The Business of Jiu Jitsu

Ep. 114 - Ryan Hurst - The Mobility Master from GMB Fitness

Movement, Mobility, and Martial Arts: Insights from Ryan Hurst Ryan offers a free guide on mobility and strength for BJJ click here to check it out: https://gmb.io/bjj-mobility/ In this episode, Ryan Hurst of GMB Fitness shares his unique approach to movement training that enhances mobility, strength, and injury prevention—key for martial artists and fitness enthusiasts alike. Discover practical techniques you can incorporate into your routine, whether you're on the mats or in the gym. Key Topics: Ryan's journey from martial arts in Japan to founding GMB Fitness focused on movement independence. The importance of animal movements (bear walk, monkey, frog, crab) for building joint mobility and control. How mobility and movement quality impact martial arts performance and long-term health. Practical advice for warm-ups, emphasizing purposeful movement over traditional calisthenics. Differences in martial arts culture between Japan and the US, including training and teaching philosophies. Specific exercises like shrimp squats for strength and balance, and the significance of single-leg movements. The role of joint integrity and how it supports injury prevention in martial arts. Strategies for gym owners and instructors to foster mutual respect and effective teaching. The impact of cultural behavior changes in Japan post-COVID and how respect influences training environments. Ryan's tips for integrating functional movement practice into busy training schedules. Timestamps: 02:15 - Ryan's background in martial arts and time in Japan 06:00 - The core philosophy of GMB Fitness: movement education 08:30 - Animal movements: bear walk, monkey, frog, crab explained 11:20 - How mobility influences martial arts success 15:00 - Practical warm-up routines for martial artists and trainers 20:30 - Tips for gym owners: efficiency and mutual respect 23:50 - Cultural dynamics of martial arts training in Japan versus the US 29:00 - The role of joint health and injury prevention 33:00 - Ryan's thoughts on traditional warm-ups in BJJ classes 37:00 - Structuring effective martial arts curriculums with movement principles 48:00 - Living in Japan: cultural insights and training culture shifts 56:00 - How to find Ryan online and incorporate his movement practices Learn more about and connect with Ryan here: IG: https://www.instagram.com/gmbfitness/ YT: https://www.youtube.com/@gmbfit Interested in working with GrowJitsu? If you're looking to grow your BJJ Academy and are tired of churn and burn marketing agencies. Book a free BJJ Growth Plan Call: https://growjitsu.com/call

Ep. 112.5 - 10 Years of Academy Owneship - The FULL Episode with - CJ Hollet

We had technical difficulties on the previous recording so this is a NEW recording and the full episode. Most BJJ academy owners burn out somewhere between year 3 and year 7. Not because the jiu jitsu is hard — because the people part is. The communication, the boundary-setting, losing core members, staying in one piece, knowing who to let through the door. Heads up: this is a shorter episode — we ran into some technical difficulties partway through the recording, but the conversation was too good to shelve. In this episode of The Business of Jiu Jitsu, JP Levesque sits down with his own professor, CJ Hollett, who just crossed the 10-year mark running his BJJ academy. CJ breaks down what actually keeps an academy owner in the game a decade in, how jiu jitsu training methodology has evolved over the past 10 years (and where the "let them work" mentality came from), how to coach white belts and women so they don't quit, and the #1 attribute every great BJJ coach needs. The conversation also gets into the personality side of running an academy — why some people probably shouldn't be coaches at all, why patience and communication matter more than technique when it comes to retention, what CJ would tell himself 10 years ago about losing core members, how to pick your rolls and keep your body in one piece as an owner on the mat every day, and the red flags students should watch for when picking a jiu jitsu academy. If you run a BJJ academy, are thinking about opening one, or want an honest look at what a full decade of academy ownership actually feels like — this one's for you. JP Levesque is the founder of Grow Jitsu. He helps BJJ academy owners clean up their business model, student journey, and simple owner-run marketing so they can grow past the 80–150 student ceiling without selling out the art or burning out. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: 10 years in the game with CJ Hollett 01:00 – What keeps you going a decade later 02:30 – How jiu jitsu training has evolved 04:30 – The rise of the "let them work" mentality 05:55 – Coaching white belts so they don't quit 08:20 – The #1 attribute of a great coach 10:20 – Why some people shouldn't be coaches at all 11:50 – Proudest moments after 10 years of ownership 12:40 – How to keep your body in one piece as an owner 15:00 – Red flags in an academy 17:20 – Green flags of a good academy 19:00 – What CJ would tell himself 10 years ago 21:30 – Why losing a core member never stops hurting 22:30 – Advice for anyone opening an academy today 25:00 – Who actually sticks with it long-term 28:00 – Belt promotions and how to structure them 34:30 – Teaching structure: curriculum vs. organic 37:00 – Merch, gis, and not forcing students to buy yours 39:00 – How to make a new student feel like part of the team Want help applying this to your academy? Book a free BJJ Growth Plan Call: https://growjitsu.com/call

Ep. 112 - 10 Years of BJJ Academy Ownership with CJ Hollett

Most BJJ academy owners burn out somewhere between year 3 and year 7. Not because the jiu jitsu is hard — because the people part is. The communication, the boundary-setting, losing core members, staying in one piece, knowing who to let through the door. Heads up: this is a shorter episode — we ran into some technical difficulties partway through the recording, but the conversation was too good to shelve. In this episode of The Business of Jiu Jitsu, JP Levesque sits down with his own professor, CJ Hollett, who just crossed the 10-year mark running his BJJ academy. CJ breaks down what actually keeps an academy owner in the game a decade in, how jiu jitsu training methodology has evolved over the past 10 years (and where the "let them work" mentality came from), how to coach white belts and women so they don't quit, and the #1 attribute every great BJJ coach needs. The conversation also gets into the personality side of running an academy — why some people probably shouldn't be coaches at all, why patience and communication matter more than technique when it comes to retention, what CJ would tell himself 10 years ago about losing core members, how to pick your rolls and keep your body in one piece as an owner on the mat every day, and the red flags students should watch for when picking a jiu jitsu academy. If you run a BJJ academy, are thinking about opening one, or want an honest look at what a full decade of academy ownership actually feels like — this one's for you. JP Levesque is the founder of Grow Jitsu. He helps BJJ academy owners clean up their business model, student journey, and simple owner-run marketing so they can grow past the 80–150 student ceiling without selling out the art or burning out. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: 10 years in the game with CJ Hollett 01:00 – What keeps you going a decade later 02:30 – How jiu jitsu training has evolved 04:30 – The rise of the "let them work" mentality 05:55 – Coaching white belts so they don't quit 08:20 – The #1 attribute of a great coach 10:20 – Why some people shouldn't be coaches at all 11:50 – Proudest moments after 10 years of ownership 12:40 – How to keep your body in one piece as an owner 15:00 – Red flags in an academy 17:20 – Green flags of a good academy 19:00 – What CJ would tell himself 10 years ago 21:30 – Why losing a core member never stops hurting 22:30 – Advice for anyone opening an academy today 25:00 – Who actually sticks with it long-term 28:00 – Belt promotions and how to structure them 34:30 – Teaching structure: curriculum vs. organic 37:00 – Merch, gis, and not forcing students to buy yours 39:00 – How to make a new student feel like part of the team Want help applying this to your academy? Book a free BJJ Growth Plan Call: https://growjitsu.com/call

Ep. 111 - The 7 levels of marketing for BJJ Gyms and how to get to the final boss!

Most BJJ academy owners think the answer to growth is hiring a marketing agency. They skip straight to paid ads and end up on the agency treadmill — burning thousands a month for leads they can't convert. In this episode of The Business of Jiu Jitsu, JP Levesque breaks down the 7 levels of marketing every academy owner should be running before they spend a dollar on paid ads. Starting with the work nobody talks about — buying into your own business as the CEO — and building out through staff buy-in, student retention, referrals, your physical location, B2B relationships inside a one-mile radius, and a strong local online presence (website, SEO, Google reviews, blogs, AI search). The episode also covers the prerequisite most academies miss: getting churn under 5% before paid ads can ever pay back. Plus the agency treadmill math ($4,000 a month = 23.5 sign-ups just to break even) and why learning to run your own ads beats hiring an agency for almost every BJJ academy. If you're a BJJ academy owner stuck around 80–150 students, this is the foundational episode on academy marketing — what to do, in what order, and what to fix first. About the host:JP Levesque is the founder of Grow Jitsu. He helps BJJ academy owners clean up their business model, student journey, and simple owner-run marketing so they can grow past the 80–150 student ceiling without selling out the art or burning out. Timestamps:00:00 – Why most owners skip straight to paid ads02:30 – Level 1: You (your buy-in as the CEO)05:00 – Level 2: Your staff07:00 – Level 3: Your students (5–7x cheaper to keep than acquire)12:00 – Level 4: Referrals14:30 – Level 5: Physical location16:50 – Level 6: B2B19:00 – Level 7: Online presence (website, Google, reviews, blogs, AI search)26:30 – The prerequisite: churn under 5%31:30 – The agency treadmill story ($4K/month math)33:50 – Why running your own ads beats hiring an agency36:00 – How to get help Want help applying this to your academy? Book a free BJJ Growth Plan Call: https://growjitsu.com/call [https://growjitsu.com/call]

Ep. 110 - Should you care about AI as a BJJ Academy Owner?

AI for Jiu-Jitsu Academy Owners What's Actually Useful Right Now !!Warning!! I had so many thoughts about AI and business and you did so during this episode. It took me three or four takes to record it. So it's not as streamlined as I would like. I will do an AI update in the future, but I think is a point of reference, it's a good place to start, even if it is a little bit jumbled. AI is moving fast and the noise is loud. This episode cuts through it. JP breaks down the real state of AI, what it can and can't do for you as an academy owner, and exactly where to invest your time right now so you're ahead of the curve, not chasing it. In this episode: * Where AI actually is right now, and why most people are still using it like a chatbot * Why domain expertise matters: AI is only as useful as the context you give it * Why you're needed more than ever , and why demand for what you do is only going up * The difference between AI bolt-ons and AI-first tools, and what's coming to gym management software * Why human touch points aren't going anywhere, and which ones you should protect * The master prompt concept: going from stranger to context-rich collaborator instantly * How to build skills inside Claude, email copywriter, ads analyst, social media manager, and why that's the best use of your time right now * The Cowork feature and what it means to have AI working inside your actual files and folders * Why blogs are making a comeback, and how AI search makes local SEO more important than ever * The marketing foundation stack: good product → good business model → internal marketing → win local search → paid ads. In that order. * Why churn under 5% is the real unlock before anything else makes sense Want to know exactly where your academy is stuck and what to fix first? Book a free 45-minute Growth Plan Call. JP will look at your numbers, map out where you're stuck, and tell you exactly what to do next. Link below. https://link.growjitsu.com/widget/bookings/bjj-growth-plan-call