Category: BJJ
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Dark Humor
June 11, 2021 When you suffer long enough, your sense of humor changes. It doesn’t get louder. It gets darker. People say humor is a coping mechanism. They say it like it’s a trick. Like you’re dodging pain. Like you’re avoiding reality. But when suffering doesn’t leave, humor isn’t avoidance. It’s adaptation. At first, you…
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My new 100%
Sept 23, 2023 “I’ve reached a point in life where I must confront my age, my health condition, and my lingering injuries. These realities are not going away; in fact, they are only becoming more pronounced with time. Recently, I took a much-needed three-week break from my usual routine of 7-9 classes a week .…
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Shedding Your Shell:
How BJJ Helps us Grow Through MS March 2020 Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can bring a lot of obstacles in your life, and it can be quite a tough shell to crack. But just like a lobster, who must shed its old shell in order to grow and thrive, people with MS…
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Should We Be Embarrassed About Jiu Jitsu’s Attrition Rate?
Dec 10, 2025 Jiu Jitsu changes lives. I know that because it changed mine. I showed up with a body that does not always listen to me and a condition that most people forget I have because the symptoms are invisible. Jiu Jitsu gave me structure, purpose, and a place where I could be competitive…
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The Insanity of Greatness: Finding Sanity in the Jiu-Jitsu Gym”?
“Those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music.” – George Carlin Oct 7, 2021 In the world of Jiu-Jitsu, amidst the sweat and struggle on the mats, lies a community unlike any other. While some may perceive it as a gathering of “insane” individuals, those within its embrace recognize it…
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Chosen Suffering
“I did not choose pain. I chose where it lives.” – Viktor Frankl Passion comes from the Latin passio. It means suffering. Enduring. What you are willing to undergo.”I did not choose pain. I chose where it lives.” Somewhere along the way, we softened it. Today, following your passion usually means following what feels good.…
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Crabs in the Bucket
If you are unfamiliar with the idea, the crab bucket metaphor is simple. Crabs placed in a bucket could easily escape if they acted independently. But when one crab starts to climb out, the others pull it back down. The result is predictable. No one gets out. This behavior shows up everywhere. In the workplace.…
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Coach Joe
“No one ever steps into the same river twice.” – Heraclitus I have taken on a new role recently. Coach. I have always been the guy people ask before, during, and after class. It felt natural. People saw me as someone who understands the game and can explain it in a way that helps. My…
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Rolling With MS: What My Training Partners Don’t Know
September 2021 I slap hands, bump fists, and start moving. To them, it’s just another roll. To me, it’s another battle against a body that doesn’t always cooperate. Most of my training partners don’t know what it feels like to roll with MS. They don’t know that some days my legs feel like they’re full…
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Grappling With Multiple Sclerosis
My name is Joe, and I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2003. I was 27 years old, just two months away from my wedding. My body betrayed me, and I had no idea that years later, I’d be stepping onto a BJJ mat, learning to fight in a whole new way. Multiple sclerosis is…