#26 - Learnings of The Experience So Far

#26 - Learnings of The Experience So Far

This year we stopped talking about the adult pathway in judo — and started building it. In this episode, Anna and Balázs sit down to reflect on the first two Grip Grind Glory Experience events. Why did we create The Experience in the first place? What gap were we trying to solve for adult judoka? And what actually happened once we stepped onto the mat and tested it? We talk honestly about: What worked What surprised us What didn’t feel right How the energy differed from a normal class Whether adults really want structure beyond belts and competition This isn’t a polished success story. It’s a real conversation about building something new inside judo. If you’ve ever felt stuck between “just training” and “competing,” this episode is for you. Because maybe the future of adult judo isn’t about more medals. Maybe it’s about meaning.

#25 - 4% Compete. The Question Is: Why Should That Be Higher?

4% of judo players compete. 96% don’t. So why is the goal to make that number higher? In this episode, I unpack a recent survey sent to veteran members by the British Judo Association — and the assumption sitting quietly underneath it: that competition should be the primary marker of progress in judo. This isn’t an anti-competition conversation. And it’s not about age, ability, or commitment. It’s about structure. If most judoka don’t want to compete — and many don’t want to coach either — what future does the sport actually offer them? I talk about: why competition has become a gatekeeper to legitimacy how dan grades and coaching create an unintentional dead end why trying to “fix” participation by pushing people toward competition misses the point and what a real third pathway in judo could look like This episode is about listening to the data — and asking better questions about how we build a sport that people can stay in for life.

#24 - 2025: The Year Grip Grind Glory Became Real

E24 - 2025: The Year Grip Grind Glory Became Real 2025 was the year Grip Grind Glory stopped being an idea and started becoming real. In this end-of-year episode, I look back at how GGG was born — not from ambition, but from friction — and what it’s taken to move it from a lingering thought into a living culture. I talk honestly about the mess behind the build: the weekly doubts, the slow clarity that followed every breakdown, and how staying with discomfort shaped both the brand and me. I also share how building GGG alongside Balázs strengthened our partnership — forcing hard conversations, clearer roles, and deeper alignment. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a reflection on effort, identity, and what it really looks like to build something meaningful in public. If you’ve had a year where growth didn’t look impressive but felt deep — this one’s for you.

#23 - The Third Path: Beyond Judo vs BJJ

Judo and BJJ have spent years arguing about who does it better — the throws or the ground, the tradition or the lifestyle. But the truth is simpler: neither sport is complete on its own. In this episode, we break down the real source of the conflict, why adults get caught in the middle, and how judo actually lost its ground game through rule changes — not technical ability. We explore what BJJ built that judo never did, what judo still does better than anyone else, and why both arts quietly envy each other’s strengths. And then we ask the big question: What if there’s a third path? A lane built for adults. A lane that restores what judo abandoned and integrates what BJJ evolved. A lane that puts culture, identity, and belonging back at the centre. This is the future we’re building at Grip Grind Glory. The third path starts here.

#22 - Rebuilding Judo for Adults: The GGG Experience Story

Most adults don’t leave judo because they stop loving it. They leave because the sport stops giving them a path. In this episode, we go straight into judo’s biggest blind spot: the 20–50-year-old “lingering adult” who still wants to train, still wants challenge, still wants identity — but has nowhere to go inside the current system. We break down what the data actually shows, why adults fade from clubs without ever losing interest, and how the wider fitness and combat sports world proves that the adult grappler market is not only alive… but thriving. And then we talk about the solution we’re building — the GGG Experience. Not to replace clubs, but to elevate the image of judo, bring adults back into the sport, and eventually partner with clubs so every adult judoka has a clear, meaningful pathway again. If you’ve ever felt like judo has more to offer you — or you want to feel progress again without chasing belts or competitions — this episode is for you.