Surviving White Belt

In this episode I sit down with Frankie Lopez, from B-Team Jiu Jitsu in Austin, Texas. Frankie shares how he started training with the Danaher Death Squad (DDS) in Puerto Rico as a white belt, what it was like transitioning into the B-Team after the DDS split, and how being the smallest guy on the mat shaped his style.We talk wrestling, competition mindset, and how Frankie's Jiu Jitsu evolved from a leg lock-heavy guard game to wrestling-focused offense. Plus, he opens up about his European seminar tour across Slovenia, Austria, and Spain, sharing techniques and building community across the no-gi scene.Whether you're a new white belt, a smaller grappler trying to survive big rolls, or just a fan of real stories from the mats — this one’s packed with insights, laughs, and just enough chaos.

In this episode, I'm sharing the story of my first ever competition and my thoughts on what I would do if I was going to compete again for the first time.

In this episode we're looking into whether or not leglocks should be part of the techniques to learn as a beginner. We are tallking about some basic concepts and the pros and cons of implementing leglocks into your game.

In this episode we will be looking at how to improve your jiu jitsu quickly. Besides training regularly and taking some time off whenever needed, we talk about tapping and trying new things while learning the basics and working with different training partners. We also cover studying instructionals and using competition as a tool to enhance your learning experience. 

In this episode we talk about setting long-, mid- and short-term goals to help you progress faster and stay motivated by focusing on goals that will allow you to earn micro wins. 

This time, we a re looking into my main motivators for doing Jiu Jitsu and why I think a lot of them are really kind of special in this context.We first go into the obvious reason to start any martial art: Self Defense. But why is Jiu Jitsu possibly the best way to actually learn how to defend yourself?What does Jiu Jitsu do for you in terms of confidence? And how does the confidence you get from the sport, translate in to life outside of the mats?Of course, for many of us, Fitness is an imporant factor for most of us when it comes to doing sports. How fit do you actually get from Grappling?Fun is definitely one of the most important aspects of any kind of leisure activities, especially the ones we are pursuing when we are already having busy lifes working. What makes Jiu Jitsu so much fun and enjoyable?And for me, probably the most important reason why I train as much as I do, is that I have made so many great friends through Jiu Jitsu. Not only in my home town, but everywhere I went and trained, was I able to meet great people and actually managed to stay in touch with them. And some have actually become really good friends.

This episode we are looking into the most common injuries in Jiu Jitsu. From bruised fingers to cauliflower ear, we will cover how they can be prevented, treated and dealt with ones already inflicted. Here are some of the brands that should sponsor me because of regular usage and recommendation. Nope, these are not affiliate links…yet!A heating creme for all sorts of dull trauma:https://muaystore.deYour go-to tape for fingers, toes, ankles and wrists:https://l1nq.com/yNTzoHeadgear to prevent cauliflower ear or keep it from getting worse:https://encr.pw/tA9HR

In this episode we're looking into establishing a sustainable training routine that will allow you to progress your Jiu Jitsu consistently. We're covering how many times you should train as a beginner, how to prepare your body for the strains that the training presents and how to recover from it so that you will have as much valuable time on the mats as possible.Links to the sources mentioned:Yoga with Kassandra - 10 Minute Stretchhttps://youtu.be/4pKly2JojMw?si=WkF_NIh8h8ZYM8U1Andrew Huberman: The Science & Health Benefits of Deliberate Heat Exposurehttps://open.spotify.com/episode/3QkH5rBxF9tZixvste5mYo?si=bef2d85ea6b44addAndrew Huberman: Using Deliberate Cold Exposure for Health and Performancehttps://open.spotify.com/episode/3W4Y9Zb9SEr8E4OKdA3yiC?si=420ef330b1c641f8Charles Allan Prince - Eoghan O'Flanagan's Strength and Conditioning Coachhttps://www.instagram.com/charlesallanprice/Knees Over Toes Guy - 7-Step ATG Mobility Routinehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omuAtS7zOa0

This episode covers a few tipps on how to approach your rolls. Don't be a spazzy white belt, work on your defense aswell as understanding your own size and strength. There's also a really interesting bonus advice if you listen until the end. That one has been the biggest game changer for me in Jiu Jitsu aswell as in life in general.

In this episode we go over a few things to think about when stepping on the mats for the first time. We talk about what you should prepare and bring to the gym, how to behave and what to expect when doing Jiu Jitsu for the first time.

In this first Episode I introduce myself and share with you how long it took me until I really started my Jiu Jitsu Journey and what it meant for me to find the right gym. Let me know what you want me to talk about in the future by just sending me a message on Instagram and make sure to follow the gym I'm training at. Thank youFollow Surviving White Belt on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/survivingwhitebelt/Follow Roots Colllective on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rootscollective_ibk/