just tagged and seeing what's what.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. Well, it's just good that people would have a place if they had any questions, because a lot of people listen to the podcast and now it's going to be cool to see that we're putting a face and video to this. So thank you so much for again being the first one in the shoot for video. So, yeah, man, well, look, uh. That's a wrap for this episode of caffeinated jujitsu and our very first episode in the series of white belt Chronicles. If you have enjoyed uh today's episode, don't forget to subscribe, share it with your training partners and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platforms. Remember to stay connected on the Caffeinated Jiu-Jitsu Instagram page if you haven't joined that, for updates and shows, access to shows and for just overall Jiu-Jitsu inspiration. And remember that every day on the mat is progress. Train smart, roll safe and keep your passion brewing strong. We'll see you next time.
Speaker 1:And that's the final tap on today's episode of Caffeinated Jujitsu. A big thanks to all of our listeners, especially today's insightful guest, for sharing their BJJ knowledge and tales. If you felt that adrenaline rush and are hungry for more, hit, subscribe, drop a review and spread the jujitsu buzz. For show notes and to contact the host, reach out to the email provided in the podcast description and to join our grappling community, head over to Instagram. Get those geese, crisp your coffee strong and always be prepared for the next roll Oss.
