June 12, 2025 • 19 mins
Time to answer a recurring question, are private lessons worth the cost? Jiu jitsu gyms and their coaches rely on private lessons as a means of making a living. But are you really getting your money's worth? The truth is really how your coach carries out the private lessons, and if you aren't loving your progress, you need to say something to make sure the juice is worth the squeeze. Learn more in this ep.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
A good martial artist does not become tense but ready
.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Essentially, at this point, the fight is over.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
So you pretty much flow with the goal.
Who is worthy to be trustedwith the secret to limitless
power?
I'm ready.
Bjj Private Lessons Are they ascam or are they a great
(00:37):
investment?
Now, private Lessons you mayhave had a couple are really the
backbone of many gyms' income.
Obviously, they've got peoplepaying their memberships, but
really the model of doing aone-on-one lesson with your
coach, it's like personaltraining for BJJ and yeah, I
wanted to get into this becausethere's been some very positive
(00:59):
experiences for some folks.
But then I heard a story abouta not very good experience and I
wanted to go deeper on thisshow.
Where do you, where do you sitin this view on the private
lesson in BJJ?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I reckon that private coaching is like generally,
like a mad tool for people toupgrade their skills.
I think that it it there's noreason why a group environment
is the only learning scenarioyes you know, I think some
people respond better to privatecoaching.
Some people find groups hard tohandle, yes, right, um, but
(01:34):
also, too, in the group thing,something is lost, right in
terms of every person gettingexactly what they need at every
session.
Yeah, we, we kind of trade thatfor the good vibes and the
energy and the diversity oftraining partners, but often if
you do a private lesson, youjust focus in on the specific
things you need, but they'realso not as fun right?
(01:58):
However, with that said, Ithink a lot of coaches can
probably get a bit lazy aboutthe whole thing, which can
result in private lessons reallybecoming kind of low value for
folks while costing a fuckloadof money.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah, and I think that's the biggest thing.
For the best part, people arealready paying their membership
dues and so they're like, well,I'm already paying money, like
I'm here to learn jujitsu, whydon't I get that?
I guess the way I frame it asbeing personal training for BJJ
is when I first started in thegym as a trainer, I was just a
lowly kind of first year trainer, just putting the weights back,
(02:36):
cleaning the treadmills,sorting out the programs.
I wasn't actually allowed to doPT because I'd only had my Cert
III at this stage, I was juststudying my Cert 4.
But what I saw was people whodid PT consistently got better,
faster, they improved within avery short space of time.
And then there was people whoalways just showed up to the gym
(02:56):
and they're always there, butthey just did the same thing.
Whereas the people who did PT,they got guidance, they got
feedback, and I was like that'sthe fucking way, like this is
before.
I was even interested in in indoing BJJs back when I was doing
Taekwondo and a bunch of othersports, I was like, oh my God,
like this is, this is the unlock.
People who get those that, thatfeedback and those lessons do
(03:18):
well, uh, do better,significantly so, and I have
found myself even though I'vehad good and bad experiences
with getting private lessonshuge unlocks for me in terms of
understanding jiu-jitsu havecome from investing in the thing
, and it's also maybe this islike a bit of a bias, but it's
also been shown that when youpay for something like you pay
(03:40):
more, you value it more Becauseyou're like this is important.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I'm paying money Like you pay more.
You value it more becauseyou're like this is important.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
I'm paying money, yeah, you're invested, you're
incentivized now to getsomething from it.
You're not just sitting therelike, oh, whatever, and you
can't.
I think this is a reallypositive thing.
And historically in jiu-jitsu,when I was going back and I was
looking in the kind of early 90s, the graces would mainly give
private lessons and it wasusually two to one.
In the kind of early 90s, theGracies would mainly give
(04:08):
private lessons and it wasusually two to one, so there'd
be the instructor they wouldhave like their uke, and then
the student, right, so theywould demonstrate on the UK and
then they would get the studentto come in and then they could
give them feedback from watchingthem do it.
And when I did private lessonsin Brazil, that's how it was
taught as well, right, and itwas great.
I was like, wow, that's reallypowerful.
Before it moved to this morelike group class, bigger
(04:31):
business type thing, yeah, andsome would argue that maybe the
whole idea of a group class ismore about the gym making money
more than it is you aboutgetting better, if that makes
sense, oh yeah, yeah, I mean, Iguess I can see.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
I can see where someone might come up with that.
I mean, look, yeah, it also.
I mean, for me personally I'vegot no interest in in like, if
private was my only means oflearning jiu-jitsu, I probably
wouldn't be interested Right,like in terms of what's
enjoyable.
It's not what I'm there for.
Sure, I've recognized, sayingmy own training, that if I do a
(05:06):
private like every few months orsomething, it's a good chance
to like zero in on maybe somemistakes I'm making and get a
specific fix for a couple ofissues I'm having.
Yeah, um, that then allows meto get more out of my group
training for the next period oftime.
But I don't like, I don't lovethat.
It's not what I'm into.
(05:28):
You know and and I think it,you know, it's knowing yourself
and what you like aboutjiu-jitsu.
If you're super technicallyminded, you probably love a
private session, right, becauseyou can fucking get into the
nitty-gritty for sure.
I just want to stand and bangwith fucking people in a class,
anyone you know me king kong boyoh shoot.
(05:48):
We weren't throwing strikestonight.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
My bad, sorry yeah, why have I got these mma gloves
on?
Why are you wearing amouthpiece, brother, I thought
it was pride.
Be ready, soccer kick.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
But yeah, like if I'm looking at like someone who's
new-ish to jiu-jitsu, I wouldthink that a great sort of
template for their trainingwould be like do a private
session every eight weeks, right.
Do one private with your coachevery eight weeks, I would say
once a month, Right, yeah youknow, but at some regular
(06:20):
interval, so they get some newshit.
Go work on it for the nextlittle while, come back.
How did that go?
Good, yeah, no, okay, let'slook at more of that.
Or okay, let's fix this otherthing.
And it just.
There's an accountability tothe private training yes, which
that's what it is right For thepeople who invest in PT in a gym
.
There's an accountability.
They've got to show up.
They've got your eyes on themthe whole time.
(06:42):
You're critiquing them.
They've got to fix the mistakes.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
It really is the most express way to improve what
you're doing on the gym floor.
Yeah, the feedback learningloop and the iteration and all
these ideas for me come fromtechnology, right, and they
they're like you always want toshorten up that feedback loop so
you can make mistakes, but thenfix them, make mistakes, fix
them and keep improving.
And if you don't get feedback,like you, you don't know what,
you don't know right and there'sa white belt.
That's a lot of shit that youdon't know.
(07:10):
So if you're just working onone thing or you're just trying
to get better at a thing, thesooner you can get some really
kind of informed feedback, thesooner you can get better.
And honestly, the first twoyears of my jujitsu was like the
slowest, even though theenthusiasm was through the roof.
I was fucking here for it, man,I was frothing out, I got very
(07:31):
little feedback and even thoughI was good at the one or two
techniques I did like, myjujitsu was just fucking
stagnant.
It was only once I got to workwith a coach who gave a shit
about me and inputted more intomy game that I really started to
get good at jujitsu.
The first two years I even paid.
I had a fairly negativeexperience that I paid for some
(07:52):
private lessons and then I didlearn a few things in the first
couple lessons and then just didlike three.
I paid for 10.
I paid for like a 10 pack oflessons and I paid up front.
So it was like 150 bucks alesson.
It's 1500 and at that time likeI didn't have a bunch of money,
to be honest, um, but I wasinvested this private.
(08:12):
I was invested, right, Ifucking really wanted to get
good at this thing, and so itwas.
I learned a few things, firstcouple lessons, and then there
was a bit of a cancel, like, oh,sorry, mate, my car broke down,
can't be there.
And I was like, oh, okay, andthe second time, no show.
Which I thought was weird.
So then I asked later I'm like,oh, he's like, yeah, sorry,
mate, times couldn't book timesand then never got another
(08:38):
private lesson again.
And they kept the money.
And I was like, yeah, it was abit, it was a bit shit.
And even though I don't think Iwas conscious of it at the time,
that was definitely like a dropof water in the glass that made
me go.
You know what?
I'm going to go somewhere wherethey give a fuck about me.
It's, I'm not just paying moneyto be here.
Where they give a fuck about me.
It's I'm not just paying moneyto be here.
(08:58):
And I have heard from anotherguy he was very good white belt
at his gym but his coach hadsaid to him oh, you're not going
to grade to blue belt until youdo some private lessons, but
the guy's really good, like goodenough to be a blue belt, but
it was like a tax.
It's like no, you want to go upa belt, you're basically paying
for it.
Like you've got to do at leastfive private lessons before
you're allowed to grade the bluebelt.
That's what they were saying.
(09:18):
Yeah, this is a totallydifferent gym.
You know, I won't name the gym,but I was like that's
extortionary, like that'sextortionate.
I should say Like it's just not, that's got nothing, my beef.
(09:39):
With old school martial artsgyms.
They were very keen for you tograde when you did Taekwondo
because you had to pay 50 bucksevery time you graded.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
So not only they were like we'll get these guys
grading every quarter, every twomonths, you're grading, bro.
Yeah, I was like, wow, I'mgoing to be a black belt in no
time.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
You're just taking all your fucking money.
You know, that's where I have abeef with the, the paying for
grading type shit.
Yeah, I think the paying forpaying for grading is a well you
know?
Speaker 1 (10:07):
yeah, it is a tough one I mean, that's why I say
that, like, depending on yoursituation, the private lesson
could really present like afucking scam if you, if you know
, depending on the setup, yeah,if it's being leveraged in that
way, right, like oh, but youdidn't do your private, so gonna
like it.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Like the private sessions are some kind of
gatekeeper to the next level.
Um, I don't, I don't have anissue if, if, if there were a
gym and I don't really know anygyms that have this as a policy
but where it was like, look, theway we teach is that we do
group training and that you, andthen there's also a component
of private training and you knowwe, it's, it's what we believe
(10:43):
is the best way for because, say, we do that, like we.
We've sort of have that to adegree here at this gym, sure,
where it's like, um, and I'veknown other gyms who have it
quite strictly where it's likeyou need to do a pt session
every month on top of your groupmembership, right, and that
costs x.
And if it's like, oh, need todo a PT session every month on
top of your group membership,right, and that costs X, sure.
And if it's like, oh, well,that's what it is, then that's
fine because it's mentioned atthe outset and expectations are
(11:05):
clear.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
I think that's a huge difference as opposed to you
like Pulling it out Just likepay the fee now, yeah, and
you're like yeah, I think thedisclosure and the structure.
There's something big to thatin terms of just being up front,
but having someone kind of jumpit on you is not, no, it's a
bit fucked up.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
You listen to our podcast because we distill
simple information that is goingto enable you to get the most
out of your jiu-jitsu journey,and this is really the mission
of the show, and a tool thatwe've built to also help you
fulfill this mission is theBulletproof for BJJ app.
It is an app that gives youaccess to simple and brutally
effective programs that aregoing to help you to perform at
(11:44):
your best on the mats, to staveoff injury as much as possible
and to also be as healthy andenjoy life as much as you can.
And the best part is that youdon't have to be experienced in
gym training.
We teach you how to do that andyou also don't need to put a
huge amount of time towards iteach week.
Best part is, you can accessall of our programs for 14 days
for free.
All you need to do is go to theapp store whether you're on an
(12:06):
Android or iPhone, searchBulletproof for BJJ, get the app
, get your 14 day free trial andonce you get in there, you'll
be able to get coached directlyby JT and myself and the
Bulletproof coaching team.
We look forward to the otherside of it, too, and this is
something that I find myselfreminding coaches of this a lot,
not jujitsu coaches, but likegym coaches, right Is that?
(12:30):
It's very easy to get complacentand lazy in your role as a
coach, and when you've gotsomeone coming in to train with
you privately every week, it'sjust oh, hey, yeah, it's 12
o'clock Wednesday.
Good to see you, man.
Yep, we're doing the same.
Yep, get the weight on the bar,let's do your warm-up.
(12:50):
Like and you often you have aconversation, how's your weekend
?
But before you know the hour'sgone.
Right, yes, and you're likethat was a good session, but
that person and and sometimesoften that person's like, yeah,
it was a good session, butsometimes as well.
Often that person is like,motherfucker, I'm paying you 130
for the hour, bring me somefucking structure and some
energy.
Like I'm paying for a servicehere yeah and so and I think
(13:10):
this is where a lot of coachesget lazy and jujitsu coaches it
sounds like the experience youhad was that where it's like
mate, I've paid you 1500 bucks,like I've made a significant
investment which I'm super happywith if you're going to fucking
show up and give me value, butif you're just going to get lazy
about it and then, after enoughtime passes, you're going to
kind of scratch it like it neverhappened, like that's actually
(13:32):
super dishonest.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Yeah, and look, you know I've been very lucky that
I've also had coaches whobasically gave me private
lessons for free.
You know, they took an extrahalf an hour after class to
explain details and break shitdown for me, because they were
also trying to show I care aboutyou getting better.
And also, it was just very-.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
It's not a money-making operation.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
I'm here for you.
I want your jiu-jitsu to begreat, so that's why I'm doing
this.
And it was also just in themthat passion to want to share,
and that's fucking incredible.
So I've definitely benefitedfrom coaches just being so
caring and passionate that I gota ton of private lessons
(14:17):
basically for nothing.
But then I've also paid highlevel money to high level
coaches because I was trying toshow them that I'm like Fabio
Gagel.
I did lessons with him.
I paid a lot of money for thoselessons, but I was trying to
prove to him like bro, I'mfucking here for this.
It was a message of intent tohim so that he would pay
attention to me, becauseobviously the guy is very
(14:39):
important.
He oversees all these fuckingchampions.
Why would he give a shit aboutsome random gringo?
He oversees all these fuckingchampions.
Why would he give a shit aboutsome random gringo?
I'm like bro, I flew from theother side of the earth to
fucking listen to you and I'mI'm I'm paying you to pay
attention to me.
And and he was like, yeah, okay, I can respect that.
So what's?
Speaker 2 (14:52):
his name again.
Craig, he didn't mean joeyright he did.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
I always get hit with the joey line but um, but what?
What I got out of those lessonswas more philosophical than
technical, which actually justshaped the whole way I look at
jiu-jitsu.
So it was totally worth themoney, even though the price was
crazy it's like 500 bucks alesson but I can say at least I
did private lessons with himwhen that was a thing and it
(15:19):
really shaped the way I look atjiu-jitsu and how I feel about
it as a result.
So I think it is anunparalleled investment to
improve your j at jujitsu andhow I feel about it as a result.
So I think it is anunparalleled investment to
improve your jujitsu, butobviously depending on your
coach and the relationshipthat's going to dictate it, how
it runs.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Yeah, yeah, I totally agree.
I would say, um, if you'reconsidering it, just make sure
that you hold the coachaccountable to to doing a good
job.
You know, like as in, as in,well, I think, a good coach will
hold himself accountable well,they will, they will, but but
you know like people with goodintentions will still get lazy
right, sure, and and, as we know, like often in when you're in
the coaching life, you've justtaught fucking two classes in a
(15:57):
row and then you got threeprivates and you happen to be
the third one right before theirlunch break and they're like
just dragging themselves overthe finish line.
Sure, and it's like if you kindof get, if you detect that, I'll
tell you this.
So I'm paying a coach to teachme guitar.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Right, and he's great and he's very good at guitar,
and I had to put the hard wordon him the other day.
He didn't show up.
No, no, no, no, he's alwaysthere, he's always there, but we
only get 30 minutes together,right, and, um, often, and he he
loves to go on about thephilosophical side of it and and
I'm there for it I'm like great, but often the 30 minutes is up
(16:32):
and I'm like I've hardlytouched my guitar like I've had
and he gets to play a bunchbecause he's like let me show
you this and then this and thenthis, and he's showing me all
this high level stuff.
Yeah, and one day we'll get youinto this and you better do.
And I'm like this guy's doingall the playing.
And so I told him like man, look, I really enjoy it.
I appreciate your approach, um,but I often come away and feel
(16:53):
like I actually didn't get tofucking play my guitar while I
get to watch you play a bunch.
And and I was like this is amake or break moment, because
he's either going to be likefuck you, that's my process, I
guess we're not cut out for eachother, yeah, or he's going to
change his ways and he was likeyou're totally right, I get a
bit carried away sometimes.
Next, week it will be all you.
Yeah, my point there is thatsometimes that little bit of
(17:15):
like me keeping him accountableprompt was just what he needed,
you know, and sometimes thattired coach, that might be the
thing, or it might be that, no,this person's not bringing their
best energy to your privatesession and you should stop
paying them for them, that'sright, you just get the fuck out
of there, yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Yeah, you've got to make that call yeah.
And it's so much more personalin terms of the relationship.
And so your best private mightnot be with your black belt
coach.
It might actually be with thesuper enthusiastic purple belt
or the brown belt assistantcoach who's just really dialed
into what you do, and so I thinka person's level of enthusiasm
(17:54):
and empathy and just care forwhat you're doing is the
absolute underpinning for thesuccess of a private lesson, and
I actually think it is one ofthe best investments you can
make in your jujitsu.
But there might be a bit oftrial and error in getting to
the right coach with the rightformat and all of that.
Yeah, I dig it there.
(18:15):
It is folks private lessonsvery valuable if you get it in
the right context.
Now, that's the thing aboutworking up close and personal
with people.
I speak with people about thispodcast and they're like man
Hugh and Joey love hanging outand talking with you guys and
it's a funny conversationbecause you hear us talk.
(18:35):
But we don't always get to hearyou talk, even though we do
feel like we're connected withy'all.
But the thing is we do thisbecause we love the game, we
love you guys and we would lovefor you to return that by giving
us a like, a follow and asubscribe.
It does help us a lot.
The algorithm is meaner andtougher than ever and you guys
(18:55):
liking and subscribing helps ushelp.
More people like you Appreciateit.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Preach Appreciate it, appreciate it.
A good martial artist does not become tense but ready
.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Essentially, at this point, the fight is over.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
So you pretty much flow with the goal.
Who is worthy to be trustedwith the secret to limitless
power?
I'm ready.
Bjj Private Lessons Are they ascam or are they a great
(00:37):
investment?
Now, private Lessons you mayhave had a couple are really the
backbone of many gyms' income.
Obviously, they've got peoplepaying their memberships, but
really the model of doing aone-on-one lesson with your
coach, it's like personaltraining for BJJ and yeah, I
wanted to get into this becausethere's been some very positive
(00:59):
experiences for some folks.
But then I heard a story abouta not very good experience and I
wanted to go deeper on thisshow.
Where do you, where do you sitin this view on the private
lesson in BJJ?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I reckon that private coaching is like generally,
like a mad tool for people toupgrade their skills.
I think that it it there's noreason why a group environment
is the only learning scenarioyes you know, I think some
people respond better to privatecoaching.
Some people find groups hard tohandle, yes, right, um, but
(01:34):
also, too, in the group thing,something is lost, right in
terms of every person gettingexactly what they need at every
session.
Yeah, we, we kind of trade thatfor the good vibes and the
energy and the diversity oftraining partners, but often if
you do a private lesson, youjust focus in on the specific
things you need, but they'realso not as fun right?
(01:58):
However, with that said, Ithink a lot of coaches can
probably get a bit lazy aboutthe whole thing, which can
result in private lessons reallybecoming kind of low value for
folks while costing a fuckloadof money.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah, and I think that's the biggest thing.
For the best part, people arealready paying their membership
dues and so they're like, well,I'm already paying money, like
I'm here to learn jujitsu, whydon't I get that?
I guess the way I frame it asbeing personal training for BJJ
is when I first started in thegym as a trainer, I was just a
lowly kind of first year trainer, just putting the weights back,
(02:36):
cleaning the treadmills,sorting out the programs.
I wasn't actually allowed to doPT because I'd only had my Cert
III at this stage, I was juststudying my Cert 4.
But what I saw was people whodid PT consistently got better,
faster, they improved within avery short space of time.
And then there was people whoalways just showed up to the gym
(02:56):
and they're always there, butthey just did the same thing.
Whereas the people who did PT,they got guidance, they got
feedback, and I was like that'sthe fucking way, like this is
before.
I was even interested in in indoing BJJs back when I was doing
Taekwondo and a bunch of othersports, I was like, oh my God,
like this is, this is the unlock.
People who get those that, thatfeedback and those lessons do
(03:18):
well, uh, do better,significantly so, and I have
found myself even though I'vehad good and bad experiences
with getting private lessonshuge unlocks for me in terms of
understanding jiu-jitsu havecome from investing in the thing
, and it's also maybe this islike a bit of a bias, but it's
also been shown that when youpay for something like you pay
(03:40):
more, you value it more Becauseyou're like this is important.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I'm paying money Like you pay more.
You value it more becauseyou're like this is important.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
I'm paying money, yeah, you're invested, you're
incentivized now to getsomething from it.
You're not just sitting therelike, oh, whatever, and you
can't.
I think this is a reallypositive thing.
And historically in jiu-jitsu,when I was going back and I was
looking in the kind of early 90s, the graces would mainly give
private lessons and it wasusually two to one.
In the kind of early 90s, theGracies would mainly give
(04:08):
private lessons and it wasusually two to one, so there'd
be the instructor they wouldhave like their uke, and then
the student, right, so theywould demonstrate on the UK and
then they would get the studentto come in and then they could
give them feedback from watchingthem do it.
And when I did private lessonsin Brazil, that's how it was
taught as well, right, and itwas great.
I was like, wow, that's reallypowerful.
Before it moved to this morelike group class, bigger
(04:31):
business type thing, yeah, andsome would argue that maybe the
whole idea of a group class ismore about the gym making money
more than it is you aboutgetting better, if that makes
sense, oh yeah, yeah, I mean, Iguess I can see.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
I can see where someone might come up with that.
I mean, look, yeah, it also.
I mean, for me personally I'vegot no interest in in like, if
private was my only means oflearning jiu-jitsu, I probably
wouldn't be interested Right,like in terms of what's
enjoyable.
It's not what I'm there for.
Sure, I've recognized, sayingmy own training, that if I do a
(05:06):
private like every few months orsomething, it's a good chance
to like zero in on maybe somemistakes I'm making and get a
specific fix for a couple ofissues I'm having.
Yeah, um, that then allows meto get more out of my group
training for the next period oftime.
But I don't like, I don't lovethat.
It's not what I'm into.
(05:28):
You know and and I think it,you know, it's knowing yourself
and what you like aboutjiu-jitsu.
If you're super technicallyminded, you probably love a
private session, right, becauseyou can fucking get into the
nitty-gritty for sure.
I just want to stand and bangwith fucking people in a class,
anyone you know me king kong boyoh shoot.
(05:48):
We weren't throwing strikestonight.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
My bad, sorry yeah, why have I got these mma gloves
on?
Why are you wearing amouthpiece, brother, I thought
it was pride.
Be ready, soccer kick.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
But yeah, like if I'm looking at like someone who's
new-ish to jiu-jitsu, I wouldthink that a great sort of
template for their trainingwould be like do a private
session every eight weeks, right.
Do one private with your coachevery eight weeks, I would say
once a month, Right, yeah youknow, but at some regular
(06:20):
interval, so they get some newshit.
Go work on it for the nextlittle while, come back.
How did that go?
Good, yeah, no, okay, let'slook at more of that.
Or okay, let's fix this otherthing.
And it just.
There's an accountability tothe private training yes, which
that's what it is right For thepeople who invest in PT in a gym
.
There's an accountability.
They've got to show up.
They've got your eyes on themthe whole time.
(06:42):
You're critiquing them.
They've got to fix the mistakes.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
It really is the most express way to improve what
you're doing on the gym floor.
Yeah, the feedback learningloop and the iteration and all
these ideas for me come fromtechnology, right, and they
they're like you always want toshorten up that feedback loop so
you can make mistakes, but thenfix them, make mistakes, fix
them and keep improving.
And if you don't get feedback,like you, you don't know what,
you don't know right and there'sa white belt.
That's a lot of shit that youdon't know.
(07:10):
So if you're just working onone thing or you're just trying
to get better at a thing, thesooner you can get some really
kind of informed feedback, thesooner you can get better.
And honestly, the first twoyears of my jujitsu was like the
slowest, even though theenthusiasm was through the roof.
I was fucking here for it, man,I was frothing out, I got very
(07:31):
little feedback and even thoughI was good at the one or two
techniques I did like, myjujitsu was just fucking
stagnant.
It was only once I got to workwith a coach who gave a shit
about me and inputted more intomy game that I really started to
get good at jujitsu.
The first two years I even paid.
I had a fairly negativeexperience that I paid for some
(07:52):
private lessons and then I didlearn a few things in the first
couple lessons and then just didlike three.
I paid for 10.
I paid for like a 10 pack oflessons and I paid up front.
So it was like 150 bucks alesson.
It's 1500 and at that time likeI didn't have a bunch of money,
to be honest, um, but I wasinvested this private.
(08:12):
I was invested, right, Ifucking really wanted to get
good at this thing, and so itwas.
I learned a few things, firstcouple lessons, and then there
was a bit of a cancel, like, oh,sorry, mate, my car broke down,
can't be there.
And I was like, oh, okay, andthe second time, no show.
Which I thought was weird.
So then I asked later I'm like,oh, he's like, yeah, sorry,
mate, times couldn't book timesand then never got another
(08:38):
private lesson again.
And they kept the money.
And I was like, yeah, it was abit, it was a bit shit.
And even though I don't think Iwas conscious of it at the time,
that was definitely like a dropof water in the glass that made
me go.
You know what?
I'm going to go somewhere wherethey give a fuck about me.
It's, I'm not just paying moneyto be here.
Where they give a fuck about me.
It's I'm not just paying moneyto be here.
(08:58):
And I have heard from anotherguy he was very good white belt
at his gym but his coach hadsaid to him oh, you're not going
to grade to blue belt until youdo some private lessons, but
the guy's really good, like goodenough to be a blue belt, but
it was like a tax.
It's like no, you want to go upa belt, you're basically paying
for it.
Like you've got to do at leastfive private lessons before
you're allowed to grade the bluebelt.
That's what they were saying.
(09:18):
Yeah, this is a totallydifferent gym.
You know, I won't name the gym,but I was like that's
extortionary, like that'sextortionate.
I should say Like it's just not, that's got nothing, my beef.
(09:39):
With old school martial artsgyms.
They were very keen for you tograde when you did Taekwondo
because you had to pay 50 bucksevery time you graded.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
So not only they were like we'll get these guys
grading every quarter, every twomonths, you're grading, bro.
Yeah, I was like, wow, I'mgoing to be a black belt in no
time.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
You're just taking all your fucking money.
You know, that's where I have abeef with the, the paying for
grading type shit.
Yeah, I think the paying forpaying for grading is a well you
know?
Speaker 1 (10:07):
yeah, it is a tough one I mean, that's why I say
that, like, depending on yoursituation, the private lesson
could really present like afucking scam if you, if you know
, depending on the setup, yeah,if it's being leveraged in that
way, right, like oh, but youdidn't do your private, so gonna
like it.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Like the private sessions are some kind of
gatekeeper to the next level.
Um, I don't, I don't have anissue if, if, if there were a
gym and I don't really know anygyms that have this as a policy
but where it was like, look, theway we teach is that we do
group training and that you, andthen there's also a component
of private training and you knowwe, it's, it's what we believe
(10:43):
is the best way for because, say, we do that, like we.
We've sort of have that to adegree here at this gym, sure,
where it's like, um, and I'veknown other gyms who have it
quite strictly where it's likeyou need to do a pt session
every month on top of your groupmembership, right, and that
costs x.
And if it's like, oh, need todo a PT session every month on
top of your group membership,right, and that costs X, sure.
And if it's like, oh, well,that's what it is, then that's
fine because it's mentioned atthe outset and expectations are
(11:05):
clear.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
I think that's a huge difference as opposed to you
like Pulling it out Just likepay the fee now, yeah, and
you're like yeah, I think thedisclosure and the structure.
There's something big to thatin terms of just being up front,
but having someone kind of jumpit on you is not, no, it's a
bit fucked up.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
You listen to our podcast because we distill
simple information that is goingto enable you to get the most
out of your jiu-jitsu journey,and this is really the mission
of the show, and a tool thatwe've built to also help you
fulfill this mission is theBulletproof for BJJ app.
It is an app that gives youaccess to simple and brutally
effective programs that aregoing to help you to perform at
(11:44):
your best on the mats, to staveoff injury as much as possible
and to also be as healthy andenjoy life as much as you can.
And the best part is that youdon't have to be experienced in
gym training.
We teach you how to do that andyou also don't need to put a
huge amount of time towards iteach week.
Best part is, you can accessall of our programs for 14 days
for free.
All you need to do is go to theapp store whether you're on an
(12:06):
Android or iPhone, searchBulletproof for BJJ, get the app
, get your 14 day free trial andonce you get in there, you'll
be able to get coached directlyby JT and myself and the
Bulletproof coaching team.
We look forward to the otherside of it, too, and this is
something that I find myselfreminding coaches of this a lot,
not jujitsu coaches, but likegym coaches, right Is that?
(12:30):
It's very easy to get complacentand lazy in your role as a
coach, and when you've gotsomeone coming in to train with
you privately every week, it'sjust oh, hey, yeah, it's 12
o'clock Wednesday.
Good to see you, man.
Yep, we're doing the same.
Yep, get the weight on the bar,let's do your warm-up.
(12:50):
Like and you often you have aconversation, how's your weekend
?
But before you know the hour'sgone.
Right, yes, and you're likethat was a good session, but
that person and and sometimesoften that person's like, yeah,
it was a good session, butsometimes as well.
Often that person is like,motherfucker, I'm paying you 130
for the hour, bring me somefucking structure and some
energy.
Like I'm paying for a servicehere yeah and so and I think
(13:10):
this is where a lot of coachesget lazy and jujitsu coaches it
sounds like the experience youhad was that where it's like
mate, I've paid you 1500 bucks,like I've made a significant
investment which I'm super happywith if you're going to fucking
show up and give me value, butif you're just going to get lazy
about it and then, after enoughtime passes, you're going to
kind of scratch it like it neverhappened, like that's actually
(13:32):
super dishonest.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Yeah, and look, you know I've been very lucky that
I've also had coaches whobasically gave me private
lessons for free.
You know, they took an extrahalf an hour after class to
explain details and break shitdown for me, because they were
also trying to show I care aboutyou getting better.
And also, it was just very-.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
It's not a money-making operation.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
I'm here for you.
I want your jiu-jitsu to begreat, so that's why I'm doing
this.
And it was also just in themthat passion to want to share,
and that's fucking incredible.
So I've definitely benefitedfrom coaches just being so
caring and passionate that I gota ton of private lessons
(14:17):
basically for nothing.
But then I've also paid highlevel money to high level
coaches because I was trying toshow them that I'm like Fabio
Gagel.
I did lessons with him.
I paid a lot of money for thoselessons, but I was trying to
prove to him like bro, I'mfucking here for this.
It was a message of intent tohim so that he would pay
attention to me, becauseobviously the guy is very
(14:39):
important.
He oversees all these fuckingchampions.
Why would he give a shit aboutsome random gringo?
He oversees all these fuckingchampions.
Why would he give a shit aboutsome random gringo?
I'm like bro, I flew from theother side of the earth to
fucking listen to you and I'mI'm I'm paying you to pay
attention to me.
And and he was like, yeah, okay, I can respect that.
So what's?
Speaker 2 (14:52):
his name again.
Craig, he didn't mean joeyright he did.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
I always get hit with the joey line but um, but what?
What I got out of those lessonswas more philosophical than
technical, which actually justshaped the whole way I look at
jiu-jitsu.
So it was totally worth themoney, even though the price was
crazy it's like 500 bucks alesson but I can say at least I
did private lessons with himwhen that was a thing and it
(15:19):
really shaped the way I look atjiu-jitsu and how I feel about
it as a result.
So I think it is anunparalleled investment to
improve your j at jujitsu andhow I feel about it as a result.
So I think it is anunparalleled investment to
improve your jujitsu, butobviously depending on your
coach and the relationshipthat's going to dictate it, how
it runs.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Yeah, yeah, I totally agree.
I would say, um, if you'reconsidering it, just make sure
that you hold the coachaccountable to to doing a good
job.
You know, like as in, as in,well, I think, a good coach will
hold himself accountable well,they will, they will, but but
you know like people with goodintentions will still get lazy
right, sure, and and, as we know, like often in when you're in
the coaching life, you've justtaught fucking two classes in a
(15:57):
row and then you got threeprivates and you happen to be
the third one right before theirlunch break and they're like
just dragging themselves overthe finish line.
Sure, and it's like if you kindof get, if you detect that, I'll
tell you this.
So I'm paying a coach to teachme guitar.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Right, and he's great and he's very good at guitar,
and I had to put the hard wordon him the other day.
He didn't show up.
No, no, no, no, he's alwaysthere, he's always there, but we
only get 30 minutes together,right, and, um, often, and he he
loves to go on about thephilosophical side of it and and
I'm there for it I'm like great, but often the 30 minutes is up
(16:32):
and I'm like I've hardlytouched my guitar like I've had
and he gets to play a bunchbecause he's like let me show
you this and then this and thenthis, and he's showing me all
this high level stuff.
Yeah, and one day we'll get youinto this and you better do.
And I'm like this guy's doingall the playing.
And so I told him like man, look, I really enjoy it.
I appreciate your approach, um,but I often come away and feel
(16:53):
like I actually didn't get tofucking play my guitar while I
get to watch you play a bunch.
And and I was like this is amake or break moment, because
he's either going to be likefuck you, that's my process, I
guess we're not cut out for eachother, yeah, or he's going to
change his ways and he was likeyou're totally right, I get a
bit carried away sometimes.
Next, week it will be all you.
Yeah, my point there is thatsometimes that little bit of
(17:15):
like me keeping him accountableprompt was just what he needed,
you know, and sometimes thattired coach, that might be the
thing, or it might be that, no,this person's not bringing their
best energy to your privatesession and you should stop
paying them for them, that'sright, you just get the fuck out
of there, yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Yeah, you've got to make that call yeah.
And it's so much more personalin terms of the relationship.
And so your best private mightnot be with your black belt
coach.
It might actually be with thesuper enthusiastic purple belt
or the brown belt assistantcoach who's just really dialed
into what you do, and so I thinka person's level of enthusiasm
(17:54):
and empathy and just care forwhat you're doing is the
absolute underpinning for thesuccess of a private lesson, and
I actually think it is one ofthe best investments you can
make in your jujitsu.
But there might be a bit oftrial and error in getting to
the right coach with the rightformat and all of that.
Yeah, I dig it there.
(18:15):
It is folks private lessonsvery valuable if you get it in
the right context.
Now, that's the thing aboutworking up close and personal
with people.
I speak with people about thispodcast and they're like man
Hugh and Joey love hanging outand talking with you guys and
it's a funny conversationbecause you hear us talk.
(18:35):
But we don't always get to hearyou talk, even though we do
feel like we're connected withy'all.
But the thing is we do thisbecause we love the game, we
love you guys and we would lovefor you to return that by giving
us a like, a follow and asubscribe.
It does help us a lot.
The algorithm is meaner andtougher than ever and you guys
(18:55):
liking and subscribing helps ushelp.
More people like you Appreciateit.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Preach Appreciate it, appreciate it.
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