Off the Mats Podcast

On this episode of Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with Ben Kerslake, a BJJ brown belt whose life recently changed after undergoing surgery that resulted in an ileostomy. Ben shares the story behind his health journey, what recovery has been like, and how he is adjusting physically and emotionally to life with an ostomy. We also discuss the challenges of stepping away from Brazilian jiu-jitsu, th...

In this deeply personal episode of Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with Crazy 88 MMA blue belt Brandon Timmins to remember his younger brother, Justin Timmins, a fellow grappler and valued member of the Crazy 88 MMA community whom we recently lost to suicide. Brandon shares memories of Justin as a brother, teammate, and person while discussing grief, the pressure many men feel to hide their strug...

For the first time since July 2020, Episode 317 of Off the Mats Podcast is a solo episode. Jake sits down without a guest to catch listeners up on what has been happening in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community, around the gym, and behind the scenes of the podcast. He shares thoughts on current BJJ conversations, training consistency, gym culture, personal progress, and the challenges of balancing ji...

Johan Lorentzon and Eliška Prchalová return to the Off the Mats Podcast for a follow-up conversation about growth, competition, coaching, and community through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Since their last appearance, a lot has changed. Johan stepped onto the competition mats for the first time, Eliška continued growing through her own BJJ journey, and together they held their first seminar in Norway. We...

Naomi Davoudian returns to the Off the Mats Podcast for a conversation about growth, adaptation, and what happens when life forces you out of your comfort zone. Since her first appearance on the show, Naomi has experienced several major changes. She relocated, joined a new academy, began training under a new professor, and returned to the competition mats. We discuss the challenges of leaving behi...

Off the Mats Podcast #314 welcomes back rising MMA fighter Beltus Tabot for a follow-up conversation focused on growth, pressure, and the evolution that comes with pursuing success in mixed martial arts. Since his first appearance on the show, Beltus has continued to develop both inside and outside the cage and is recovering from a knee injury. We discuss the lessons learned during his time away,...

Xavier Lee joins the Off the Mats Podcast for a conversation about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, competition and the realities of training as a bigger grappler. Known online as Professor X, Xavier has built a strong presence in the BJJ community by sharing insight on big-man jiu-jitsu, wrestling-style pressure, technical control, and confidence on the mats. In this episode, we talk about his jiu-jitsu jour...

On this episode of Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with my Colompton Beer Club co-host, Steve, for a different kind of conversation. Instead of beer reviews, sports talk, and the usual chaos, we talk about Steve’s fitness journey, his personal goals, and what it means to start making real changes when life is already busy. We discuss motivation, discipline, accountability, nutrition, confidence,...

Off the Mats Podcast welcomes Crazy 88 MMA Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt Matt Sargeant for his first appearance on the show. In this episode, Matt shares his journey into BJJ, what led him to step onto the mats for the first time, and the realities of surviving the white belt experience. We discuss the mental and physical challenges of learning jiu-jitsu, the importance of consistency, the culture...

No Star Wars nor X-Force were discussed or harmed in the making of this episode. After a long break, Off the Mats Nerdcast is back, and in this return episode, I sit down with Michael Camp of the, now defunct, Why So Nerdy? Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation that hits everything from the rapid rise of artificial intelligence on the internet to the current state of comic book films and franchi...

In this episode of Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with Lou Temlett, host of the Jiu-Jitsu Lou Podcast, for a conversation about what it really means to grow in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu while documenting the journey in real time. Lou didn’t wait until she felt like an expert to share her voice; she built her platform as she progressed through the ranks. We talk about starting jiu-jitsu, the mental and...

Brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is where expectations shift, and the margin for error gets smaller. In this episode of the Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with Crazy 88 MMA teammates Jeremy Collins, Danny Mahoney, Navarro Chamberlain, and Andrew Carter following their performances at the IBJJF Pan Championship. This isn’t a beginner conversation; it’s a look at what changes when you reach one o...

This week on Off the Mats Podcast, we welcome back one of our early guests and a good friend of mine, Jenn Brooke, for a powerful and honest conversation about her journey to 397 days of sobriety. Jenn was a guest during the early days of the podcast, and this episode captures a full-circle moment comparing who she was then to who she is now. We dive into what led to her decision to get sober, wha...

In this episode of Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with Muay Thai coach and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt Brandon Davis, also known as Coach Thor, from Crazy 88 MMA in Severna Park. Brandon returns to the podcast to catch up on everything that’s changed since his last appearance, including the stresses of coaching, his evolution as a martial artist, and what it actually takes to stay consistent...

Shawn Gray returns to the Off the Mats Podcast. This time, as a newly promoted Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt out of Crazy 88 MMA. In his first appearance, Shawn was navigating the challenges of blue belt and building his foundation in jiu-jitsu. Now, the conversation shifts to what happens after that foundation is set, when expectations rise, responsibility increases, and your role on the mats b...

Moe Brown returns to the Off the Mats Podcast for a conversation on discipline, identity, and general catching up on our thoughts about the current UFC and life on the mats. In his first appearance, Moe, known for his “Moetivate” mindset, spoke about building structure through jiu-jitsu. But in this episode, we further expand on what that means. We break down what happens after the foundation is b...

In Episode 304 of Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with Chris Tran, Mark Rollamas, and Erica Rivera for a roundtable conversation about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, martial arts culture, and the lessons that come with training and community. Together, we reflect on how our relationships with jiu-jitsu have evolved, from the beliefs we held as white and blue belt students to the realities of training today...

On this episode of Off the Mats Podcast, Dana Zornes and Mike Lee of RazeBells and the All American Kettlebell Open return for a wide-ranging conversation about coaching and participating in youth sports, the current state of kettlebell sport, endurance strength, and the mental side of long-form training. Dana shares insight into how kettlebell sport continues to evolve from upcoming competitions...

In this episode of Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt and Philadelphia Phenoms owner Lauren Barone for a conversation about competition, leadership, and building something bigger than yourself in the evolving world of professional grappling. Lauren opens up about her early jiu-jitsu journey, the moment she realized she belonged on the mats, and how competing at blu...

In Episode 301 of Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grappler and owner of Redwood Jiu-Jitsu, Naomi Davoudian, for a conversation about identity, belonging, and the long arc of growth that comes from staying committed to jiu-jitsu. We begin with who Naomi is outside of the gym before revisiting her life prior to training, the uncertainty of walking into her first class, and...

In Episode 300 of the Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with my original Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach, Danny Ives, for a conversation about evolution, longevity, and what the black belt really represents. This isn’t just a milestone episode, it’s a reflection on mat time, consistency, and how jiu-jitsu changes the longer you stay in it. We break down the differences between old school and new school j...

In this episode of Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with Katie Laablalli Beirut-Kloth for a conversation about identity, sobriety, competition, and what it means to keep becoming yourself through jiu-jitsu. Katie opens up about who she is beyond medals and brackets, reflecting on life before jiu-jitsu and what she was searching for when she first stepped onto the mats. We talk about how jiu-jitsu...

In this episode of Off the Mats Podcast, I’m joined by Robyn Henderson for an honest, non-performative conversation about sobriety, identity, and rebuilding life off the mats. Robyn has been on the show before to talk about jiu-jitsu and competition. This time, the focus is deeper. We talk about life before sobriety, the moments that made change unavoidable, and what it actually feels like to sit...

In this episode of Off the Mats Podcast, I’m joined by Tom Smalley, MS, CMPC, CSCS, for a grounded conversation about mental performance, anxiety in athletes, and identity beyond competition. Tom’s work sits at the intersection of strength culture and mental health, and we talk openly about what that actually looks like in practice, especially in environments like jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and strengt...

In this episode of the Off the Mats Podcast, I sit down with Ana Stevens of Underground 702 to talk through her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey and the weight-loss transformation that unfolded alongside it. Ana shares what led her to step onto the mats for the first time, the fears and hesitations she carried early on, and how training gradually reshaped her relationship with her body, consistency, an...