BJJ Mental Models

In this mini-episode, we explain perception-action coupling: a sports science concept explaining how practice should give athletes the same cues they'd face in a real match.

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This week, we're joined by Nelson Puentes! Nelson co-founded Inverted Gear and runs Inverted Gear Academy in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In this episode, Nelson explains his Super Mario theory of jiu-jitsu: a good game teaches you how to play it by raising the difficulty one step at a time, and a good jiu-jitsu class works the same way. Topics include: game design, resource management, coaching without instructions, defensive jiu-jitsu, and intrinsic motivation.

Buy Inverted Gear apparel:
https://invertedgear.com

Train at Inverted Gear Academy in Allentown, PA:
https://invertedgearacademy.com

Follow Nelson on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/invertedgearnelson

Mental models discussed in this episode:
Zone of Proximal Development
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/zone-of-proximal-development

Investing in Loss
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/investing-in-loss

Constraints-Led Approach
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach

Self-Organization
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-organization

Gamification
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/gamification

Ecological Dynamics
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-dynamics

Return on Investment
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/return-on-investment

Win Conditions
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/win-conditions

Defense Paradox
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/defense-paradox

Keep It Playful
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/keep-it-playful

Perception-Action Coupling
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/perception-action-coupling

Continuum of Motivation
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/continuum-of-motivation

Process Over Outcomes
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/process-over-outcomes

⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!

The world's LARGEST library of jiu-jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com

Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

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https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

Music by Enterprize:
https://enterprize.bandcamp.com

In this mini-episode, we explain deliberate practice: a training method intended to improve performance by addressing your weaknesses and breaking through plateaus.

Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro

⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!

The world's LARGEST library of jiu-jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com

Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

Follow us on social:
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
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This week, we're joined by Rob Cole! Rob has been training martial arts for over 35 years, 25 of them focused on grappling, and he coaches at Ascension Athletics in Connecticut, where he runs his practice through the ecological dynamics framework. In this episode, Rob explains the intention-led approach, where you give students a goal to work toward instead of specific things to focus on. Topics include: a plain-language primer on ecological dynamics, intention versus attention, win conditions as a driver of behavior, grip fighting as a warm-up, teaching leglocks without fear.

Follow Rob on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/liquid_rob

Train with Rob at Ascension Athletics:
https://ascensionathleticsct.com

Resources discussed in this episode:

The Constraints-Led Approach, by Ian Renshaw, Keith Davids, Daniel Newcombe and Will Roberts:
https://routledge.com/9781138104075

Ecological Dynamics in Sport Coaching, by Steve M. Smith:
https://routledge.com/9781032869223

Ep. 144: The Constraints-Led Approach, feat. Dr. Rob Gray:
https://bjj.plus/144

Ep. 330: The Student's Guide to Eco, feat. Noah Shaffner & Greg Souders:
https://bjj.plus/330

Mental models discussed in this episode:
Ecological Dynamics
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-dynamics

Intention
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/intention

Ecological Psychology
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/ecological-psychology

Self-Organization
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/self-organization

Constraints-Led Approach
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/constraints-led-approach

Perception-Action Coupling
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/perception-action-coupling

Win Conditions
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/win-conditions

Deliberate Practice
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/deliberate-practice

Growth from Discomfort
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/growth-from-discomfort

Psychological Safety
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/psychological-safety

Consistency
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/consistency

⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!

The world's LARGEST library of jiu-jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com

Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

Follow us on social:
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels

Music by Enterprize:
https://enterprize.bandcamp.com

In this mini-episode, we explain differential learning: a training approach used in sports proposing that motor skills are learned by varying how the movement is executed rather than trying to get it identical every time.

Get our Intro to Mechanics audio course, normally $79, FREE:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/freeintro

⬆️ LEVEL UP with BJJ Mental Models Premium!

The world's LARGEST library of jiu-jitsu audio lessons, our complete podcast network, online coaching, and much more! Your first week is free:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com

Need more BJJ Mental Models?

Get the legendary BJJMM newsletter:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/newsletter

Learn more mental models in our online database:
https://bjjmentalmodels.com/database

Follow us on social:
https://instagram.com/bjjmentalmodels
https://threads.com/@bjjmentalmodels
https://bjjmentalmodels.bsky.social
https://youtube.com/@bjjmentalmodels