The Transformational Power Of Jiu-Jitsu

Jiu-jitsu has a funny way of starting as something simple and turning into something that changes how you see yourself. I sit down with purple belt competitor Ainslie Armstrong to unpack what that “transformational power of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu” actually looks like in real life, not just in highlight reels. We talk about beginning BJJ for self-defense, getting hooked on competition, and how showing up consistently starts to reshape confidence, discipline, and identity.

We get into the difference between ego and real confidence on the mats, why getting humbled is part of the deal, and how progress often comes from facing the parts of your game you’d rather avoid. Ainslie shares how training helped her build resilience through learning challenges, why losses can become a tool instead of a verdict, and how the right room can push you safely without breaking you. We also talk about women in jiu-jitsu, the barriers that still exist, and how gym culture and safety determine whether people grow or burn out.

If you train BJJ for self-defense, fitness, mental health, or competition, you’ll hear something familiar here: the mat becomes a steady place during hard seasons. Listen, share it with a teammate, and if it helps you, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it to someone who’s been thinking about stepping onto the mat.

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Keep Your Passion Brewing

Transcript

Cold Open And Show Setup

Intro/Outro 0:04

A blend of white belt enthusiasm, black belt wisdom, and a dash of caffeine for that extra. I'm deep into the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as we explore the journey, techniques, talented, and the sheer joy of the sport from a white belt 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 matter, here's your host, Joe Mo.

Joe Motes (Host) 0:55

And welcome back, everyone, to another episode of Caffeinated Jiu Jitsu. Today's conversation is one I have been really excited about, and I've been wanting to have this conversation for some time, but I needed to find the right guest because we are going to be talking about something that every grappler feels, even if they've never quite been able to maybe put it into the words. And that is the uh it even took me some time to put it into words, and it's the transformational power of jujitsu. And a lot of people start training for specific reasons. Maybe it's fitness, maybe it's self-defense, maybe it's curiosity. Uh maybe it's because their kid quit and you didn't want to stick somebody for a contract. Uh, maybe they just wanted to start something new. But somewhere along the way, we all know that it becomes more than just whatever the reason is that we started. So I did find that guest. Today I am joined by Ansley Armstrong, and we are going to dig into how jujitsu transforms people on and off the mat. But a little bit more about her. She is a Brazilian jujitsu purple belt and very active competitor. And I remember watching her when I was kind of young in my journey when I was a white belt and she was tearing up the IBJF uh mats. Uh she uh formerly trained uh at Alliance. She is now training under Professor Bruno Frasato Frasato? Is that how you say it? Frasato. Yeah. Yeah. At Frasato Jiu-Jitsu Academy, and also getting that extra time in at Octopus in Midtown in Atlanta, Georgia, under Master Haberto Traven. Uh, she is passionate about the sport, committed to continuous growth, which aligns exactly what we're talking about today. Uh growth through competition and her jujitsu journey, and she's really focused on empowering more women, both on and off the mats, while she's also contributing to the future of the jujitsu community. Welcome, Ansley, to Caffeinated Jiu-Jitsu.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 3:19

Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to talk.

Ansley’s Origin Story And Competing Early

Joe Motes (Host) 3:23

Uh, let's hear your origin story. You know, for those who don't know you, give us a little bit of background about yourself and how you started jujitsu.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 3:32

So I started jujitsu a little over five years ago. And it was honestly, it was a funny story because I it was right before I started um college, Georgia State, downtown, and I was gonna have to take Marta, and I was so scared of Marta, and I wanted to be able to protect myself, so I started for self-defense reasons, um, just to be able to like be downtown on my own and be able to take care of myself. But then when I found out more about like the competition aspect and how you can go through the ranks and grow, I really stuck with it and started competing. Um been competing for a few years. Like I think I started an early white belt um competing. Like I my first one was in like Miami and I got uh gold in that and it was so fun. But after that I was hooked, I've just been competing ever since. And a little over how like a six months or so ago is when I transitioned over from Alliance to Frisotto's Jitsu and have been with him, and it's been so fun, just all focusing on competition, and that's kind of brought me to today.

Joe Motes (Host) 4:47

Yeah, I and do you how many how many times have you competed? How many times did you compete at Bluebell? Do you even know?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 4:53

At Bluebell? Oh I think I competed maybe around like 10 or so times, maybe more, but tried to do a lot of I I had to work up to like doing absolute because a lot of combinations I was just doing like my weight division, and then I eventually got comfortable enough enough to like do absolute, move up to that. So then I was getting some more medals, so it was fun.

Joe Motes (Host) 5:16

Yeah. Did you compete at White Belt?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 5:19

Yeah, white belt. I started and I missed the first Atlanta open and I was pissed. And I did like the next available one, which is in Miami. I flew down to Miami with Jaclyn actually, which was so funny. And we she just helped me out through the whole process, and I won that one. And then I was like, okay, I love this. It was so cool, it was so crazy to be around like that kind of culture. But I like was so focused and like so locked in. It was so fun. And then after that, I competed in like Atlanta Open a few times at White Belt and won that and loved that.

Joe Motes (Host) 5:57

So you you started because of you you were scared to ride Marta, which I think everyone in that knows anything about Atlanta is terrified of it. It's a horrible experience.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 6:09

It really is. I mean, it's it's it's people don't understand. It's bad. Like there's a lot of things. Oh yeah. I was coming from like uh coming from like Chambly or Brookhaven, so it was a long trip like trip down.

First Mat Shock And Getting Consistent

Joe Motes (Host) 6:23

That's crazy. That's crazy. Yeah. Well, do you do you remember kind of your maybe your f first impressions when you started training? Uh like you you uh talked about competing and um your impressions there, but like that first time you stepped on the mat, do you think, oh my god, what have I gotten myself into?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 6:43

I was super into fitness at the time, and I didn't I didn't want to compete in like CrossFit. I wasn't really doing that much CrossFit, but I wanted to do like athletic competition, and I did not know what to do. Um, and that's what all my like my co-workers at the time were saying too, because I worked at a gym, they were like, you need to compete in something, you're training so hard for what, and so when I got on the mats, I was like, Oh, like these it's an individual sport, it's still a team, but you do get to be there in your own journey. And so when I saw that and saw how much you could progress in your own way, I was like, Oh, I love this. And um, when I got into the mats, I will say I was uncomfortable at first because it's just so new and I didn't know about all the touching. That was one thing. I had my intro lesson, and the guy was like, Okay, now you have to put like your head like on my chest for like side control, and I was like, I don't know if I should be that too. Yeah, that and they made me feel so comfortable. They were like, look around the room, like everyone's doing that, and I did feel more comfortable, but it was definitely different at first.

Joe Motes (Host) 7:55

What um what point did you start to realize that jujitsu was becoming more than just say a hobby for you?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 8:04

I feel like I knew pretty early on. I from the beginning was my goal was to be as like consistent as possible. Because those that I looked up to in the school, that was what they were doing. They were training almost every single day consistently, they weren't like going sporadically or like whenever they felt like it, they were there no matter what. And so I kind of took that mentality and tried to apply it as early as white belt so that I could progress faster or as fast as I could, because I wanted to learn as much as possible. And I knew like even before I got out of like fundamental classes, because you know, like through the Alliance curriculum, like they have fundamentals your first, like I want to say like 60 days, and so I was like, let me get these 60 days so I can start like live sparring and like taking the tests and everything. Through that, I was like, Yeah, this is I was like scheduling my classes around it, I was scheduling my like studying time, my work, everything was surrounded around Jiu Jitsu, like very early on. So I knew that it was gonna be something.

Joe Motes (Host) 9:12

What what were you doing back back then? Were uh because you do uh personal training now, but yeah, I was personal training.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 9:19

So I was working in a gym, doing group classes, personal training. I was also managing some of the gym at that time as well. So a lot of different aspects, but then I was also in school, so I was kind of balancing everything. But I made sure like at the end of the day, like I got to jujitsu class.

Why People Start And Why They Stay

Joe Motes (Host) 9:38

You know, it's it's funny. I I love hearing people's origin stories and like their first experiences with jujitsu because it's all the same, but there's also like a lot of uh uh similarities to it, right? The uncertainty and and for those of us who stay in, right? I think they say once you get the purple belt, like you're staying to your black belt. Like very seldom do purple belts not make it to black belt. And I'm sure you hope that's true. Yeah, hopefully and yeah, I um I I still have have I've got to make sure I get past the blue belt blues and and don't get caught up in that. But anyway, uh a lot of similarities where it kind of just takes over and becomes our lifestyle, and we start scheduling uh a lot of our lives uh around it. So completely understand what you mean uh by that because I hear that a lot and I went through it myself. You know, thinking about why people stay and why they leave, why do you think people really walk into uh the gym for the first time? I'm sure you've talked to a lot of new, you know, white belts that have come and jumped on the mats. And what is there a consistent reason that you see?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 10:56

I think a lot of people really want to build confidence, and that is something that you can do through a martial art. Like that's one of the biggest things. Like, people are in shape already. Like, I I've heard that sometimes that they want to get in shape, and that's a way to do it, but it really comes down to like confidence. Either they've been bullied, they've had negative experiences with like assault, things like that, and they want to come in and feel empowered. At first, yeah, it's humbling, but it does give you like a sense of like learning, and you're able to practically apply it and then continue to grow, and you see that progress. And I think that's really important for people to have. Like, once you're out of school, it's hard to see that, and you don't really have those kind of markers, even with like you can only do so much with that with like a job. So I think that having that kind of individual thing that you do is really important.

Joe Motes (Host) 11:53

Yeah, I think it's important to have your own thing, right? To have something of your own. I think I think that's just a human thing. What do you think are some of the reasons people stay after they start?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 12:05

I really think the community is a big part of it. And like I started after COVID, so I think that was also a big reason why people wanted to get out of the house and do something. But I think that the friendships and the connections that you make with your training partners, with like the instructors there, with just the whole community in that gym, like that it's part of your routine. Like you see these people every single day. You kind of get connected with them outside of the gym, you'll meet with them outside of the gym, do different events, and I think that that is such an important part of yeah, like being a human and having that common interest and honestly, like shared, I wouldn't say trauma, but shared, like shared kind of struggle all through the class together. Like you've all gotten those hard rounds, and you've all had to like learn a technique that was really confusing at first, and you like got through it, or like these things happen in that class, like you have that shared experience, and then you just get connected with these people that outside of the gym you probably would never really talk to, you know.

Joe Motes (Host) 13:14

Yeah, I I'm glad you said community because that's one of the things that I was gonna bring up. It's yeah, do uh you know, obviously you feel like community's key to keep them there, and I think it I think they do stay because of a sense of belonging and and also structure, right? Because some martial arts so have it did you do any other martial arts before jujitsu? No, yeah, I didn't either. Um but at any time you see uh martial arts on TV and it's usually like what karate or kickboxing or something like that, you know, there's a sense of structure there, I think, that is appealing. And and I was in the military for for several years for for a long time, and I enjoy the structure. But I I don't see structure in jujitsu like hierarchy a lot. I see it in like the way technique is taught, right? Like you have jujitsu for those who just started. A lot of academies aren't just throwing people to the wolves. That's one thing I liked a lot about uh training at Alliance was the curriculum base versus you know going to something like a check mat or something like that as a white belt and you're rolling uh the second day. But I think at uh Traban at uh Master Trayvon's place, they they roll pretty pretty early on too.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 14:39

They do, but they also do have those basics classes and they focus on the fundamentals, especially when you're just starting. So I know that they still have that kind of class there. I'd have gone through it because what the by the time I went to Travan, he was I was already purple belt, so I could go into the more advanced classes, but even the classes that he teaches, like there'll be a mix of like white belt to black belt, but the classes can be very fundamental, yeah. So it's not like too much for anyone to get, but it's all important details for every single rank to still get.

Joe Motes (Host) 15:13

But yeah, but always I honestly that's one of the reasons I I stayed. And outside of it being, you know, my thing that I do for myself, but it is, it's the people. And someone like yourself that's had to train at you know several different gyms, um, it's always been a good community and and a good experience.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 15:37

Yeah, I think that's so important in the structure. You are right about like having that as part of your routine, because I don't know, even coming not to bring it back to it, but like even coming back from like COVID, like you need you needed routine and something to like keep your days going. And I think that it did help like as part of like the recovery process of getting back to real life, having that like I'm always gonna go to jujitsu or I always have this on this day, and then the routine of the class of like we're gonna go through technol technique, situational sparring, then live sparring, then finish off the class, and I'm gonna talk to my teammates.

Confidence Humility And Real Growth

Joe Motes (Host) 16:19

Yeah, I think that's I think that is one of the most powerful things about it. And sometimes people think they're they're showing up to learn how to fight, right? Which they are, but what they're really finding is discipline and like you said, that identity and healing, or even uh like you you said, community is a is a huge part uh about it. So kind of pivoting to talk a little more about transformation, which is kind of the main topic here. When we talk about transformation, we're talking about something deeper than getting into shape or learning submissions, which is fun. Both of those, I mean, I those are definitely benefits, but we're talking about becoming a different version of yourself. And I started jujitsu when I was uh I think 42. Yeah, 42. So a little later in life, and I I experienced transformation uh mentally, physically. But how how has jujitsu changed you as a person?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 17:28

I feel like it's given me a whole different level of confidence in just my abilities. I I went into jujitsu, I was pretty just insecure about like just myself, my I will say like I'm dyslexic and I have ADHD, so I I was insecure about like my knowledge and just how smart I was in general, because comparing myself to like my classmates through normal school, college, I always felt a little behind or like I needed to work harder than everyone else around me. And it still like wasn't enough. So being able to kind of show myself that I could learn and that I could kind of get to a different level and a higher level than maybe the peers around me was really helpful for my confidence and also resilience, like showing myself that I can keep doing this thing that's really hard and not give up. Especially when I'm going against like a higher belt and I'm getting like my butt whooped, but I don't give up, I keep moving, I keep trying, and then maybe one day the tables turn and I get them in something. And I think that the confidence aspect is like a big part of what has transformed. Like now I feel more capable, I feel more competent, I just feel like overall like a better version of myself.

Joe Motes (Host) 18:58

Do you feel like it's made any character traits uh about yourself better?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 19:08

Yes. And I don't know if it's like counterproductive to say this, but like humility, I feel like I I I got humbled really quickly when I saw like it does not matter how athletic you are going into this, like the technique of those of higher rank and just people that have been there longer, like they paid their dues, they're gonna know more. And I really feel like my ego got checked in a great way. Like, I needed to know, like, okay, you gotta work harder. You're not as good as these other people because they've been there for longer, they've done the other techniques, and um I think that that was a big thing that I learned.

Joe Motes (Host) 19:50

Well well, in your defense there, you were training with some powerhouse females and males.

Speaker 2 19:58

Definitely.

Joe Motes (Host) 19:59

Um, I mean uh what Victoria? I I was I would imagine she was what uh I think she was she a black belt when you were training there. I know she's a black belt now.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 20:09

Victoria was it's so crazy because she was a bluebelt when I started. And yeah, then I think a year after she was purple and then brown and then black, like that.

Joe Motes (Host) 20:25

So can you believe she fought uh Fion? Uh Feevan? Is it Fionn? Like her last worlds. Could you imagine standing across the mat and and that's your or you look at your bracket and you're like, what?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 20:39

Yeah, because then it was in the final. Like I couldn't imagine, like, yeah, seeing the bracket and just seeing your name next to Fionn, and then having like the tight match that they did.

Joe Motes (Host) 20:49

Yeah, she got her in a fireman's carry takedown. Yeah, that was clean.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 20:52

That was clean.

Joe Motes (Host) 20:53

They did count that, right? I I can't remember unless she posted, but she got her fireman's carry. I could not believe it.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 20:59

And then Fionn could not pass her DPAF. It was so cool, and it made me feel a lot better with how poorly I've tried to pass her DPAF. I was like, Yeah, okay. Yeah, it's a tough deep half to pass.

Joe Motes (Host) 21:11

Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, and Leo is the head instructor there, and he's all about you know, half guard and deep half, and um me and Jacqueline, like we were both she was she got purple, not purple, she got blue before me, but we were both competing quite a bit, and we were allowed to go into the advanced class, like both as white belts, and we were like the lowest ranked, we were some of the smallest people in that room.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 21:42

Yeah, and I just remember like every day like having to learn how to make the small wins and like create celebrations for those versus like all right, I'm not winning any of these rounds, but let me see if I can last a little bit longer in my Spider Guard or if I cannot get. Swept in two seconds by this, like whoever.

Joe Motes (Host) 22:03

Oh, that's right. You play a lot of Spider Guard, don't you?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 22:05

Oh, yeah.

Joe Motes (Host) 22:06

Yeah, yeah.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 22:09

But then it was like, okay, well, I'm not gonna get to do the sweeps that I have learned, but let's see all the different counterattacks and all the defenses and all the passes. And it helped me in that way. And then, like, no matter who I was going against in competition, it wasn't gonna be harder than anyone in that room.

Joe Motes (Host) 22:27

You know, continuing on with this train of thought has how has jujitsu affected your life off the mat?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 22:35

I feel I feel like I have more kind of like compassion for people. Like as someone that started off very new and had to go through like hard times of like not understanding something. I feel like I have more pa like more pay like yeah, patience and compassion for like those that are like beginning or those that like mess up or make mistakes, just in life, like not even just on the mats, but just my peers around me, like has having more patience for that and kind of trying to be more supportive because like that was so helpful for me when I was beginning and just have gone through jujitsu is like having people that are in my corner that are supporting me and telling me that it's okay, or giving me advice. So I try to do that to people around me that need it as well.

Joe Motes (Host) 23:29

Yeah, I I think that's what makes jujitsu so unique is you know, we talked about the the physical side is very real, of course, but it's that internal work. And that's why I've been so excited about our conversation because this is I think this is the thing that I'm most passionate about in jujitsu is how it just completely transforms people in in a good way. But it's the internal areas where that transformation happens. But let's let's take a few moments and spend you talked a lot about humility uh earlier, you talked about confidence. Um is ego. Now I've I never have had, well, I guess depends on who you ask, um a big ego, but in jujitsu we see it all the time. And it, you know, if you had to kind of define the differences between what real confidence is and ego is in jujitsu, what would you say that is?

Ego Vs Confidence And Getting Humbled

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 24:31

I feel like with ego, you kind of have this denial that anyone can be better or like give you anything useful, like any use useful information. Um confidence, I think that like it's having more hope that like you can do something, even if that means like eventually. You know? I think with ego, like you're just gonna not even consider that oh like someone's gonna be better than you, or and then they'll use all their strength or all whatever when this person could have like great technique that you can learn from, and then that's where your confidence can come from, you know? And so if you see those opportunities where you can learn versus try to mask it and cover it up or say, like, oh well, like you're faster than me, you're stronger than me. Like those kind of excuses that you get from those with large ego's having the confidence to look stupid, like you know, and get your butt whooped by a tiny purple belt girl. Like that is okay, and that's where like you need to have confidence in yourself and know that it's okay and not fear that judgment, but just be open.

Joe Motes (Host) 25:43

I don't know. Do you feel like you see more ego and maybe rooms dominated by male jujitsu practitioners versus versus females? Or do do you see it the same? Like you've seen some pretty ego, ego-filled females come into the map that you've had downboard.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 26:03

Yeah, no shade, no shade, no tea. But it's definitely both. Like no one's no one's free from it. Like you can see it from men, and I think there might be a different dynamic when it's like man versus woman, but women definitely still have it as well. It's just like a human thing. But I definitely think that both men and women can have it. But I think that there does come like an aspect where like and this is another this is another thing that like someone told me that I think is really good is like guys have the ego that like they can't lose, and then women have an ego where like they don't think they can win, like they're like they're they shouldn't win. Oh wow, yeah, and I think that's interesting because then you see a tough battle that like both genders have to overcome, but it's like men have to learn like they can lose and it will happen, and women need to understand that they can win and it will happen, and just working towards that. So there's like different ends of a spectrum.

Joe Motes (Host) 27:09

Yeah, I like that. That is that's like totally opposite thinking.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 27:14

I think that there's just different obstacles that both have to get through, it just kind of looks different. So, like maybe a woman doesn't have the same ego as like a man, but like it's still an ego, and it's still something to like overcome and kind of change your perspective, and then I think that the sport of jujitsu really does give both men and women.

Joe Motes (Host) 27:37

Do you feel like getting humble is an important part of growth in jujitsu?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 27:45

I think that if it doesn't happen, then you don't really see like the full kind of level of the sport. Like I think it's like necessary because I think that you need to fail in order to learn, and being humbled is an easy way to learn from failing.

Joe Motes (Host) 28:03

Are you still are you still getting humbled?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 28:05

I mean, you're getting right every single day, every single day. My training partners at Frisada J2 Academy is it's nothing, I can't even explain it. But it's there's such a growth mindset there. Everyone's trying to get better every single day, and so we're all just as consistent, or they're more consistent than me. And I am so humbled, and I'm being humbled by those of my rank, higher in rank, lower in rank. Like I get beat up by these blue belts every day. Every day. Like, yeah, I don't like getting armboard that much, but I'd rather learn from these high-level competitors. No matter if it's like a little 16-year-old girl, I appreciate it. So I absolutely get humbled.

Joe Motes (Host) 29:08

You know, one of the the kind of follow-up questions I had as we were um, you know, talking about the aspect of being humbled over and over and over and all the way through the journey is um what do you think are some of the things that people resist and it impacts their full transformation like ability is I I think it's ego. I think if the ego gets in the way, you're not gonna grow to like your best ability. I don't know if you agree, but that's that's kind of what I'm thinking.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 29:48

I think it's relying too much, and I'm so guilty of this, but relying too much on what you're good at and really veering away from what you're bad at. Like if you know that you're good at like a certain guard or playing guard, or maybe it's passing, you're good at passing, if you only do that and you never go and expose yourself to those areas that you don't really feel that confident in, and like maybe you do you are like maybe you're a purple belt and you're really like a white belt and back takes or X, Y, and Z. Like, I think that putting yourself in those vul vulnerable positions will help you grow, and that's something that not everyone does. They like to win, so they'll try to do the things that will help them win rather than learn all the time.

Joe Motes (Host) 30:41

Yeah, that that actually really spoke to me because I avoid the stuff I'm bad at, like the plague. Like I will not, I will not play open guards like spider. Are you kidding? It's an amazing guard, and it's probably a pretty good guard for someone like myself who's not really athletic. But like, because when I first started doing jujitsu, I would always try to play these open guards, and people would just blow right past me. But I didn't know the fundamentals of things like framing and you know, posturing and stuff like that. So I um but now maybe maybe that's something I need to revisit the stuff that I suck at because I just pull people in the half card and hold them there until I can sweep one.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 31:27

Exactly, and that's what I'll do. I'll pull Spider Lasso and like you'll see it in so many of my competition videos, but I do rely heavily on what I know I'm good at, but then my different guards like Deli Heva aren't as developed, and I think that that can bring me further along in my game if I have something more well-rounded like that.

Joe Motes (Host) 31:49

Well, I think Spider Lasso is such a good guard, though. I mean, it like if you keep them broken down, there's just so much and I think it's okay in competition to go with your A game. But I think you know what you said is very important in that look, competition doesn't always go the way we we hope. Like it's uh you're not always running your A game the entire time.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 32:11

Mike Tyson maybe it just doesn't happen.

Joe Motes (Host) 32:13

Yeah, Mike Tyson said it best. Everybody's got a plan until you get punched in the face. Yeah. Like it's exactly that's exactly like you envision you know pulling spider lasso and it going great, but then all of a sudden they they do some kind of flip over you.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 32:27

Right. Like now they're best in the world at passing it, and it's like, all right, well, you gotta do something else, and if you don't have anything ready, then that's tough.

Training What You’re Bad At

Joe Motes (Host) 32:36

They uh uh you have to be Houdini sometimes to get out of a good spider lasso, I'll tell you. But you know, I think uh the things that we're talking about here, I think these are the hidden gifts of jujitsu, and all of this teaches us about that well teaches us that confidence doesn't uh come from pretending to be strong and and good at everything. It comes, I think, from from surviving hard days and sh showing up again and being willing being willing to learn. I think that's another barrier sometimes that people uh don't think about, right? They get caught, they're uncoachable, unteachable. And I think that kills uh transformation. I really do.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 33:19

Yes. People think they know everything or they just just show up. Like you you showing up is part of the battle, but it's not like the full thing. Like you have to apply yourself to learn.

Joe Motes (Host) 33:31

You know, I I think a lot of transformation comes through things like uh uh adversity. Uh trauma changes a lot of people. I mean, it's you know, I think we've all to some level or degree experienced some some type of uh trauma in our life, unfortunately. But uh, but nobody gets I guess the point I'm trying to make is no one uh we don't we never experience change by staying comfortable. And I think jujitsu always day in, day out, forces us to be uncomfortable, and that's a huge part of uh transformation. Has jujitsu taught you anything about struggle that maybe you didn't know about yourself or just struggle before?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 34:14

I think that it does teach me that like you can get through your you've or kind of like it it proves to yourself like you've gotten to like your hardest days so far, like you're gonna keep doing that because especially early on, those days are hard. So if you can get through your white belt days, I feel like you can get through basically everything else.

Joe Motes (Host) 34:35

Like almost in life, right?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 34:39

I swear, exactly. And I think just also knowing to never give up like it might take you a few more losses to get to that win, but you'll never get to that win if you just give up. And that's something that I've always had to remember of like, yeah, quitting isn't gonna get you anywhere closer to your goals than if you struggled. So going through the struggle, like I tell myself that I have I almost have like a bank of like I owe my dues of failures before I get to my wins. So even if I get like tapped ten times a roll, I'm like, all right, that's ten failures closer to learning how to get out of this or like getting my win.

Joe Motes (Host) 35:26

Have you did you see that movie Smashing Machine with the Rock? Have you watched that yet?

Speaker 3 35:31

I haven't on YouTube though.

Joe Motes (Host) 35:33

It's a biopic about um oh Kerr. What is his name? Is it Mark Kerr? Anyway, what happened was like he had a record of like 50 and oh, and then he gets beat in this pride match, and it just sends him in a tailspin. Like they ask him before this match that he lost, like, you know, what what will you tell yourself if you lose, or how will you and he just could not fathom losing. And, you know, in the whole movies, you know, unfortunately, about his kind of decline and his drug addiction and stuff, but what it does show is that transformation when he accepts, hey, a loss isn't the end of the world. It's me learning. I just brought that up, you know, thinking about that playing out there. Um you uh what do you think that jujitsu teaches teaches people about losing, like uh how to lose?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 36:30

I mean and how to use it as like a tool. I think that it's really because you always hear that, like I mean, I've heard it a lot. Whenever I've lost, people will tell me you ever you either win or you learn. And that is like it's so hard to hear sometimes in the moment, but it's so true.

Joe Motes (Host) 36:46

Yeah, and it's sounds so cliche, like, yeah, sure, whatever.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 36:51

Yeah, exactly. Like you want to roll your eyes to it, but then like it is true, like you're either winning or you're learning, and I don't know. It is just like the most like one of the basic things that comes from jujitsu that like I just think is the most true. But at first, you're like, what? No, I don't like this.

Losing Learning And Hard Seasons

Joe Motes (Host) 37:13

Has jujitsu ever helped you through a bad time in life? I know it has for me.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 37:19

Definitely, some dark seasons. Oh, yeah, yeah. Even like, so to get like more personal, I've been sober for like the past six months.

Joe Motes (Host) 37:30

And oh wow, yeah, it's been great, yeah, it's hard for sure.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 37:35

But it's really transformative, and I give so much of that to jujitsu as like it's always been a consistent factor of my life that like no matter how my days go, or no matter how life is or how crazy it is, like I can always be so centered on the mat. Like, there's nothing else you can really focus on when you're in jujitsu. Like, you can't be worried about whatever like is in external world. You gotta think about like the now of like, okay, how do I pass this guard, or where what are my issues right here? What's the next right thing to do? And I think that it's helped me a lot through like my sobriety journey.

Joe Motes (Host) 38:16

Yeah, I hear that a lot. I've talked to several people that jujitsu help with sobriety. I've I've been lucky in my life to where, well, maybe when I was in the military and young paratrooper, I probably drank more than I should have. But it's true though, it it helps not just with stuff like that. I think with emotion, I think for me it's it helps with depression, uh, depression and PTSD a lot, right? It helps me with anxiety. You know, I mean I I didn't for years have outlets for any of that stuff. And I was a lot more irritable and short with people and just wouldn't in a I wasn't in a good headspace. And I think and maybe it's not just jujitsu. I mean, I think anything that you're passionate about can keep you in the right headspace if if you allow it to.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 39:04

Definitely.

Joe Motes (Host) 39:05

Yeah. So let's talk a little bit about um you you mentioned in or we mentioned in your in your bio, and you kind of sent it over. You talked about empire empowering empowerment of women. Um let's talk about that, right? I I from your perspective as a woman in jujitsu, and I've learned a lot from the past four guests on on the podcast have been women in jujitsu. Um, what kind of transformation do you think women experience through jujitsu?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 39:41

I think it can like we've talked about it before, is like a lot of confidence and belonging. And I think that feeling powerful as a woman and feeling like you have strength is such an important thing that like you there's not a lot of places for us to get it. And I do think that jujitsu is a great way where like your technique can get you so far, and it doesn't matter if you're a man or woman, it's like the technique that's or like how you use like leverage of your body that really sets a tone and gets you far. So I think knowing that you're capable of so much is and can go so far in it, yeah, is really important and very empowering.

Joe Motes (Host) 40:31

Do you think there are any barriers that they face that women face?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 41:27

Barriers, yes. I I mean it's alone just biologically, strength. Like we just I'm not gonna say can't, but it's a lot harder to get to that level of strength that men have. Takes a lot more.

Joe Motes (Host) 41:44

Right.

Sobriety Mental Health And The Mat

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 41:45

So I think that it can be tricky when like if you're in like a more male-dominated room to feel like your technique works when you're dealing with men level of strength because like it does matter, you know. Like people will say, like, it doesn't always matter, but it does sometimes like a lot. Um, so I think that that can be an obstacle that women deal with, but right, that is why I kind of want to be more of a role model to women and to just young girls that are thinking about training, or just in general in life, like so that they have something to look up to, like, no, like I can do this, you know?

Joe Motes (Host) 42:31

Have you ever had one of those moments where like maybe someone from the kids' class or someone like said, Oh, I want to compete like you or be like you. I wonder what like what did that feel like?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 42:45

It's really the most special feeling. I remember traveling down, I think it was Miami Open, but I was purple belt at this time, and I didn't know this, but there was like a little girl that was following me at each match, like from my both my Ghee and Nogi days, and was just like following her, following me around, talking to her mom about me. And then when I got time to do the podium, she was like can like giving me so many congratulations, asked to take my picture, and like we took a little selfie, and celebrity. She wants to compete just like me when she was older. I was like, this is so cool because she has this role model and someone that she can look up to that, like at like if I were her age, like I wish I would have had that, you know?

Joe Motes (Host) 43:35

Yeah, yeah. Wow, I I think that would be really life-changing, and it you know what it also does, it makes those those taps not hurt as bad, right? Like all the adversity on the mat to know that like you can be that kind of role model. How um how important um that the training environment for for women specifically, and for men, but women kind of is what we're talking about here. How important is it uh to them whether they stay or go? Like the safety and like what makes the good training environment? What needs to be absent, what needs to be present, that kind of thing?

Women’s Empowerment And Real Barriers

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 44:18

That's a great question. Um, and it's one that I really think is important for every gym. Um, either no matter if like you're a man or a woman, the women's program and the way that it's run, that part of the culture is really important. And I think that it does set the tone for a lot of the culture of the gym, um, just of how it is. And I think that it's good to have like minded women that want to get better um no matter what the goals are. No matter if they're doing it for a hobby, for competition, for self-defense, like whatever the reason is, and for there not to be almost like a competition among the women. Like you want everyone to grow. So there shouldn't be times where like you're mad at them for doing better, or for how like if you get beat up by one of them, it shouldn't be an issue. Um, it should be like, okay, like this is so helpful. Like, thank you for like teaching me. Um, and vice versa, like, you're there not just to like crush the souls of these other girls, you're there to do technique and train together. So I think that having a more growth mindset and growth focus of a whole group is better. You don't want any of like the complaining or talking behind each other's backs, like that's where the toxicity comes, and I think that's when you'll start to hold back on your technique because you don't want to start any issues, things like that, and that just causes it a whole bunch of drama.

Joe Motes (Host) 46:00

I noticed like in jujitsu gyms, sometimes like even the guys get more kind of clicky, right? Yeah, if you have you seen like clicks form in women with the women and and guys in some of these places, it's crazy.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 46:14

And you'll see like sometimes there will be like and this it's okay to a certain extent, but like those that won't roll with certain people, you know?

Speaker 2 46:23

That's weird, right?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 46:24

Yeah, it's like not that much of like if you're solely not rolling with them because they're gonna beat you, like you're just only holding yourself back and them.

Joe Motes (Host) 46:33

Yeah, yes, you know, 100%, yeah. Well, it's different if if like you're not comfortable because you think they're gonna hurt you, like they're not safe or they're kind of creepy. But yeah, but like if you're avoiding them because you know it's gonna be a tough roll and you're not sure if you're gonna come out on top, yeah. That's that's that's not the right thing. What are we doing here? Yeah, why are we here? I I would purposely choose uh the higher belts to roll with, knowing full well I'm about to get just it handed to me. Like when John um do you remember John Madonna Madonna?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 47:10

Yes, John Madonna, he's awesome.

Joe Motes (Host) 47:12

Oh my god, one of the best humans I've ever met. And anytime I was in a room where he was there, I would choose him first. Like there's no way I'm beating him, but I'm gonna learn, you know, right, and I'm gonna learn he's it's gonna be safe. Um, you know.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 47:29

Um you might go on small wins, like you might like have your guard contained a little bit longer or get closer to passing his or whatever it is. Like there can be small wins.

Joe Motes (Host) 47:41

Yeah, I remember I passed his guard. Uh well, I thought I passed his guard. He somehow gets that knee in there. He's the most flexible, like 50 plus year old guy.

unknown 47:53

Yeah.

Joe Motes (Host) 47:54

Anyway, um, no, it's um I I think conversations like this is it matters. And I'm so glad you you put that uh when you sent over kind of your bio and some of the things that you're passionate about, because in the right environment can absolutely change someone's life for the better or the wor or worse. I mean, there's look, there's there's men and women that's had their lives ruined in a bad environment in jujitsu. And I hate to say that, but we know that's true. And um people need to understand, especially the coaches and professors and gym owners, that it is important to make sure your academy or school, whatever you call it, is a safe environment for everyone there. Once you let something in, yeah, once you set us accept a standard, this is the new standard, you know.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 48:50

That is very true. I like that. And like hearing out your students for that, whatever like environment it is, like that matters for the culture too, because then like you want to feel heard, you know.

Joe Motes (Host) 49:03

It's imperative, right? I mean, you gotta be at a place where you feel like if something comes up, uh you can bring it up and you'll be listened to, not belittled. And you know, I think everyone who listens to the podcast knows that things have played out over social media over the past several months, but um, I think what that does, uh what that should have done is really kind of woke everybody up to the importance of a safe training environment. But there's also this this there's something really powerful about community in jujitsu, and we talked a little bit about it earlier. For a lot of people, the gym's become more than just a place to train, it's become a second home. Uh you mentioned earlier how important community is for keeping someone uh coming back, right? Or the reasons they they stay in jujitsu. But how important is community in someone's transformation do you feel?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 50:02

Um, I think that well, you personally you do have to know kind of what you want to focus on or like what you're reaching towards. And if you know that, then your community should and could really promote that. Like I felt that myself, I'm really focused on competition, and it took me trial and error to really figure out and find like a good home where I felt very supported in that. And the women that I'm around at Frisados, like they support me in every way possible, and they have such a growth mindset, they all are very driven and focused on competition and just being the best versions of themselves possible. And I think that that has helped my transformation as a competitor. So there's different ways like that that I think can happen no matter where you are or whatever your goals are. But personally, that's what it's done for me.

Joe Motes (Host) 51:02

Yeah, one of the that's great you brought that up because one of my questions I wanted to ask you is uh can the right training partner accelerate growth? And it sounds like absolutely.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 51:11

Absolutely, yeah. Can't even express how much I feel like I've grown in these past few months, and it's because of my training partners. Like, yes, I'm putting in the work going, but it's the people around me and the people I'm training with and the people I'm asking questions to. Like, they're the people that are helping me get to where I am. Because I you know that that saying that's like you're like the you're most similar, or you become um the outcome of like the five people around you.

Joe Motes (Host) 51:41

Oh wow. It sounds like that's probably a book or something.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 51:45

Yeah, it's definitely from something like that. Like I I'm not making that up.

Joe Motes (Host) 51:49

No, no, I know. I I I've never heard that, but I I could I understand. It's like careful of the company you keep, right?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 51:55

Exactly. And like I see the the women that I'm surrounded by, and they're world champions, like UFC BJ champions, like amazing people that like they're the highest level, like world class. Um, and I'm around them.

Joe Motes (Host) 52:14

So like train there.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 52:17

Exactly. Right?

Joe Motes (Host) 52:19

Yeah.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 52:20

Exactly.

Joe Motes (Host) 52:21

What what what makes a good training partner? Is there some characteristics that you think stand out that like, hey, a good training partner will have A, B, and C?

Safe Gyms Healthy Culture And Community

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 52:30

I think the biggest thing is they will go a hundred percent. Like, they're not gonna hurt you, but they're trying with their 100% effort. So that can be a slower pace. It doesn't have to be like crazy like scraps, it just has to be like intentional, they're putting in the effort and they're not just like goofing around. Like, yes, those roles are important, and they need to be careful with you as well, like considering your safety, like they shouldn't be putting you in danger where like you're gonna seriously hurt yourself. Like considering your training partner is very important, but I think that giving your all is the best thing you can do for your training partner, and the best thing you can do as a training partner. Can't you think of the times where like I'm sure like Hodrigo he didn't take it easy on you?

Joe Motes (Host) 53:19

He didn't take it easy on me. Yeah, he he well uh and then you've learned so much from that, yeah. Yeah, 100%.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 53:27

Like if you gave you stuff, then like he's holding back on your learning.

Joe Motes (Host) 53:31

Yeah, I I'm sure he had to hold back some because he would have literally killed me.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 53:36

And you like appreciate it, like it's yeah, I think that some people like almost hold back because they don't want that kind of resentment, but there shouldn't be, you know.

Joe Motes (Host) 53:45

So if so, if we kind of sum that up, you know, when it comes to community, uh, you know, when you combine challenge, humility, discipline, I think I know we haven't talked a lot about discipline, true, yeah, but you combine all of that with community, it makes uh it makes sense why jujitsu becomes so meaningful in people's lives, I think. I think it's it's pretty easy to see. Kind of I I guess as we get close to kind of closing out here, uh, I um you know when you train long enough and you've been training a while now, you have purple belt, you you start realizing the lessons don't just stay on the mats, right? Um we do take some of this stuff in into life. What life lessons has jujitsu given you that you carry into everyday life?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 54:37

Um, one lesson that I like the first lesson I would say is that like you get what you put out, so whatever effort you put into jujitsu, that's what you get out of it. Like, and that's how you're gonna get better. And then that's how it is in life. Like, if you want to get better at a skill or you want some sort of goal to be achieved, you have to put in that effort. And then whatever effort you put in, like you will receive back. Um, I think that's an important thing that is so like shown in jujitsu, and you can see the exact payoff like right then with like how much effort you put in versus not.

Joe Motes (Host) 55:19

Yeah, you get what you pay for, right?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 55:22

Exactly.

Joe Motes (Host) 55:22

Yeah, yeah, that's that actually that's not it. No, you you get what you put in, right? That's a better one. Yeah, that's that's awesome.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 55:32

I like that because if you're not putting that extra time, or let's say you are, you're putting the extra time, you're studying on your own, you're drilling, you're very intentional with your drilling. Like you're gonna see yourself get so much further than if you kind of half-ass the training, or you're not really there, or you just kind of aren't focused or intentional with your roles, like you don't go in with any goals or things that you're intentionally focusing on. And I think that those small things can really pay off big. Um, and that's how you get a lot out of it. But I think another one would be I said it before, but like just never giving up. Like you have to be tenacious in jujitsu, and that's how you're gonna get anywhere in life, is you have to just keep showing up no matter what.

Joe Motes (Host) 56:27

That's one of my favorite words, tenacious. You ever heard of the band Tenacious D?

Speaker 2 56:33

No. Oh my god.

Joe Motes (Host) 56:36

It's Jack Black's band. Yeah. Oh yeah. Do you like Jack Black? He's amazing. Yeah, yeah. So this movie came out called Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny. Just we're not gonna get into it because you said some amazing stuff, and I don't want to derail us. Uh but you gotta, you gotta check that out. So Tenacious D. Um how has uh jujitsu helped change the way you deal with um setbacks, failures in life, relationships, stuff like that, like the real personal stuff as they're you know, and maybe it's the same, right? Maybe it's um this two will end, right? Like this this round will end, the buzzer will go off, you know.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 57:28

Yeah, I think because yeah, these throughout jujitsu, I've definitely had lots of just like personal issues, relationship issues, just so many challenges and obstacles that come up that just sort of life, but I think knowing that like it's only sharpening you, like no matter how tough it is, like honestly, the toughest roles or the toughest thing things in life make you the strongest. So, like, yeah, no matter how like hard a situation is or how like heartbreaking something can be, I think that it's kind of helping prepare you for the other end of the spectrum. So, like yeah, biggest heartbreaks can bring the most happiness, but you're gonna have to go through those levels of human emotion to get there. And so I trust that like those hard times are only preparing me for the better. And same with jujitsu, like those hard roles are preparing me to be a better person, a better, stronger person. So in the future I can feel the opposite, and I can feel the empowered part, but I have to go through that like draining and kind of like almost disempowering feeling to get to that empowered feeling.

Joe Motes (Host) 58:52

Yeah. I um well, do you think there's anything that people misunderstand about jujitsu?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 58:59

I think that people think that it has to do with other people. There's too much about like I have to go against this person or I have to prove it to these people, like too much external when it's such an internal journey. And the sooner that you understand that and know that it's about your personal growth and your mindset, your well-being, and like what is best for you, you will find success. But if you're doing things for other people or you're doing things because you want certain external validation or whatever it may be, like you're gonna be held back.

Great Training Partners Accelerate Growth

Joe Motes (Host) 59:39

Well, you hear it. You hear a lot of professors say, you know, be better than you were the day before, or like that's the only improvement. Because if you compare yourself to others and jujitsu, you'll quit like the next day because exactly. Yeah, there's always someone.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 59:56

That's like the easiest way to get in your head.

Joe Motes (Host) 59:59

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So let's uh I have a couple more questions to kind of to close this out. And these are gonna be pretty deep and broad, so hang on. Um who has jujitsu helped you become?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:00:18

I think a strong woman. Because I don't think when I started I was um mentally, but also physically. Like I feel like when I started, I was a lot like lankier. I wasn't as strong, I couldn't move my body as well. I think it helped me become a more strong, like physically like person, but I also think that it's helped me mentally. Like I would give up so much easier when I was starting, but now I do feel like I have so much more like grit and heart where like I will not give up that easy, and I think that's why I feel like a strong woman. And at first, like I was so young that like I did feel like just like a little girl, but now I I can like say, like, okay, yeah, no, strong woman, like that's that's me.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:01:09

Feel like you belong that, right? Like, like exactly you have a chair now because your toughness, your tenaciousness. Love that word. Um, yes, as you were you're supposed to be. Where do you uh what part of the journey are you most grateful for?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:01:29

I'm grateful for the transformations. Like this past transformation has been transitioning gyms, but it's kind of just like you have to look back and like look deep into yourself and like what you want. That's what I had to kind of figure out. And I took so much time, I was going to so many different gyms, cross-training all around Atlanta before I really landed in like my spot. And I think that that really helped me in my journey figure out what I wanted, and so it is good to feel comfortable and like stable where you are, but I do think that those like uncomfortable like situations and like positions that you put yourself in where you're like more vulnerable and things are a little more uncertain, like they can get you further in life. So I do appreciate those trans like more transform transformative times.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:02:29

What would you say to the jujitsu practitioner who's going through a hard season right now? Maybe it's an injury, or maybe it's maybe it's they find themselves in one of those environments or just just any tough time. Maybe it's life, maybe they lost a parent, maybe they came out of a relationship. Like, what would you say like to them to help them activate the transformation that they can experience?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:02:59

I would say to remember your why, like why you started in the first place. And if you don't know, or if that's changed, or if it is changing, like figure that out. You know?

Joe Motes (Host) 1:03:14

Yeah. Keep it in keep it in the front of you. Exactly.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:03:19

And like, yeah, even if you're injured, like if you have a certain goal, like you can still be reaching towards it. It's just a season. So get what you like, do what you need to to get through this season, but the goal doesn't change. It's just like where you are in that journey. And like when things happen, like things come up, like it's still important to remember your why and to stay consistent in like what you're doing.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:03:44

I I think that's great. Again, just like powerful word after powerful word here. I um I have no doubt in my mind. I I waited the right amount of time and found the right person to talk about this with. Thank you so much. This has been such a meaningful conversation, and I think this is one of those topics that reminds people why jujitsu become so much more than just a sport, because it's not a sport. Like, I don't do sports. I the it's a lifestyle, right? It's a community that I'm a part of. It can humble you, challenge you, rebuild you. Um, all the things that we we talked about. So thank you so so much for coming on and sharing your perspective, your journey, your insight. When are you competing again? What's the competition calendar look like this year? I mean, there's some stuff coming up.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:04:41

Yeah, I know. I won't be doing pans this year. Um I know my back's been pretty bad. I had some hip flexor issues, and then like my back started overcompensating. So it's oh my god, it's March.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:04:55

Pans is this month, right?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:04:56

Yeah, pans is in like two weeks. So I have like a lot of my friends are going, and I'm so happy for them.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:05:02

I'm so happy. My friend Randall's competing in pans. He's like master six. I joke with him telling me his master's like 15, but we just have this anyway.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:05:11

That's just the thing's crazy.

Life Lessons Setbacks And Remembering Why

Joe Motes (Host) 1:05:13

Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna. My oldest son um is getting married, I think, when pans is going on. So um yeah, yeah, I'm excited and bummed at the same time because that's awesome. I've got a kid that's getting married anyway.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:05:30

Yeah, so hopefully in like next two or so months, I'm gonna be back out there. But yeah, I'd be jj.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:05:39

Do you do you do new breeds and stuff like that? Like ADCC?

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:05:42

I have not done a new breed yet. I am kind of scared of ADCC, I'm not gonna lie.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:05:47

I will say that I I am never doing one of those.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:05:51

I have so much respect for those people that do it. And I will say that like they do teach it at uh forzados. Like he does a great job with like simulating those certain rule sets. So like there's no excuse for me to not do it, but I am very intimidated by it right now, for sure. That it's part of the growth journey that I need to go on. But um, I need I've done a Naga before, and I want to do more like the new breeds and Nagas. I want to do more local stuff.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:06:21

Yeah, I'm thinking about Joe. And Bujitsu.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:06:24

I love NFT.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:06:25

NFC Oh, yeah, I was gonna ask. That's right. You you have done one of those, right? Or a couple of things.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:06:30

I've done yeah, I've done one of those super fights, and I've done the brujits and I was you did the brujitsu?

Joe Motes (Host) 1:06:35

What was that? I hear those are crazy. I hear those are just like wild.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:06:40

They are they are the most fun. I love that's the thing. Like when you say community, like community is there.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:06:46

Yeah, it is so awesome.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:06:49

I love that like venue. It Being in Monday Night Brew is is dope. Because then there's like oh there's a whole bunch of barrels of beer right there.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:06:58

Yeah.

Competition Plans Where To Connect Closing

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:06:59

Like what is the but it's so like pretty there? I don't know. I love the venue and I love the energy that they bring it at NFC. It's always a great crowd. And like yeah, it's hype, but like that's awesome.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:07:12

Yeah, yeah. NFC does a great job of making it like feel like a legit kind of real professional thing.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:07:20

So uh anything I definitely want to do that again.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:07:23

Yeah, anything to share to the listeners, like where you they can connect with you or anything like that.

Ainslie Armstrong (Guest) 1:07:30

Um I am very active on social media on my Instagram at Ainsley Armstrong. So IG with me on there. Yeah, the IG.

Joe Motes (Host) 1:07:40

Awesome, awesome. Well, thank you again for being on. Uh it's been a great conversation. Yeah, and to everyone listening, I hope this episode is a reminder that jujitsu is so much more than just a sport, a hobby, and what's around it. It's it's transformational. Um, and if this conversation has resonated with you, share it with your teammate, coach, your favorite training partner, or someone that's been thinking about stepping on the mat, right? So until next time, keep your passion brewing, and we'll see you again for the next episode.

Intro/Outro 1:08:18

And that's the final tap on today's episode of Caffeinated Jiu-Jitsu. 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 ghee's crisp, your coffee strong, and always be prepared for the next roll.