Listen
Watch
Recent Episodes
View All
February 10, 2026
BJJ BONUS: Caio Terra on Technique, Champions & Training Smart | Ep. 29
In this episode, I sit down with Professor Caio Terra, a BJJ black belt and one of the most accomplished competitors and coaches in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu history. Caio is a multiple-time world champion who competed at rooster weight—the smallest division—yet regularly defeated opponents in the absolute (open weight) division, sometimes facing competitors literally twice his size. He received his black belt in 2006 and has since built the Caio Terra Academy in San Jose, California, and the Caio Terra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association (CTA), producing numerous world champions and helping students worldwide through Caio Online. We discuss what separates understanding from mimicking in jiu-jitsu and why the students who struggle most at first often become the best, the evolution of BJJ training culture from the brutal 1990s to today's more technical approach, and Caio's unique teaching philosophy that encourages every student to develop their own distinct style rather than copying a template. Caio shares why he was initially the "worst student" his teacher ever had, how he learned to translate techniques to his own body rather than just replicate movements, and why counter-attacking based on what your opponent gives you is more effective than forcing positions. We also dive into the challenges of adapting your game as you age and lose physical attributes you once relied on, the price of training too hard and the injuries that come from years of elite competition, and why technique will always matter more than strength or cardio. Caio opens up about his car accident and ongoing shoulder issues, the regret of not doing more joint rehab earlier in his career, and how the lessons learned on the mat—problem-solving, adaptation, and resilience—translate directly to navigating life's challenges off the mat. Whether you're a BJJ practitioner looking to develop your own game, a coach seeking insights on how to build champions without creating clones, or someone interested in how world-class athletes balance competitive success with long-term health and teaching, this conversation delivers hard-earned wisdom, honest reflections on the cost of greatness, and inspiration to train smarter while staying true to your own path. Caio Terra Academy https://bjjsanjose.com/ Caio Terra Online https://caioterra.com/ Ricardo Vieira https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Vieira Rodrigo 'Comprido' Medeiros https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodrigo_Medeiros Roger Gracie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Gracie David Mitchell https://www.instagram.com/dmitch442 Woolf Barnato, Black Sheep BJJ https://www.blacksheepjiujitsu.com/ Alexandre "Xande" Ribeiro https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Ribeiro Bruno Malfacine https://www.brunomalfacine.com/academy/ Music: “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A 00:00 - Introduction 02:44 - Getting Started in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 08:38 - Learning Through Understanding vs Mimicking 19:12 - Teaching Philosophy and Counter-Attacking 09:39 - Evolution of Training Culture 21:28 - Building Champions and Individual Styles 25:40 - Legacy and Social Media 28:58 - Car Accident and Dealing with Challenges 32:24 - Adapting to Age and Limitations 35:19 - Technique Over Strength 48:04 - Training Intensity and Body Preservation 55:44 - Closing Thoughts
February 6, 2026
BJJ Bonus: How to Minimize Injuries - EP 28
After 30+ years as a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I recently received my coral belt (7th degree). People keep asking me the same question: How have I stayed in the sport this long without getting sidelined? The answer isn't luck—it's strategy. In this episode, I break down the exact framework I've used to train for decades while minimizing injury. This isn't about avoiding all damage—if you're gonna drive your Cadillac down the highway of life, you're gonna take some dings. But there's a massive difference between expected wear and preventable damage that ends careers. I walk through the three types of injuries every martial artist faces: tweaks you can train through, injuries that take you off the mat temporarily, and the ones that end your training permanently. Then I share my five-rule system for staying safe: choosing the right instructor and school culture, selecting training partners wisely, creating a safe physical environment, bringing the right attitude to every roll, and maintaining your body as a high-performance machine. From managing space on the mat to understanding why leg attacks increase injury risk, from the "tap early, tap often" philosophy to why cold showers matter more than you think—these are battle-tested principles that have kept me training when others had to quit. I also get into the specifics: why training near walls is safer, how to warm up joints (not just stretch muscles), and why leaving your ego at the door might be the most important injury prevention tool you have. Whether you're in martial arts, CrossFit, or any physical pursuit, understanding injury prevention is the difference between a lifetime practice and a short-lived hobby. If this helps you stay in the game longer, please like, share, and subscribe. Drop a comment with your own injury prevention strategies—I'd love to hear what's worked for you. Rigan Machado https://www.theacademybeverlyhills.com/instructors/rigan-machado/ Coral belt https://bjjfanatics.com/blogs/news/coral-belt-bjj?srsltid=AfmBOoqyqtCPanHwuoQtjRXUMB4HSyFBCRGmh3kfv0Ee60irimLYoI6k El Niño Training Center https://elninomma.com/ Gil Melendez https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Melendez IBJJF Rules https://ibjjf.com/books-videos Tabata https://www.verywellfit.com/tabata-training-definition-1230982 Music: “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction & Coral Belt Story 3:37 - Pain vs Injury: Understanding the Difference 4:05 - Three Types of Injuries 6:37 - Five Rules to Avoid Injury 7:08 - Rule 1: Choose the Right Instructor & School 14:51 - Rule 2: Choose the Right Training Partners 18:31 - Rule 3: Safe Physical Environment 26:20 - Rule 4: Come With the Right Attitude 31:19 - Rule 5: Bring a Good Machine to the Mat 36:52 - Conclusion & Final Thoughts
February 4, 2026
BJJ BONUS: Turning Chaos into Taps While Managing a Corporate Career - David Mitchell | Ep. 27
In this episode, I sit down with David Mitchell, a BJJ black belt and one of the most dangerous submission artists in Masters competition today. David is ranked #1 in the world for Master 2 No-Gi by IBJJF, has won around 85% of his matches with a 90% submission rate, and recently released his instructional "Ankle Locks Don't Work, and Other Lies" with BJJ Fanatics. Beyond the mats, David spent a decade at Google in finance and learning development before launching his own venture, MMA Fight Advisor, which uses data analytics to provide sports betting insights for UFC fights. We discuss what makes teaching such a powerful tool for improving your own jujitsu, the differences between gi and no-gi training and why both matter, and David's philosophy of thriving in chaos by finding "hidden harmonies" in scrambles. David shares his approach to building a complete BJJ game, why you should never wait for the "perfect time" to compete, and how learning to learn might be more valuable than any specific technique. We also dive into the challenges of balancing elite-level competition with a demanding career and family life, navigating autoimmune disease and health issues while still performing at the highest level, and why jumping into the deep end—whether in jujitsu or business—accelerates skill acquisition. David opens up about his "few-shot learning" approach, the importance of leading with empathy as an instructor, and how the skills developed through martial arts—problem-solving, resilience, and incremental progress—translate directly to success in business, relationships, and personal growth. Whether you're a BJJ practitioner looking to sharpen your submission game, a competitor seeking insights on performance under pressure, or someone interested in how high achievers balance multiple demanding pursuits, this conversation delivers actionable wisdom, honest insights about overcoming obstacles, and inspiration to keep showing up even when conditions aren't perfect. Find Dave Mitchell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmitch442/?hl=en Keep up to date with David and his wife, Lauren, through their link tree: https://linktr.ee/TeamChaosJiuJitsu MMA Fight Advisor YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MMAFightAdvisor MMA Fight Advisor on Instagram: nstagram.com/mmafightadvisor/ Team Chaos Jiu Jitsu YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TeamChaosJiuJitsu Team Chaos Jiu Jitsu on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@teamchaosjiujitsu Team Chaos Jiu Jitsu on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TeamChaosJiuJitsu Ankle Locks Don't Work (And Other Lies): https://bjjfanatics.com/products/ankle-locks-dont-work-and-other-lies-by-david-mitchell?srsltid=AfmBOorC7BBBoDc9LkkwKszcxou5z3iIb8oZScj5khGc8qaI-jpv1js1 Music: “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 0:55 Meet David Mitchell 3:21 David's Journey into Martial Arts 7:57 Gi vs No-Gi: The Complexity Debate 19:07 The Benefits of Teaching 25:27 Teaching as a Skill 40:13 Building Your Game: The Galaxy Analogy 44:24 The 13 Key Positions 48:16 Thriving in Chaos 54:55 Naming Positions and Understanding 1:05:36 Overcoming Challenges: Health and Career 1:14:35 Competition Mindset: There's No Perfect Time 1:17:54 Current Projects: MMA Fight Advisor & Team Chaos 1:22:13 Teaching Opportunities 1:25:43 Closing Thoughts
January 29, 2026
Professor John Will: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Evolution, Self-Defense, and Building Safety Nets | EP. 26
Description: In this episode, I sit down with Professor John Will, one of Australia's most legendary martial artists and the person who brought Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the continent. John is now a coral belt in BJJ, was the first Australian to earn a black belt in the art, and has over 45 years of teaching experience with everyone from beginners to elite military units, including the Australian Defense Forces, US Marine Corps, and FBI. We discuss what makes a truly great martial arts school, the evolution of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from a simple fighting system to a global sport, and why what gets you in the door isn't what keeps you there for decades. John shares his powerful "5% improvement" philosophy for making progress in martial arts and life, the critical importance of building safety nets before taking risks, and why learning how to learn might be more valuable than any technique. We also dive into practical self-defense concepts, including "the fence" for situational awareness and conflict prevention, the Four D's of street attacks, and why most self-defense classes miss the mark. John opens up about fear, anxiety, mental toughness, and how the skills developed on the mat—problem-solving, incremental progress, and resilience—translate directly to success in business, relationships, and personal growth. Whether you're a BJJ practitioner, martial artist from another discipline, or someone interested in personal development through physical training, this conversation delivers actionable wisdom, honest insights about the realities of combat training, and inspiration to keep showing up for the long game. Contact Links for John Will: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.b.will.7 Previous John Will Episode: https://youtu.be/ZxPifNLKTUo?si=fzFuPAmz_H7KhSTg Redcat Academy https://www.redcatacademy.com.au/ Jeff Thompson's book “Watch My Back” https://a.co/d/aWTTcp7 BJJ Essential Tactics: Volume 1 of the Dirty Dozen BJJ Curriculum (BJJ - A Dirty Dozen Curriculum) https://a.co/d/5bqB4ki BJJ - Level Up Your Game: Volume 2 of the Dirty Dozen BJJ Curriculum (BJJ - A Dirty Dozen Curriculum) https://a.co/d/00Ca5wn Sifu Douglas Wong https://www.whitelotuskungfu.com/about-masterwong.html White Lotus King Fu https://www.whitelotuskungfu.com/ Robert Strong, Comedy Magician https://www.strongentertainment.com/ Marcello Garcia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcelo_Garcia_(grappler) Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction: Building Safety Nets 0:50 - Meet John Will: BJJ Pioneer in Australia 2:26 - What Makes a Good Martial Arts School 4:33 - Why People Really Train BJJ 10:03 - The Simplicity That Hooks You 12:42 - Complexity That Keeps You There 14:50 - Self-Defense Reality Check 18:30 - The Fence: Managing Distance and Danger 20:20 - The Four D's: Dialogue, Distance, Distraction, Destruction 24:45 - Fear vs Action: When It's Real 32:35 - Understanding Fear and Anxiety 38:18 - Safety Nets in Life and Training 40:00 - Evolution of BJJ: From Fighting to Sport 44:00 - The Arms Race of Techniques 48:00 - Women in BJJ: The Sport's Growth 54:00 - Teaching People How to Learn 59:30 - The 5% Improvement Philosophy 1:02:00 - Small Steps to Big Goals 1:07:50 - Final Thoughts & Where to Find John Will Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A