00;00;00;00 - 00;00;17;12
Alex
My foot was all like swollen, super painful. I was like, I can't really walk on it. I was like, let's just tape it up and give me as much painkillers. Just make this as numb as possible and then we'll just go. This one in Abu Dhabi was just a warm up tournament for the next big one is in October as the Asian Games.
00;00;17;12 - 00;00;26;11
Brandon
I can defend myself, but really the big takeaway is all of the character development of the discipline.
00;00;26;14 - 00;00;48;05
Brandon
Welcome to the Think and Cursive podcast. I'm Brandon Leonard and I'm so excited to share with you my circle of interesting people and conversation. Please like, subscribe and share your comments along the way. It helps our little channel more than you know. All right, here we go. Professor Alex Enriquez, thank you for coming over to my little podcast studio here.
00;00;48;05 - 00;00;50;26
Brandon
You just got back from competing too, right? Yes.
00;00;50;27 - 00;01;27;29
Alex
Tell me about it. Yeah. Thank you for having me. First of all, we were just talking a little bit before. This is my first time actually getting to be on a podcast, like, in person. So this is really fun for me. I just got back from Abu Dhabi this year. I decided to do the Philippine national team. I had my dual citizenship and there's a bunch of big tournaments this year that they were had just so happened to line up in 2026 where they're called multi-sport events, meaning it's not just jiu jitsu as the only sport available, it's ran by the Olympic Council of Asia, these events.
00;01;28;03 - 00;01;50;28
Alex
And so that was very surreal experience. And so I'm actually getting to meet and see Olympic athletes from like other sports. And it was super cool. This one in Abu Dhabi was just a kind of like a warm up tournament for the next big one is in October as the Asian Games. And that's like the one everybody's really working really hard for.
00;01;50;28 - 00;02;20;08
Alex
So this was a good warm up, get a little bit of a taste of who's going to be in the bracket, who's wear what style and games. So I had a lot of fun with it. I ended up getting third, which was I mean, of course first is always a plan, but, there was some weird complications. First time that happened, I actually what my, PT on the team was saying was that he thinks I got gout on my foot, and I'm.
00;02;20;08 - 00;02;38;23
Alex
I was like, gout. I'm like, isn't that like an old person thing or something? But, it happened like the night of the tournament, and then I and jet lag too. I had, like, one hour of sleep, and then my foot was all, like, all swollen, and we couldn't figure out why. And it was like, super tender and super painful.
00;02;38;23 - 00;03;03;23
Alex
I was like, I can't really walk on it. I was like, let's just tape it up and give me as much painkillers, just make this as numb as possible, and then we'll just go. And we, we did that and I was able I had four matches. One three of them dropped the semis match against the a really good UAE girl that, I was able to beat in the beach games earlier this year.
00;03;03;26 - 00;03;21;29
Alex
But she's going to be one of like the ones I've been really trying to study for four Asian Games, but it was cool. Good feedback for me because I played a different game. I usually am a a passer on top. And because of my foot, I just decided to play guard. You know, it was easier for me.
00;03;21;29 - 00;03;33;06
Alex
I couldn't really move that well on top. And so I got a lot of good feedback. Take those notes in and then put it to where it counts towards in a month from now and the Asian Games.
00;03;33;08 - 00;03;57;21
Brandon
So you're competing at the highest level in jujitsu. I mean, are you competing against. Sounds like the same people in this top echelon over and over again. I mean, I'm sure you get some new flavor in there, but I mean, how big is that world, I guess, or. And what's it like competing against people as everybody is trying to progress individually and the whole sport is progressing so fast?
00;03;57;24 - 00;03;59;01
Brandon
Oh for sure. What's that like?
00;03;59;03 - 00;04;23;16
Alex
Yeah. This was like so my first year with the national team, I guess there's a whole pool of athletes that, you know, compete on that circuit. I'm used to doing. The more commonly known circuits in the states are Ibjjf and other things like UFC. BJJ has now made a made a name for itself and giving athletes all these opportunities.
00;04;23;18 - 00;04;54;09
Alex
But on the other side of the world, they have this whole, I guess federation called JJ, I f just jitsu International Federation and all these athletes are they have to qualify for their, you know, their country. And I'm learning that who's who you know some of like the you know the top seeds in each weight class. So figuring it out you know I'm seeing some familiar names and then I'm trying to get more film on them.
00;04;54;09 - 00;05;17;17
Alex
It's a little bit harder to find film on them, as opposed to all the things that we have in the States. And they're on, you know, streams like flow grappling and stuff. But I'm trying to find their matches and, you know, be as best prepared to put on a show to, you know, when I try to compete, I don't try to compete just to win, but I try to, you know, make a statement.
00;05;17;17 - 00;05;43;26
Alex
And that's I feel something that it has been an important thing for athletes here in the States that most high, higher paying tournament organizations, they're not just looking for people who win. They look for people who want to put on a show. So I'm kind of trying to take that, put it in a different platform and see how it does, see the reactions that come of it.
00;05;43;29 - 00;05;46;09
Alex
But yeah, I'm just trying to have some fun with it.
00;05;46;11 - 00;06;04;26
Brandon
I mean, you're you're putting yourself out there. You take risks every competition. You're putting your body on the line, you know, against, you know, killers. You know, I mean, that's so wild to me. And it's so cool to have you, you know, this isn't a martial arts podcast. This is just like a people that I find fascinating in my immediate circle.
00;06;04;26 - 00;06;16;20
Brandon
That's that's how this is starting. And I'm like, that's so cool. I get a professional grappler on here. And I wonder too, because you. So you were born in the Philippines? Yes. And you came when you come over to the States.
00;06;16;20 - 00;06;20;13
Alex
When I was five, 26 years old, first grade.
00;06;20;14 - 00;06;25;27
Brandon
Okay. And you have been doing jiu jitsu since when?
00;06;25;28 - 00;06;30;00
Alex
Summer of sixth grade. So like, I was 11, I believe. Yeah.
00;06;30;04 - 00;06;32;27
Brandon
That's when I got my first musical instrument. That's crazy.
00;06;32;29 - 00;06;33;18
Alex
Yeah.
00;06;33;21 - 00;06;55;03
Brandon
Yeah, a long time ago. And probably a little bit longer for me, but, you have been competing interests, which is a one on one sport, maybe not competing, but starting training to jitsu, which. And then you wrestled. I mean, high school and collegiately, right? Yeah. I mean, do your competitors have that same volume of experience typically.
00;06;55;04 - 00;07;18;21
Alex
I'm pretty friendly after competition, pretty friendly. And, you know, I'm getting to discover all these different cultures too, because on the international scene, it's just they're all different countries and it's very cool. It's like so diverse. And I'm asking those same questions like, how long have you been training and things like that? And you just get such a mix of answers.
00;07;18;21 - 00;07;38;28
Alex
Some of these people like on the actual on also on the Philippine national team, they are, you know, they found jiu jitsu a little bit later in life, and then they also have full time jobs and on the site and their parents and on the side, they're just doing this as like, you know, almost their hobby, but at an international level.
00;07;38;28 - 00;07;58;05
Alex
And I'm like, you guys are so badass. You know, like, like this is all I do, you know? And I'm only 27 years old, like, my parents helps me, like, get to this position where I can just do jiu jitsu full time and I'm so grateful for it. I still, you know, worked because, like, through college, high school.
00;07;58;06 - 00;08;24;06
Alex
Because, you know, I liked I liked having some money from myself. And my parents were always very hard working people. So it was just like, you got to do everything. It's just no excuse for that. But it's cool. Some of my competitors, yes, have been like training as long as me or they're even younger than me. And, so it's, it's cool to see like the, you know, diversity in the their portfolios too.
00;08;24;11 - 00;08;44;16
Brandon
I think I think in one way I'm, I, I get a cool perspective of the very rudimentary jiu jitsu that I learned. Not just like watching UFC when it was like, you know, forbidden. But, and then when I, I trained and knuckle up in my early 20s for a few years, and that was like when the Assunta brothers were there.
00;08;44;16 - 00;09;04;05
Brandon
And, you know, I did a whole lot of rolling very, you know, very little. There was a lot of turnover, but there were only a couple of guys that really focused hardcore old leg locks back then. And now it's crazy to see how advanced everything is. And I realize I can't even really comprehend because I'm just I'm like a hobbyist, you know, a part time guy.
00;09;04;05 - 00;09;27;04
Brandon
But like at the highest level and even watching my I got my brother's kids, he's got two sons and a daughter, and they've all been in jiu jitsu since about five now. And the oldest is 12. So he's seven years in. He's been competing at least 5 or 6 years now. And they're, you know, they just they flow every barren bolo like all kinds of fun stuff that like, it's not in my repertoire, you.
00;09;27;04 - 00;09;30;09
Alex
Know, like many black belts and only 12 years old.
00;09;30;12 - 00;09;50;06
Brandon
Yeah. Oh my gosh. And, you know, I don't even know what the, the, the youth belt color system is. Yeah. It's just so advanced. Let me ask you this too. You know, I thought about you in the context of this podcast because we talked about, you know, flowing and you have to get to this level of proficiency to where you can actually not think about everything or not just react to every situation.
00;09;50;06 - 00;09;58;24
Brandon
And you can just kind of play. Can you tell me about a time that you know, or a feeling that you get in that state of play? In the in your jiu jitsu world?
00;09;59;01 - 00;10;17;04
Alex
Before I answer that question, I know like Brandon over here is super humble right now. He even though he hasn't he he's a hobbyist, right. But, in the short time that he's been training at the gym, he's just been a monster, like, very good from the beginning when he came in giving, like, upper belts a really hard time.
00;10;17;08 - 00;10;19;09
Alex
And we're like, this guy's a problem.
00;10;19;12 - 00;10;28;06
Brandon
So not only a problem to them, I'm a problem to myself because I keep breaking stuff. All right, I got out. Yeah.
00;10;28;09 - 00;10;55;22
Alex
Happened in the beginning. But regarding the question with play and that that flow state, I was lucky enough growing up. When we started early on, I had, like 2 or 3 other main training partners, similar ages as as me. There were both guys, funny. One of them were now like black belts together and we trained at different gyms and now we've ended up at the same Foster Kennedy, I don't know.
00;10;55;24 - 00;11;15;19
Alex
He comes more in the morning class and it's funny. We're back at the same gym and it's just like, well, like we look back at it and we're like, how cool is it that we were, you know, the kids together? And then, you know, jiu jitsu took us on these different paths, but then we still end up back together and then we're training together as black belts.
00;11;15;19 - 00;11;44;11
Alex
It's it's a kind of like full circle moment. It was very cool. But it was him and this other other guy. And with all the trainings, it was very cool to see, like we of course we trained hard as kids. But there was also times that, like we learned how to match pace very, very quickly. And I think that's not just, you know, everyone, not everyone learns that, early on or even some people don't even learn it at all.
00;11;44;11 - 00;12;12;14
Alex
There's black belts that are very, very rough, you know, so that don't know how to really flow that well. But thankfully I had you know, I think these both of these guys are very intelligent. Intelligent people. So we were able to match and tailor our training to some days are not as hard. And we were looking to give that action reaction kind of thing where it is that flow say.
00;12;12;15 - 00;12;30;09
Alex
And it was very cool because I learned that from an early age, maybe a year in or so, we were starting to get to those types of trainings, and whenever that happened, I was I would just be so amazed. Even though I was like 12 years old, I was like, that was so cool. It felt like kind of like water, you know?
00;12;30;09 - 00;12;54;07
Alex
And it's kind of corny, like float, be like water, like Bruce Lee or whatever. But it was like it honestly kind of felt like that. And, it was, you know, so cool to see. But it, you know, it definitely takes two to be matching that kind of energy, so to speak, to get to that where it feels like you guys are kind of just flowing and it's hard to do.
00;12;54;12 - 00;13;18;10
Alex
I only have like a, a handful of training partners that I feel like can do that same thing. Because also you need to take out that ego part of like, okay, we're letting each other win positions. So that means like at some point you have to give, you know, give, let the other person win. And then when sometimes people get in a good position, they're like, oh, wait a minute.
00;13;18;11 - 00;13;41;23
Alex
No, I want this. And we're like, what happened, man? We're flowing. But but yeah, I'd say it's an art within itself. A little bit closer to more of like a couple era or something like that versus just like, straight jiu jitsu. Because it's, that flow state is, I feel like a little bit different than just regular training.
00;13;42;01 - 00;14;05;21
Brandon
You know, it's funny talking about, you know. Yeah. Regular training. Like, what do most people do that try to stay fit? You know, I came from doing years of CrossFit and, you know, we're always trying to. Well, lately and now my 40s, I've been trying to figure out, all right, how do I work around these injuries? How do I keep, you know, so we're always keeping track of injuries and and and kind of like incorporating PT into our daily movement.
00;14;05;21 - 00;14;22;25
Brandon
Well, and people ask me like, dang, you did what do your back. You did what do your hand you did. What's your wrist or your knee and jiu jitsu I'm like, and then they say, well why do you keep doing it? I say, because it's worth it. You know, like it's more painful to not do it, you know, it's just so stinking fun.
00;14;22;27 - 00;14;55;12
Brandon
And it makes CrossFit feel like exercise. And jitsu is like adventure and sport, you know, and constant learning. And there's a an inherent respect system built into it. And you just get put in uncomfortable situations over and over. Yeah. I feel like, I'm excited because I've been talking about, you know, throwing my kids in it. And I've seen what happens when these kids are grown up in the system and, and think about the leadership and the I don't know if, if, if you experience that naturally in your family, I sure as hell didn't.
00;14;55;18 - 00;15;16;03
Brandon
You know, like a lot of people don't get to the place in any sport or mode or sometimes activity to where they can really surprise themselves and have an breakthrough moment. And I've been fortunate that I've had those running cross country, I've had them in music and had them and, you know, CrossFit, you know, crazy gains in a short amount of time.
00;15;16;03 - 00;15;22;21
Brandon
And I can't believe I lifted so much weight. And and occasionally I've had those in jujitsu. A handful of those were like, oh my God, I.
00;15;22;21 - 00;15;23;11
Alex
Got it was a good.
00;15;23;11 - 00;15;42;11
Brandon
Move, you know? But you know, what's sad is some people will die never experiencing that in their life, you know? And for me, I kind of thought it maybe it'd be an opportunity to do it a smidge or let people know that it's not a, you know, it's not just a sport for intense martial artist. It's it's something that anybody can do.
00;15;42;12 - 00;16;05;29
Alex
Yeah, 100%. I feel that jiu jitsu is that unique sport where you can be two, three years old and all the way to, like, you're about to croak. And there's I've seen people train and they're just like, all within that whole age gap. And it's it's so amazing to see because you people see, think of jiu jitsu have never done it.
00;16;05;29 - 00;16;30;08
Alex
And they're like, oh, this is like combat fighting. And it is. Right. But it's like, how can it be for someone who's just a regular person? But it really can be for everyone now. Not everybody will have it in them to, like, feel like they can continue and fight and get go through the hard part because it is, you know, it's still a combat sport in the way of it is tough.
00;16;30;08 - 00;16;59;02
Alex
It's not easy. You're going to find yourself failing more often times than succeeding. But I think it's the greatest aspect about it. It's, my old professor Steve, he he's basically my jiu jitsu dad. He was my professor from, like, when I started all the way through brown belt. And, even Bruno was amazing enough to allow me to get promoted by Bruno and Steve at the same time to get my black belt, which was, you know, tears moment.
00;16;59;02 - 00;17;27;18
Alex
Everyone was just like, wow, this is amazing. But, he told me that most sports jobs are to build character. And jiu jitsu, on the other hand, reveals it. And that was something that like at first when he told me I was maybe still too young, like to very, very much understand. But being in the sport so long, getting to train with a bunch of like adults, a bunch of different characters and people, I could very much see that over time.
00;17;27;20 - 00;17;56;15
Alex
That how jiu jitsu does reveal people's true selves and true characters. So it's like so honest, like it's nothing more like honest than you versus one other person. And there's no way talking around it. It's just a physical battle. But also it's not just about who's bigger, stronger, faster. It tailors in, who's better at decision making, technique, finesse, all these things.
00;17;56;15 - 00;18;22;21
Alex
So it's, such a cool, such a cool sport, such a genuine, like, unique sport. And what you were saying about how people never some people die not ever having those breakthrough moments. I'm fortunate enough to be able to work with the kids program back at our gym. Usually I'm more in charge of the 5 to 7 year olds, but I have worked with the I help out with the 8 to 13.
00;18;22;21 - 00;18;45;02
Alex
Sometimes I work with the 3 to 4, so I get to see that whole span, of age range. And it's very cool to see because I've throughout that time, I've been able to work with a whole spectrum of kids, special needs kids to like very talented, high functioning kids at all different ages. And it's very cool to see throughout all that.
00;18;45;03 - 00;19;14;17
Alex
They see how they develop and change and build this confidence that maybe some some child that was very timid or shy and, wasn't as tough, like gave up very easily. And after like a couple months or a few months of jiu jitsu, how everything how their personality, their attitude and their mindset towards things change and then they just like bloom into this like whole different person.
00;19;14;17 - 00;19;37;14
Alex
And even their parents are like jujitsu has done them such wonders. Like it's just a whole different child now, like, and it's, it's very cool to see because I feel like that also happened for me growing up. And I can see that, like a lot of, my friends and teammates that I started jujitsu with when we were also young kids, how it's impacted their lives.
00;19;37;14 - 00;20;04;13
Alex
I feel that most everyone that I did jiu jitsu with who continued it, even not even as a full time athlete, but even as a hobby. They've become fine young adults where they look like they have direction towards their life and they have their surrounded by. They surround themselves with good company and things like that. So there's like so much that jujitsu I feel is so beneficial on so many aspects of life.
00;20;04;14 - 00;20;30;02
Brandon
Well, I mean, think about you line up like ten middle aged people, man or woman, and ask them if there was some way for them to actually be honest with you. Like, are you confident? I'm sure that more guys will say yes when when they shouldn't. And but and women wouldn't. It just seems like, guys, it's easier to find or easier to have confidence in some aspects.
00;20;30;02 - 00;20;55;06
Brandon
And and as a father of daughters, I'm thinking, man like, if you've never worked through that discipline and discomfort to for a big, hard goal, like, are you ever going to have the confidence to really I mean, I mean, I, I don't know, my mind. I think about like my days of, you know, working in a cube or an office in the accounting department, which are very risk averse people, you know, and I was like, you know, a wolf and sheep's clothing.
00;20;55;06 - 00;21;17;25
Brandon
I was like trying to maybe I was just trying to, you know, play this role because I graduated with a finance degree in 2007 and there were no jobs in real estate, you know, stocks and equity trading or, you know, corporate finance. Because it was 2007, the market was starting to freefall. I was lucky enough to land a job in accounting, and that's when I started trying to knuckle up back in those days.
00;21;17;25 - 00;21;47;22
Brandon
And I'd show it with my arm in a sling and, you know, busted eye. And they're like, what are you doing? You know what is going on? I'm like, I'm just doing a little jiu jitsu. It's a lot of fun. They're like, I don't know about all that, you know? And it's now it's so much more mainstream. But I just think about it, that confidence of like knowing that if I grab Ahold of somebody like, you know, there's a pretty good chance that I could do whatever I want, like, and that if somebody grabs me, I'm not going to freak out.
00;21;47;22 - 00;21;55;14
Brandon
I've got an answer. And I just man, it feels like the world would be a better place if people, more people trained. You know, I agree.
00;21;55;15 - 00;22;23;18
Alex
It can help jobs for the police and stuff. Or if we require them like more training. I feel like you can avoid a lot of all these issues that are happening where people they get a lot of criticism for how they're doing their jobs, but they're just not trained well. But if they are trained well, then can avoid a lot of unnecessary like injuries or, you know, deaths by you just have that confidence in the ability to, you know, restrain someone.
00;22;23;19 - 00;22;48;11
Alex
I don't know about you, but as someone who does train, I am such a pacifist. Outside, I was like, I get so much violence inside the gym that I'm like, I don't want anything. Violence aside, most even to the point where like, the music I listen to is calm, you know, because I'm just like, all right, I get enough workout and intensity in the gym that the rest of the day can just be chill.
00;22;48;18 - 00;23;09;22
Brandon
Yeah, well, you have an outlet, such a physical outlet. But in talking about. Yeah, yeah, I know if somebody grabs me, the confidence in the context of I can defend myself, those are just the nice side effects that happen. But really the big takeaway is all of the character development of the discipline. You know, whether somebody goes on and trains professionally or does this and that work sees the world.
00;23;09;24 - 00;23;28;11
Brandon
You know, it's crazy how how many places you've been. I was looking up online and I was like, man, you've been all over the world and you just keep keep skyrocketing up. I mean, it's really cool. I mean, and I'm so glad that you would be willing to come and share this on here. But what, me ask you this, what would you say to Alex?
00;23;28;11 - 00;23;29;21
Brandon
Had 15.
00;23;29;23 - 00;23;50;04
Alex
Oh, Alex had 15. I was, you know, like freshman sophomore year of high school I was wrestling. So this was I like maybe 3 or 4 years into jiu jitsu, I get to high school and I wanted to wrestle just because, you know, I wanted to be part of the sports team at school. And they didn't have any girls on the wrestling team.
00;23;50;04 - 00;24;08;27
Alex
So I was the only girl on the wrestling team. And my coach Steve was like, you know, it's not the smartest idea. Like, you're gonna get hurt a lot because boys are going through puberty. And I just took that. I was like, I have to do this now. Because just because you said that, like, I have to go through with it because mama didn't raise.
00;24;08;27 - 00;24;31;01
Alex
No, you know, so I went through it. I did get injured a lot because the boys were strong. They were going through puberty, you know, and I wasn't like at the smallest weight class I was in, like, in the bigger, heavier. I was still like in the middle range. So it was tough. It was really tough. But, I feel like now looking back, I have, like, no regrets.
00;24;31;02 - 00;24;56;29
Alex
Even though, like, if I had just stuck with jiu jitsu solely and I didn't wrestle in high school, I probably would have had the opportunity to win more jujitsu world titles because one. It was also during the some of the Nogi world season, so I wasn't even able to compete in that. And then when it came time for G worlds, I was just finishing the wrestling season.
00;24;56;29 - 00;25;17;07
Alex
I had maybe a month or two to get back into the jujitsu mindset and get ready to compete for the biggest tournament in jiu jitsu, and it kind of just, you know, held me at a little bit of a disadvantage as opposed to someone who just changed you to full time. But I have no regrets. And everything was the way it was supposed to be.
00;25;17;09 - 00;25;40;20
Alex
It was all like pretty much God's plan, in my opinion. And I feel like I was just supposed to do whatever I was supposed to do. And I felt like because I had Steve growing up, he was just, like, such that great emotional coach. Like he was a great coach, but he was like a he was basically a really great girl dad already.
00;25;40;23 - 00;26;14;03
Alex
And like, my parents are great. My dad is a is a wonderful dad is just there are immigrants. So they were while they were busy working, my mom and dad were busy working like 2 or 3 jobs to get our lives settled here in the States. I was basically spending most of my time with Steve and my other coach, Brian, and they basically became like my uncles and or dads, so to speak, and they kind of raised me and like helped me through all the things in life.
00;26;14;03 - 00;26;36;10
Alex
As a as a young teenager, I feel like in terms of like advice, I don't know, I was just like it just the way it was supposed to be. And I couldn't have been, like, more blessed to be around those people because I felt like I had a really great upbringing. Of course I wish I could have won this, that and stuff, but I think everything turned out the way it was supposed to be.
00;26;36;11 - 00;26;49;06
Brandon
Yeah, you never know when you're in the really good times until after you know it. Well. So what would you say? Or let me ask you this. What does Alex in ten years look like?
00;26;49;08 - 00;26;56;07
Alex
Alex? In ten years, I'll be 37. So I wouldn't say I'm. I'm old. I feel like a lot.
00;26;56;07 - 00;26;56;24
Brandon
Of.
00;26;56;26 - 00;27;18;11
Alex
Some of my training partners are 37, and they're complete beasts. You know, I feel like, one of my training partners, Kimberly Knipe, she's, around that age, and she was like a professional rugby player, and now she's doing jiu jitsu, and she's just all around like, I, we call her Wonder Woman. Like, if you could just see the muscles on this lady and.
00;27;18;13 - 00;27;45;04
Alex
And just the way she attacks everything in life, not just not jiu jitsu, it's like so cool. And her perspective on things, just like, I love aging. Like, it's just like it's making me better, more mature. So I hope I can have her mindset too. By the time I'm her age. But I feel like Alex in ten years on my goal before then within those ten years is to also have my own academy and give back.
00;27;45;05 - 00;28;17;17
Alex
You know I love competing, but I do. I've loved teaching even more. I love the the relationships I'm able to build with other athletes and students and how rewarding it is. So I want to do that. I want to, you know, my goal and within these ten years is to be able to have this little combine a little bit of land with my family and build this little combine where we can all have these our houses inside of there and like grow our own food, have our own cows like mini farm and stuff.
00;28;17;19 - 00;28;36;22
Alex
And it's so funny because when I was growing up, all these other adults were saying that like, yeah, I just want to live on my own and like, have all this, you know, set aside and be away from society. And I didn't really get it. But now as I'm getting older, I'm like, yeah, I don't really like being around that many people now.
00;28;36;25 - 00;28;44;22
Alex
Like, I get it. I was like, I just want my friends. And then the rest of the world can go into chaos if I over there. Yeah, yeah.
00;28;44;28 - 00;29;08;10
Brandon
Well, be careful when you hang out with me. People tend to buy land, houses and stuff. Yeah, yeah, but no, I, I love it too, because you're right, you know, you all get smaller, and you, you you want more peace as you. I feel like in a way, you know, you work your aggression out. If you can develop a way to work your aggression and your your hurts out in a healthy way, well, then you crave peace, you know?
00;29;08;11 - 00;29;35;00
Brandon
And like you like you say you get all this. I have this theory. I love to hear your thoughts on it. You know, I think one of the, one of the superpowers of jujitsu are really why it's so addictive, you know, is because we don't touch each other and there's an element of human touch that is so just general, you know, obviously not sexual, but like, communal, like we're made to be, you know, we're tribal creatures.
00;29;35;00 - 00;29;54;15
Brandon
And I mean, gosh, all of those people out there that maybe if they watch this, like to know the feeling when you're driving home of like, you know, maybe you got that one sub or maybe you didn't, maybe you just got smashed. Some days you're that the hammer and some days you're the nail. And, but like, you're such a peaceful kind of tired on the drive home, it's like, no music.
00;29;54;20 - 00;29;55;10
Brandon
Just like.
00;29;55;12 - 00;29;56;19
Alex
Yeah, the no music.
00;29;56;27 - 00;30;15;00
Brandon
I got all my aggression out. There's nothing less than I'm just totally fine to be. I'm totally at peace in this moment. What's sad is a lot of people don't know that. And they'll, they'll talk themselves out of ever trying something so far and an unnatural feeling to somebody who isn't used to being touched. And you know what I mean?
00;30;15;02 - 00;30;23;25
Alex
Yeah, it definitely it breaks that barrier. And it's it's funny, like we were talking about touch like my fiance Faye, she is a licensed massage therapist.
00;30;23;28 - 00;30;24;11
Brandon
I didn't.
00;30;24;11 - 00;30;41;17
Alex
Know that. Yeah. And the reason she went into massage school was so that she could do jujitsu, whatever she wanted to. So, you know, it's like all the things we do for jujitsu, I was like, I want to train more, so I'm gonna reroute my whole life and job and career. And so that happens a lot more than you think.
00;30;41;18 - 00;31;04;19
Alex
It's like, you know, like you understand, you drink the Kool-Aid and then you're just in it. Yeah, yeah. She talks about, like, when she's massaging people. It's so funny how like, you know, just breaking that barrier of touch. It just releases so many emotions for people. And she'll just have people just start telling them their life stories to her and all this and that.
00;31;04;19 - 00;31;24;19
Alex
And like, maybe sometimes these husbands are like, I had a fair, well wife. And she's like, stop talking. She's like, I don't need to know that part and stuff. I was like, you should charge extra. You're like, they're basically their therapist. At this point. I'm more than just like a massage therapist or you're like, they're, you know, emotional therapist.
00;31;24;21 - 00;31;50;12
Brandon
Well, it's crazy because you don't realize what state of mind people are really in. And then, yeah, if the touch lowers the barrier of all of a sudden people are dumping out all kinds of stuff, I could see that, man. I mean, you know, the crazy thing about people that are experiencing some sort of real mental anguish or like some kind of crazy burden is they look just like you and me, and you can't tell it until there's some kind of circumstance that comes out.
00;31;50;19 - 00;31;57;11
Brandon
And I imagine, you know, imagine people, especially in the beginning, get super emotional and, heated and jujitsu.
00;31;57;14 - 00;31;57;24
Alex
Yeah.
00;31;57;25 - 00;32;02;04
Brandon
Yeah. I think it's personal or. Yeah. Or they're not used to getting smashed.
00;32;02;05 - 00;32;20;12
Alex
Yes. There's some little outbursts that happened and these happen you know even with adults I mean we see a more with the kids and it's more natural for the kids. But then like seeing a grown human do that, you know sometimes it just and then everyone just looks like are you okay? And then they're like, yeah, I guess I'm okay.
00;32;20;13 - 00;32;42;03
Alex
They're like, oh, let me not make a scene, you know? But then they learn that like, it's okay. It's okay that I got beat up. It happens to everybody, you know, even my black belt and stuff. There, of course, is an achievement in receiving and getting your black belt. But at the end of the day, it's still you're still a normal oh, you're still another person, you know.
00;32;42;04 - 00;33;03;03
Alex
So I like that people do, you know, give respect. But it shouldn't be to the point that you're like always putting these black belts on a pedestal because there's still normal people, normal human beings that make mistakes. And even though they might be really good at jujitsu, they might not have it figured out on all the other aspects of their lives, you know?
00;33;03;04 - 00;33;06;21
Brandon
So you're saying it's not a cure all? Yeah, I know, I wish.
00;33;06;22 - 00;33;22;07
Alex
I wish it wasn't that all be all, you know. So. But yeah, it's just, you know, the experience you take from it and there's so much that you do get from it, but it sadly, it does not make you the most perfect human being. Yeah.
00;33;22;08 - 00;33;29;02
Brandon
That's so funny. I didn't know that Faye was a massage therapist and her her Instagram handle is so funny. Fatality.
00;33;29;07 - 00;33;29;20
Alex
Yeah.
00;33;29;26 - 00;33;58;15
Brandon
So funny for a for a a small, tiny, petite woman, 100 pounds a legitimate black belt. Like I was thinking. Yeah, I wouldn't go to a black belt for massage therapy because I, I did go to this guy, and, he was a brown belt and this big, strong guy, and he, like, is used to doing these, you know, deep tissue athletic therapy kind of massages.
00;33;58;16 - 00;34;02;09
Brandon
Yeah. And the problem with that is the guy has hands of stone.
00;34;02;16 - 00;34;03;01
Alex
Yeah.
00;34;03;04 - 00;34;24;05
Brandon
Knuckles. And, like, five minutes in, I got the pain sweats, you know, and I'm like, involuntarily like screaming out. And he's like, oh, we're just getting started. I hadn't even like, you know, taken out the, you know, the blading and all that stuff. And I'm like, you know, if this isn't actually healing me, I'm going to be really angry at.
00;34;24;06 - 00;34;24;29
Alex
Yeah, exactly.
00;34;25;03 - 00;34;26;06
Brandon
This is a lot of pain.
00;34;26;07 - 00;34;41;11
Alex
Yeah, exactly. Sometimes too much deep tissue can be a bad thing. You know, some people are like, oh, they want you to go in and dig in harder, but sometimes it can be, you know, the opposite of what you're gonna, you know, feel afterwards. It can make you feel worse.
00;34;41;12 - 00;35;02;01
Brandon
Yeah. I'm trying to chase those aches and pains, man. After years and I. And I feel like from running cross country and track, which one of my favorite things. The purest thing about running cross country is there's really not any technique. It's just guts. And it's like, who wants to suffer the most today? That's who's going to cross the line, you know?
00;35;02;02 - 00;35;28;27
Brandon
I mean, yeah, there's a whole lot of conditioning and training and discipline, but like, there's almost a purity to the fact that there's really no technical. Yeah, you know, thing, there's no real difference. It's just in the training and in the consistency. But you know, after years of doing that, running like my calves and hamstrings and quads are so tight and then cycling after that that when a stone hands guy was doing that deep tissue stuff, I was like, yeah, I can't come back to this guy.
00;35;28;28 - 00;35;37;26
Brandon
I've had a lot of deep tissue massage and and that guy. This guy, I was like, jujitsu guys. He's just too tough. Maybe I'm just a baby. I don't know, maybe. So. Yeah.
00;35;38;01 - 00;35;43;20
Alex
That's funny. That's funny. Yeah. You might be a little bit of a someone who enjoys pain.
00;35;43;21 - 00;35;44;15
Brandon
No. Masochist.
00;35;44;17 - 00;35;55;21
Alex
Yeah. It's like you're like cross country. It's not about technique is about. Cause then CrossFit, and then it's just like, all right, how much? How much suffering can I handle, you know.
00;35;55;23 - 00;36;08;25
Brandon
Well, yeah. And it when you earlier you said first you learn these things but then you realize it's not all about, you know, pressure and aggression and smashing. And then that's when you lost me. You're like, oh, my whole game.
00;36;08;27 - 00;36;10;02
Alex
What do you mean?
00;36;10;05 - 00;36;11;07
Brandon
I'm going to use my weight.
00;36;11;09 - 00;36;12;11
Alex
Yeah.
00;36;12;13 - 00;36;24;09
Brandon
And use my cardio. And versus like, actually, let's think about the position. And yeah, I'm trying to learn how to roll with a sustainability in mind. You know.
00;36;24;13 - 00;36;47;08
Alex
I feel like you're getting there. I've watched you train and there was a big, big change. I feel like you've always even though you use your athleticism, which is you know what I tell people when they start, they're like, if someone bigger is starting and they're just like, I don't know, I don't want to hurt someone. There's more for like especially for the ladies that let's say you're there, a bigger lady.
00;36;47;08 - 00;37;03;28
Alex
And then they're they're training with the other ladies who just happen to be smaller. And then, you know, they're like, oh, I feel bad to use my weight to smash or something. And I was like, well, that's all you have. So use it because I mean, I was like, that's they got they gotta learn how to deal with it, you know, like they gotta learn how to use their technique.
00;37;03;28 - 00;37;27;28
Alex
And over time you're gonna develop all those things. But if you're not used to giving someone you know your best, it's going to be hard to, like, pull that out of you as you go in later. It's easier for a coach, I feel, to tell someone to tailor it back versus to get them there, get them more aggressive or so.
00;37;28;01 - 00;37;43;09
Alex
The technique comes over time and and it just it never stops. You're always constantly learning technique and you'll become more efficient over time. But in the beginning, it's just like you're in the surviving stage and it's just like, use your tools to survive. Use what you have.
00;37;43;10 - 00;37;47;06
Brandon
Wow. I can't imagine being engaged to another black belt.
00;37;47;08 - 00;37;56;26
Alex
That's that's all it does save a lot of money that we don't have to go to therapy or anything. We just go to the mats. Yeah. It's just like you didn't do the dishes.
00;37;56;29 - 00;37;58;23
Brandon
Oh, that's it.
00;37;58;25 - 00;38;01;01
Alex
Slap hands, buddy.
00;38;01;03 - 00;38;01;27
Brandon
That's funny.
00;38;01;28 - 00;38;21;28
Alex
But yeah, like, we don't fight that much because I feel that we just try to kill each other on the mats. And it's it's hilarious because first few years of being at the gym, Bruno would watch us roll, and then he's like, Alex, I don't know how you guys can stay together because you guys literally look like you're trying to kill each other.
00;38;21;29 - 00;38;32;03
Alex
And other people from the outside watching are like, are they okay? Like, is everything okay? And they were like, yeah, we're having a great time. Like, this is this is our love language.
00;38;32;06 - 00;38;37;22
Brandon
You got so comfortable being intense with each other. Yeah. Well, and you guys are at such a high level.
00;38;37;25 - 00;38;56;20
Alex
So like. Yeah. And there was a little bit of adjustment period being that, like, I am bigger than Fay and and for the longest time she's like, no, I don't care. Like I'm gonna beat you all the time. There was a little bit of adjustment period where, you know, and it's good to have a little bit of that ego like, no, I'm gonna win no matter what.
00;38;56;22 - 00;39;22;24
Alex
But I think her path in jiu jitsu has started to change a little bit more instead of her. Like she's just an athlete. Like, if you see the muscles on this little girl, it's just like her delts or like double the size of, like a dude's delts. Like, it's crazy. And I'm like, are you sure you're natty? Like, she's like, yeah, but yeah, she's just like, such an athlete.
00;39;22;25 - 00;39;50;03
Alex
But for a really long period in her career, she just tried to rely on that athleticism a lot. And now as she's getting a little bit older, I mean, she's not old, but like, she's like, why are these, you know, these younger juveniles beating me and and it's just like I told her I was like, because they have good technique and you can't just fight brute strength over technique all the time.
00;39;50;05 - 00;40;17;22
Alex
Like you need to know the the best response to it. So that way you can use your muscle behind that good response and you'll get better results. So she started to really focus on being more technical, and it's so cool how her jiu jitsu just kind of skyrocketed. And that's happened for her at Black Belt. So it just goes to show that like even if you get your black belt, it you really just realize it's just the beginning of this like never ending marathon.
00;40;17;27 - 00;40;40;29
Alex
If you decide to do like, you can decide to do jiu jitsu forever. Honestly, like those 80 something year olds that just even started jitsu, which is really awesome. But yeah, it just it never ends. You know, you're always working to better yourself. And I think it's a great analogy for life is that even when you can reach the the peak of something.
00;40;41;01 - 00;41;07;03
Alex
It's good to constantly put yourself into this like, white belt mentality and, to constantly keep growing. And I think that's how the successful athletes competitors stay successful is because they continue to build on their craft. They're not just like, oh, I've won worlds and I'm cool and I'm gonna I'll win it again next year just because, you know, I've already won it.
00;41;07;03 - 00;41;24;02
Alex
That's usually not the case with especially how fast you jitsu is growing, the amount of talent, the amount of athleticism, more and more people are pouring in. You're getting all these people with all these outlier traits that you're going to have to stay on top of your game to be able to stay at the top.
00;41;24;03 - 00;41;43;22
Brandon
It seems unfair because you've got this set of skills that you've honed in, this athleticism that you've built over the years, and then you start to feel a little bit like a different echelon of everybody else. And then all of a sudden the young bucks are starting to, you know, chip away at your game and you realize, like, I gotta I can't really let my foot off the gas.
00;41;43;22 - 00;42;04;28
Brandon
I got to keep going. And I was talking about this with my buddy Vaughn, who he coaches, startup venture capital kind of guys and CEOs and whatnot. And he was talking about how one of the best predictors of success in the CEO type personality is a willingness to jump into something with no experience and just figure it out.
00;42;04;29 - 00;42;24;02
Brandon
You know, you can't really teach grit, but I feel like if you could, you learn it at jiu jitsu. Yeah. You know, or wrestling or probably rugby, you know, like those are these are really tough sports, you know. Yeah. I, I can't wait to get my, my little in it, and it's gonna be fun. It's coming soon.
00;42;24;05 - 00;42;31;15
Alex
It'll be fun. It's so it's so cute. Also to just see them in their little guys in uniforms and they're like, yeah, you're go.
00;42;31;18 - 00;42;50;23
Brandon
And do you know how rare it really is, though? The fact that the people that you've surrounded yourself with are some of the most disciplined people. I mean you think just think about like the average people that are getting their coffee at Duncan. Yeah. You know like you're just street people. How different that your tribe is.
00;42;50;25 - 00;43;10;21
Alex
For most of my career up until like maybe the last couple years is when I was able to just start doing jujitsu full time. Before then, I was, you know, working at the restaurant, taking other odd jobs. I'm trying to make ends meet, you know, so I get my fair share, especially at the restaurant, just working with normal people.
00;43;10;23 - 00;43;23;06
Alex
It also was a kind of breath of fresh air of like for someone who is always been in sports their whole life and, you know, you're around this certain type of people and then you get to be around normal people. And I'm like, that's really cool.
00;43;23;07 - 00;43;24;08
Speaker 3
I'm like, you.
00;43;24;10 - 00;43;28;17
Alex
Just have such a different life and a different mindset. I'm like, interesting.
00;43;28;18 - 00;43;29;06
Speaker 3
You know? Yeah.
00;43;29;07 - 00;43;43;04
Alex
But it's it's funny because it's entertaining as well. And I like being around different people, and people think differently than me because I'm genuinely interested in like, why, why, why, why, why you like the way you are.
00;43;43;08 - 00;43;44;02
Speaker 3
You know.
00;43;44;04 - 00;44;03;02
Alex
So it was. Yeah. It makes you really appreciate being around like like you said, just like such disciplined people in that fact of like when you're in a jujitsu academy. It's hilarious how you see criminals being best friends with, like, lawyers and police officers and like.
00;44;03;07 - 00;44;04;03
Speaker 3
You just get the whole.
00;44;04;03 - 00;44;17;27
Alex
Spectrum of. Like, all these different kinds of people, and then they become like, best friends. And it's like, you would have never met or become friends with this person if it wasn't for this crazy sport, or you're trying to kill each other.
00;44;17;29 - 00;44;40;05
Brandon
Yeah, the most odd mash ups of people. Yeah, yeah. And it's funny how, like, you, you just have these distinct relationships, just in jiu jitsu and, you know, and it's a movement relationship, you know, what they're going to do or you think, you know, they've got these patterns and you recognize. And then there's also just, yeah, that fact that you'd probably never really hang out with these people if it wasn't wouldn't for it.
00;44;40;11 - 00;44;51;22
Brandon
That's funny. So obviously you get to play all the time in jiu jitsu probably when you're ragdoll and people. But, how do you and Fe play outside of jujitsu.
00;44;51;25 - 00;45;14;16
Alex
Yeah. The hard part for a while was like finding the time to have hobbies outside of jujitsu, you know, and that was something that we struggled in our relationship for a little bit because we were so involved in just only jiu jitsu. And then we'd start having arguments about jujitsu. And I was just like, oh, no, this is gonna go so bad.
00;45;14;18 - 00;45;43;23
Alex
You know? I was like, we have to have other hobbies. We have to do different things. Just want to prevent like burnout in the sport, but just like to stay well-rounded and bring that, that balance back in your life. So in terms of hobby, she she's been really liking pickleball. And it's funny because her parents, my parents introduced it to us and we did doubles one time with my mom and dad, and we were like, oh, it's like, we're gonna do this all the time.
00;45;43;25 - 00;46;08;18
Alex
But then whenever she's like, you want to play pickleball? I'm like, I'm so tired from training, so I. I need to find myself a hobby. That's not all. Not just like a physical hobby, too, but, And I actually starting in third grade, I, I play, I started playing the saxophone, and then I, I kept playing the saxophone until a senior year of high school, and I loved it.
00;46;08;20 - 00;46;28;17
Alex
I loved the, the music part, and I so mad at myself because, like, maybe my freshman or sophomore year in college, I like pond, my saxophone. That was like a pretty decent. It was like an intermediate level saxophone, but I pond it for like two grand because I was like, I'm broke, College kid. I wanted some money.
00;46;28;17 - 00;46;47;14
Alex
But yeah, I would love to like pick up maybe playing music again and something, something other than something that's not physical, you say? Yeah, yeah. Just to develop different parts of like, you know, my mind and also give my body a rest to. Yeah.
00;46;47;17 - 00;47;04;15
Brandon
Well, I know I've seen your Instagram. Like you love good cuisine. Oh, yes. Food. You love to eat all kinds of food. I'm like, what are you eating? I never even seen anything that looked like that. But you travel all over the world, so you get to see and taste a lot of good things, I imagine. I, I wouldn't be surprised if you.
00;47;04;18 - 00;47;07;22
Brandon
Yeah. Played and played in cooking, you know, and.
00;47;07;24 - 00;47;33;10
Alex
I've had a lot of people tell me I should switch my Instagram to, like, a food page or like a food and jujitsu page, and I would love to. I feel like I would love to do something like that. I'm just so horrible at social media and keeping up with that, that I was like, I really need to get someone who either one, someone to teach me how to edit videos and I need to get like the iPhone, the newest iPhone, just so I could have more storage.
00;47;33;10 - 00;47;58;12
Alex
Because, you know, I'm trying not to update my phone all the time. I'm like, I know the their after us. I was like, I don't want them to know more about my life. Yeah. But, but yeah, if someone can like, help me become or manage me in like doing all these videos or just do the videos for me, then I would love to have this like food and jiu jitsu page because I think it would be really cool.
00;47;58;12 - 00;48;18;07
Alex
It's like, all right, come with me to this tournament. And then we ate here afterwards and review. And I've had some friends, you know, Ricky Navas from 12 p.m.. He's a chef. And he was like, I need you to hop on this because we'll pay you like a good lump of cash just to come to our restaurant and eat.
00;48;18;07 - 00;48;21;18
Alex
And I was like, really? That's what I want to do in life. Like.
00;48;21;20 - 00;48;22;17
Brandon
That sounds great.
00;48;22;18 - 00;48;26;17
Alex
I was like, you know, I love the jitsu, but I would love to get paid to eat food.
00;48;26;19 - 00;48;27;02
Brandon
Yeah.
00;48;27;03 - 00;48;27;26
Alex
You know, so.
00;48;28;00 - 00;48;30;06
Brandon
You still take an application? Yeah. Right.
00;48;30;07 - 00;48;32;06
Alex
Exactly. Like, come on.
00;48;32;08 - 00;48;37;10
Brandon
I would, I would do crazy coupe like, three nights ago. Got a Nashville chicken sandwich. That was awesome.
00;48;37;11 - 00;48;41;04
Alex
Yeah, he rolled out with the new menu and stuff. Oh.
00;48;41;11 - 00;49;01;07
Brandon
I should have, like, a super fan. I'm in the drive through and I'm like, hey, where's that, general style chicken or whatever? I saw Ricky post and they're like, we don't actually have that yet. Oh, we just it's coming. And I'm like, oh, all right. What else you got? Yeah, it is so good. And I told you I think he's gonna come on here too.
00;49;01;08 - 00;49;35;12
Alex
Yes. Oh I love that. Yes, I would love I especially because I worked in the restaurant industry for quite some time. I got really interested in that in that field, bartending, all this restaurant stuff. It's it was really cool. And I think that's where my love for food really grew. I started working in a lot of Thai restaurant because my cousin's girlfriend at the time, when I was like, right near the end of high school, was able to get me this, serving job at it used to be shy.
00;49;35;14 - 00;50;01;16
Alex
It's now also called naan, but it's an anti. But it's in Buckhead. And that was like my first time being in like a more higher end restaurant. So that happened. I was like, man, I think I have a finer taste for I like, I like the finer taste for, you know, for the finer things in life. I'm like, man, I think I'm a little bougie, you know, like, I, I mean, I love casual food, but then like, also like a little bit of upscale dining.
00;50;01;16 - 00;50;19;03
Alex
I'm like, I feel like I want to learn all of it. Like, yeah. So I think I should hop on that. Hop on that. A social media influencer I hate I hate it because I'm like, I don't want to be an influencer, but then I'm like to pay to get to eat food and invited.
00;50;19;04 - 00;50;41;00
Brandon
Yourself employed. You've got to be a hustler and crafty and and you can outsource the editing. Yeah I, I don't do any editing. I'll, we'll get you hooked up with some people that are affordable and all that good stuff. But yeah. Because you're, you're kind of an entrepreneur too. I mean you're, you got all these different income streams and it's a whole nother, you know, language.
00;50;41;00 - 00;51;09;28
Brandon
You got to learn to speak. And, I don't know, maybe I, I'm, I'm a finance guy, and I love to see people just empowered with, like, you know, having a plan and all that good stuff. And I read a book called A Called Profit First. I mean, it's just a it's just a concept of personal finance to make sure that you pay yourself profit in addition to like anyway, it's about it's about, it's just a really practical, like entrepreneurial budgeting book.
00;51;09;28 - 00;51;36;17
Brandon
But I just like empowering people because it is a not only sometimes a lonely world to not be in this, you know, secure W-2 type job. But to also but it's also a very demanding and it requires so many different skills, you know, and you don't have to also add video editing to it. You know, I've outsourced my bookkeeping and my editing and all this stuff.
00;51;36;18 - 00;51;55;01
Brandon
And realistically, you're already an influencer. Yeah, you're a huge and you influence a lot of people and you're a really great professor. Oh, and honestly, I wouldn't have, I mean, you know, you're like, to me, you are the the teller professor. Like, you know, that I get most because that's, you know, for me.
00;51;55;05 - 00;51;56;02
Alex
See each other.
00;51;56;05 - 00;52;11;27
Brandon
Yeah. I take I study under you mostly. And, I'd say that, you know, they're really lucky to have you. And I've seen how you, also teach the kids, and it's awesome. It makes me feel comfortable. Like bringing my kids in there, knowing that there's going to be tears and there's going to be, you know, just because we're there little.
00;52;11;28 - 00;52;12;10
Brandon
There are.
00;52;12;11 - 00;52;12;25
Alex
Yes.
00;52;12;29 - 00;52;13;15
Brandon
Yeah.
00;52;13;21 - 00;52;41;27
Alex
Yeah. But, you know, that means a lot. That means a lot. I feel that Bruno is done a great job of like building this team of coaches that are great people on like these coaches genuinely care about the students, especially our kids coaches. Where I think it's like the most important. I've been around a lot of gyms growing up, and this was my first gym where it's just a jujitsu only academy.
00;52;41;28 - 00;53;07;27
Alex
It's not just an MMA academy. So it brings about different people where it's like a little bit more normal crowd, less CTE field crowd, you know? So but it's cool. It's just such a family oriented, sport. It's it's like everybody that kind of walks in with a family, their kids start, and then all of a sudden one of the parents starts, and then the other one, and then it's the whole family sport.
00;53;07;29 - 00;53;19;05
Alex
And it's just really cool. It's cool. It's like adding an extended family to when you're in the right environment around the right. Like you said, discipline people. And I feel like they just try to live that a positive life.
00;53;19;06 - 00;53;41;10
Brandon
Well. And it's not even just that they're disciplined. It's I mean, you got I mean, I was you were my professor when you won the World Championships in Nogi, like, and then I didn't even the cool thing about a lot of times I just stumble into a situation completely naive. And, and I enjoy learning things versus, like, on the spot versus researching them ahead of time.
00;53;41;10 - 00;54;05;09
Brandon
I like a little bit of mystery to unfold. So I'm, you know, learning from you. And, you know, I'm just kind of, you know, trying to learn the very basics. And, you know, the way that you can explain this one move with like these 30 steps of like, I had no idea it was just technical and nuanced and and then to see, oh, yeah, you just won the national championship was a national championship.
00;54;05;09 - 00;54;06;15
Brandon
World championship. Ngugi.
00;54;06;20 - 00;54;08;21
Alex
Yeah. In 2023. Yes.
00;54;08;22 - 00;54;09;16
Brandon
Oh, yeah.
00;54;09;16 - 00;54;10;10
Alex
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00;54;10;11 - 00;54;20;03
Brandon
And, where else can you just, like, train a side, like top tier, I mean, international talent. I'm like, this is crazy. Yeah.
00;54;20;05 - 00;54;23;21
Alex
That's cool. All within the niche of Marietta.
00;54;23;23 - 00;54;24;02
Brandon
Yeah.
00;54;24;05 - 00;54;24;26
Alex
Yeah.
00;54;24;28 - 00;54;48;06
Brandon
Yeah, it's pretty wild. And again, you know, growing up in the 80s thinking about, you know, how impactful like martial arts was to just the culture of Ninja Turtles, karate Kid, three ninjas, Van Damme, you know, all of these funny movies that, for me, it feels like, like play to be able to go. I'm like, all right, I'm gonna go just work on my ninja skills.
00;54;48;07 - 00;54;48;21
Alex
Yeah.
00;54;48;27 - 00;54;59;15
Brandon
You know, sit down. All the work stuff sits and all the finance stuff, all the contract and, like, kid stuff and, like, I'm just gonna go try to be a ninja. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's so fun.
00;54;59;20 - 00;55;00;22
Alex
Yeah.
00;55;00;24 - 00;55;03;26
Brandon
You're teaching now? Both at the dumb Muddy and Marietta campus.
00;55;03;27 - 00;55;49;01
Alex
No, just the Marietta. Oh. I train sometimes at the Dunwoody, but I right now my schedule is Tuesday. Thursday, 6 a.m.. Nogi. All levels. Then Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 12 p.m. G, all levels. And then I actually, m every night and for the adults classes Monday through Thursday. 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. the basics class. So even if it is your very first time stepping on the mats, there is a very likelihood that it'll be me and some other instructor getting to have your intro into the world of jujitsu.
00;55;49;03 - 00;56;01;00
Brandon
What's crazy is the one thing I learned is that the most dangerous, skilled martial artists are just the most chill, happy, calm people ever. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00;56;01;00 - 00;56;19;28
Alex
It brings about like, I guess a a confidence, right? Like you're saying, like you're like, okay, like I know how to handle myself and generally know how to handle all the people. So, like, I'm, I'm chilling. I don't have to feel all anxious or so alert all the time. I, I just I know it's going to be okay.
00;56;20;03 - 00;56;50;06
Alex
Yeah. Up next I say, and I are actually in the works of like, finishing the process of doing, Holy Rivera, one of the cops at our gym was helping us get certified for the police force, BJJ instructors. And so what that allows is for police officers. I'm not sure if it's just in Marietta PD or if it's every, every PD.
00;56;50;08 - 00;57;15;11
Alex
To be able to train at our academy and it's government funded so they can just go in there. So hopefully what that means to is that we'll start doing some like weapons defense classes. And I think that would be so sick because we'll get like, you know, the rubber knives and stuff and like do a bunch of situations and like, all right, try not to get stabbed and then just go step, step, step.
00;57;15;13 - 00;57;15;28
Alex
And I.
00;57;15;28 - 00;57;18;25
Speaker 4
Feel like it just changed everything. You're not just grappling anymore.
00;57;18;27 - 00;57;47;27
Alex
You know there's a whole weapon involved. And so it's it says real life self-defense as it gets, you know? And it's cool because I myself don't have like a lot of experience in that, you know. So I want to be able to see what it's like and really be like the full on Van Damme and like full on, like, you know, Street Fighter or like be able to see what it's like when there's all these other tools and the factors involved.
00;57;47;27 - 00;57;50;13
Alex
It's not just grappling anymore. It's not just sport jiu jitsu.
00;57;50;17 - 00;57;55;26
Brandon
Yeah. And then when I get smashed really badly in jiu jitsu, I'm like, you know, I'm just going to go work on my gun skills.
00;57;55;28 - 00;58;00;19
Speaker 4
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And then.
00;58;00;21 - 00;58;19;18
Alex
That's what I was telling some of the cops. I was like, I really just want to do some trades. You want to do some trades, you just you shooting lessons. I mean, I, I'd love to be like, very comfortable and efficient. Fortunately, one of my Filipino friends, Casey CBO, he's like, very top tier, like, marksman shooter and like, speed shooter.
00;58;19;20 - 00;58;41;10
Alex
And it's so sick. Watching is like, social media is just like watching, like a Call of Duty thing. And it's just, like, already go ting ting ting ting ting. And it's like, all done. And I'm like, that's not real. I'm like, well, that was insane. So I would love to do some. I'm always open for trades and like different skills.
00;58;41;13 - 00;58;53;17
Alex
I love to learn about new things, like you said, like white belt mentality and all these different areas of life. So I'm trying to build all those trades and have them in my belt.
00;58;53;18 - 00;58;59;07
Brandon
It makes me want to come do the the intro class and just, yeah, just beat up white belts.
00;58;59;08 - 00;59;05;29
Alex
Yes. Sometimes you just need it for your ego. You're. I'm tired of being the nail. Today I'm the hammer.
00;59;06;02 - 00;59;23;07
Brandon
Oh my gosh. I wonder if that's the right man for me sometimes because I'm like, you know, I really just I should probably actually polish the basics instead of trying to learn how to submit from terrible situations. You know, that's my go to mentality. Like, well, I'm here now. Yeah. Yeah.
00;59;23;10 - 00;59;28;06
Speaker 5
Ezekiel yeah, exactly. This guy and this is drugs from everywhere.
00;59;28;06 - 00;59;37;06
Alex
And I'm like oh there you go. And then all I hear is the other guy saying he's like cussing under his breath. He's like, damn it again. Not again with it.
00;59;37;07 - 00;59;38;11
Brandon
Oh gosh.
00;59;38;13 - 00;59;39;19
Alex
But it was good. It was good.
00;59;39;20 - 00;59;46;28
Brandon
Instead of learning all the news, I just want to get the most hard to defend loop choke ever. Yeah, yeah, both.
00;59;46;28 - 00;59;47;25
Alex
Sides of.
00;59;47;25 - 00;59;54;11
Brandon
Lupe jokes. It's so fun. So satisfying. Is it to LA jiu jitsu? Dot com is at the site.
00;59;54;12 - 01;00;17;15
Alex
I believe so. And it should have the schedule on there for both locations. You could schedule your free trial whether you're visiting and looking to join or first time training. I think you get like two free trial classes. Should be easy to schedule on there. Or you can call that me, and the front desk lady will be able to schedule for you.
01;00;17;16 - 01;00;21;04
Alex
Yeah. Whether you're adults or kids. Yeah, yeah.
01;00;21;04 - 01;00;28;09
Brandon
Well, you guys have a world class facility. I'm so glad that, you know, Kyle told me about it, and I had worked out with him CrossFit for years.
01;00;28;10 - 01;00;30;07
Alex
Oh, wow. So that's how you found about,
01;00;30;09 - 01;00;48;22
Brandon
Yeah. Well, and in in the strip with Borges jiu jitsu and, he said, you know, if you're going to try and you just because I talked about it like, yeah, I did it for a couple of years in my 20s. It was so fun. Yeah. And I've been missing it this whole time. He was like, well, if you're going to train, you know, just come check us out.
01;00;48;23 - 01;00;59;20
Brandon
Like, yeah, it's really top notch. And I said, well, okay, I and I didn't look it up. I didn't see who the professors were. I was like, I'm going to follow. I had no idea that he was a black belt. Yeah. No idea.
01;00;59;23 - 01;01;00;12
Alex
Oh, look.
01;01;00;12 - 01;01;02;18
Brandon
At that. He's so humble and right.
01;01;02;24 - 01;01;04;22
Alex
Right. It's just flying under the radar.
01;01;04;23 - 01;01;16;19
Brandon
For years I worked out beside him and I was like, he's just such a nice guy. Yeah, no clue that he could murder me so fast, so effortlessly. Yeah.
01;01;16;22 - 01;01;19;07
Alex
Skinny, lanky nerd.
01;01;19;09 - 01;01;22;26
Brandon
Yeah. Of course. The Brazilian. You should just be careful.
01;01;22;27 - 01;01;23;19
Alex
Yeah, yeah.
01;01;23;20 - 01;01;24;02
Brandon
You know.
01;01;24;03 - 01;01;30;29
Alex
It's like, just embedded in their DNA. They probably already know how to throw up a rear naked choke and coming out of the womb. Yeah.
01;01;31;04 - 01;01;32;04
Brandon
Yeah, with a smile.
01;01;32;07 - 01;01;34;03
Alex
Yeah.
01;01;34;05 - 01;01;40;02
Brandon
Well, Alex, thank you so much for doing this. I really appreciate you. This is a lot of fun, and I can't wait to see what you guys do next.
01;01;40;06 - 01;01;43;08
Alex
Oh, thank you so much for having me. Appreciate you.
01;01;43;10 - 01;01;47;21
Brandon
Thank you. Thanks for checking out the Think in Cursive podcast.
01;01;47;23 - 01;01;49;15
Speaker 6
Please give us a like, subscribe.
01;01;49;15 - 01;01;58;27
Brandon
And your comments along the way. They're so important to us for all things podcast or real estate. You can find me at Be Good brandon.com. Thanks for checking us out. We'll see you soon.
