Today we had the opportunity to speak to
Miss Beatatric Jyn. She is a top 10
IBJJF black belt. Someone who received
their black belt in six years, which is
absolutely insane. And also someone who
is pursuing compete at the highest level
in jiu-jitsu while at the same time
posting on social media on Instagram and
YouTube to be able to grow an audience
and share techniques, stories, and jokes
with everybody. So, Beatatrice is also
known for quitting her six-figure job to
pursue jiu-jitsu full-time, which I find
her story very inspirational. I hope you
guys do, too. You know, like, comment,
and subscribe. Do all that good stuff to
support your boy. Let's get started with
today's episode. Let's get it. I'm very,
very happy to to have a interview with
you, Beatric. I saw you at IBJJF Worlds.
I'm a huge uh fan of your content. I'm
I'm also like a a jiu-jitsu content
creator. So like I I started my my uh my
documentation of my jiu-jitsu as a white
belt. So it's like it's really cool to
see, you know, someone who also makes
content but has been doing it for um
believe how long have you been training
jiu-jitsu?
>> Uh I've been training for eight years. I
started uh my Instagram six years ago.
So
>> So when when did you really decide to
take the leap to start the content
creation side? Um, and just kind of just
go into that a little bit.
>> Um, I feel like I always liked creating
content. Um, even when I was a kid, like
I would draw draw comics and they would
be like five pages long, like multiple
panels um, of everything of like the
books we were reading in class like
teachers pack kind of stuff. I would
draw comics of people like like all my
classmates in various ways of them dying
when we were like trapped on an island.
I would like just imagine these
scenarios. So, I was always kind of
like, "Oh, I want to create content to
entertain people." Um, and obviously
social media wasn't like that big back
then when I was like 13 and drawing
comics. Um, but then like for jiu-jitsu,
I feel like um I I always like wanted to
say things, but I felt like I didn't
have the um what do you call it? Like
the credentials to like put things out
there. And so when I got my purple, I
was like, "Okay, like I kind of like
have a little bit of credential, you
know?" And so that's when I started my
Instagram and I felt more comfortable
like posting about my journey. And not
that like I thought like people would
necessarily care, but I felt like I at
least felt like good about like what I
started to put out. And then it just
kind of grew from there. And then I
think when I got my black belt, I
started to feel like pretty confident
about at least the reality of my
experience. And then that's kind of like
when like everything started
snowballing,
>> right? And that's something that I
thought about when I started my own
channel. I was like, I have I I don't
know what I could, you know, I'm a white
belt. I can't really teach anything. The
only thing I could really do is document
the process and kind of the evolution of
like learning along the way. I really
didn't know what I was getting myself
into when I first started training. I
just, you know, went to a gym and
started training in the ghee. Um, but I
I felt like that first day was very
special. Do you remember your first day
of um going into the gym?
>> Yeah, I do. I thought it was karate. I
had no idea what I was doing. I knew
that my friend did jiu-jitsu and all I
knew about it was that it made his back
hurt and he was like, "You're going to
like it because it causes pain." And so
I went in there, I was like, "When am I
going to learn how to do a kick?" Um, I
learned how to do a single leg on the
first day. Um, but uh I just remember
like I was in the bottom of side control
and one of my training partners who's
actually still a training partner now
eight years later, he was like sweating
on me and like wasn't wearing a shirt
and I was like this is the best workout
ever, you know? I just thought it was
like such an awesome way to exercise.
And so that that's actually what got me
in it cuz I was like, man, this is like
a hard exercise and you don't really
like even have to do much to feel like
you're getting a really good workout,
>> right? And yeah, I think that was like
the biggest thing for me because I
didn't wrestle. I just played basketball
in high school. So having like that
physical contact and like maybe I think
I remember like the first day I went
like the the guy I trained with like his
ghee kind of smelled pretty bad. And
that's kind of like the thing I I I
remember from like wow this is
interesting. But it was just uh the
thing that interested me the most was
like um hearing the podcast, hearing the
people who train jiu-jitsu. you hear
Eddie Bravo, John Danaher, you got
people like Craig Jones who just
everybody's personality is a little bit
different, but they all like doing this
one thing. Um, you do teach uh classes
as well. Is like what what have you
noticed from the different types of
personalities that you see at the gym?
>> Oh man, I just think you like never know
um like who's going to do jiu-jitsu or
like it or stick around. It definitely
has nothing to do with talent. I think
like the one maybe factor that kind of
goes into it is like the people who are
okay with being bad at something and are
like open-minded to learning. But
besides that, I like don't notice any
like other similar characteristics. We
have people who work in the military and
then you have like people who like play
the trumpet or drum drums and we've got
like people who are princesses for like
their daytime job, you know, like we
have like every type of person at our
gym. I think that's amazing and and and
cool. And um just like speaking to like
the content creation, I just want to
like um like touch on that a little bit.
Like even though you're a white belt
documenting your journey, you'll see a
lot of really good content creators who
they take advantage of the fact that
they're like not an expert at the gym,
you know, like Josh Beam, he's a purple
belt, I think, and like a green belt in
judo and he's got like I think like
upwards of half million million views on
just like doing a little judo challenge
and that kind of stuff. So, I think like
you just have to find your um find your
angle. But yeah, I think any kind of
person can do jiu-jitsu. Like I think
I'm I'm probably a very different person
than Josh and very different person from
you, but we're all like creating
content.
>> One thing that I'm very interested on is
you going uh into jiu-jitsu full-time.
You compete uh a lot and you just
recently posted a video saying that you
quit a six-f figureure job to pursue
jiu-jitsu full-time. Can we get a little
bit of the thought process getting into
that decision and uh just how you felt
making it?
>> Um, yeah, definitely. So, I I quit a six
figure job and I won't say like how much
our gym is making, but I definitely like
I I took a pay cut, but I didn't take
like a pay cut. So, it's not like I'm
like needing to drive Uber right now,
you know? Like, uh, we definitely like
did the math and um, you know, between
me and my partner, I feel like we're
like pretty stable in terms of that. So,
um it did take like our gym's been open
for um 7 years now. So, it took quite a
some time for us to both be like in the
gym full-time. Um so, that was
definitely like a slow burn and we were
both like definitely working up to that.
Um and and had been thinking about it
for a long time. Um but, uh I just felt
like
there's so many things that go into it.
Um I
where to where to start? Um I will just
say like I had a really good job. Like I
really enjoyed um like coding. I had a
good team. I had like a good manager. Um
I learned a lot about like managing
teams and like all that stuff. But it
was a corporate job. Like you like go
into the office and then you like walk
past a bunch of like fake trees and then
you go into a cubicle and you have two
screens and then you code and you go to
meetings and then you like
>> uh I don't I don't watch TV at all.
>> Oh, really? Okay.
>> I have no hobbies outside jiu-jitsu.
I'm like just starting to have hobbies
like this year, but yeah, I I haven't
watched that at all. But yeah, it was a
very corporate job. So, um it's hard to
I feel like have like a like a personal
like real like passion project in a
corporate job and um there's just like
obviously all the other things that come
with it, right? Like meetings and like
you have to like talk to these people
and then like you have to manage your
the team dynamics and that kind of
stuff. And um I just like there's none
of that in a jiu-jitsu gym. Like
obviously there's like business parts of
the jiu-jitsu gym, but I think the most
important thing was I just wanted to
choose what I was doing every day and I
didn't like that on a team um with a
manager that I didn't get to choose, you
know. And so I think even though like
running a jiu-jitsu gym is like quite
hard and there's a lot of like new
business skills that I like never
thought about ever and like was just
starting to learn about this year even.
Um it was uh like I know that because I
chose it then like I'm I'm willing and
happy to like be challenged.
>> Right. What are what are some things
that come to mind that you know you did
have to learn as you know opening a a
school?
>> Um well the biggest thing for me like
that was a big shift that I didn't want
to do and had to do was uh expand our
kids program. Like I I do not know how
to work with like I didn't know how to
work with kids. I was scared of them. I
didn't want them to talk to me. I was
like, "What are they going to say?"
Like, "How do I respond? Like, do I like
lower my do I like have to like kneel
next to them to like meet them at eye
level?" Like, I didn't know, you know?
And so, I studied um a lot about
actually like teaching kids. Um I um
joined like communities that talked
about like grappling games that were
good for kids. Um I like and I just like
I just like went in there and worked
with kids like five days a week. And so
now I feel like it's a lot better. And
really it's just about like it's just
like an adults class kind of like where
you have to develop a relationship where
they trust you and then you can teach
them and it'll be and they won't like
you know run us run in a circle when you
tell them to sit down. Um so that that
was probably like the biggest thing. Um
but yeah otherwise in terms of like
business is just like you know like how
do you make a sale and then like how do
you call somebody? How do you like, you
know, what's the best way to talk for to
a beginner about jiu-jitsu? Like all of
those things we kind of just winged it
for a long time and I feel like no, it's
a little bit more like systematic.
>> What do you feel like kids do better
than adults in jiu-jitsu? Like what do
you what do you learn from the kids?
>> Oh, it's they have no fear, right? Like
it's like when you watch kids do judo,
they they will do a 360 in the air, no
problem. And they'll do a handstand,
they'll fall straight on their neck.
They have no problem getting right back
up. And I feel like um a lot of times um
adults are just as capable but they like
hold themselves back a lot more.
>> I definitely noticed that in my own
training especially with standup and
judo. I just think of the possibilities
like yo I could just get thrown on my
neck and it's happened before and I'm
like yeah this is there's a added layer
especially with competition. That's why
I feel like your content is so good
because you compete at the highest level
and also you train with kids so you get
to have the the aspect and range of all
different types of like consciousness if
that makes sense because you know
competition is very aggressive high pace
but you also could be chill and I feel
like your your jokes um they kind of
land the same way like the the way that
you you uh have a good layer. When I was
talking to you I was like I really enjoy
your content because it it really gets
to all the levels of competition. Is
that something that you've done
intentionally or is that just you
naturally?
>> Um, I I don't like
necessarily try to reach all types of
audiences, but uh one thing I do try to
do is like keep the content clean. Um,
like I watch a lot of standup comedy.
Um, not that I try to be like late night
at all, but I do feel like I have like
kind of a sense on like what humor is
when you're like performing it. And so,
um, I just noticed like the jokes that I
thought that were the best ones were the
ones that were like told as a story. Um,
and there weren't like cheap jokes about
like whatever like with profanity or
with sex or like stuff like that, you
know? I felt like the ones that I
thought were like brilliant and that
like I remembered were uh either like
they there was like a buildup or like it
was just really smart. And so that's
what I tried to do. Um, and then yeah,
and then I had people who would like
approach me and they were like, I show
your reals to my like 5-year-old kids
and they love you. And I'm like, "What
do you mean?" Like, "How do like they
don't know about leg locks, so why why
are you showing it to them?" But, uh,
yeah, like I think it's it's a great
side effect, but I think yeah, my goal
was just to be more smart than like
profane, I guess. And that just like
worked out for me,
>> right? And what have you learned uh from
the content creation side? Like um do
you feel like it has um helped you in a
way with your jiu-jitsu and performing?
>> Oh, no. It does not help me with my
jiu-jitsu at all. I probably probably at
this point, especially because like I've
like grown so much in like social media.
I feel like I probably have taken away
probably an hour or two that I could
have spent studying jiu-jitsu instead.
Um, but what I've learned about social
media, um, is like especially with
YouTube specifically, I know that like
you need to provide value and if you
don't provide value, the YouTube just
doesn't care about you and other people
won't care about you. Um, I think that's
less true on Instagram and Tik Tok where
like sometimes if you follow a trend,
you'll still go viral. Um, but I felt in
general when I tried to follow trends,
it like always flopped because I felt
like the performance or like whatever I
was doing was not authentic and people
could like tell even if you I like tried
really hard. So I try um I usually don't
follow trends. almost all of my like
reals are like original ideas. Um or
like maybe some an idea that I got from
somewhere but like the execution is like
never according to a trend cuz I just
feel like I don't know I see a lot of
trends with like millions of views but
they're not like super high value and um
so I try I try not to like hop on them.
Um and also trends die you know and I
think like as long as I know like how to
keep up coming with ideas then like I
can just keep going.
>> Yeah. Uh we could get into that just
like your idea process. I really enjoy
your your white belt or white board
white belt uh white board videos uh that
you make. Um what what kind of uh
inspires you like in the moment to be
like oh that's a good idea because I
feel like you've had a few where like
you know belts don't matter or if like
to know if you're good at jiu-jitsu and
stuff like that like what do these just
ideas come to your mind or there there
are things that you've thought about
throughout the process of training? I've
tried to have a process, but I honest to
God, they just like land in my brain
sometimes. Um, it helps a lot when I'm
like taking walks. I feel like
>> there's a study on this scientifically
where like if you're in a place with
high ceilings, you're like more creative
and if you move like you're more
creative. Um, so like this bedroom, I
would not come up with a with a real
here. I would have to like go outside
where the sky is like higher or like you
should like go to a church and like look
at the ceiling or something. Um, but uh,
yeah. Yeah, honestly, most of them just
come to me. Sometimes people give me
suggestions. I would say like half of
them are good and half of them are like
I'm like, "No, that's that's not going
to work. You don't have an eye for
this." Um, but uh, yeah. Uh, I yeah, I
wish I had a a better like way to to um
like come up with them. Like I don't
have like if I had a system I would have
posted a real like every maybe like once
a week or twice a week but like it's
probably been like two or three weeks
since I've had an original idea on my
brain and so so I just haven't posted
and so um yeah if I come up with the
process I would happily share it with
anybody cuz it's not like they can steal
like you know like steal that. So
>> um
>> that's what I enjoy like a lot about
jiu-jitsu is that people are willing to
share the techniques. They'll make,
yeah, they'll make instructionals, you
can make money, but they're giving them
out to everyone who's willing to buy
them. And I've never really seen a
discipline or a sport where they're
like, "Yo, use these moves and you
could, you know, beat me." Like, if if
you're able to execute them well or even
better. Um, it just feels like it's like
a open source type of thing. Um, is that
something that you've noticed? um as
well.
>> I don't think the thought process though
is that they think that if you practice
them well enough that they can beat you.
Like I feel like
>> to be honest, I I mean I watch I do
watch some instructionals, but I also
watch matches, but I feel like in
general like the average instructional
doesn't teach you enough about the
context of the move or like the position
that you could like legitimately take it
to a high level. And I think like what
actually will take you to the high level
is sparring in that position and then
being able to like teaching your brain
to make the the decision fast enough to
do like the various techniques that are
shown in the instructional and that
takes like hours and hours of
intentional work. And a lot of gyms
classes are not even set up in a way
that you could intentionally practice it
like that. You know, like I can
structure my own training because like I
have training partners that I can meet
up with oneonone. we'll just do 10 six
minute rounds on whatever we want to
work on. But most gym classes are not
like that. Even if you're an ecological
like in an ecological gym, like they
wouldn't like give you the freedom
necessarily to like work on one position
that you want to work on, you know? So,
I just feel like um yeah, like what it
takes to actually go from learning
something from an instructional to going
to a high level is uh yeah, quite a lot
of labor. And so um I think people are
happy to share because um not because it
necessarily gives them a competitive
advantage, but it's like it's also like
very easy to share, you know, and um you
can it it's like a good catalyst, but
it's not necessarily the thing that's
going to take you to the next level.
>> And while while you're training, what uh
or throughout your own journey, what do
you feel like it helped you the most? Uh
being being able to start to compete at
a very high level? I know you posted a
few matches of you at white belt and
just like the process of of learning
like what what do you feel like helped
you the most?
>> Uh well, one is definitely competing a
lot. I think um especially in the DC
region like now the jiu-jitsu here is
like very good. I think there's like a
lot of highle grapplers in this area.
Um, but even a couple years ago, I felt
like it's hard to know where you are
unless you compete like like have like
honest reflection of where you are, you
know, cuz you know there's not like 20
purple belt girls that I can like put
myself statistically among, you know,
and but uh if I competed then I kind of
kind of knew where I was, you know, and
so I just like competed every month and
and that always helped me like place
like approximately where my level was
and so I felt like more and more
comfortable doing like higher level
tournaments.
and uh eventually entering black belt.
Um but in terms of training, I think
it's just it's mostly just intentional
training. Like I structure almost all of
my training myself. Um and I also
structure like the curriculum of almost
all of our jiu-jitsu classes. Like I So
yeah, everything's pretty much like
according to what I'm like what I want
to work on. So, um, some like, you know,
sometimes like it it'll speak to
Well, that's not true. Yeah, pretty much
what I'm working on is also like
relevant to almost everyone else in the
gym because it's like things that would
work in competition also.
>> Um, so it's not it's not like I'm
teaching everyone inversions. Like I
don't usually teach Barolo ever. Um, so
I won't do that. But besides that, like
working and double sleeve and passing
and headquarters, crazy dog, like all
those things, those things will apply to
everyone. So, I have like no trouble
like setting a curriculum for um like
the entire class at the gym.
>> Do you have any recommendations for
other people who don't really have like
a structured um way of training? You
know, say if you they just like to spar
or if it's just technique. Do you feel
like you have any tips when it comes to
that?
>> Um I I think it's going to be harder
because every time you spar, you go
through too many you go through too many
um scenarios. So, it's hard to like
specifically work on something, right?
the more specific you are, the uh more
like deep knowledge you're going to have
than your opponent. And then when you're
in that position, then you're going to
be better than your opponent. Okay? And
and vice versa. So I think I think every
single highle person that I know um
nowadays definitely does positional
sparring. So if if nothing else, like
you can ask your partners to do
positional sparring with you instead of
full sparring. Um I think I do way more
positional sparring than full sparring
um right now. If you have the choice to
do so, I think you should.
>> Mhm.
>> Um
>> I was going to ask I was going to ask if
you have like an example of what a
positional sparring round uh looks like
with any kind of technique.
>> Oh yeah. Okay. So yeah, the the most uh
like broad one would just be passing and
guard. So like if someone passes your
go, you just reset. So you don't worry
about like defending side control or the
back or mount. Um you just you just
reset because the goal is to get better
at passing or the sweep, right? Mh.
>> Um,
>> and then like it can be more specific.
So like you could connect, you could do
uh one about connections, which is kind
of like an ecological thing too, right?
Where they're like if you get both hands
and both feet on your partner, then you
win. Um, if from the bottom because that
means you've connected to a really good
guard, especially in the ghee, if you
have if you have two hands and two feet
on them, they're probably tied up,
right? Um, and then the person on top,
their goal would be to pass without
being connected to. Um, and then like it
it can get more specific like you know
from Xgard like if you can get your
partner's hand to the mat or their hips
to the mat then you know you win that
offbalancing battle and then the person
has to stand back up. Usually I don't
get that specific. I don't feel like I
like really need to. But um
>> yeah it's like stuff like that.
>> Yeah. And where do these like ideas come
from? Are they coming from just
different type of instructors? I hear
all these different types of games. I'm
like, who like this is pretty cool that
there's a lot of like restrictions, but
I'm like thinking of like when when did
this first like start? Like
>> we've always done them at our gym. Um so
I I guess that that's I always thought
that they were valuable for that for
that reason. But I just think like if
you think about it logically, right?
Like the the part of the match that you
have that like you need to control is
the beginning of the match because by
the time someone has scored on you,
you're already behind and then like your
entire match is now like being led by
the other person and you're forced to
like follow their game and try to
counter it and try to like get something
back.
>> And so like if you're going to focus on
the beginning of the game, what is that?
It's takedowns, guard passing, and guard
play,
>> right? So that that's why all of our
games generally center around like the
guard.
>> And then like uh in terms of like what
guards you play and what guards you get
better at. I think that's like pretty
personal. Um and so like you know
probably for like six months I focused
on just like inside guards, Xguard, uh
single legax, you know, butterfly and
then now I'm like you know working a
little bit more on double sleeve guards.
So you know spider lasso that kind of
stuff. Um, but that that stuff comes
when you uh you know work in sparring
and compete a lot and find that you know
man you're I'm just getting crushed
here. I should have used like some some
different mechanism of control.
But uh yeah, that's that's kind of like
the cycle of how I've decided.
>> Yeah. And speaking of like uh say like
the psychological aspect of being down
um in a match like what do you feel like
has helped you with all the competition
experience you've had of being like um
trying to fight through that adversity
like especially if you're in side
control or if you're mounted like what
are some things that you kind of tell
yourself or kind of just are aiming for
in those t types of positions?
>> Oh when I'm like behind um
you I really don't want to be in those
positions. Um well so I've actually like
I've won a lot of matches um this is not
good but like I've won a lot of matches
at black belt uh by leg locking my
opponent and from both bottom and top
position and so I kind of think of it as
like you know especially if you're only
like two points behind um I try to think
of like okay like there's always two
options right and if they defend the
sweep then you have the leg lock and if
they defend the leg lock you have the
sweep generally right so uh I just like
try to play between those two. Um, but
if I'm like really behind, sometimes you
just have to like I mean like one thing
that you have to think about is like you
have at that point really nothing to
lose because you're losing, you know? So
like uh like you might as well, you
know, excuse my French, like go balls to
wall and just, you know, try your best.
And uh of course like you know
especially when you're going with
someone who's close to your level
especially at black belt they're
probably not going to let you like go
crazy but you still got to like try your
best cuz really like you have nothing to
lose. So you like at that point probably
like you know looking to take a risk or
uh do something a little bit crazy that
I wouldn't normally do at the gym. But
uh you know that's like kind of like
that's kind of what the circumstances
have dictated you.
>> Mhm. And for your competitions you
compete. Uh I I try to look it up. Seems
like you had over 300 matches or
probably even more. Um, but what what
has helped you getting mentally prepared
for um, you know, going out to a
competition and um, going out to
compete?
>> It kind of depends on the competition.
Um, I used to do a lot of local
tournaments throughout purple and brown
belt and I'm really glad I did. I I
actually wish I could do more black
belt. It's just like there's not that
many black belts um in the area who like
we don't want to compete against each
other because we're like all friends and
we already train together. But um uh
yeah, I did a lot of locals and for
pretty much every local tournament and
open tournament like in IBJJF I kind of
tried to approach it as like this is
just practice. Um this is practice for
like the big thing, right? So, um I
think for a lot of people they get like
a big adrenaline dump. Um and like that
whole week or two weeks leading up to
the tournament, they like feel really
like horrible and they're like thinking
about their opponent and all that stuff.
Um and I try to uh treat like opens and
local tournaments as just like another
day of practice. Um of course I'm going
to like go harder and I'll probably rest
on Friday a little bit more than usual,
but in general try to keep everything
the same. Um, otherwise it's just too
much, especially if you compete like
that often. Um, but then for the major
tournaments, that's when I feel like um,
I'd really try to like mentally like
buckle down. I try to like have a good
diet. I try to like, you know, like live
live like an athlete actually would
live. And then I feel like I'll be a
little bit more like mentally zoned in,
you know? Um, I'm usually against weight
cuts, but I actually kind of like the
fact that a weight cut makes you dial in
a little bit. It's like, okay, like I'm
starving and because I like have a
reason to starve, you know, like I have
to I have to perform on this day.
>> I've noticed that a lot of uh I try to
do interviews with uh MMA fighters and
you know, they once they cut down, you
know, quite a few quite a few pounds,
they mentally lock into like a different
type of person, I would say, which I
feel like is kind of like a, you know,
it helps with being uh competitive and
being able to show that you're you're
you're capable of doing that. And um a
question I had for you was like, did you
enjoy competing right away? I've I've
only competed a few times and every time
I'm like I get super nervous. Once I get
out there I feel like I'm not myself. Um
did you feel like that when you first uh
started competing?
>> I still feel like that sometimes. I um
so I think that's Yeah, I I get like I
remember I did a grappling industries
last December um and I knew my opponent.
We were friends. I knew like exactly
what to expect even and I just felt like
I was going to like throw up that day um
when in the morning of. So I don't think
it goes away if you care about it. Like
you just cuz you know when you compete
you like try to put the best of yourself
out there, right? So you want to like
represent yourself and sometimes your
gym and you know the the best possible.
So you just really don't want to mess
up. So I think it's normal to be
nervous. I think it's like healthy to be
nervous. Um uh sorry, what was your
original question?
>> Just uh if you enjoyed competing at
>> Oh yeah. No, no, I don't I don't enjoy
competing. I don't I I've very rarely
been to a tournament that I enjoyed
competing at until like I literally got
my gold medal and I was like, "Oh, that
was good." Cuz winning is fun, you know?
Like winning is definitely super fun. Um
can't can't deny that.
>> Um
>> but uh I think like for me, especially
because like I want to like be like the
best athlete I can be, I feel like it
doesn't matter that it's not fun. I feel
like also like I just need to put myself
in challenging situations and so if it's
going to be a challenge then I need to
go through it you know and um some
people some athletes and you know myself
included well that like can be become
toxic because you're like man like this
is so hard but I have to do it when like
technically you don't have to do it
because you still chose to do it.
>> Um but I think it's important to like
choose to challenge myself. So um when
it's not fun I you know I usually tell
myself that it's okay that it's not fun.
It's like, you know, you're going to do
something really hard. You prepared for
a long time and you're really tired. So,
like, usually in those circumstances, no
one would be having fun except
everyone's telling you you're supposed
to have fun because you're competing.
You get to do this and it's a privilege.
And so, um, yeah, I think like I like
competing, but I don't think I
necessarily enjoy it all the time. Um,
especially if I don't win. And, uh, but
I I think it's really important, so I
I'm I'm not going to stop competing.
For people who don't train, what what do
you feel like jiu-jitsu offers to you
that nothing else has? I think you you
mentioned on some other podcasts that
you you did like bad bitten before you
started jiu-jitsu. Like what do you feel
like jiu-jitsu offers um that other
things don't for you specifically?
Um, well, I think I think a lot of
people experience this too, but like
jiu-jitsu is like one of those sports
where you feel like you can just go
100%. And just leave it all out there
and then after the hour you're just like
a puddle of a person. And that's like a
very gratifying feeling. And I I feel
like it's very hard to get that from
like running or lifting weights unless
you're
like at least sustainably, right? Like
when I like maxed out my deadlift, I
felt the same way. But then like you can
only max out your deadlift like I don't
know for me like probably like twice a
year. So but in jiu-jitsu you can feel
like a puddle every single day. And so I
think that's a great thing about
jiu-jitsu. Um and then the other thing
is just I feel like a lot of other
sports generally in my experience the
demographics of like the groups of
people who play together are the same,
right? Like if you're like at a soccer
league, they're like all 20-year-olds or
like you play bon. It's all Asian uncles
and then like you know five Asian girls
and then it's it's like you know kind of
the same demographic.
>> Yeah.
>> And
>> in jiu-jitsu it's like like one of every
person from every walk of life from like
every decade of life. And so I think
that's also very valuable. Like I'm so
glad I have I always had friends from
jiu-jitsu who are 10 or 20 years older
than me cuz I like learn so much from
them about like life and like retirement
accounts and you know like all that kind
of stuff. And um I'm also glad I have
friends who are like 5 10 years younger
than me too cuz then you know you get to
like see oh like that's what I was like
when I was like 25 or 20. Like I kind of
understand like why they're acting that
way or like think that way. So, I think
that's like a very beautiful part of
jiu-jitsu that I think also everyone
likes to uh has enjoyed experiencing.
>> Definitely. And that's something I've
noticed even, you know, interviewing um
you know, athletes, it seems like I I am
able to learn from all different types
of walks of life. And with you
competing, do you or with you posting on
social media and competing at the same
time? Do you feel like maybe you could
have started earlier?
>> Like started jiu-jitsu earlier
>> like with the social media and uh not
necessarily jiu-jitsu but kind of
posting your content.
>> Yeah. No, no, no, no. I was really
cringe. I cringe at things that I made
like a year ago. So I can't imagine like
looking at reals that I would have made
when I was a white or blue belt. Um I
feel like uh yeah. Yeah. I mean, well, I
think that's a good thing because like,
you know, if you look back on yourself
and you don't cringe, then maybe you
haven't grown. So, that's, you know, so
whatever myself or else
cringy all the time, you know.
>> Yeah. But, you know, I think as a white
belt and blue belt, like I was still
like making stuff, but it wasn't like
online content, you know? I was like
drawing a lot. Um, like my my previous
like corporate job, like I was doing
data viz, so like we were we were making
content. It wasn't about jiu-jitsu, but
it was like it was about politics and
elections. So, like I was always making
stuff. I didn't feel like I didn't like
uh scratch that itch, you know? Again,
like I think like around broad and black
was really when I feel like I had enough
like perspective that I knew if
something was funny or not. Also, um and
so I didn't have too many things that I
thought were like flops or like things
that like if I went back to them, I
wouldn't delete them off of my feed now
because I I still feel like they were
like they're they're all right, you
know?
>> Right. And growing up, did you have any
like inspirations to, you know, I I feel
like you've mentioned Alyssa Lou, um,
you know, being free and being
expressive and even competing at the
highest level. Like, do you have um what
were your inspirations? Um, like growing
up?
>> Um,
>> Lisa's a little more recent, but
>> yeah, Lisa's recent, but she's she's a
big inspiration. I just remember like,
oh, we'll talk about Alisa first. Okay.
So there's like a real of Alisa like
giving a bunch of interviews and then
like one of the comments said it was
just like this is a healed person and it
was like oh yeah like that's definitely
true you know like this person has you
know gone through you know I can't speak
for her but it seems like you know quite
a bit of trauma and uh she came out
performing her best and enjoying
something that she really loved and
that's like something that we all really
hope to do as competitors and you know
like you said like sometimes you go on
competition mats and you don't feel like
yourself you don't feel like you got
express yourself and she has clearly
like expressed herself. So I think that
was very inspirational. Um
>> but yeah, so before jiu-jitsu um I just
remember like three months before
jiu-jitsu it was also ice skating
actually weirdly enough and I was
watching the winter Olympics. It was
like two um
>> two uh siblings, a do uh not daughter,
my goodness, a sister and a brother. Um
they're
>> uh they were the Shutanis. And honestly,
it was like it was partly honest to God
because representation matters. I was
like, they're Asian. They've got big
cheeks and they're athletes and they're
representing the US and they're like
doing amazing and they're having a great
time and they're so positive and uh I
that's when I was like, I should like
start ice skating. And I was 22 at the
time, so obviously like, you know, it
wouldn't have been like at a high level,
but um because I was looking for ice
skating, I ended up at jiu-jitsu, which
was across the door. So that was in one
way an inspiration and I I still follow
the shiputonis now. I just think they're
like there's like really positive
athletes and I feel like we just need
like positive people. Um cuz you know
like Instagram is a little bit of a
susp.
Um
>> but like yeah in terms of comedians I
watch a lot of late night. I watch like
like Late Night every single day. Um in
college I just remember like you know
whenever I was really sad I would like
get a snack and I would just watch Late
Light until I fell asleep. Um, so like
you know like Steven Coar, Trevor Noah.
Um, those are probably like my main two
favorites. I watched every single
episode from like the past 10 years
probably. Um, on YouTube.
>> Do you have a favorite?
>> Favorite episode of Late Night?
>> Yeah.
>> Oh, no. I don't know. I mean, like, they
just comment on the news, so it's hard
to um think of like one day. There was a
couple like specials that Trevor Noah
did like in terms of standup um where he
did like imitations of people and I
thought that was really funny. He has
like a good Barack Obama imitation.
Um yeah, I watched a lot of standup as
well like you know like I mentioned. Um
so yeah, comedians were like always
people I also looked up to. I thought it
was really cool that like they turned
like, you know, very normal
like life interactions into such an
amazing story that like, you know, made
you feel good. So, um yeah, that's
probably where the humor stuff comes
from, too.
>> Right. And you you started jiu-jitsu um
after college, correct? You were in your
20s.
>> Yeah, I was 22 and I'm 30 now.
>> 22. So, do you feel like that was the
right age for you to start jiu-jitsu? I
started at 23. So, it's it's cool that
um that you started later because a lot
of people are competing since they're
five years old and it's like maybe you
feel like they're too old. I get
comments sometimes it's like I'm 30. Is
it too late for for for me to start
jiu-jitsu? Like what what would you say
to those types of uh of people out
there?
>> Yeah. Like for me, like I thought about
if I started jiu-jitsu earlier, I don't
think I would have stuck to it. Like I
was
quite a troubled and depressed college
kid. Um everything I did I quit. um
besides Babmon and that was only because
like my you know I had friends there and
so um yeah I think like jiu-jitsu finds
you at the time that like you're ready
to accept it into your life. It's like
it's not an easy sport. You can't just
like go once a month, you know, like you
have to like it requires a certain
commitment and like you're going to get
beat up a little bit. You're going to
get injured a little bit, you know.
Also, you might not be a world champion,
you know. Um, I might not be a world
champion, but uh, like jiu-jitsu will
still change your life as as long as you
let it and you're like ready for it. So,
yeah, I don't think there's like a right
time to start it. I have, you know, my
gym has a jiu-jitsu over 55 program. So,
we have people, you know, up to their
70s doing jiu-jitsu and starting
jiu-jitsu. So, like I they can do it. I
think anyone can do it,
>> right? And you also run a women's only
open mat. like um I know the jiu-jitsu
space has been very problematic as of
late. Is there any like uh advice that
you have when it comes to women who are
kind of interested in to train jiu-jitsu
or is there like a uh I wouldn't say
necessarily say right way to go about it
but ways that have helped you and you
know your your school?
>> Um I guess that's kind of like two
different questions. I think for women
in general who are starting jiu-jitsu,
um it's obviously really important to
find a gym with women. I think like just
in terms of training quality, um like as
much as a man can be like nice and uh
like not crush someone and be a good
training partner, they still cannot be a
woman's body and a woman's body still
moves differently. So, um, you know, if
you can do if you do jiu-jitsu for
exercise, I actually think if you're in
a healthy gym with only men, that's
fine. But if you want to compete and you
want to like see where you are, you
know, for your demographic, and I think
you should probably train with women.
Um, and uh, I think uh, it's really easy
sometimes for you'll see this across a
few gyms and if you go on Reddit, you'll
definitely see this stuff happen
sometimes, but there'll be times when
like because there's so few women, they
tend to like maybe even subconsciously
compete with each other and feel like
one person is like, you know, less good
or uh, you know, like the queen or like
whatever like you know, there would be a
comparison between the two and you know,
the the roles will get kind of like even
to the point of unsafe where they're
trying to like go too hard. And I would
just say to those people that like, you
know, like girlhood is truly healing.
And I know I'm talking about this on a
podcast with a man, but you know, for
the women who are listening to this, you
know, girlhood is one of the most
healing things in the world. And I think
that if you can make like a genuine
friendship with women who are going to
train with you for a long time, it's
like
there's just like so few things in the
world that are like that to be supported
by someone who like really understands
you and understands your body. And so um
yeah, try to find a community where
there is girlhood. Um okay, what was the
second part of the question? That is a
good question because I kind of got into
you answering, but I think it was more
of just along the lines of like uh No, I
think you answered kind of what I was
what I was wondering about just how how
women train. Uh it seems like women have
like the time of their lives when
they're training with each other.
They're like high-fiving after their
roles and you know just smiling,
giggling. Guys were just like I don't
know just exhausted and freaking it's
sometimes it's really intense. So, it's
that's what I was really curious about
just because, you know, um you do have
like a women's only open mat and you
know, you're able to experience these
things um you know, firsthand and being
able to uh teach and uh yeah, that was
just something I was really curious
about. And uh a question that I also
wanted to know is just like what where
do you feel like um the jiu-jitsu space
can head when it comes to like content
creation side? like I was introduced to
jiu-jitsu like through like B team and
seeing all the roles and stuff, but um
it feels like you have been starting to
post um consistently on YouTube. Like
what do you feel like you could offer to
the space that you really haven't seen
um from other creators?
>> Man, I'm I I'm trying to figure that out
myself because if I knew it, I would I
would post it, you know? Like I feel
like I like think about jiu-jitsu a lot
and I feel like there's I feel like
almost all the jiu-jitsu content is
about technique or match breakdown which
is perfectly valid but it's very very
saturated and I don't really feel like
um
I don't feel like we're like lacking in
it at all. Like there's not like a
missing space in terms of like people
explaining technique. You know there
might be a little bit of space of people
like explaining context of technique.
Um, but yeah, I think like there's quite
a few people who are doing it well and
so um I don't know like that's why
you'll see like a lot of my videos were
like more kind of like conceptual. I did
one recently about a rules breakdown
about turtle which
>> is not a guard
>> surprisingly viral on Instagram. I'm
like why are you like you cannot be
learning the IBJJF rules which are like
it's like a 40page document. You can't
be learning it on Instagram reels. But
I'm glad that they're learning it from
me if if not anybody else.
>> Um
>> but yeah, I don't Oh, I'm I'm I'm trying
to find it. I'm hon like you know
something I noticed and one of the
reasons why I started YouTube was like
there's not that many female creators
period, let alone like female black belt
creators. Um especially long form. And
so, uh that's also the reason I was
like, "Oh, I should just do it, you
know. Um there's really nothing to to
lose there and no one to compete
against." Um so,
uh yeah, I don't know. I I I guess like
people have asked me a lot about the
rules. People have asked me about like
lifting and like life, like balancing
life and like the same things that like
we talk about on the podcast, right?
Like quitting my job. Um like how to
progress as quickly as possible. So like
those kind of things I feel like like on
a conceptual level like maybe could be
talked about a little bit more cuz
conceptually probably it's just like BJ
mental models really who like taking
over that space right now.
>> For sure. I really enjoy their content
too. And then, you know, um that's
something that I think about all the
time when it comes to videos and ideas
and what type of I try to think of like
what videos I would watch, you know, um
trying to switch things up. And
sometimes creatively, I'll run into
these blocks of not really knowing what
to do. But, um you know, talking to you
guys has helped me at least, you know,
be open-minded and when it comes to
those types of ideas. Um one, uh
something I I wanted to talk to you
about was um you know, since you're a
top 10 IBJ of black belt is like, do
belts matter? I know you've you've made
videos on it before, but what are your
thoughts um on belts? Do you feel like
they're I I've heard Craig Jones talking
about it's like it's like a a marketing
scam, and I've heard all different types
of ideas, but what do you feel like
belts uh represent in jiu-jitsu?
>> Well, I do want to point out the quote
that Craig Jones had. I think he also
caveat it with like even if it's a
marketing scam, it does keep people in
the sport for a long time. And like
ultimately that's like a good thing
because then you have more people doing
the sport because like they really want
a black belt or like whatever the next
belt is.
>> So I am pro belt as a gym owner. I am
pro belts for that reason as well.
>> Um but I think I really enjoyed getting
all five of my belts and because like I
felt like each of them like truly
defined like a stage in my adult life
and my jiu-jitsu career. like I could
like pretty like clearly tell you what
was going on in like blue, purple, brown
belt, like emotionally and like
technically and competition wise. And
so, um, I like that it's delineated that
way, especially because jiu-jitsu is
such a long journey that like going from
white to black in like let's say 8 to 10
years. That's just a long time to be a
white belt, you know? Um, and it could
like easily blur together if there
weren't if there wasn't something to
like to chop it up. Um, so that's that's
why I kind of like belts, but
statistically when we look at belts in
competition, um, there like you'll see
that belts matter like a lot less. And
that's why you'll like also see in like
NOI tournaments where they combine the
belts like purple belts and brown belts
are beating black belts all the time,
you know? Um, so I think it's in people
don't usually talk about it. I don't
know why. I feel like they should just
be like, I have a purple belt. I just
like beat two black belts at ADCC. Like
I would I would say that if I was a
purple belt,
>> but um yeah, like I remember I made a
black belt one a couple black belts when
I was a purple belt as well. Um and my
coach I remember he told me he was like
oh like you know don't post about it and
like don't say that they're black belts
because you should like respect them
because you know they contributed to the
sport and you can't just be like ah
triangle them or whatever.
>> Um so I didn't I didn't really talk
about it that much either. Um but yeah
anyway in terms of competition data
there are a lot of purple belts and
brown belts even some blue belts who are
rated higher than black belts um based
on this like big IBJGF match database.
So there are a lot of like elite uh
athletes especially in the men's side
because there's like so many matches
happening that you'll see like there are
absolutely blue belts who will like
could go to a black belt open tournament
and like demolish um the adults there.
So in that sense like as the belt as a
marker of skill probably like a little
bit less so than we all would like to
imagine. Right.
>> So since you said that you could
remember kind of the stages of your belt
or career. What what about blue belt?
Cuz that's kind of the belt I'm at right
now. What were some of the issues or
things that you felt like hindered your
progress um in that stage of of
training?
I was very emotional at Blue Bell and I
think like what kept me um well like
what I struggled with a lot was like the
concept of not using strength or like
using strength um because especially
then I didn't have a lot of uh female
training partners and so I would go
against guys and you know like I would
lose against a white belt guy because
for whatever reason they could have been
just better and also they could have
been stronger like I I don't know but I
remember like crying and I was like I
was like oh like I should have just like
work on my my uh bench press cuz if I
could bench press 145 lbs then like I
wouldn't have been like stuck there. And
I remember my coach like constantly
telling me he was like that is not
what's going to scale your jiu-jitsu.
Like you should focus on technique like
that is going to make you like 10 times
better, 100 times better sometimes
overnight, you know, like if you learn
like the right thing. Um and uh
uh like your strength is going to have a
cap, right? like I haven't benched over
145 for like probably like years. I'm
like going to be stuck there forever
perhaps. So I don't know. Um I Yeah. So
that that that was a big thing. It was
like okay like never try to force a win.
Like always use technique. Always use
technique. And of course like you know
you use like some some amount of
strength but like always taking the path
of least resistance that is going to
help you accomplish the same goal was
like something that like I was really
like struggling to figure out in blue. I
really wanted to like just power through
things
>> and like lift. Yeah.
>> Right.
>> Right. And I hear that all the time
where it's just like use technique, be
more technical, don't rely on the
strength. But what does that necessarily
look like? What does that like? Say if
you had like a like if you're you're in
a role right now, like how would you
necessarily say that something is uh
technique based rather than kind of like
uh strength?
>> Yeah. I think well there's a couple
things but like uh one thing that I do
when I roll with someone of like a lower
lower level like a very clear lower
level is I try to do things using as
little like effort as possible. Um not
like in a disrespectful way just like
okay like if I have to like force this
frame and like collapse it in this way
and it takes me like 10 calories of
energy to like push through it then like
I'm not going to do it. I want to try to
like make an angle you know. um one of
the like you know I'll probably never be
like this but like you know Hafame
Mendes when you watch him roll it looks
he's just moving you know he's I'm sure
he has pressure but he's just moving
he's like finding the space and he's
like going there and so that's something
that I try to think about when um I'm
like focusing on being technical and of
course like pressure is also technical
but um I think it's easy to mix up
pressure and strength for a lot of
people and I'm also trying to figure
that out myself.
>> The the question I was going to ask you
was like uh ego in training and kind of
like catching or did you find yourself
uh trying to prove yourself uh uh in
your early stages of your career and
kind of like the balance it takes
between being competitive and you maybe
using your ego in the training room?
Like what what have you noticed?
>> Um I remember asking my coach this like
um especially when I was going against
like white belts as a blue belt. I was
like, "Oh, like should I ever let
someone win?" And he's like, "You should
never let anyone win. Like, what are you
talking about?" Like, so um I uh
basically like it was just I think the
sentiment behind it was that um
uh you don't want to teach your mind
that it's okay for certain things to
happen to you like getting passed or um
like whatever. Like if you're going to
work from side control, like bottom side
control, then you should just start the
role in bottom side control. But if you
keep letting someone pass you, then your
body learns that being passed is okay,
right? Like being in bottom side control
is okay. But being passed, that's like
>> like that's like letting someone do
something, you know? So, um yeah. Uh so
there was that. Can you repeat the
question one more time? Sorry, I got
>> control. Inside control just like the
the balance between ego in the train
room or being able to use it in
competition.
Okay. Yeah. So, um yeah, I always had
the mindset that like I should try to
win the role. So, I guess that's
probably pro ego side, right? Um but
yeah, but at the same time, I think like
a lot of competitors will experience
this too, which is just like nothing in
training matters. Like I mean it matters
because it's like making you better and
you're trying to win, but if you lose in
training, it like really really doesn't
matter. not even losing competition
doesn't like you know in the ultimate
fabric of the universe doesn't really
matter but like in training it like
really really doesn't matter so like
I've uh I like I think after crying
about losing to a guy a white belt guy
like I like very rarely cried about
jiu-jitsu like ever after that because I
kind of like started to understand that
you know training is just training. Um,
so yeah, I think that was that was also
a good mindset that like my coach always
instilled in me, you know, like training
is just training. It's okay to lose. If
you're going to lose anywhere, it should
really be the training room. If you're
going to go lose in the competition,
then we can talk about that. But, um,
yeah, like the training room is where
you are. You should be like being as
challenged as possible. And if you want
to if you need to avoid someone because
you're afraid of losing, then that's the
person you need to spar with. Um, and
the only time you should be avoiding
someone is like if you're afraid of
being injured. Um, but besides that,
then you should probably be facing those
people that you actually want to avoid.
>> Right.
>> Huh. I I've I've thought about this in
in training just because sometimes like
I don't know if you ever felt like this
u or like growing up but like sometimes
like winning um I felt guilty sometimes
when I'm like I feel I feel bad like if
it's like uh just a video game or
sparring sometimes I feel like um like I
took something away from the other
person if I won. Do you did you ever
feel that type of way or I know it was
kind of
>> Well, did you do you feel that way
because of like how they reacted or you
like inherently like innately feel that
way?
>> I think because I've been on the other
side, you know, there's like those
feelings of like, oh man, like I I
wanted to win and I didn't. But when I
win, I never necessarily feel as good as
I thought I would feel.
>> So,
>> yeah. Okay. Yes.
Um, well, I would I would say like
even if your partner feels bad about
losing, it's not like a bad thing to
feel bad, you know, like we can't like
life is not about being happy all the
time. And like if someone feels bad
about losing, that's good, you know, cuz
that's supposed to be the like feeling
um that motivates them to be better. Um,
if someone loved losing, then they're
probably not made for like a competitive
combat sport. Um, so I think I would say
that and then also like I definitely
don't I mean I felt bad for like you
know making someone feel bad sometimes
but also you can think of it as like you
gave them a lesson like you didn't take
away the I mean you did take away the
opportunity to win but in exchange you
give them the lesson right they didn't
lose they learned so like that's lesson
that's like one way of saying it right I
mean like that's what every anyone would
say in a competition right you like you
win or you lo you win or you learn. And
so that's like it's the same in the
training room, right? You win or you
learn.
>> And you've made a few videos about kind
of like uh how how uh jiu-jitsu
competitors react after after winning. I
feel like that's kind of like the nor
you know you you want to have a positive
mindset especially after like a tough
loss. But why why does it feel like a
cliche thing now is like oh like he you
at least you learned something like why
is that kind of just known in the
jiu-jitsu space?
>> I don't know. I think uh it's just hard
to say that you lost. Like I I feel like
that all the time. Like sometimes like
when I lose if I win by submission, I'll
always say I won by submission. But if I
lost by submission, I'll just say I
lost, you know? And so like, uh I think
everyone experiences that. It's just
hard to say you lost. And so it's like,
oh, like I didn't win today. I just
gained some perspective or like I picked
up some lessons along the way. And um
like like yes, it's one way of avoiding
to say that you lost, but also like it's
probably the most productive way to view
a loss, you know? Like like should we
just stew and be unhappy forever that we
lost? Like no. Like like if you're going
to get something out of it, then that
would be the mindset, right? Like you
learn as much as you can out of And like
I I've uh I've recorded a few a few of
my competitions and every time well I
the the last one I did I lost and I
haven't posted the video because I'm
like I lost like what? So, I I feel like
I'll probably break some of this video
down and kind of just, you know, it kind
of turn into like a little jiu-jitsu
therapy session, you know, but I do
think it's important um to compete and I
I I know I feel like I have to compete
more often just to be able to work that
muscle. And um you know, I feel like for
me personally after my first
competition, I'm like, whoa, this was a
lot different than I thought it was
going to be. It was just I thought it
was going to be like training like yeah,
it's going to be intense. It felt like I
was I entered a whole different realm.
I'm like, whoa, I could I all my sensory
is just focused on this person in front
of me. That's I've never really felt
that before. So, it's just like very
interesting to at least talk to someone
who's competed for so long. And you you
do have some some great insights. Um do
you do you offer like a coaching for um
competitors out there?
>> Oh no. Oh my god. I don't know if that
that stuff works. Um I'm not big on to
like one-on-one Zoom coaching. I know
people I know other people make it work,
so I guess I won't hate on it. But I um
I don't know. I think like a lot of
competition and a lot of jiu-jitsu like
ultimately comes down with just being
honest with yourself.
>> And if it takes a coach to bring that
out of you, like great. I'm like glad
they did. But I think
>> like it's going to come from here, you
know? It's not going to come from the
other person. So
>> yeah.
>> Yeah. I think a lot of people will end
up figuring it out for themselves
hopefully. So maybe a better question
would be how can you be a better coach
for yourself? Like do you have to be
like a like a scientist and break down
all your roles and what what are some
good ways to at least you know help your
evolution of training instead of just
just showing up to the gym and just
rolling? What are some some things that
>> Yeah. Um well so like one way of looking
at it would just be to think about the
times that you have felt afraid or
uncomfortable and usually that just
means that that position or that part of
jiu-jitsu is not familiar to you. Okay.
So usually fear stems from like a lack
of knowledge, right? Um so I think like
that's how you could like expand your
game and start to explore more parts of
jiu-jitsu than maybe you're explicitly
taught. Um
but uh yeah, I was thinking about
something else.
>> Being your own coach,
>> um how can you be a better coach to
yourself? Yeah, you know, uh this is
like Yeah, this I don't recommend this
for everybody, but like you know, not
everyone journals. Like I don't even
feel like I have the um like patience to
journal sometimes anymore. But when I go
on my like mental health walks,
sometimes I whip out a camera, I put it
on like the lowest quality and then I
record myself talking to myself. And
like even if I don't keep that
recording, sometimes it's nice to just
like talk to someone. That might sound a
little crazy, but like if you don't have
therapy, you got to talk to yourself,
you know? And I think uh that that's
honestly has helped me a lot. You know,
I saved a few of those recordings from
like, you know, before I quit my job or
like before my brown belt tournaments,
before my pro ball tournaments, you
know. It's kind of interesting to see
like how I thought like when I was when
I was like, you know, 5 years, seven
years ago. Um, so I'm glad that I did
those things. Um, but when you talk to
yourself, I feel like, you know, at
least I feel like I'm pretty honest when
I talk to myself and I feel like
eventually, you know, you're going to
live with yourself for a long time. You
might as well be honest. So if you I
also recommend that for other people if
whether it's journaling or, you know,
like going for a walk or whatever.
Um, but yeah, I think yeah, just you I
don't know like if you're uncomfortable,
it means you're avoiding something and
usually they give to
>> and that's I I I could resonate with
that just because I wasn't very
comfortable speaking on camera. I'm like
I was the last person you would you
would uh probably imagine going up and
at least, you know, having things out
for the general public to see. Like if I
did presentations uh in high school, I
remember like presentations were like my
worst like nightmare ever. So if I had
to do something and people were watching
me, I'd just get super nervous. And
going into that fear has actually helped
me a ton being able to find out
different things that I didn't know
about myself. So it it kind of all like
tumbled in into and now I feel like
starting to understand myself a little
bit more. And I actually did do those
things that you mentioned about like
recording myself and trying to talk to
myself. Sometimes I don't even
understand where that guy was coming
from. Like I I'll watch back those
things. I'm like what was going on in
his head? But um those were the things
that kind of helped me. Did you have the
quality lower just for less space on
your phone? Like it kind of when
>> Oh yeah. Yeah. Just less space.
>> I was like, "Okay." But yeah. Yeah, I
was um Yeah, I did I did notice that
those things kind of helped me along the
process. And um and yeah, so those those
are kind of the the main questions that
I I had um for for you. And uh I'm very
very grateful that you took the time uh
to be able to come on here and share
your story. I mean, I feel like your
story is very inspirational just
because, you know, you you took the risk
on yourself and you still compete even
though you don't necessarily enjoy
competing, but you did kind of you do
challenge yourself in that way and I
feel like it it could inspire other
people to do the same. And just want to
say thank you for coming on.
>> Thank you.
>> Yeah.
>> Thank you.
>> So, make sure to like and subscribe,
guys. Make sure to check out Beatatric
on her socials. Was there anything that
um the people could do to support you
and uh along your journey aside?
>> Um yeah, just yeah, you know, the whole
thing. Hit the notification button. Um
uh you can subscribe to my YouTube
channel. You, you know, I have an
Instagram and Tik Tok. Uh pretty in
pretty active on Instagram. Um and then
yeah, I like you know, I run a gym.
That's like my main job. You know, I
would say like, you know, main source of
income. So anytime you guys are in the
Arlington, Virginia area, uh it's 10
minutes away from DC. you can come by in
my gym. I'm there seven days a week
teaching or training. So, I'll be there.
And uh I have like I have some like
stickers and plushies for sale that I
made myself um at butcooterju.com
if anybody wants to look at those.
>> Well, thank you, Beatatric. One last
question. I just thought of it right
now. Do you have any tips when it comes
to posting on social media? Every time I
post, I catch myself like looking at the
notifications to see how many people
liked it. Is there any tips that can
help me out with this this issue that
I'm having?
>> The advice that I heard and that I think
I agree with is that as long as the post
is authentic to yourself and you truly
believe that you're like providing value
either in education or entertainment,
then you should just you can let it go,
you know. And I also think you should
like let it you should let yourself
enjoy social media a little bit, you
know? Like first of all the first hour
is kind of important cuz you know you
like kind of see like how much
engagement it's really good data to see
in the first hour how something is being
received. So I feel like it's okay to
check your notifications in the first
hour. Um but then after that you know as
it starts to take off or take uh peter
down then I think you know you can you
don't have to like uh spend too much
time on it. But um yeah I think also
like if you don't enjoy it I I feel like
you must enjoy it if you're making
content uh right now. But uh like you
know as long as you're enjoying it then
and you're providing value and you feel
like it's authentic to yourself then
just you should you should post it. You
should post it. And you know I that's
that's gotten me through some some
flops. Um when I was like oh I'm still
glad I posted cuz you know the 2,000
people who saw it like still hopefully I
got something out of
>> 2,000 people still quite like if there
was like a place of just 2,000 people
I'd be like man there's a lot of people
here. But
>> sometimes it's tough, especially once
you start setting expectations on how
videos are received. I feel like then
it's like, oh, if it's if it's not over
5,000, then it's like considered a flop.
So, I just those are some of the things
that, you know, I try to work on as as
as well. And just you being in the
space, um, it kind it kind of just like,
you know, I I try to ask a few questions
to help out along the way. So, I
appreciate Thank you very much. So,
>> thank you.
>> Thank you.
More from Alonzo Hernandez
UFC Emmett vs Vallejos Full Card Picks & Breakdown
Are Apex Events Actually Worth Going To?
Cooking Up Questions for Jozef Chen | ADCC, CJI & Competition Mindset | Y2K #7
Did That Just Happen?! UFC 328 Reaction & Full Breakdown
From Setbacks to a Title Shot | Erique Arroyo Interview
Getting to Know Youssef Zalal | Call of Duty, Training with Aljamain, Ready for a Chess Match
I Asked World Champions What This Tournament Really Means
King Green on War, Wisdom & the Fight Game
Meet the UFC’s Next Featherweight Star | Jose Delgado
Ranking Celsius Flavors with Matthew ‘Tequila’ Vargas
UFC 328 is actually PEAK | Full Card Predictions
UFC Fight Night London Full Card Predictions
UFC PERTH PREDICTIONS | Y2K PICKS
UFC Seattle Full Card Predictions | Adesanya vs Pyfer