First off I want to say congratulations. Congratulations for what you may ask? Well congratulations for being an action taker. 

​You see anytime we are faced with challenging times and situations there's typically 2 reactions. 1 is to simply give up and the other is to face the challenge head on. By signing up and receiving this series I suspect you're someone who wants to take action of their situation. 

In the series you have available to you I've included several write ups and videos that will assist you with the time while you're unable to train. 

This course is not candy and bubble gum. It's a meat and potato kind of deal. A hearty meal. And it's intended for serious BJJ students only because it requires you to take action on the ideas and techniques I share throughout the series. 

In the various ebook and videos I'll tell you about some of my layoffs and how I dealt with them and then I'll show you how I do things. Then you'll need to try them out for yourself and see if they work. If they do, great. If they don't, do something else. 

But again I'm not here to tickle you with fancy stuff. I'm here to deliver the goods and give you some of the most useful practices I've ever used while being unable to train BJJ. 

And in certain sections of the series we'll dive into things that aren't necessarily BJJ specific but they're ideas that have served me well on and off the mat and have been critical in the face of challenging times. 

Alright, enough of that. I'm glad you're here, let's get started. 

At the time of writing this we are dealing with the Corona virus quarantine. Gyms are closing, people are fighting in the grocery store aisle for the last bit of toilet paper and we’re all unsure when it’s going to get back to normal. 

And for many of us, especially if you’re a small business owner, there is a lot of uncertainty that can be downright scary. 

Now what I’m going to say something that is completely contrary to what you probably think if you’re living through this mess or if you ever experience some other setback. . . 

But it can be a blessing in disguise. 

As you’ll read, some of my best habits for training came off the back of a layoff from training. And I can also say that some of the best life and business decisions I’ve ever made have come following a rough patch. But since this ebook is focused on BJJ we’ll keep it in that realm. 

But I mean it sincerely. Most of my best decisions and outcomes have followed some of the most challenging times in my life. 

And I’m starting this ebook off like this because regardless of why you’re off the mats you’re facing a challenge and challenges are hard. They cause situations of struggle and suffering and that’s why most people don’t take on challenges head on. It’s too hard. 

People love to post memes and tell other people about facing challenges and overcoming struggles but when it’s their turn they shy away. 

I assume that since you’re here you’re not that way. 

You’re a warrior through and through and you’re looking for ways to face your challenge head on! Well you’re in luck, because in this series I’ll show you how to deal with the challenge of not being able to train BJJ because of unforeseen circumstances. 

With that said let’s jump into the 1st thing that HAS to happen, the proper mindset. 

​

Are you somewhat new to BJJ and this is your first lay off from training or are you a salty old BJJ veteran like me who’s been off the mats more times than they can count?

Either way, time off the mats sucks. I’m sure I could use some nice flowery words to describe it, but sucks works for me. But you gotta face facts, it’s going to happen at some point whether it’s an injury, location change or a novel corona virus sweeping across the world. 

And it’s a challenge for sure, but like any challenge it’s all about the way you frame the situation. 

For instance, if one of your buddies has a killer guard that you cannot pass and they always manage to catch you in submissions. 

You could look at this and say, “Awww gee whizz. . . My guard passing sucks” 

or 

“I need to figure out a defense for technique Y and position X but I’m lucky to have such a tough training partner because they’re going to make me a better guard passer.” 

One gives up your power over the circumstance and is a downright weak response to a challenge and the other is determined to find a way and to put the true ramifications into perspective.

Likewise, in the situation we find ourselves at the time of writing this most of us are cooped up at home with no BJJ for 1-2 weeks at the minimum. And I’ve seen so many self-pity comments online and it drives me nuts. 

Older generations fought world wars and lost millions, had massive rationing on everything from food to fuel and went through the Spanish flu of 1918-1919 extinguishing 17-50 million precious lives. 

Our generation is being asked to hang out inside and screw around on our phones for a couple of weeks and we have people going bananas in grocery stores fighting for toilet paper. I’m not sure, but hopefully someone told them they can’t eat it. 

Either way, I think we’ll be ok. 

But it’s definitely going to be a challenge. A BIG challenge for some of us who are small business owners and a smaller one for others who are simply being inconvenienced for a couple of weeks. And who knows how the economy will be once this mess is over. 

Now if you’re reading this and the Corona virus situation has come and pass then replace it with whatever situation you find yourself in currently. Maybe you were having some of the best training of your life and your knee got jacked up. Maybe your work shift changed and you’re unable to make classes. 

Whatever the situation is, inside this series I’m going to dive into techniques that will help you with your BJJ during your time off. 

But before I get into the at-home tips I need you to have the mindset of “What can I do?” And resist the urge to fall into the self-pity of "I can't do this". If your mindset is self-defeating then you’re doomed from the start. 

I mean if you need to take a day to eat terrible food and cry about your problems, go do it, get it out of your system, and then let’s get back to work and do what we can while preparing for the future

​

​

There’s a nasty myth perpetrated in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu that I know you’ve heard of. You may even believe it yourself. And if you hold a strong attachment to this myth that I urge you to read this with caution as it may be uncomfortable. 

Oftentimes when I talk to newer BJJ practitioners and dispel this idea there is a lot of resistance as it’s one of BJJ’s #1 selling points.  

That myth is that technique is the only thing that’s important. No strength or athleticism needed, all you need is good technique. 

Now, while I’ll be the first to admit that technique is king, your BJJ skills will never be what they could be if you choose to ignore the physical side of things. And even if your technique is adequate, you can find yourself being run roughshod by someone’s physical abilities.  

All you have to do is roll with that insanely strong guy that folds you in half with brute force, or the crazy flexible person who you’re unable to pin down, or the cardio monster that never seems to get tired and beats you because they’re in better shape to realize that your physical body is really really really important. 

Think of it another way. Your physical body is the vehicle by which you navigate BJJ with. If it’s in bad shape or poor working order don’t expect for a smooth ride. 

I suspect most people get this but yet a lot BJJ practitioners completely ignore trying to improve their diet, weight train or stretch. Those things aren’t as easy as just coming in and rolling. Occasionally I’ll even scroll through social media and see people in BJJ brag about their piss poor diets and eating habits. 

So here’s my 1st tip for you. 

While you’re experiencing this period of down time from BJJ it’s a great chance to focus on some of these areas you lack. And if you’re already working hard on your physical development and diet then it’s a chance to double down while BJJ is out of the picture. 

And if you’re in a situation where you can’t physically train hard or diet effectively then you’ll simply need to do what you can while you wait things out.

​

Alright let’s dig into the section you’re probably most interested in learning more about. Which is, “what kind of workouts can I do while I’m unable to do BJJ training?”

Going back to the idea that your body is the vehicle you navigate BJJ with, anything you do to support its ability to move and function well is going to be beneficial. 

And when you look in the workout and video sections you’ll find some helpful at-home workouts and solo movement drills that you can perform while you’re unable to get on the mats. 

But let me also share a story about how I actually got better during my 1st long layoff as a White Belt.  

My first big layoff from BJJ came in July 2003 which was a little over a month into training. It wasn’t because of an injury, it was because my buddy, who had a car, had to stop training because of a work schedule change and I didn’t have a car. 

This was another depressing period of my young life. You see, back in February of 2003 my high school wrestling season had ended. The camaraderie I had felt on the mats, the daily challenges and the feeling of purpose was gone. And as I finished up my senior year of high school I was pretty much down in the dumps until I found BJJ in May of 2003. 

I remember while my friends were going to award ceremonies to polish off the last days of their high school careers I was on the mats getting my face smashed and I loved it! 

Within 2 weeks of training I competed and by the beginning of June I was still getting smashed but I felt like I was getting a grip on things. Then my buddy told me about the work schedule change. 

BOOM! Just like that I was back to the void of no camaraderie, no challenges but I didn’t lack purpose this time. I KNEW I was coming back to BJJ. I didn’t know when exactly but I knew it was going to happen. So I started focusing on what I could which was the same stuff I had done in high school during the off season from wrestling. 

I started lifting weights and doing lots of cardio. If I couldn’t train grappling specifically I would build my body up as much as I humanely could. 

Just like in my Senior year of wrestling, I came back to BJJ bigger, stronger and while I wasn’t in the best grappler shape ever, because I was in good shape my “mat wind” came back quickly. Within a few weeks I was able to roll all the rounds and while I was still getting smashed by higher belts I was starting to hold my own with the other White Belts. 

To be honest, I felt I performed better when I came back to training than I did when I had left in July. 

So when you’re experiencing a layoff from training, try to do any physical training available to you and your circumstances. Lift weights, do bodyweight calisthenics, solo drills, go for a run, grab a kettlebell and do a circuit and hell even some nice long walks are better than nothing.

The more you can train your physical body the easier the return to Brazilian Jiu-jitsu will be. . . I promise.​

Diet can be one of the hardest things to manage when you’re not training. I have seen many BJJ practitioners have terrible diets but train really hard so they manage to keep their waistline down. But then when they aren’t able to train they balloon up. 

Currently during the quarantine there are tons of funny memes out talking about this very thing. Which are funny for sure, but you don’t want to be the person they are making fun of. 

2007 Layoff 

Back in 2007 I was one of those guys who turned into a chunky monkey while he wasn’t able to train. Here’s what happened. . .

I was 22 and had just gotten my first real job where I was making a decent paycheck. Only problem was my hours were 2pm-11pm, we had no morning classes and I lacked the discipline to go to sleep as soon as I got home after work. Oh did I mention it was a desk job?

Combine a sort of depression from not training along with the fact that I never adjusted my diet to match my activity level and the Chewster ballooned up to a hefty 235lbs. My business partner calls this version of me “tons of fun.” 

Eventually out of desperation I pulled some favors with my bosses who thought MMA fighting was cool and loved me after they watched one of my fights on youtube. I also had my coach who originally owned Derby City MMA to write a only slightly dishonest letter about how I was needed to teach classes or the gym would fail. 

With these two things I was able to get my shift changed to a 8-4 workday and I was back to training! 

Now the problem was the spare tire I had carelessly acquired from all the eating and no working out. This made training a nightmare when I came back. Not only was I out of shape and carrying around a small child worth of fat. But I was also having to cut weight and diet hard at the same time. 

It was a miserable experience that lasted several months. 

2014 Layoff

About 7 years later in 2014 when I had my nasty string of injuries and was off from training for a number of months I made sure not to make the same mistakes. 

I was determined to become “Tons of fun” Chewy again. 

​The biggest thing that prevented this from happening was dropping my calories and food intake waaaay down. 

I know intermittent fasting is a popular thing now but it’s been around for a while. And it was during this period that I first started to mess with it. Although I didn’t consider it “intermittent fasting” at the time. I was just skipping breakfast and going for early morning walks or laps in the pool to make sure I didn’t get chunky.

When I came back to training I had actually lost some weight due to the lack of lifting and BJJ training. I was down in the 190s which is low for me. 

But here’s the benefits to coming back to training a little underweight. 

• I was able to eat big and train hard again. Training hard while dieting is rough. Being able to fuel your sessions is a much better feeling, and since I wasn’t over weight, I got to eat!
• I wasn’t hauling a 3 year old’s worth of weight around my midsection. BJJ is about movement and it’s hard to have precise and efficient movement when you’re compensating for excess you’re not used to. 
• An added psychological benefit was that I didn’t come back to training and feel like a fat ass. I mean I felt like a little “girly-man” (read that in the Awwnold voice) because I had lost some size. But it was much better than pinching fat rolls in disgust for myself. 
• The strength and size came back relatively quickly. 

So one of the big things to focus on during this time of less training is to eat according to your activity level. In the series I’ll go over some ideas and sample diets just to give you an idea. But adjust it to your needs. If you follow a vegan, keto, carnivore or whatever diet then this will look different to you. 

Just be sure you take it into account so you don’t balloon up and go through the uphill struggle when you come back to training.

​

(This is "Tons Of Fun" Chewy)

As I've told you earlier. I've done a terrible job of watching my diet while experiencing a layoff and I've done a good job of it. Below are some of the tips I use anytime I experience a layoff to avoid packing on lots of extra, and unwanted, weight. 

They're stupid simple, but they're effective. If you were to put each one of these tips into action you would definitely notice a difference. 

• A chance to focus on your diet - ​With so much less going on day to day. When you're unable to train it's a great chance to focus your mental energy on working on your diet. Since you can't train BJJ you can work on meal prepping. Then once you're back to training you can maintain the new habits you've form during the time off. 

• A great opportunity to try fasting - ​I originally started fasting when I was a teenager trying to lose weight. Granted I didn't call it fasting back then I was just skipping breakfast and going for a walk or a run. Personally I don't like to fast on training days, but on days where my activity level is low it's great for making sure I don't overeat and keep my calories low. 

• Do some activity everyday - ​There are numerous well documented brain-enhancing benefits of physical exercise. Besides just the stress relief and mood boosting chemicals it also keeps us anchored to a healthy lifestyle. I personally find that when I exercise during the day I'm more likely to eat better and be more conscious about my food choices. Whereas when I don't exercise I find I eat way more junk than I should. And I've seen the same in many others too. So I encourage you to go for a walk, do some yoga, lift some weight, anything you can manage everyday. 

• Don't buy food you don't want to eat - ​This is a constant in my home. I don't buy food I don't want to eat. Like ice cream for instance. If I want some ice cream I will go to ice cream shop up the street and get a serving of ice cream I intend to eat in one sitting. But if I buy a tub trying to be economical I'll just pig out and eat way too much. I have no self-control. If you do then good for you. But I've just seen that more often than not when you are stressed, bored or whatever you'll eat way too much garbage.   

• Keep your water intake up - ​Water is important whether you're training or not. I generally keep my water intake around 1/2 my bodyweight in ounces and on training days around 3/4 my bodyweight in ounces. 

So .5 X BW = __oz  or .75 X BW = __oz

I'm 215lbs so that looks like around 110oz to 160oz. Again you can play around with this but this is an alright place to start. 

• Walks when you're hungry (avoid boredom eating) - ​If you get the urge to eat but it's not time for a full meal try doing something active. Go for a walk, do some yoga or anything a bit active. Boredom eating is a real thing and can sneak in a lot of extra calories. 

• Avoid too much snacking - ​Unless you're making the conscious decision to snack like some popcorn with a movie or maybe going out for some ice cream with your partner avoid snacking. If you want to eat, eat a full meal. If you don't want a full meal then you really aren't hungry. Snacking may not seem like a big deal but the extra calories add up. And when you're not training it's bad news. 

• Watch carbs on non-training days - ​If you're a low carb type then do your thing. But for most of us that eat them you should be mindful of how many you eat on non training days. Carbs are great for fueling workouts. But when you don't use them they can bad on the ole midsection. 

• Idea on macros - ​Just to give you an idea of the numbers I shoot for. During hard training I'll aim for .8-1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight, around 1.5-2 grams of carbohydrates per pounds of bodyweight and around .5 grams of fat per pound of bodyweight. When I'm not active or training I drop everything down considerably. I have an example on the next page. 

• Eat With Consistency - Try to keep your eating somewhat routine and consistent. This makes it easier to see how the diet is affecting you. If you make some change and you start to gain weight you can shave off some of the food you added. I try to eat the same (or similar foods) at the same time  of the day. The only time it strays is if I'm eating out with Jess or friends for dinner. 

Over my years of layoffs there has been one constant. 

When I can’t get into the gym because of an injury, schedule change or pesky virus shutting down the world I watch a ton of BJJ videos. Instructional videos, matches, highlights, etc. I shouldn’t say watch, more like study. 

During my layoff in 2003 I spoke about in the last section. Besides the physical training, watching BJJ videos was a big reason why I came back to training better than I left. 

Now remember this was 2003, there was no YouTube or easy access to online video. So I was forced to watch actual DVDs and VHS tapes of matches and technique instructional videos. 

Man. . . VHS tapes. . . I feel old just writing that. You might even feel old reading that. 

Back then I was still so new that I was just trying to absorb information about all the different positions and techniques. I was also trying to find someone who looks similar to my body frame to model after them (per the recommendation of my coach at the time). 

All of this was helpful too! When I came back some months later my “BJJ IQ” had definitely increased. I wasn’t in grappler shape yet but I was more knowledgeable about the various positions and situations on the mat. 

One day during rolling, within my 1st week back, I hit one of the White Belts with a move I had watched in one of the instructional videos. My coach saw it and said, “You’ve been watching those DVDs haven’t you?” To which I replied back with a shit-eating grin. 

My 2014 chunk of time off the mats was a little different. 

I was more into studying techniques and matches looking for more nuanced details like grip variations and which side a particular BJJ player executed techniques with. My students during this time may remember me pulling the t.v. onto the mat and watching matches, breaking down the techniques and then practicing what we watched. . . I should probably do more of that. 

In addition to that study I also planned my technique goals for when I returned back to my matted home away from home. And when I mean planned out I mean planned out. I had a whole 12 week program where I lined out which drills I would do, which positions I would focus on, how I would roll, etc. 

This planning paid off because with all the study I had increased my knowledge of BJJ (even as a Black Belt) and with all the planning I rapidly improved once I got back on the mats. And within a few months after I was fully recovered I was competing and getting up onto the podium. 

So while you’re tucked away indoors trying not to practice moves on your uninitiated significant other (if they train then you’re lucky), you should definitely be watching videos. 

But from experience you have to do more than just watch them to really crack open and effectively absorb the information. You can't just watch it once and expect anything. Repetition is crucial, just like when we drill.

You can probably think about plenty of videos you've watch but never gotten anything from, right?

That’s why in my series that will be releasing on Monday I’ll be showing you some of the exact ways I watch BJJ matches, plan out BJJ techniques, structure my upcoming goals and get techniques to stick when I can't roll or train. 

I think this section could be one of the most useful for you in the series.​

My original coach gave me this idea. He gave me and my training partner a VHS tape with some selections of matches that had a guy playing Half Guard. Since me and my training partner were both working on developing our Half Guard games my coach told us to watch the way this competitor moved and model after him. 

It was definitely helpful and it’s been a practice I’ve continued ever since. And I mean. . . it makes sense. Look at what successful people do and model after them right? You’re never going to be that person or use their techniques in the exact same way but it’s a helpful place to start.

• Look for someone of similar size, weight or body type - Doesn’t always have to be this way but it’s helpful. Generally you’ll see certain consistent trends among heavier vs lighter people or long lanky vs short and stocky. Finding a comparable body type is definitely helpful as some techniques and styles favor a body type or weight. 

• Look for someone with a style you’d like to have - I’ve spent countless hours watching guys like Bernardo Faria, Rodolfo Viera, Andre Galvao and my coach Shawn Hammonds. I watched them because I enjoyed a particular aspect of their game that I wanted to model after and learn. My game reflects this as I’ve been able to add chunks of their style into my own style. I would encourage you to do the same.

​

Matches are one of my favorite places to look for techniques and moves. The reason? During competition matches, or even a competitive roll, only the best moves will stick around. 

A lot of flashy “fluff” moves will never find the competition mats. They fun moves you mess around with but would never rely on when push comes to shove. And for me I’m a practical guy. I’d rather have a less flashy game, which I do, that gets the job done, which it does. 

My recommended resources for this kind of study is either Youtube or Flograppling. 

Below are some tips on ways I watch matches and things I look for. 

• Look for trends (Things like people score first typically win, passing technique X is effective against guard Y)

• How did they win? (Points, submission, strategy) 

• How did they lose? 

• How do certain styles or positions work against others? 

• How were the rules used in a particular fashion? - Some competitors are aggressive no matter the rules while some game the ruleset they’re in, such as people who stall during the 1st 10 minutes of an EBI match and then come alive in the overtime rounds or someone who scores 2 points and does nothing else in an IBJJF match. 

• Which positions were used to defeat them? 

• If watching for a position or technique, pay attention to setups and entries. How did they get there?

​

When it comes to technique our current generation is gifted with everything from free videos on Youtube to incredibly comprehensive information via paid courses. 

Of course I’m sure you’re well aware but you can dive into all sorts of content on my youtube page or my online products page here and I’ve also included a few discounted offers to you in this series as a chance to go deeper should you want to. 

Below are several key tips I would share with you to narrow down the technique you should focus on for your study.

• Find things that work with your game already. It’s easier to build on something that’s already working for you.  

• Find things that cover your gaps and weaknesses. Think of areas you struggle with and learn more about those areas. 

• Find new areas you’d like to branch off into. Just make sure the new positions or techniques connect with your current game! Otherwise start with entries.

• If it’s something you’d like to use during a roll or competition, focus on techniques that you see in matches or during competitive rolls.

​

​Have you ever watched a technique video, bought an instructional series and never got much from it? Well, assuming the techniques are good then it’s usually a situation of repetition. Whether through drilling or watching, constant exposure to the information is necessary. It’s the only way to push things into automaticity and the deep wiring of our subconscious. 

I’m sure you’re already aware of this. But just knowing a technique is not enough. When you’re in the middle of a competitive roll it has to just happen. And while that’s difficult without rolling, you can still make strides towards that through watching videos. 

Below are some tips that will help you make the information stick:

• Repetition - The more you subject yourself to the information the better. Just like reps on the mats, the more you do the more you remember the information on a deeper level.  

• Take notes - Taking down notes is a simple physical way to play with the information you’re trying to absorb. The more ways you can use the information in different modalities the better. 

• Make a ritual/habit out of your study - Even if it’s only for 15 minutes at a time. Start creating a routine of studying BJJ. Just like you brush your teeth, wash your hands, etc. Create a consistent practice of studying that becomes a habit.  

• Learn it as if you had to teach it -  Regardless of what you’re learning, BJJ or otherwise, dive into the information as if you were going to have to stand in front of people and teach it to them. Obviously I do this for BJJ. But even with other subjects I take the same approach.

Back in 2014 I experienced a nasty string of injuries that totaled almost 6 months. I popped my ankle in a freak accident during a wrestling practice, had my nose broken by an accidental knee and tore my meniscus cartilage. 

During the knee rehab I was militant about my stretches and exercises. But once I was back I started to slack off. Then in October (about 4 months later) I experienced another minor knee injury that lasted about 3 weeks. 

I can’t begin to tell you how awful I felt. At the time I was 29 and I felt like my body was breaking down on me. I was depressed and lost a lot of weight. Some of my oldest videos were at this time and if you look at me I was almost 10-15lbs lighter than I usually am.

It was a dark time for the Chewster. 

It was during this period I started going back to my stretches and rehab exercises that Eugene (https://jiujitsutherapist.com/) had prescribed for me and I started to make improvements. After the 3 week period was over and I began to feel better. Instead of stopping the stretches and mobility exercises I doubled down on them and continued using them. I started doing them before lifts, on off days and even started to do some yoga classes. 

And it’s become one of my most important practices for keeping my body healthy and relatively injury free.

Interestingly enough since buckling down on my stretching routines I’ve gotten older in age but my body has felt better. I can squat deeper, wake up with less pain, am bothered by less nagging injuries, etc. 

My favorite practice with stretching is at least 10-15 minutes of daily stretching after a workout or after a hot shower before bed. This is helpful because the muscles are warm and easier to move. But just as important is the fact that by getting the tense muscles to relax you trigger your nervous system to chill out. Paired together with some deep breathing you can get your body to switch from sympathetic dominant to a parasympathetic dominant state. 

This is important for recovery, good sleep and when I wake up in the morning my body feels good. Whereas if I miss my stretching session after hard training, I wake up and feel like I got hit by a truck.

And if you’re someone who wakes up after training feeling broken or constantly has tight nagging muscles then I encourage you to take this downtime you find yourself into to focus more on stretching practices. 

I include a whole list of some of my favorite stretches with this series and I encourage you to do more research and find more that might work for you. 

I know that stretching for most of us is rather boring. But I have a hunch that if you do it consistently for 2 weeks you’ll feel the contrast or loose and conformable vs tight and painful in your body and that feeling will keep you going just like it did for me.​

One practice I’ve implemented over the last few years is a solo vacation. 

This is where I go by myself somewhere to do nothing at all. I spend my days going on walks, journaling, thinking and training if I feel like it. It’s just a chance for me to get away from my day to day routine.

While this isolation may sound horrible to some it’s been a game changer for me. These trips have been a chance to take a step back away from everything and put it into perspective. 

We all get “so close to the tree that we cannot see the forest” sometimes. And we can take our relationships, friends and lives for granted and get side tracked from our big goals. 

These 3-5 day solo vacations leave me recharged and more grateful than ever. And in every case I’ve come back to my life with a renewed sense of energy and purpose and started knocking out big goals. It’s the yin and yang of things. Just like a day of rest can recharge your body. A week (or more) completely away from the thing you love can recharge your mind.  

And this is a hidden gem when you are forced to take time off from training. 

It offers you the opportunity to take a step back to appreciate what you have and look at the big picture of what’s going on. 

One of the best ways to supercharge this process is with meditation, journaling and reflection. I do this when I had temporary layoffs from training too. 

Maybe that sounds a little “woo-woo” to you. But I’m big into stoicism so self-reflection, in my eyes, should be daily practice. I firmly believe I cannot change the world around me unless I change myself 1st. 

And as part of the practice of that style of philosophy you're encouraged to keep a journal about the ways you wish to live, act, treat people and so on. The idea is to do this everyday as a form of repetition. 

"Repetition Is The Mother Of All Learning"

If it's a practice you've never engaged in I think it's worth considering. Putting some sort of conscious thought into how you want to live your life and treat those around you is huge. I mean just shave off a few minutes of scrolling on Fakebook and you'll have some time to devote to yourself.  

So later I'll go into some detail about how you can use deep breathing, meditation and even some journaling to deal with the stress of the crazy time you may find yourself in and to improve your mindset for the future.

This section will be a little different than the others. 

Instead of getting into clear exercise, diet or training related tips that you can use to support your BJJ off the mats. This section is going to be directly related to working on the mental side of things. 

If you’ve listened to what I say in my videos or podcasts then you know the mental side of things is just as important as the physical. And with the challenging circumstances created by a layoff (feeling like you’re falling being, not having your normal outlet for stress) it’s a more important time than ever to have some ability to support yourself mentally. 

This section will be about journaling, deep breathing and meditation and meditation. 

3 things that have been huge for me in my development as a person but also my abilities on the mat. 

If It’s Good Enough For An Emperor, It’s Good Enough For Me

Whenever I bring up the idea of journaling to someone their eyes often glaze over or they immediately tell me why they can’t journal. 

For me, journaling began in my teenage years as a practice because all the baddest dudes in history kept journals. When I read history books, many of them sourced journals from the figures themself. 

One well known journal is Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. In case you’re not up on your history he was one of the last exceptional Roman emperors and was a follower of stoic philosophy. One practices of many of the stoics was to keep a regular journal. 

His book Meditation (meaning Thoughts) was never meant to be a book at all. It was simply his journal to himself. Reminding him of how he wanted to treat people, react to problems and live. 

So as a young guy, and I still think this way, I thought if it was good enough for some of the most accomplished people in history. . . it certainly can’t hurt me to start journaling. 

I mean after all what’s more important than Knowing Thyself?

My Own Experience 

Journaling has gifted me with numerous insights about myself. One of the reasons my videos are so popular is because of sitting down and analyzing myself. When you watch the videos and hear me speak of some experience from when I was a teenager, a White Belt or whatever. The only reason I have such a strong memory of all that stuff is because I wrote about it in my journals and analyzed the situation years ago.

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Getting Started 

The idea of journaling can overwhelm people. Most people, mistakenly, think they have nothing to write. But the thing about it is you don’t have to write about anything. Part of the magic is letting stuff flow. You’d be amazed at some of the things that bubble up from the subconscious and down to ink and paper when you give them a chance. 

But to help you get the ball rolling if this is new to you I’ve included some different types of journals and prompts you could use to get moving.

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• Book Journals  - As I talked about when watching BJJ videos repetition of the information is important if you really want to absorb it. I mean if it’s just a book for entertainment then whatever. But if it’s a book I really want to remember I highlight the book and then take notes of sections of the book I’d like to retain. 
  

• Training journals - I keep a log of all my workouts and training sessions. I used to do this on paper but I find it easier to keep this one on my phone. I just keep track of how many reps I drill, what kind of lifts I’m doing and the weight I’m using, etc. 

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Types of journals or ideas to write about. . .

• Gratitude Journaling - Write down 3-5 things you’re grateful for. The more common the better. Think about all the stuff in your life that is freaking amazing but that you take for granted. We’re all guilty of it. But by writing it down you help refocus and appreciate the gifts you’re given. 

Here’s my 3 from the other morning. 

1. I’m grateful for nourishing food and clean water that is easily available to me. 
2. I’m grateful I woke up next to a person I love and who loves me. 
3. I’m grateful that the sun is shining and I get to see a new day. 

Again, simple, but things like this we take for granted. If my body wasn’t healthy I’d be in a miserable state. I’d feel miserable if I lost my woman. And it’s a new day and with it come new possibilities. 

• Ask yourself a question - Got something on your mind or something that bothers you? Ask yourself a question and then write a page. And when you write don’t think about it, just let the mind flow. 

This can get a little trippy sometimes because if you get into a state where you don’t hold back your thoughts you’ll find some crazy stuff come up to the surface. Sometimes it just provides you with some insights as why something bugs you. 

For instance I did this years ago in my early twenties. I wrote about a situation where I felt anger towards another person. After writing about it, it wasn’t really anger that I felt, it was more jealousy. Jealousy because he was doing things that I wanted to do. 

• Brain dumps - Just write. Maybe about your day, some idea that’s been swirling around your head, whatever. With a brain dump imagine your head as a big dump truck that lifts up it’s truck bed and unloads a pile of dirt (or whatever it’s carrying) onto the ground. You’re not trying to make anything out of this other than letting the thoughts flow to the page. Sometimes you’ll get some cool stuff and other times it’s just randomness. It’s fine either way. 

• Technique & BJJ Study Journals - When you’re studying BJJ techniques or matches one of the best mindsets I can tell you to adopt is learn them like you’ll have to teach them in front of a group. Even if you’re not a coach like me if you dive information this way you’ll learn it on such a deeper level. As you watch techniques or study BJJ matches you should begin keeping a journal to take notes to help remember and understand the ideas better. 

Yes breathing! I know what you might be thinking. . .

"Aww hell, Chewy has lost his mind and is going all "woo woo" on me."

But I promise you I'm more practical than that. It's just like my BJJ. I only focus on techniques that are highly effective and practical. 

Here's the thing about breathing. Years ago when I began diving into the whole idea of learning to breathe in different ways I laughed at the idea. I mean I could breathe just fine. But, as I'll explain later, breathing has a powerful ability to change your physiological state, mind and body. 

Many of you are familiar with the "Wim Hof" breathing technique which charges the body up for something crazy like a bath of ice. 

Today we're going to talk about deep breathing that has a more slowing effect and grounds you down to a more relaxed state. From personal experience, learning how to breathe in this way has been a game changer for me. 

As a person who tends to be an over-thinker and in some cases suffers from anxiety, learning how to breathe in a particular way to change my mental state has allowed me to be in control of my mental state. 

Whether it's a competition and my mind begins to race down a negative place or I'm wondering how my business will last through the period of lockdown, quarantine and seemingly impending economic collapse. Breathing, in addition to meditation, helps bring some calm in the midst of the storm. 

If you're in a similar situation where you feel like your thoughts have a tendency to go into a negative place and leave your scared, nervous and fearful then I encourage you to read this section and practice the exercises I've prepared for you. Hopefully this will give you a taste of how breathing can change you and encourage you to go deeper into the practice. 

Years ago one of my students came over to our weight training area. We were all warming up and getting ready for deadlifts. 

This particular student was as big as a house and incredibly strong! I knew he lifted all the time but I wanted to check his form anyway, just to be on the safe side. The deadlift is a great exercise when performed properly and a back destroyer if it’s not. 

When he got ready to pull the weight from the floor I noticed his chest expanding while his stomach stayed the same. I asked him if he knew how to brace his core and he looked at me like I was speaking another language. Bracing your core isn’t something people often talk about in a regular gym. In serious powerlifting circles it’s common talk. But in your average gym meathead, it’s not always the focus. 

I began trying to queue him to fill his stomach up with air. He couldn’t, so we walked over to a wall and began performing 90/90 Breathing which is an exercise I’ll show you later. 

We started trying to get the breath deep into his stomach. Still no dice. The muscles around his chest and stomach were so tight and rigid that they couldn’t properly expand. 

So we did a simple stretch to loosen up the muscles in the chest and stomach. Again, I’ll show you this exercise shortly. After about 2 minutes of this stretch we came back to the 90/90 Breathing and we were in business. His stomach started to flow up and down with his breath. The breath started by filling up his lower stomach and moved like a wave up his body till it filled his upper chest.

After about 2 minutes of 90/90 Breathing we went back to the weights. This time he was able brace his core while he got in position to deadlift.  After the workout he even commented on how stable he felt during the lift. He even mentioned how normally he preferred a weight lifting belt because of his back. But when he was bracing his core he didn’t feel as though he needed it during the deadlift.

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Another example of how the breathing affects more than just the abilities on our physical exercises came from one of my students back in 2014.

My student came into the gym one day on the verge of having a panic attack. If you’ve ever had a bout with anxiety/panic attack then you’ll know it’s awful. It can ruin your day and leave you completely useless until it passes. 

My student worked as an attorney in a fast paced firm. The job was stressful just by itself. But sitting at a desk all day creates poor breathing patterns and, as we will talk about later, the way you breath plays a huge role in the way you deal with stressors in your life. 

As he approached the mat he came up to me quietly and told me about what was going on. I brought him over to the other side of the gym that wasn’t in use at the time. After getting him away from the noise of training I had him sit down and perform the simple seated breathing exercise illustrated later in this guide. After he was breathing in a slow rhythmic pattern I told him to just come over when he felt better. 

About 5 minutes later he came back to the training session, his anxiety was gone and he worked his butt off with the rest of us. 

Before we get into the exercises let’s touch on how the breath affects your nervous system, and more importantly your recovery. I’ll be quick and simple about this. 

In your body you have two branches of your nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. 

Simply put, the sympathetic is the GO part of your nervous system. It’s the side of your nervous system associated with the Fight or Flight mechanism that kicks in when you’re threatened with stress. If you’re in the middle of a heavy training session, competition or stress in life. Your sympathetic nervous system is kicked on!

The parasympathetic is the SLOW part of your nervous system, the recovery side. It’s the branch that activates when you’re relaxed and calm. Things like blood pressure and heart rate both drop when it’s turned on. When you’re in a relaxed state your parasympathetic nervous system is at work.

Think of a bucket with a plugged hole in the bottom. And consider your sympathetic nervous system as a faucet overhead and your parasympathetic as the plug. 

When stress comes your way in the form of exercise, work, bad food, relationship problems, anything that stresses you out. The sympathetic kicks on and water pours into the bucket. 

Then after the stress has passed and you are in a relaxed state the parasympathetic unplugs the hole in the bottom and begins processing the stress and water empties from the bucket. And this process repeats day after day. 

The issue becomes when the plug is never removed and the faucet is left on constantly. Eventually the bucket fills up and begins to overflow. At this point you’re overloaded with stress and everything from your behavior around loved ones to basic markers of health begin to take a nose dive into not so desirable areas. 

Understanding this basic concept. It’s critical that we properly manage our stress. 

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Basically fast, shallow, mouth breathing into the chest tends to trigger the sympathetic side. Think of how you breath during a hard workout or strenuous activity. You can also think or bring awareness to how you breathe when someone says something to you that you don’t like or when you feel uncomfortable.

You may tense up and hold your breath or breath very quick and shallow from the chest. 

The parasympathetic side can be turned on when a smooth inhalation that feels the lower part of the lungs is followed by a longer smooth exhalation are slow and rhythmic. 

When your exhale out is slower than your inhale your vagus nerve communicate and turns up your parasympathetic and turns down your sympathetic. Meaning you might breath in for 4 seconds and breath out for 8 seconds with a short pause in between. 

The sympathetic revs the engine up and the parasympathetic slows it down. And if you’re constantly breathing in a way that keeps the sympathetic branch of the nervous system going then you will not be able to deal with stress appropriately. Your stress faucet never gets turned off.​

Hans Selye, a pioneer endocrinologist and founder of the stress theory defined stress as “everything that forces an organism to adapt to new situations.”

He is even associated with the quote, “It’s not the stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it."

So almost everything we subject ourselves can be stressful. Martial arts training, weight lifting, work, relationships, work, bad food, etc. All of these situations force our bodies to adapt. That ability to adapt is one of the hallmarks of humans as a species. We’ve been able to spread across the world in every climate and living conditions possible because of this attribute. 

But too much stress can be a bad thing and can lead to all sorts of inflammatory issues and chronic diseases. 

In a nutshell, by using some very simple breathing techniques we can help our bodies adapt to the stress more effectively by helping kick on our parasympathetic nervous system. Instead of remaining in a constant state of stress which builds up in our body. 

I hope this guide is useful to you while you're experiencing time off the mat. And while I know implementing new habits and practices can be tough. I promise you 100% that everything in the series is Chewy-tested and Chewy-approved. Meaning I've done it and it's helped and it's why I'm sharing it with you. 

- Chewy 

If you’re like me when you’re “gifted” with time away from training, you use it to continue your development. 

I’ve seen numerous people say how bored they are. Not me! I’ve been in my study area reading, studying and planning for when this mess ends. Not to mention upping my free video content on youtube to help give you some additional information and entertainment while you’re stuck at home. 

If you’re similar, someone dedicated to development and a growth mindset regardless of the circumstances, then I want to give you a little bonus. 

Right now, if you purchase any of my products at www.Chewjitsu.net/products I will gift you my Get a Grip series and a Special Gi & No Gi Seminar I did in Florida last year (I’ve never released these videos).

Get a Grip is a straightforward series which will help give you understand how grips work and how to dominate them. Much of it shows grip fighting from the feet. But I’ve also included numerous videos from the ground. Like “The Tentacle” grip. If you struggle breaking cross collar grips inside the guard be sure to look at “The Tentacle” grip to counter that. 

It’s also worth noting that I’ve continually updated the series since 2016 when I released it. And will continue to do so. You get the extra updates at no additional charge when you get access to the series. 

My Florida seminar was a special 1 half gi and 1 half no gi. Inside this bonus you’ll see several of my best techniques in Gi and No Gi and how I adapt the grips. 

Also included in this special bonus is over 55 minutes of Q&A where you get to see people ask me questions and work with them on the answers. 

Instructions to receive Get a Grip and the Seminar Bonus:

To take advantage of the special sale all you have to do is order any product on www.Chewjitsu.net/products 

Then email [email protected] with the subject “special bonus” (make sure the email you use is the one used to buy your products)

We’ll go in and update your account to add the get a grip and send you the special link to get the Florida Seminar Bonus. 

This offer ends April 3rd.