We’ll Take it From Here with Joe

This week, I am joined by my friend, Scott Dorey. Scott and I met at Jiu Jitsu about a year ago and I could tell he was a great guy. Scott started his BJJ journey at 49 years old, which demonstrates that it is never too late to better yourself. In this episode, we learn about Scott's life and journey, which is inspiring to say the least. Unfortunately, Scott lost his father at the age of 13, w...

This week I sat down with my friend and badass, Keith Cascio. Keith is the epitome of a warrior, who challenges himself on a daily basis. We speak about a plethora of topics ranging from his time in the Navy, finding Jiu Jitsu, and his passion for fitness and helping others. Keith has ample knowledge when it comes to the topic of fitness and mindset; essentially he "walks the walk". Keit...

This week marks the 100-episode milestone!   Thank you to everyone who has supported, supports, and will support the show and journey.  I am extremely grateful for all of the people that listen and provide feedback.  For episode 100, I bring on my best friend and "brother from another mother", Justin McAndrew.  Justin and I met on the back of the bus 22 years ago, thanks to a silver Corv...

After two years, I have finally decided to vent about some pet peeves of mine within the restaurant industry when dealing with customers. The majority of my encounters have been pleasant, however there have been some that make you scratch your head and think, "gee how does this person function in life?". While this is a rant, I hope some of these stories/suggestions can make you laugh an...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This week, I give you a short solo episode in which I express my gratitude to you all. I intend for everyone to have a great Thanksgiving and remember that there is always something or someone for which to be grateful. Enjoy!

This week, I had the honor of sitting down with Dan Covel. Dan has over thirty years of martial arts experience with twenty-one of those years in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), where he holds the rank of black belt. In addition, Dan is a black belt in Judo and is also well versed in striking. In this episode, we spoke about how he got his start in martial arts, along with his approach as a coach, comp...

This week we are joined by my friend Christian Lopez. I met Christian on the mats of Pure MMA and saw that he was respectful with the determination to succeed. However, I learned that Christian was not always this way and went through hard times to become the man he is today. Christian takes us through his childhood all the way until the present day. We learn of why he was a troublemaker in middle...

Another JitZone special today with an up and coming BJJ athlete, Dean Hot. Dean trains full time at Pure MMA and has all it takes to become a great in the sport. In this episode, we learn how Dean started in BJJ, his approach/mindset and his plans for the future. We also answered your questions! If you know Dean, then you can attest to how good you can become through quality dedication to anything...

This week I bring another solo episode. I really enjoy giving my views on certain topics and intend that my words hold value for most if not all of you. Episode 94 is more of a call on the younger generation to step up and be leaders. The kids in their teens and 20's will have a major impact on the future and thus, I believe it is important to let them know that what they have lived through is...

This week I give my take on the horrific events that occurred in Israel by a bunch of evil terrorist, pieces of shit. There is no justifying what these demons did to innocent Israelis. I also give my two cents on the possible ramifications that this can have in our own backyard, along with my views on how the powers at be want this war. Please listen to what I say. I obviously believe the attacks...

We are joined by returning guest, Cheyanna Dinkel, for another JitZone episode. Cheyanna shared her incredible story with us on episode #65, so if you have not listened already, I strongly recommend you do! Cheyanna is a very dedicated and skillful BJJ practitioner who pushes herself every session. Cheyanna has improved tenfold since she went all in on the sport back in 2020 and her hardwork and k...

We return with another solo rant and this time I unleash about a video of looters destorying and robbing some stores in Philadelphia. I explain why I believe these riots are occuring and why it's important for everyone to wake up. If you like rants, you'll love this one. Enjoy!

You read the title correctly! Don Shoemaker Jr. was in the studio for this week's episode! Some background for our newer listeners; Don was the co-founder of the podcast and stayed for sixty-five episodes! Don decided to step away from the show to focus on himself, his business, and his girlfriend with the goal of bettering his life. We speak about his mental and physical transformation, while...

This week we bring another JitZone special and sit down with returning guest Phil McEntee. Phil's debut to the show occurred on episode 55 in which we learned about his personal story and also spoke about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (please listen to that episode to learn about Phil). Today Phil and I chop it up strictly about BJJ. We speak about his journey as a Brown Belt, how becoming an instructor...

I really enjoy expressing my thoughts and opinions via solo episodes, which is what I bring this week. Another conversation at the gym sparked an idea for a topic about the importance of being grateful while also exploring your true purpose in life. For those who know my situation regarding my career, you know how it brought me confusion. However, recently, my outlook has changed to a positive one...

This week I speak about my trip to Washington State where I attended Guns & Gis class 009. This was my second time attending the camp (the first time was class 007 in Louisiana in March 2023) and there is a reason why I, along with six other friends from 007, came back. Guns & Gis is a three-day immersion camp in which you learn tactical pistol shooting and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.... sign me...

This week I sat down with my boy and Rapper, Kieran Stewart. Kieran was born in Barnegat, New Jersey and since his youth, has aspired to be a rapper. Eleven years later, he has produced and is producing songs, while also performing live (usually at the Love Lounge in Plainfield, NJ). What is truly admirable is Kieran's discipline, passion, and resilience. He is determined to improve with each...

We are back with another JitZone episode for all you Jiu Jitsu fanatics! Today, I piggyback off of the theme of last week's episode about letting go because I believe it has a profound impact toward one's progress in the sport. I talk about my personal experiences of having more fun, working on my weaknesses, and focusing less on the outcome of each round. The result? My game has improved....

This week, we start a new chapter of the show of having one host! As mentioned on the previous episode, Jon had to leave due to personal circumstances, however we are grateful for his hard work and contribution to the show! That being said, I give my opinion about two specific areas that I am currently working on in my life: 1) Knowing Your Worth and 2) Letting Go. I hope you get something out of...

This week we say goodbye to cameraman/co-host Jon. Jon was with the show for 23 weeks and did a phenomenal job in increasing the video quality and brought some interesting viewpoints to each conversation. Jon's decision to leave stemmed from personal priorities which we respect in the fullest. We are grateful for his hard work and dedication to the show and wish him the best in his future ende...

This week we were joined by another member of the Pure MMA family, Trevor Patterson. The one thing we have learned from the start of the show is that the Pure Community is filled with amazing people whose stories are truly inspirational and today is no different. Trevor recounted his journey of forty years in Martial Arts and how it's shaped him to be the man he is today. Trevor is a true stud...

This week we speak about the importance of getting out of your comfort zone, which stemmed from an encounter Joe had earlier in the day. We share our view on why growth comes from discomfort and also share some examples from our lives. Getting uncomfortable is never easy but is essential and there are different levels to it. Essentially, we are always striving to be better. The conversation flowed...

This week we had an intriguing conversation with David Zwoboda, who is hosting the first ever holistic wellness and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) summit in Tulum Mexico. The name of the camp? Flowstate Jiu Jitsu. Its goal? A wellness summit to integrate the mind, body, and soul through the use of psychedelics and BJJ. If you don't know much about psychedelics, you must listen to this episode becau...

Today we sat down with JD "Skutch", husband, father, and owner/founder of JD Core Training, a gym in Fairfield, New Jersey. From the start, we could feel JD's authenticity and strong presence. JD is not only mentally/physically strong, but he is also centered and ambitious. Having played collegiate football, JD knows what it takes to be the best version of yourself on a consistent ba...

This week we are joined by Nikki Stouffer, Mom of two and resident of South Jersey. Nikki founded the New Jersey Project, a nonprofit organization, with the goal of restoring the morals and values of the state of New Jersey. By occupation, Nikki is a Medical Bio Statistician who does statistical analysis for clinical trials and population health data. The story begins in early 2020 during the pand...