BJJ Meditations
Episodes
BJJ Meditations 95 | Judo Meditations
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of BJJ Meditations, host Joe shares personal updates about his life as a new father and the introduction of a judo program at Princeto...
BJJ Meditations 94 | 0.075 grams
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
🔍 Episode Summary In this introspective and unusually candid episode of BJJ Meditations, host Joe Hannan sits down for a long-awaited conversation—...
BJJ Meditations 93 | Paradox
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of BJJ Meditations, host Joe Hannan discusses various themes related to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, including the paradox of coaching and coa...
BJJ Meditations 92 | Conviction
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of BJJ Meditations, Joe Hannan delves into the concept of conviction in Jiu-Jitsu, exploring its origins and implications for both pra...
BJJ Meditations 91 | Tying the Room Together
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of BJJ Meditations, Joe Hannan discusses his recent experiences and insights as the head coach of Princeton Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He e...
BJJ Meditations 90 | Emergent and convergent thinking
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of BJJ Meditations, Joe Hannan shares his personal journey through injury and recovery, reflecting on the impact of physical limitatio...
BJJ Meditations 89 | Momento mori
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of BJJ Meditations, host Joe Hannan shares a personal narrative that intertwines health scares, the challenges of training in Brazilia...
BJJ Meditations 88 | Unmoved
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of BJJ Meditations, host Joe Hannan reflects on the recent presidential election and its implications for society. He discusses his ...
BJJ Meditations 87 | The ultimate constraint
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of BJJ Meditations, Joe Hannan reflects on various themes including the increasing irrelevance of rank in Jiu-Jitsu, the importance of...
BJJ Meditations 86 | Steve Kwan
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of BJJ Meditations, Joe Hannan speaks with Steve Kwan, co-founder of BJJ Mental Models, about his journey into Jiu-Jitsu, the evolut...
BJJ Meditations 85 | P.T.W.W.F.
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Joe Hannan sits down with Yego, Jimmy, and Robbie to discuss Power Trip, a new zine and community initiative centered around J...
BJJ Meditations 84 | Ancient meditations
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode of BJJ Meditations is a book club discussion, facilitated by Joe Hannan. The book up for discussion was the namesake of the podcast: Medi...
BJJ Meditations 83 | Hurt vs. injured
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of BJJ Meditations, Joe Hannan reflects on the emotional and physical challenges of grappling, particularly in relation to injuries. H...
BJJ Meditations 82 | How to compete well
18 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of BJJ Meditations, Joe Hannan shares insights from his experiences at the IBJJF World Master and local competitions, focusing on how ...
BJJ Meditations 81 | Josh Lu
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Joe and Josh discuss Josh's recent experience at Burning Man and his upcoming jiu-jitsu competition. They explore the reasons wh...
BJJ Meditations 80 | Arrival
04 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe reflects on his experience at the IBJJF World Master jiu jitsu championship. He discusses the challenges he faced, including an i...
BJJ Meditations 79 | Departure
28 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe discusses his upcoming departure to Vegas for the IBJJF World Master tournament. He talks about his weight, his gear, and his min...
BJJ Meditations 78 | Seasons
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe discusses his preparation for Masters Worlds. He talks about his physical and mental readiness, as well as the difference between...
BJJ Meditations 77 | Retreat
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe reflects on his recent illness and upcoming competition. He discusses the concept of retreat and the distinction between a strate...
BJJ Meditations 76 | Ill Communication (Part 2)
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe reflects on his recent experience at a jiu jitsu competition while battling illness. He shares the challenges he faced leading up...
BJJ Meditations 75 | Ill Communication
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe reflects on his pattern of getting sick before Jiu Jitsu competitions and explores the connection between physical and psychologi...
BJJ Meditations 74 | Repose
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe reflects on his recent vacation and the importance of negative space in fostering clarity and mindfulness. He explores the concep...
BJJ Meditations 73 | Tension
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe discusses his training routine and preparation for upcoming competitions. He explores the tension between sharpening mode and exp...
BJJ Meditations 72 | Self-Expression
03 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe discusses two questions from listeners. The first question is about how Joe's understanding of BJJ has changed since he first sta...
BJJ Meditations 71 | Over-Gripping
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe reflects on the concept of taking things seriously without holding onto them too tightly. He discusses how the pandemic upended w...
BJJ Meditations 70 | Conviction (Revisited)
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe reflects on the theme of conviction and its importance in achieving success. He shares a personal experience of a near car accide...
BJJ Meditations 69 | Conviction
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe reflects on his recent trip to Central America and about the challenge of winning Masters, which has prompted Joe to question his...
BJJ Meditations 68 | Carrying The Fire
05 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this rough-and-ready, episode of BJJ Meditations, host Joe Hannan broadcasts from a remote jungle location in Central America. Amidst the sounds of...
BJJ Meditations 67 | Seeing More Clearly
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe discusses the theme of 'Seeing More Clearly' and its connection to his new hobby of photography and videography. He reflects on t...
BJJ Meditations 66 | Training vs. Doing
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Joe dives deep into the world of training and the nuanced differences between simply "doing" and truly "training" in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. D...
BJJ Meditations 65 | Surrounded by Greatness
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode first appeared on The Highest Levels, a BJJ Mental Models Premium show hosted by Emily Kwok and Joe Hannan. The Highest Levels is all abo...
BJJ Meditations 64 | Polarities of Leadership
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe discusses the topic of leadership and shares his experiences as a leader in his jiu jitsu school. He explores the polarities and ...
BJJ Meditations 63 | Rank
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode of BJJ Meditations explores rank and hierarchy on and off the mats. Hierarchy is an unavoidable aspect of human society, including in the...
BJJ Meditations 62 | Surprise!
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe discusses the concepts of certainty and uncertainty in the contexts of jiu jitsu and life. He explores the idea that certainty ca...
BJJ Meditations 61 | Time Out of Mind
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Joe reflects on his current state of mind and training in between competitions. He discusses his tendency to not drive things to comp...
BJJ Meditations 60 | New York State of Mind
10 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Reflections from my experiences at the New York Open and the lessons learned from competing, including the importance of finding your own approach to ...
BJJ Meditations 59 | Josh Lu
03 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Josh Lu of 1-800-BJJ-HELP is back. This time, we're going deep on all things mindfulness and meditation. Josh is a white belt based in San Diego, CA....
BJJ Meditations 58 | Skin health protocols, with Dr. Clayton Green
27 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
BJJ Meditations sits at the intersection of Jiu Jitsu and the examined life. Part of living an examined life is tending to health and well-being. Skin...
BJJ Meditations 57 | Discipline
20 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jiu Jitsu is a thematic exploration of structure (and structurelessness, of course). We dynamically organize our bodies to accomplish certain goals th...
BJJ Meditations 56 | Real motherf*ckers
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jiu Jitsu attracts people who live at the dynamic edge of experience. I think it's because the art strips away all affectation and leaves behind peopl...
BJJ Meditations 55 | BJJ and the examined life
06 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
BJJ is a door to an examined life. It reveals who we are, stripping away our personas and posturing. It's up to us to decide what we do with what's re...
BJJ Meditations 54 | Collab!
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a collaboration with Josh Lu and Jake Luigi, the duo behind the fantastic 1-800 -BJJ-Help podcast. You also may recognize Jake from Le...
BJJ Meditations 53 | Do we actually improve?
21 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I've said that Jiu Jitsu is a vehicle for self-improvement. But now, I'm not so sure. I can see that people who train Jiu Jitsu have qualitatively bet...
BJJ Meditations 52 | BJJ rascals
14 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rascals make no buts about who they are. They may be bastards, but they're bastards living examined lives. They see the light as well as the shadow. H...
BJJ Meditations 51 | Welcome to Miami
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I'm back from the Miami Open and covering how it went and, more importantly, what I learned. Contained here is a framework that you can use to goal-se...
BJJ Meditations 50 | Letting go
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What are we fighting against that's fighting right back? What are we trying to silence that only gets louder with the effort? Jiu Jitsu teaches us to ...
BJJ Meditations 49 | When did you stop singing?
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At one point in our lives, we all sang. And then we stopped. Why? Did someone make you feel self-conscious? Criticize you? Humiliate you? Singing is a...
BJJ Meditations 48 | Full immersion
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can we study Jiu Jitsu? Or is it a way of life, or a way of being -- perhaps only experienced in its totality via full participation? And is there any...
BJJ Meditations 47 | Presence
03 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Something is amiss. For the first time in my life, I have no idea what a new year will bring. Perhaps you feel the same. I know this: Meeting this yea...
BJJ Meditations 46 | The path
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are here because we have chosen the path of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. We pursue it often with a singularity of focus. With such a narrow field of view, ...
BJJ Meditations 45 | BJJ longevity protocols
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm 37. BJJ looks a lot different now than it did in my 20s. And staying in the game requires a bit more effort. These are my BJJ longevity protocols....
BJJ Meditations 44 | Receiving the wave
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm back from a work excursion to Central America. The trip included time on the mats, time in the water, and time in deep conversation. The jungle an...
BJJ Meditations 43 | Silence
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's been quiet around here lately. Some of that is seasonal. It's a good time of year for silence and reflection. In other ways, it's a time for deci...
BJJ Meditations 42 | Collin Wiemer
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Collin Wiemer is one of the most hard-working students of the art that I know. He's also a dear friend, coach, and source of no bullshit BJJ chud wisd...
BJJ Meditations 41 | The hunt
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One of the ways in which Jiu Jitsu and hunting are similar in their potential to glorify violence. But there's no sidestepping the fact that eating an...
BJJ Meditations 40 | Elizabeth Bass
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Elizabeth Bass is a grappler and professional based in Tel Aviv, Israel. A world-traveling soulful human, Lyz has expertise in the field of human-cent...
BJJ Meditations 39 | The edge
25 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to live life at the edge of experience? How do we train to relentlessly push ourselves on the mats? And how do we translate this eff...
BJJ Meditations 38 | BJJ in a bottle
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You win or you lose. Maybe you learn. Learning is largely up to you. Learning hinges on the stories we tell ourselves in the aftermath of any emotiona...
BJJ Meditations 37 | Walking Through The Fire
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Thinking about the moment of battle produces all sorts of thoughts, sensations, and emotions. We can try to suppress them, but ultimately trying to ke...
BJJ Meditations 36 | God and Jiu Jitsu
21 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A listener writes, asking for a mediation on how pursuits like Jiu Jitsu and CrossFit promote a religion-like sense of community and belonging. We can...
BJJ Meditations 35 | What is enough?
14 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There comes a point in most training camps when the question arises: Am I doing enough? Is the guy I'm going to face out there outworking me? Has he d...
BJJ Meditations 34 | Erica Zendell
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A virtuous life is an examined life, and few arts promote an examined life quite like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Erica Zendell is a BJJ brown belt, writer, ...
BJJ Meditations 33 | Black belt
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For years, the closing line of Rilke's Archaic Torso of Apollo has haunted me: "... for here there is no place that does not see you. You must change ...
BJJ Meditations 32 | The line
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine a line that separates your life training Jiu Jitsu and your life at large. How do you prepare your mind, body, and soul so that you are fully ...
BJJ Meditations 31 | Choosing to win
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
First, some housekeeping. Humans are faced with multiple existential crises. Here in the northeast, recent events have highlighted the salience of the...
BJJ Meditations 30 | The path to victory
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week." -- Gen. George S. Patton Sparring in BJJ highlights the salienc...
BJJ Meditations 29 | The internal adversary
17 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After three years away from competition, I return to the arena and realize that five minutes of fighting contain more useful information than five yea...
BJJ Meditations 28 | On the eve of battle
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The last few moments before action in Jiu Jitsu competition are some of the hardest. But then the ref waves you out onto the mat, the fight begins, an...
BJJ Meditations 27 | The point of Jiu Jitsu competition
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
My purple belt was no more than three weeks old, and I was standing in the bullpen waiting for my round to start at a local competition. The guy I was...
BJJ Meditations 26 | Why do we train?
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For many of us, our reasons for training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are a bit murky. Maybe we started to get in shape, to learn a new skill, or to meet peopl...
BJJ Meditations 25 | Resetting the Zen point
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Effective Brazilian Jiu Jitsu demands three things from us: Right technique, right dynamic energy, and right mindset. As a brown belt, I've edged clos...
BJJ Meditations 24 | The rupture of unsoundness
12 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rupture is the moment when our worldview stops being useful. You might have felt this at some point during the pandemic, or after 9/11, or if you're o...
BJJ Meditations 23 | Jiu Jitsu's bitter pill
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On a long enough timeline, life trends toward zero. As I age, I feel this more acutely on the mats. I don't bounce back as well as I used to. I can't ...
BJJ Meditations 22 | The art in martial art
07 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's the early '90s. There's no high-speed internet. No smart phones. No artificial intelligence. All I have to occupy me is seasonal sports, a Super ...
BJJ Meditations 21 | The worst advice in Jiu Jitsu
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ever tell a significant other to relax during a heated moment? How well did that work out for you? Generally speaking, telling someone to relax during...
BJJ Meditations 20 | Jiu Jitsu's Apocalypse
24 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jiu Jitsu is an apocalypse. Not in the sense that it's a cataclysm (though it can be), but in the sense that it's a revelation. When we train Jiu Jits...
BJJ Meditations 19 | Planting Jiu Jitsu seeds
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Jiu Jitsu, instructors give you the seeds of what will become your game. But ultimately, it falls to you, the student, to cultivate those seeds. We...
BJJ Meditations 18 | What is a good roll in Jiu Jitsu?
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Jiu Jitsu, how do we maintain the right level awareness to roll optimally for ourselves and our partners? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https...
BJJ Meditations 17 | Jiu Jitsu gives, Jiu Jitsu takes
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What do we want from Jiu Jitsu, and what does it cost us in return? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/josephhannnan.eth/R2y-Z-HOn...
BJJ Meditations 16 | The visitor
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A short story and cautionary tale. How do we know that the right way to act in Jiu Jitsu is indeed the right way to act? Support BJJ Meditations on Mi...
BJJ Meditations 15 | Jiu Jitsu's false idols
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are we worshiping in Jiu Jitsu? And perhaps more importantly, what are we not worshiping? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/...
BJJ Meditations 14 | Jiu Jitsu's difficult cycle
10 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The process of learning Jiu Jitsu is so simple. Why is adhering to the process so difficult? And how do we train to love the process? Support BJJ Medi...
BJJ Meditations 13 | Morning/night Jiu Jitsu
03 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why is there such a stark divide between people who train Jiu Jitsu at night, and people who train in the morning? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: ...
BJJ Meditations 12 | Courage, lunacy, and love in Jiu Jitsu
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we need to be brave and crazy to love Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/josephhannnan.eth/UrUb1uoZQEp...
BJJ Meditations 11 | Jiu Jitsu's many fences
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What do we remove from Jiu Jitsu at our peril? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/josephhannnan.eth/VmRpUczRp8uosS0orcZpU9Qs4EYKNy...
BJJ Meditations 10 | How to think about Jiu Jitsu
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We can teach students Jiu Jitsu. But how can we teach them to think critically about Jiu Jitsu? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz...
BJJ Meditations 9 | Remembering forgotten Jiu Jitsu
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As coaches, how do we help students remember the Jiu Jitsu they already know? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/josephhannnan.eth...
BJJ Meditations 8 | Make it sense
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What do we really mean when we say, "Makes sense."? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/josephhannnan.eth/FTyeCHBlR8x0k6TkJFVDQ6O85...
BJJ Meditations 7 | Becoming your own Jiu Jitsu coach
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you strike the right balance between being coached and coaching yourself? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/josephhannnan....
BJJ Meditations 6 | Charging the jiu jitsu battery
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do we practice turning it on in the small moments so that we confidently can turn it on in the big moments? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: ht...
BJJ Meditations 5 | Quality of Effort in Jiu Jitsu
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What outcome matter most in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/josephhannnan.eth/UVcyhSRr97ozScX9SgVo_isPu_Lr...
BJJ Meditations 4 | Coaching to make self-coaches
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As Jiu Jitsu coaches, how do we make ourselves obsolete? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/josephhannnan.eth/1ds79Xjd41_2joIzgnt_...
BJJ Meditations 3 | How BJJ cults begin
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As Jiu Jitsu instructors, how do we avoid creating cults of our personalities? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/josephhannnan.et...
BJJ Meditations 2 | Self-transforming jiu jitsu
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, how is it possible that we can know and not know what's best for us? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/jo...
BJJ Meditations 1 | Pulling the Trigger
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do we roll with conviction and without fear? Support BJJ Meditations on Mirror: https://mirror.xyz/josephhannnan.eth/GYmGr4cPkYplvhTaF63ZBbiWl0LTq...