Grip Grind Glory: Judo Reimagined

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 wo...

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...

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...

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 bui...

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...

Judo doesn’t need fixing — but the way we talk about it does. In this episode, we take a hard look at the current judo landscape: who it speaks to, who it leaves out, and why so many adults feel disconnected from the sport they love. Grip Grind Glory was born to fill that gap — to build culture where there’s only competition, to give meaning where there’s only measurement. This is about belonging,...

In this episode of Grip Grind Glory, Anna sits down with lifelong judoka and coach Lisa Lydon, whose journey spans decades of change in British judo — from strict dojos and bowing rituals to today’s more relaxed, inclusive culture. Lisa shares what it was like to grow up in a true judo family, how she stepped away after injury and found her way back, and why resilience, humility, and discipline st...

Episode 19 – The White Belt Who Doesn’t Care About Belts Not every judoka trains for the next belt. Some just show up — no deadlines, no grading pressure — simply to feel the difference in themselves. This episode is about that kind of white belt: the adult who measures progress by awareness, not awards. We talk about what happens when you stop chasing proof, how learning through feel changes your...

Why Do We Start Judo Late? And Why Do We Wait? Why do some of us step onto the tatami late in life — and why do so many of us wait? In this episode of Grip Grind Glory, we dig into the real motivators that push adults to start judo — identity, fitness, community, even childhood dreams — and the obstacles that hold us back, from fear of injury to the ego of being a beginner again. Whether you’re al...

In this episode, I sit down with Oscar Pearson, a 23-year-old martial artist who has already trained across taekwondo, kickboxing, Brazilian jiu jitsu, and now judo. We talk about what each discipline gave him, why he added judo to his training, the cultural differences he’s noticed across martial arts, and what keeps him coming back even through injuries and setbacks. Oscar shares candidly about...

In this episode, I sit down with Balázs, head coach of Hajime Judo Club, to explore what it really means to live judo. From starting as a five-year-old in Hungary, to competing, recovering from injuries, and eventually coaching in the UK, Balázs shares the ups, downs, and lessons that shaped him. We talk about cultural differences in how people train, why judo is more than competition, how progres...

Episode 15 — Hard Is The Point. It’s Judo. In this episode, I dive into one of my favourite topics: hardship. Judo is supposed to be hard — that’s why it works. The grind isn’t a punishment, it’s the training itself. From learning how to fall, to drilling a throw a hundred times, to staying in the round when you’re exhausted — the struggle is the very thing that shapes you. We’ll explore why avoid...

Episode 14 — Your Well-Deserved Holiday You might not want a break from judo — but sometimes, the club closes, the coach is away, and the holiday season forces one on you. In this episode, I share why these breaks don’t have to derail your progress, and how to use them as a tool instead of seeing them as a setback. From recovering your body to focusing on weak links and keeping your “mat time” hab...

Episode 13 — Showing Up With an Injury In this deeply personal episode, I share the story of my finger injury that almost made me stop training judo — but didn’t. After two weeks of limited movement and uncertainty, I reflect on why I keep showing up, even when it’s messy and far from perfect. If you’ve ever struggled with injury, self-doubt, or life’s interruptions but still want to stay connecte...

In this episode, we challenge the overuse of the word elite in martial arts — and the quiet damage it causes. What started as a descriptor for full-time athletes has become a dividing line that makes everyday judoka feel like they don’t count. But being “elite” isn’t a personality or a measure of worth — it’s just a job. We explore how this mindset holds people back, and why commitment, not status...

E11 — You Don’t Have to Be Serious to Take It Seriously Are you too committed for a hobby... but not chasing gold medals either? This one’s for the judoka stuck in between. In this episode, we dismantle the lie that only pros are allowed to take their training seriously. Whether you're showing up after a long day at work or finding joy in movement without needing to compete, you still get to give...

Nobody likes the warm-up. But what if the part you rush through is actually the one that matters most? In this episode, we’re diving into the warm-up — not just in judo, but in life, business, comebacks, and personal growth. From neural activation to injury prevention to the quiet identity work that happens before anyone's watching… this is the phase most people overlook and the one that separates...

Episode 9: 9 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting Judo Starting judo as an adult isn’t just hard—it’s awkward, humbling, and wildly unpredictable. In this episode, I’m sharing a few things I wish someone had told me before I ever stepped on the mat. From the physical surprises to the mindset traps, this is the honest list I didn’t know I needed—until I was deep in it. Whether you're brand new, com...

Episode 8 – Why Female Judo Community Matters In this episode of the Grip Grind Glory Podcast, we go deep into a topic close to my heart — the lack of a real female judo community, and why that needs to change. If you’ve ever felt like the only woman on the mat… or like you’re training hard but still invisible… this one’s for you. I talk openly about what it feels like to not have a sisterhood in...

Episode 7 – Women in Martial Arts In this raw and honest episode, I open up about what it’s really like to be the only woman on the mat — and what that experience has taught me about confidence, leadership, and self-worth. I talk about the challenges women face in male-dominated martial arts spaces, from finding training partners to being taken seriously, and why visibility matters more than perfe...

#6 - What Keeps You Going When No One’s Watching What keeps you going when no one sees you? When there’s no clapping, no comments, no guarantee that it’s ever going to work? In this episode, I talk about the quiet grind — the one you do alone. I reflect on what it’s like building Grip Grind Glory from scratch, training without applause, and pushing through doubt because I made a promise to myself....

What happens when you don’t walk away Every grappler knows that moment—when a technique isn’t landing, the throw feels off, and everything in your body says, “Just stop.” But what if that exact moment is the one that matters most? In this episode, Anna gets personal about the instinct to quit when things get uncomfortable, and what it takes to rewire your brain to stay with the struggle. From Catc...

We’ve all heard the line: “Martial arts build confidence.” But is that really true? And if so, how does it work — and for who? In this episode, I unpack a powerful conversation we had at the club that led me down a deeper rabbit hole into the nature of confidence, competence, and what actually changes when someone trains. I share insights from Confidence: A Philosophy by Charles Pépin, explore the...

Episode 3: Discomfort — The Friend You Didn’t Know You Needed In this episode, we dive into the uncomfortable truth: discomfort isn’t your enemy — it’s your training partner. I talk about why discomfort shows up, what it actually does to your brain, and how learning to expect it (and move through it) has changed how I train, compete, and live. From stepping onto the judo mat as a new mum to fighti...

Vague goals get vague results. In this episode, Anna dives deep into how to set the right goals — the kind that actually drive you forward. Learn how to build goals around your core values, create identity-based motivation, and emotionally anchor your vision so it sticks — on and off the mat. Whether you’re training for your first dead hang or rebuilding your mindset, this is your blueprint for st...