Black Belts and Board Games Episode 1: Reaps and Gi vs. No-Gi
Nelson and Matt sit down for a game of Commander and talk about reaping rules and the technical merits of gi and no-gi training.
The Danger of Gurus
How much should you trust the advice of your instructor? In his new article, Marshal writes about the temptation to guru-fy jiu-jitsu coaches and how to stay grounded.
Embracing the Crazy Jiu-Jitsu Professor Lifestyle
In his newest blog, Marshal talks about how every long-time jiu-jiteiro is doomed to face crazy professor syndrome.
A note to our fans (about big changes)
We just rebooted our inventory and made a bunch of behind the scenes changes to make things better for Panda Nation.
Big Panda Swinging
I started my BJJ career at 190 pounds, and I put weight on over the years, moving from middle heavy, to heavy, to super heavy, and now back down to middle heavy. I have always been on the big side of the room when it ...
Challenging the Traditional Logic on Teaching
When I was first learning how to teach, certain “best practices” were common knowledge. These were the “right” ways to be a good teacher, run a good class, and design a good curriculum. You see these in the teaching g...
Evicting Ring Girls (and Other Cage-Side Thoughts)
Sometimes you have to kick a ring girl out of her seat, and other insights from working the corner in MMA fights.
The Four BJJ Archetypes - Which Are You?
Over my years in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I’ve come up with a theory of four archetypes for like-minded jiu-jiteiros that I call The Competitor, The Scholar, The Hobbyist, and The Traditionalist. Let me describe these arc...
Meet the Pandas – Magic On The Mat – Raphaël Levy
Meet the Pandas sheds light on the faces of Panda Nation. Last episode we introduced brown belt medal chaser Pat Hemenway of Pellegrino MMA. Now, we focus on Raphaël Levy of association Aranha: A professional Magic: T...
Why Lower Belts Make Great Instructors
Did you just show up to class to discover a blue or purple belt covering? Never fear. Here’s why taking classes with blues and purples is good for you and for the team.
How to Return to BJJ After a Long Break
Sometimes life gets in the way of BJJ. Accidents and injuries will knock you out of training. When you are sidelined with an injury, illness, or even a blessing like a new baby or a job promotion, it’s easy to go stir...