BJJ Mental Models

BONUS: The Economics of Jiu-Jitsu Gyms in 2026, feat. David Bayarena

In this bonus episode for BJJ business owners, we're joined again by David Bayarena! David is a BJJ black belt, a longtime BJJMM community member, and the founder of RONIN: a financial planning & training firm specialized in working with Jiu-Jitsu gyms. This conversation focuses on how BJJ gym owners can survive economic volatility and build real wealth, not just create a job for themselves. Topics include: cash flow discipline, break-even analysis, liquidity reserves, entity structure (LLCs vs. S-Corps), tax strategy, insurance protection, inflation, and smart use of leverage. Email David: david@roninwealth.com [david@roninwealth.com ] Work with David at RONIN Wealth: https://www.roninwealth.com [https://www.roninwealth.com] ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free: https://bjjmentalmodels.com [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/] Need more BJJ Mental Models? Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter] Learn more mental models in our online database: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database] Follow us on social: https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels [https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels] https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels [https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels] https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social [https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social/] https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels [https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels] Music by Enterprize: https://enterprize.bandcamp.com [https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/]

Mini Ep. 93: Plus, Minus, Equals

In this week's mini-episode, we discuss plus, minus, equals: a team-based training concept often attributed to UFC legend Frank Shamrock. It teaches that you get the best results when training with a combination of people who are better than you (the "pluses"), worse than you (the "minuses"), and on par with you (the "equals"). Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro] ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free: https://bjjmentalmodels.com [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/] Need more BJJ Mental Models? Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter] Learn more mental models in our online database: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database] Follow us on social: https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels [https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels] https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels [https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels] https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social [https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social/] https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels [https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels] ⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models! MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta]

Ep. 376: New-School Fundamentals, feat. Lachlan Giles

This week, we're joined again by Lachlan Giles for a deep rethink of what "fundamentals" really mean in modern Jiu-Jitsu. Rather than treating fundamentals as a fixed list of techniques, Lachlan argues they should be defined by goals, rulesets, and outcomes. He explains why competitors may benefit more from guard retention and winning early exchanges than from late-stage escapes, how mindset and time allocation shape development, and why specialization often beats chasing the meta. Follow Lachlan on Instagram: https://instagram.com/lachlan_giles [https://instagram.com/lachlan_giles] Train with Lachlan at Absolute MMA in St. Kilda, Australia: https://absolutemma.com.au [https://absolutemma.com.au/] Learn online with Lachlan at SUBMETA (seriously, do it): https://submeta.io [https://submeta.io/] Mental models discussed in this episode: * Controlling the Distance https://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlling-the-distance [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/controlling-the-distance] * Opening Salvos https://bjjmentalmodels.com/opening-salvos [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/opening-salvos] * Win Conditions https://bjjmentalmodels.com/win-conditions [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/win-conditions] * Defense Paradox https://bjjmentalmodels.com/defense-paradox [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/defense-paradox] * Layers of Guard https://bjjmentalmodels.com/layers-of-guard [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/layers-of-guard] * Prevention Over Cure https://bjjmentalmodels.com/prevention-over-cure [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/prevention-over-cure] * Funneling https://bjjmentalmodels.com/funneling [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/funneling] * Zone of Genius https://bjjmentalmodels.com/zone-of-genius [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/zone-of-genius] * Shuhari https://bjjmentalmodels.com/shuhari [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/shuhari] * Curse of Knowledge https://bjjmentalmodels.com/curse-of-knowledge [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/curse-of-knowledge] ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free: https://bjjmentalmodels.com [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/] Need more BJJ Mental Models? Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter] Learn more mental models in our online database: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database] Follow us on social: https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels [https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels] https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels [https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels] https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social [https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social/] https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels [https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels] Music by Enterprize: https://enterprize.bandcamp.com [https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/] ⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models! MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta]

Mini Ep. 92: Momentum

In this week's mini-episode, we discuss momentum and its underappreciated importance to Jiu-Jitsu. Momentum is the product of mass times velocity. Beginners tend to ignore momentum and attempt techniques from a dead stop, which reduces their likelihood of success. Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro] ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free: https://bjjmentalmodels.com [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/] Need more BJJ Mental Models? Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter] Learn more mental models in our online database: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database] Follow us on social: https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels [https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels] https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels [https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels] https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social [https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social/] https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels [https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels] ⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models! MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta]

Ep. 375: Becoming a Kids Coach, feat. Andrew Green

This week, we're joined by Andrew Green! Andrew is the creator of the Kids Jiu-Jitsu Playbook and a 25-year veteran of martial arts coaching. In this episode, Andrew teaches what truly makes a great kids coach: understanding developmental stages, emotional regulation, building culture, motivating engagement, working effectively with parents, why kids can’t be coached like "mini adults," how life skills outweigh medals, and what gyms can do to create safer, more sustainable, and more impactful youth programs. Follow Andrew on Instagram: https://instagram.com/innovativemartialartswpg [https://instagram.com/innovativemartialartswpg] Train with Andrew at Innovative Martial Arts in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: https://winnipegmartialarts.ca [https://winnipegmartialarts.ca] Check out The Kids Jiu-Jitsu Playbook (there's a free version): https://www.skool.com/kids-jiu-jitsu-playbook [https://www.skool.com/kids-jiu-jitsu-playbook] Mental models discussed in this episode: * Gamification https://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification] ⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium! The world's LARGEST library of Jiu-Jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free: https://bjjmentalmodels.com [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/] Need more BJJ Mental Models? Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter] Learn more mental models in our online database: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database] Follow us on social: https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels [https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels] https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels [https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels] https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social [https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social/] https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels [https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels] Music by Enterprize: https://enterprize.bandcamp.com [https://enterprize.bandcamp.com/] ⚠️ NEW course from BJJ Mental Models! MINDSET FOR BETAS, our new Jiu-Jitsu audio course with Rob Biernacki, is now available on BJJ Mental Models Premium! For a limited time, get your first month FREE at: https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta [https://bjjmentalmodels.com/beta]