Enter The Guard Podcast

This episode is one that we didn't see coming but we had to do...We decided that we need to put the breaks on the podcast for the time being. With Dre in school and starting his clinical internships in two months the guys decided that his attention really needed to be focused on that right now.  This isn't a goodbye but it is a see you later. We hope that you have enjoyed the podcast and...

In todays episode Dre and Alex debate whether Craig Jones was right when he said that BJJ has ruined more lives than it has saved! We all know that Craig is a world class troll but that doesnt mean there isn't some truth in his statements. Today we take a hard look at whether BJJ has a higher chance of saving or ruining your life.  If you enjoy the show please take a moment to rate and review...

Welcome to OPEN MAT. The episode where Dre and Alex take your questions and curiosities about BJJ - training, competition, gear, culture, lifestyle and more share their opinions. Got a question? Send us a DM on Instagram @entertheguardpod Todays Questions -  Is it wrong for an instructor to call out a student for their attire? Why is my confidence nosediving as a white belt? Should promotions be d...

If you've ever wondered what the difference between pearl weave and gold weave is this is an episode for you!  In this episode Alex and Dre sit down and talk about training gear. With all of the different types of gi's, material, weaves etc. we thought it would be interesting to cover off on the different kinds and why they exist. We also discuss male protection aka 'cups' and...

Welcome to OPEN MAT. The episode where Dre and Alex take your questions and curiosities about BJJ - training, competition, gear, culture, lifestyle and more share their opinions. Got a question? Send us a DM on Instagram @entertheguardpod Todays Questions -  What constitutes rolling like a dick? Is it alright to tap if I am super gassed? Why does my gi stink after washing it? If you enjoy the show...

In todays episode Dre and Alex try to answer the question - Does BJJ make you a better person? While neither of us think that it is a magical cure for being a sh*thead, there is no doubt that it transforms you if you surrender yourself to it. We explore what this means and how jiu jitsu has impacted each of us. If you enjoy the show please take a moment to rate and review the podcast.  Follow us o...

Welcome to OPEN MAT. The episode where Dre and Alex take your questions and curiosities about BJJ - training, competition, gear, culture, lifestyle and more share their opinions. Got a question? Send us a DM on Instagram @entertheguardpod Todays Questions -  How expensive is too expensive for your gym? Should I keep the cauliflower ear or drain it? Want to start training but I’m scared of being re...

In todays episode Dre and Alex continue with the competition discussion. They talk a little about the IBJJF Worlds from this weekend and discuss what it means to execute with violence of action. This is important when it comes to competition and can be the difference between a W or L.  If you enjoy the show please take a second to rate and review the podcast! Follow us on Instagram - @andresthegia...

Welcome to OPEN MAT. The episode where Dre and Alex take your questions and curiosities about BJJ - training, competition, gear, culture, lifestyle and more share their opinions. Got a question? Send us a DM on Instagram @entertheguardpod Todays Questions -  Is it weird to train at two gyms? Like a girl at the gym but dont want to be creepy, what should I do? How do you know when its time to take...

Dre and Alex are back recording live after Dre had his midterms this week. The topic of today's episode is competition training. With IBJJF Worlds next week, the guys talk about the training camp going on at Six Blades HQ in Austin as the team prepares its competitors.  Episode Highlights - Small victories check-in - Competition Training hits different - Changing the mindset a week out from c...

Todays episode is a vaulted episode that we recorded when Alex first started on his jiu jitsu journey. We talk a little about how he is taking to the art and then we get into the ancient Greek concept of Thumos - what it is,  how it is dying among men, and how to tap into it. Thumos doesn't translate well into english but essentially it is ones spiritedness. It encapsulates motivation, emotio...

In todays episode Dre and Alex have a short state of the union where they discuss things going on in the sport - from tournament results, events, popular personalities and controversies and much more.  If you enjoy the show please take a second to rate and review the podcast! Follow us on Instagram - @andresthegiantjj @amattero @entertheguardpod

Welcome to OPEN MAT. The episode where Dre and Alex take your questions and curiosities about BJJ - training, competition, gear, culture, lifestyle and more share their opinions. Got a question? Send us a DM on Instagram @entertheguardpod Todays Questions -  How do you deal with spazzy newbies that are bigger and stronger than you are? What's your go-to takedown - especially for the older guy...

In todays episode Dre and Alex look at sports pyschology and discuss the difference between being and Ego oriented athlete and a Task oriented athlete. The guys consider which way they lean more towards, the pros and cons of each, having a healthy dose of both and more.  Episode Highlights What is an athlete? Ego vs. task orientation Why most people quit things Humble pie The importnace of having...

In honor of May being Mental Health Awareness month I wanted to give you all a tool that you can use to help deal with stress and anxiety. PMR is a two-step relaxation practice to reduce stress and build awareness of sensations of tension and deep relaxation in various muscle groups. The first step in this practice is to create tension in specific muscle groups. The second step is to then release...

In this episode Dre and Alex talk about being in their worst positions and how to deal with it by preparing for the worst. It's all fun and games when you are in a good position but how do you fare when you are in your worst position? Do you panic? Give up? We wont always be on top and so we must prepare for the worst possible scenario.  Episode Highlights: - Dre's worst position - Getti...

In this episode Dre and Alex debate the age old topic of strength versus technique in BJJ. On the one hand you definitely have to give it up to technique but on the other it would also be unrealistic to tell someone not to use their athletic abilities. Which reigns supreme?? The truth is probably somewhere in the middle but one thing is certain, and you'll have to listen to the episode to fin...

Welcome to OPEN MAT - The episode where Dre and Alex take your questions and curiosities about BJJ - training, competition, gear, culture, lifestyle and more share their opinions. In todays episode we are joined by Felipe Costa and Emma Reusing for their hot takes on the topics of the day! Got a question? Send us a DM on Instagram @entertheguardpod Todays Questions   What is the most common/repeat...

In today's episode Dre and Alex sit down with professional BJJ athlete Felipe Costa. Felipe is in his debut year as a black belt competitor and is already ranked 3rd in the superheavy weight division after taking second at IBJJF Pans earlier in the year. Felipe shares his journey from childhood when he started training jiu jitsu to  taking a leap of faith and coming to the US to train and com...

Welcome to OPEN MAT - todays episode will be a slight deviation from the norm. We welcome back Chris Martin of JiuJitsuInsurance.com and discuss the Jack Greener case that has caught the attention of the entire BJJ community. We clear up some misconceptions about the case, discuss Rener's expert testimony, and we discuss what Jiu Jitsu schools need to be doing when it comes to insurance and p...

In this episode Dre and Alex debate the topic of personalities in BJJ and whether it is a good or bad thing. It goes without saying that the BJJ as a sport is evolving at an extremely rapid pace. Within the growth of the sport we have also seen the rise of the cult of personality with social media so it was just a matter of time until the two clashed in what we are now seeing in BJJ with different...

Welcome to OPEN MAT. The episode where Dre and Alex take your questions and curiosities about BJJ - training, competition, gear, culture, lifestyle and more share their opinions. Got a question? Send us a DM on Instagram @entertheguardpod Todays Questions   What age is too old to compete? What is your go to submission in a scramble? What should I bring to competition? Dealing with imposter syndrom...

In this episode Dre and Alex talk about the art of learning and how to accelerate your learning or break through plateaus in record time. These techniques are proven to increase the rate at which you learn and your ability to retain information.   Episode highlights - - Debunking the 10,000 hr rule  - Depth and Quality of practice - The Pareto principle aka 80/20 rule - The DSSS model - The CFE mo...

Welcome to OPEN MAT. The episode where Dre and Alex take your questions and curiosities about BJJ - training, competition, gear, culture, lifestyle, and share their opinions. Got a question? Send us a DM on Instagram @entertheguardpod Todays Questions -  Podium promotions - good or bad? Alcohol and training? Biggest gym pet peeves? Nails, gi smells etc.  If you enjoy the show please take a second...

In this episode the guys celebrate Alex's recent promotion and look back on his first year in BJJ. It's a milestone for anyone to achieve, and with it came a lot of moments of uncertainty and growth, and Alex shares what he has learned about himself throughout the process.  Episode Highlights - - Promotion to green belt? - Biggest revelation since starting BJJ - Dre's beef with podi...