All writing
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Curriculum & Culture Decoder
The Techniques You Invent When Everyone Outweighs You
I train almost only with heavy and super-heavyweights, and it's pushing me toward moves I don't see taught. The open question: what happens against my own size?
June 13, 2026
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The Desk-Worker Late Starter
First Day Back: 300 Pounds, a Knee to the Jaw, and a Mouth Guard
My first roll back from the broken tooth was with a 300-pound bear. First thing he does is knee me in the jaw — and this time the guard does its job.
June 11, 2026
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The Desk-Worker Late Starter
Crown On, Mouth Guard Inbound, and Back on the Mat
The crown goes on the 10th, the guard my coach recommended ships overnight, and I'm back to training — closing the loop on the broken tooth.
June 9, 2026
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The Desk-Worker Late Starter
A Knee to the Jaw, a Broken Tooth, and a Custom Mouth Guard
A knee cracked a molar mid-scramble. Why I'm taking time off to fix the tooth, getting a custom mouth guard, and how dental protection actually works in BJJ.
June 1, 2026
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Curriculum & Culture Decoder
Learning Spider Guard From Scratch: Ankle-Trap to Back-Take
First class on spider guard. Sleeve grips, feet on biceps, off-balance them as they escape — then the ankle trap that forces them to sit, opening the path to the back.
May 25, 2026
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Curriculum & Culture Decoder
Reading the Guard-Puller: Hands Under the Knees, Before the Pull
Pre-match scouting beats reaction. If their weight leans back and they've pulled before, get your hands under their knees as they go — a timing game, not a strength one.
May 25, 2026
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Curriculum & Culture Decoder
Rolling With a Much Bigger Partner: Where the Grips Have to Go
Bicep grips don't work on a heavily muscular partner. Move to the chest lapel, the collar, the wrists. The belt grab is your steering wheel. And a little humor helps.
May 25, 2026
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The Traveling Gym Reviewer
Swollen Knee, Gracie Barra North, and a Tennessee Invite
A day that started with playset construction and drop-knee drilling, ended with new black belts, blood in my mouth, and an invite to Tennessee.
May 25, 2026
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The Traveling Gym Reviewer
Why I Bought a Plain White Gi With No Affiliation
A plain white gi — no academy back patch, no team logos, no lineage signal — is the most versatile $120 you can spend in BJJ. Here's why I finally caved.
May 23, 2026
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The Traveling Gym Reviewer
Mapping Every BJJ Gym Near Me by Drive Time
I scraped Google Maps for the drive time from my home to every BJJ gym in my metro, bucketed the results, and learned more than I expected about how to plan a tour.
May 20, 2026
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The Desk-Worker Late Starter
Starting BJJ at 39 with a Desk Job (and a Neck That Hates Me)
Starting BJJ later in life from inside a software consultant's body. Privates as the on-ramp, and how to start year one without breaking yourself.
May 14, 2026
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The Desk-Worker Late Starter
Are BJJ Private Lessons Worth It at White Belt?
A finance-aware breakdown of BJJ private lesson economics for late-starter white belts. When privates pay off, when they don't, and the questions to ask before booking.
May 11, 2026
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Curriculum & Culture Decoder
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu vs Gracie Barra: What I've Learned at Both
Honest comparison of training at a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu academy and a Gracie Barra school, from a white belt who started later in life and has been on the mats at both.
May 7, 2026