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My Real Life Juggling Act: Balancing Work, Life and BJJ
By: Emily Kwok
When I think back on 38 years of human existence, l feel that I’ve managed to cultivate an abundant life. I am blessed with a beautiful marriage and family, and have the time and resources to pursue personal interests and passions. I am fulfilled by my work on a multitude of levels and […]
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Purple Belt: The Middle of the Journey
By: Joe Hannan
One day you wake up and you go to train like you would any other day. You watch your friends get promoted and you clap your hands. You clap your hands more heartily for some more than others — the ones you know and love best. Then, all of a sudden, they’re clapping […]
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10 Tips for Longevity in BJJ
By: Emily Kwok
Dear Reader,
This is not an article for “old people.” This is an article for people who want to feel happy and healthy as they train into old age. I might even be so bold as to suggest that if you are young, ambitious, and live and breathe jiu jitsu, then you should heed […]
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Faixa Preta
By: Emily Kwok
Faixa Preta: Black Belt
When I began training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, it was a good while before I’d ever encountered a real live Black Belt and it never occurred to me that I would ever become one or want one. The Black Belt was almost like a god or deity — holy, sacred and […] -
How to Bring the Best Version of Yourself to Competition
By: Joe Hannan
The man who would try to break my arm made idle conversation in the bullpen. He wasn’t nervous, but rather was sizing me up. Conducting recon. Scrutinizing what I knew and what I didn’t know about Jiu Jitsu and how he could use the knowledge to break me. He walked with the assured […]
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In it to Win it: 5 Ways to Develop your Technical Growth on the Mats
By: Emily Kwok
As a teacher, I generally see incredible enthusiasm and growth within the infancy of a new student’s journey in our sport. They are always empowered by what they discover their bodies can do and surprised at how effective certain lessons can be. Most of us are not conditioned to use our bodies to […]
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Progress and Purpose: Why do we Train?
By: Emily Kwok
If you asked me (almost) decades ago what I enjoyed about training BJJ and why I was doing it, I would have told you it was because it was different from anything I’d ever done and I liked the workout I got from it. Today, my reasons are largely the same, though I […]
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My Child Won’t Break and Neither Will Yours: The Insight of a BJJ Parent
By: Emily Kwok
This past weekend I got to experience being a mother to a brave little girl who decided she wanted to fight her own battles. A few months ago, one of our instructors approached us about wanting to run a small kids tournament to help familiarize them with sport rules and share a deeper […]
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How Leaders Should Lead
By: Emily Kwok
‘Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power’ – Abraham Lincoln
Reflecting on the 18 going on 19 years I’ve been involved with BJJ, it’s a surreal moment to confront myself with the fact that I’ve been training a long time; like long enough […] -
5 Principles for Growth in BJJ
By: Emily Kwok
Before we breakdown some of the growth principles that have been helpful in my BJJ, let’s just clear the air here and demystify what the word ‘principle’ means in this context. All too often people will nod their heads when you mention, ‘Do you understand this principle?’ when they really have no flipping […]
