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Welcome to Episode 2 of our podcast, featuring an in-depth conversation between host David Meyer and his mentor, the legendary martial artist and instructor John Will. In this episode, John shares his extraordinary journey from being bullied as a child in Australia to becoming one of the most influential figures in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and martial arts education worldwide.

John Will recounts his early days traveling through Southeast Asia, training in diverse martial arts styles, and founding Australia’s first martial arts magazine, Blitz. He discusses his pivotal encounters with the Gracie family, the Machado brothers, and his role in bringing BJJ to Australia. The conversation dives deep into the philosophy of martial arts, the importance of attention to detail, the distinction between discomfort and injury, and how martial arts principles apply to life beyond the mat.

Whether you’re a martial artist, a coach, or someone interested in personal growth, this episode is packed with wisdom, humor, and practical insights. Don’t miss John’s reflections on teaching, building a martial arts association, and the impact of technology on learning and society.

Connect with John Will:

1. Website: https://www.bjj.com.au/
2. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.b.will.7/
3. Academy: https://www.redcatacademy.com.au/

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, like, comment, and share! Your support helps us bring more inspiring conversations to the community.

This episode was presented and directed by David Meyer, Produced by Robbie Lockie, with music by Robel Borja.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction: Meet John Will

02:23 - John’s Martial Arts Origin Story

03:49 - Early Adventures in Southeast Asia

07:11 - The Diversity of Indonesian Martial Arts

09:32 - Competition and the First World Silat Championships

12:09 - Founding Blitz Magazine & Spreading BJJ

16:40 - Meeting the Gracies and the Machado Brothers

22:09 - Bringing BJJ to Australia

25:40 - Building an Association and Teaching Philosophy

28:18 - The Power of Attention to Detail

31:05 - Life Lessons from Martial Arts

36:05 - The Role of Luck and Merit in Success

40:47 - Technology, the Internet, and the Future

46:18 - Final Reflections & How to Connect with John Will

48:30 - Outro: Subscribe and Stay Tuned

Links from the show

Don Draeger

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donn_F._Draeger

Pencak silat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pencak_silat

Blitz Magazine

https://www.facebook.com/blitzmartialarts/

“Training for Competition: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission” Grappling by Davd Meyer

https://a.co/d/531zuUz

Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A