The Chewjitsu Podcast

On this episode we are joined by Daniel Strauss aka "The Raspberry Ape." Daniel is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under 10x world champion, Roger Gracie. Daniel is an active and successful jiu-jitsu competitor who has participated in some of the world's biggest grappling tournaments. On the podcast, Daniel discusses his start in jiu-jitsu, how a severe back injury changed his style of BJJ, and h...

On this episode, we are joined by Strength & Conditioning coach Joe Clark. Joe is the co-owner of Derby City MMA and Chewy's business partner. He is also a former body builder, holds five state records in Olympic Lifting, and is the co-creator of the "Grappling Power Program" (a strength training program developed for Jiu-Jitsu athletes). On this episode we discuss how Joe got his start in lifting...

On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Echo Charles from The Jocko Podcast. Echo is a Jiu-Jitsu brown belt under Dean Lister, he is the co-host of The Jocko Podcast, and is also a videographer. Echo shares his start in jiu-jitsu, how injuries led him to starting videography, and how The Jocko Podcast started. Make sure to listen to the entire podcast to hear from a "special guest" that j...

On this episode of the podcast, Chewy starts with a ramble on what he would have told his younger self. Chewy and Eugene share some of the mistakes they have made in jiu-jitsu and in life, the importance of making mistakes, and how to learn from and move past the mistakes. Q&A (at 41 minutes) includes: Chewy's thoughts on private lessons. How to return to BJJ after a long lay off. What is the "mid...

On this episode of the podcast we are joined by BJJ black belt, Judo black belt, Byakuren Kaikan Black Belt, and former professional MMA fighter Brent Weedman. Brent discusses his start in martial arts, the early days of martial arts training and the first time he met Chewy, some of his most memorable fights in MMA, some of the mistakes he made when training for MMA, overcoming serious injuries, l...

On this episode, Chewy and Eugene discuss the impact and importance of mentorship in life and also in BJJ. The Q&A starts at 46:00.

BJJ Black Belt Kristian Woodmansee joins the podcast to discuss what its like to be a full-time jiu-jitsu competitor while also running a gym, what its like be the smaller guy at the gym, how he overcame training slumps, and his thoughts on the split between Keenan Cornelius and ATOS.

Chewy answers a question about how fasting before BJJ training can effect your performance. Chewy also shares a few simple diet modifications that can help improve your energy and performance during jiu-jitsu training. We also discuss various jiu-jitsu injuries and how to come back to training after injury, how to train around injuries, and how to train with an injured training partner. We end the...

On this episode of the podcast, Chewy and Eugene go through a list of things you should know and do to prepare for your first jiu-jitsu tournament. 1.a. Commit to the tournament as early as possible. 1.b. Get familiar with the rules and format of the tournament. 2. Have a game plan or opening to the match. 3. Know the weight classes. 4. Bring proper equipment. 5.a. Be ready for unexpected events 5...

Ruben is a BJJ black belt and Miami area police officer. Ruben discusses his start in jiu-jitsu, competing and training full time in jiu-jitsu prior to becoming a police officer, his transition to becoming a police officer, the difficulties that he encounters as a police officer, how jiu-jitsu has been beneficial in keeping himself and others safe. Ruben also discusses why many police officers are...

On this episode, we are joined by Cameron Shayne who is the founder of Budokon Mixed Movement Arts. Cameron discusses his role in the training camp for BJJ World Champion and Bellator Middleweight title contender Rafael Lovato Jr. Cameron also shares his philosophy on movement, the important components of his movement system, and how his system can improve function and reduce injury risk. If you w...

On this episode, we discuss how Jiu-Jitsu can help build courage, and how those lessons learned in BJJ can translate into confidence in other aspects of your life.

On this episode, Chewy discusses how you can become a better grappler by "becoming the grappler you hate." By training with and learning from training partners that challenge you the most, you will be forced to improve and evolve your BJJ game. 3:30 Chewy discusses not having a fixed schedule and how this benefits his productivity. 4:45 What is a movement meditation and what are its benefits. 19:0...

On this episode, Chewy and Eugene Cover a variety of topics including: -How techniques spread across Jiu-Jitsu. -Why asking your training partner to teach you a technique they were able to use against you will help you both become better. -Chewy's 3-Step process for incorporating new techniques into his Jiu-Jitsu game. -The "ego" and why its a good thing for competitions and hard training sessions...

On this episode, Chewy and Eugene discuss proper jiu-jitsu training etiquette, the importance of communicating with your training partners when on the mats, and Chewy addresses and responds to being called "The Softest Bitch In Jiu-Jitsu."

We are joined on the podcast by 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Richie "Boogeyman" Martinez. Richie talks about how he got started in jiu-jitsu, earning his black belt in under 4 years, opening his own gym, and what it was like competing at a high level.

Ethan is a Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Specialist In Performance Nutrition, and Jiu-Jitsu brown belt. Ethan discusses diet for BJJ and performance, how to calculate how much to eat, his thoughts on different types of diets such as Keto and Vegan diets, his opinion on fasting, ideal body fat for performance, and why he recommends eating Pop-Tarts. If you want to work with Ethan or get add...

On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Del from Charlotte's Web CBD. On the podcast we discuss what CBD is, how it works, how CBD is responsibly sourced, and what are the positive effects on the body from taking CBD. Below is a breakdown of the episode: What makes Charlotte's Web CBD products different from the other brands? How did the stigma about marijuana, CBD, and Hemp start and how...

We start the podcast with a Chewy ramble discussing how "Spring Cleaning" or clearing out clutter and allowing yourself to focus on a specific and few selected techniques during training can give you motivation and provide direction to improving your Jiu-Jitsu. The podcast also includes a Youtube Live Q&A section with the following topics: Why people are shy when walking into a new gym? Should you...

On this episode Chewy and Eugene discuss belt promotions, what Chewy looks for before promoting a student to another belt, and the pressure of competition. Other Topics Covered: What it means to be an upper belt at the gym. Pros and Cons of getting promoted too quickly to a higher belt. How Jiu-Jitsu can help grow confidence in other areas of life. One thing that Chewy feels someone must do to get...

On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Rome, a Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, entrepreneur, and owner of Hero Academy, a jiu-jitsu school in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Rome discusses immigrating to the US from Chechnya and always being a sick kid growing up. He started a journey of seeking out holistic and alternative methods of improving his health through supplements, diet, and lifestyle changes. He sh...

On this episode, Chewy starts off with a ramble on a question he received. The question comes from an older grappler who asks about being surpassed by younger grapplers in the gym and having doubts about his ability, progress, and is it worth it to train BJJ and keep pushing forward? The second part of the podcast is a Youtube Live Q&A session where we address questions such as: What instructional...

On this episode of the podcast, Chewy and Eugene interview "Master Ken" from "Enter The Dojo Show" which can be found on Youtube. Master Ken discusses how he developed "Ameri-Do-Te," his toughest challenger, why other martial arts are bullshit, and his new book, "The Dow of Master Ken, Vol. 1." The video version of the podcast episode can be found exclusively on The Chewjitsu Podcast Patreon page...

On this episode, the podcast starts out with a Chewy ramble on whether jiu-jitsu is mental or physical. We also discuss the benefits of breathing for recovery and as part of a cool-down after a hard training session, proper breathing technique, how breathing effects the nervous system, and some different types of breathing that Chewy finds beneficial. The podcast also includes a Q&A session.  

On this episode of the podcast, Chewy joins me from Costa Rica as he is on vacation at the Puravida BJJ and Surf retreat. The podcast starts out jiu-jitsu related but transitions to a discussion on meditation, choosing an unconventional path and career in life, adjusting your life to fit your wants and needs, and what Chewy does to "re-set" if he feels he is getting worn out.