The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset

Change, Initiation, and Jiu Jitsu as a Modern Mystery with Professor Jason Hawkins

The host of The Jiu Jitsu Mindset welcomes Professor Jason Hawkins, promotes the My Jiu Jitsu Journey app's new weight-loss component, and mentions Submission Coffee's wholesale program for gym owners. They discuss change as deep transformation rather than habit tweaks, framing growth as transmuting suffering into consciousness and using a marathon "pain is inevitable, suffering is optional" story plus the Yoga Sutras' "now" as a call to seriousness when ordinary coping fails. They explore initiation as guided "death, burial, resurrection," historically tied to near-death clarity, with compassion distinguishing it from abuse, and note women are "initiated by nature" while men often need imposed rites. They relate initiation to martial arts as modern mystery schools: sacred space, gi/belt symbolism, told-shown-done learning, humility, trust, and moving from technique to principle and "no habit." They cover Nietzsche's camel-lion-child, three paths (hardship, self-study, surrender), boredom as a gatekeeper, devotion vs outcome-seeking, and responsibility as the warrior ethic.

00:00 Welcome and Updates

01:08 Meet Jason Hawkins

01:50 Why People Change

03:04 Pain vs Suffering Story

03:59 Yoga Sutras and Now

06:02 Transformation Not Habits

10:02 Gross to Subtle Path

13:32 What Is Initiation Today

16:35 Near Death and Rites

21:59 Pete's Grandfather Lesson

25:57 Mysteries and Three Steps

31:27 Nietzsche Camel Lion Child

36:21 Iron John Colors and Jiu Jitsu

38:22 Pick Your Moment

38:33 No Habit Mastery

38:46 Rolling With My Son

40:33 Skill Stages Explained

42:01 Mystery School Question

45:05 Sacred Space Rituals

48:13 False Danger Real Growth

52:00 Practice Reverence Discipline

54:16 Warrior Responsibility

01:01:03 Mystery Cannot Be Told

01:04:03 Miracles And Attention

01:05:57 Boredom Gatekeeper

01:08:16 Devotion Over Discipline

01:11:50 Closing Reflections

Host Pete Deeley welcomes Coach Levi Frank to The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset, shares updates on Submission Coffee sponsoring the Momentum Martial Arts Competition Team and the ad-free My Jiu Jitsu Journey app, then explores how martial arts transformed Levi's life. Levi explains he lacked confidence before MMA/jiu-jitsu and was influenced by watching UFC, school bullying, and a difficult relationship with his older brother. He credits Professor Darian Cobon with changing his worldview and mindset, replacing false security with confidence built from training and work, helping him calm overthinking and improve daily life. Levi argues competition is necessary because it tests training and changes people mentally regardless of outcome. He recounts a memorable amateur MMA TKO against a striker, following Darian's guidance to secure mount and finish with ground-and-pound. Levi also describes the impact of teaching kids and seeing dramatic confidence and life changes in students, and jokingly adopts the nickname "Super Billy Gilly" for his love of the guillotine.

00:00 Welcome and Sponsors

01:14 Life Without Martial Arts

02:39 Bullying and Early Motivation

04:03 Coach Darian Mindset Shift

05:26 Confidence Beyond the Mats

08:55 Why Competition Matters

11:43 Most Memorable MMA Fight

14:35 Ring vs Schoolyard Violence

18:39 Teaching Kids and Raising Lions

21:21 Gym Transformations and Wins

23:54 Super Billy Gilly Name

24:39 Closing and Next Meetup

Host Pete Deeley welcomes back Professor Kenny Kim to discuss when martial arts became a lifelong path for him, starting at age four or five and realizing by high school he wanted a future in martial arts. Kim shares how training helped him overcome racism, bullying, and childhood shyness by building confidence and a desire to lead and teach, even while competing. He describes a major period of disillusionment in his late 20s/early 30s: business stress from running an academy since age 20–21, debt around $100,000, selling his academy for $100,000 to reset, briefly pursuing home inspection and then thriving as a personal trainer before returning to open a new school in 2006. Kim credits close teammates and world champions for shaping him and emphasizes humility, aging as a privilege, and giving back. He also previews Mat Made's expansion: matmade.com now hosts short stories and a large U.S. jiu-jitsu directory with 7,000+ listings and a rebooted, raw vlog-style academy-visit series.

00:00 Welcome and Sponsors

00:58 Kenny Kim Returns

01:48 Martial Arts Beginnings

03:47 Confidence Through Training

06:01 Competitor to Teacher

07:53 Burnout and Debt Spiral

11:39 Starting Over in 2006

14:53 Hustle and Self Learning

16:51 Brothers and Mentors

18:57 Legacy Humility Giving Back

21:52 Mat Made Directory Expansion

23:37 New Raw Vlog Series

25:14 Closing Thanks and Farewell

Damien Blotzke on Martial Arts as a Life Pivot, Competition, and Self-Mastery

Host Pete Deeley opens by promoting the Momentum Martial Arts competition team, joking about "submission coffee" as a performance enhancer, and announcing the ad-free My Jiu-Jitsu Journey app with a small monthly fee. He then interviews fighter Damien Blotzke, who says martial arts shaped his identity and gave him tools for learning, problem-solving, listening, and self-control. Blotzke describes being adopted by his brother Darian and moving to Nevada on short notice as a pivotal fork in the road that placed him in a strong learning environment and allowed him to pursue fighting. He cites Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings and discusses competition as mental, spiritual, and physical, emphasizing breathwork to quiet his inner critic and fight camp as preparation. He recounts memorable bouts, including his first amateur loss at 16, later success, and a five-round fight where he dominated. Deeley shares his own early competition experience and they discuss Momentum's supportive culture. Blotzke suggests the superhero name "Spike Elbow" and shares social links: dthekidmma and Momentum Martial Arts.

00:00 Welcome and Sponsors

01:24 Meet Damien Blotzke

02:18 Adoption and New Start

07:34 When Martial Arts Clicked

10:49 Musashi and Life Lessons

13:08 Competition and Inner Voice

16:56 Most Memorable Fights

20:17 Host Competition Story

24:21 Momentum Community Impact

27:43 Spike Elbow Superhero

28:52 Where to Follow Damien

29:26 Final Thanks and Wrap Up

Host Pete Deeley welcomes Professor Mo Gobena to The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset, mentions sponsorship of Momentum Martial Arts Competition Team, Subscription Coffee, and the My Jiu-Jitsu Journey app. Mo shares how martial arts evolved for him from overcoming fear as a kid in dangerous 1990s Las Vegas after his family migrated from Africa, to athletics, and now community at age 40. He describes a formative lesson from hearing the John Diggins "circus bear jiu-jitsu" story about experimenting without fear of losing, and how that mindset shaped his approach beyond wrestling and boxing. Mo argues most practitioners should compete at least once or twice for stress inoculation and self-defense readiness, and recounts memorable MMA fights, including taking a last-minute heavier opponent and winning by TKO. He explains how competing helps coaches empathize with students, and highlights watching Damien, Coach Darian's brother, fall in love with jiu-jitsu. Mo also shares his nickname "Mighty Mocifer," his stand-up comedy hobby, and upcoming shows including the Savage Henry Comedy Festival.

00:00 Welcome and Sponsors

01:25 Meet Professor Mo

02:14 Martial Arts and Fear

05:00 Growing Up in Vegas

07:37 Learning to Experiment

11:39 Journey Over Belts

14:55 Why Compete

18:45 First MMA Fight Story

24:37 Coaching Through Competition

27:24 Student Success Damien

32:13 Mocifer Nickname

35:08 Comedy and Closing