Eat Sleep Grow Repeat

Rosi Sexton is best known for her achievements in MMA having fought for all the major organisations including the UFC, becoming the first British woman to do so.  A qualified Osteopath, Rosi has now switched her focus from causing injuries to treating and preventing them!  Unsurprisingly Rosi has a particular interest in athletes involved in combat sports, so I thought it would be useful for many Eat Sleep Grow Repeat listeners to get her on the show.  Even if you are not involved in combat sports there is still a lot of interesting information within this episode. During the podcast we talk about Rosi’s MMA career and discuss the direction women’s MMA is heading in.  We then move onto discussing injury prevention and Rosi reveals her concerns about the wrestler’s bridge and tells us why even your grandma should be deadlifting! Leicester Shootfighters physio Karl Green also joins us to add his considerable knowledge to the conversation.  Karl has written several articles on the subject of injury prevention in BJJ and has treated numerous grapplers, including myself! If you want to hear more from Rosi and Karl then check out the links below: http://rosisexton.com https://kgsportstherapy.wordpress.com

I caught up with BJJ Blackbelt and former UFC and Bellator fighter Roli ‘The Crazy Cuban’ Delgado whilst he was in Leicester teaching his Legal Leglock’s system.  Never considered a natural athlete, Roli’s success in BJJ and MMA comes down to hard work and his analytical approach to learning and constantly developing his game.  This has led to him becoming an excellent coach and he now now co-owns Westside MMA in Arkansas. During the show we discuss Roli’s career fighting on MMA’s biggest shows, yet still struggling to make a living from the sport.  Roli talks about his time on The Ultimate Fighter and the controversy regarding Frank Mir questioning his Blackbelt.  He then gives us some great tips on keeping students engaged and attending class, keeping yourself motivated to constantly learn and provides an interesting pre-competition training strategy picked up from his time coaching in Naples. If you want to know more about Roli and his Legal Leglocks system then check out the following links: http://legalleglocks.com https://www.facebook.com/leglocks/info?tab=page_info Thanks to Taurus Health & Fitness for supporting the podcast.  Follow the link to check out one of the cheapest supplement sites on the net and remember to use the code ‘Eat Sleep Grow Repeat’ at check out to receive some free goodies. Thanks as always to Leicester Shootfighters for supporting the show.    

This is a special double episode with two of England’s most successful JiuJitsu competitors, Trevor Birmingham and Liam Corrigan. Many of the guests from combat sports we have had on the show have stressed the importance of competing to enhance your progress in the game. Having recently started competing myself, I thought a podcast on the subject may be useful to anyone currently competing or thinking about testing themselves in the near future. Trevor Birmingham has been a successful competitor for over 30 years. Having begun in Judo were he enjoyed success at home and abroad, he then moved onto another rewarding spell representing Britain in Sport JiuJitsu. However, it is in Brazilian JiuJitsu that Trev is currently enjoying the most successful period of his career. In the past three years he has won gold at blue, purple and brown belt and graced the podium in nine different countries. Most recently he collected silver at the Master International in Rio after infamously being disqualified for celebrating his 7-0 win in the final with a flip. In this episode we talk about dealing with nerves, conditioning for competition and Trev talks us though his warm up routine before stepping onto the mats, plus of course we have to discuss that flip! Liam Corrigan is a relentless competitor, resulting in him winning countless medals over the past eight years, including 26 golds. His grappling career may have been even more fruitful had he not simultaneously juggled fighting in amateur MMA, where he amassed a 12-2 record, picking up four title belts along the way. Liam has competed in several countries and even quit his job to spend weeks travelling America and Brazil training and competing, which led to him fulfilling a lifetime ambition of writing a book on his experiences. We discuss how to work out your A game and when to start concentrating on it and mental preparation for the event. Liam also gives us his top three tips on competing plus shares his knowledge on combining travelling, training and competing in some of JiuJitsu biggest shows. If you want to know more about Trevor Birmingham check out his page at www.trev-bjj.net.  You can watch the controversial ‘flip’ final here. For more on Liam check out his site http://liambermudacorrigan.com.  His book, Finding Bermuda, is available through this Amazon link: Thanks to Leicester Shootfighters for supporting the podcast.  If you want to come and train with myself and Liam then all the details are on the website.

Vitor ‘Shaolin’ Ribeiro is a true Jiu-Jitsu legend.  His dedication to the art led to him achieving his black belt in an incredible 3.5 years!  Shaolin went on to win the World Jiu Jitsu Championship four times, was twice crowned Brazilian National Champion and took 3rd place in ADCC.  He then made the switch to MMA and the titles kept coming. Shaolin was crowned Cage Rage Lightweight Champion and Shooto Welterweight Champion over a successful nine year period fighting all over the globe. Since retiring from MMA in 2013, Shaolin is back competing in Jiu Jitsu and recently defeated Daisuke Nakamura in Polaris.  Whilst he was in the UK I took the chance to meet up with him for an interesting conversation in which we discuss mental training for BJJ, why America is the new Brazil for Jiu Jitsu globetrotters plus Shaolin give us his tips for achieving your black belt as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you would like to know more about Shaolin check out vitorshaolinbjj.com and if you are planning to visit New York City and want to get some quality training in check out his academy’s site too. Thanks to Leicester Shootfighters for supporting this podcast.

Alex DeSouza is a name familiar to any follows of the early UK MMA and BJJ scenes. His life story is amazing and reminds me of the film ‘The Bruce Lee Story’ in that Alex managed to create a top class Dojo from nothing more than a dream and years of hard work and dedication to the sport. Despite running a business and holding his own successful competitions, Alex still find time to compete regularly picking up medals all over the world with and without the Gi. This level of commitment is due to be rewarded on 13th September when Alex is due to receive his 3rd Dan from the legendary Vitor ‘Shaolin’ Ribeiro. This episode is worth listening to just for Alex’s incredible life story which took him from no rules fights in the Amazon to introducing BJJ to the south of England and now running his own successful gym. Aside from that Alex gives us tips on how to run an outstanding competition and what you should consider when making a training trip to Brazil. We discuss supplementary training for JiuJitsu, the importance of competing and much more. This is an inspirational episode I’m sure you going to enjoy. For more information on Alex DeSouza visit www.desouza.tv. Thanks again to our sponsors at Leicester Shootfighters.

For this episode focusing on getting a quality nights sleep, we were joined by Alison Francis, better known as Anandi or The Sleep Guru.  She is a qualified yoga instructor under Georg Feuerstein, a graduate of the Anthony Robbins University, an NLP practioner & hynopherapist and a qualified Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor under Deepak Chopra.  Anandi suffered from insomnia for nearly 15 years until she discovered the power of the breath which she credits with healing her.  She now runs workshops, retreats and online programmes for those suffering with sleep disorders, stress and anxiety. During a show packed with information, The Sleep Guru gives advice on how to meditate successfully, how to overcome insomnia and how to create a sleep haven, plus tells us how Sting was responsible for uncovering her spiritual side!  At the end of the interview I leave you with my top seven tips on optimising your sleep, then I hand over to my yoga and mediation instructor, Amy Fitta, to close the show with a Yoga Nidra meditation aimed at helping you get that vital, quality rest. For more information on the The Sleep Guru visit her site thesleepguru.co.uk.  Also you can check out more on Amy Fitta at fittayoga.com. The book recommended by the Sleep Guru during the show is available through the following links:    

Jordan Harbinger re-joins us for another lesson in The Art of Charm. Despite his first appearance on the show being cut short, Jordan still managed to leave us with more to think about than maybe any other guest. This time we had him for longer and he left us with even more credible advice. During this episode we discuss how to know when the time is right to make the switch from your 9 till 5 in order to follow your passion, how to use touch to build rapport, where to meet high quality girls and Jordan leaves us with a killer networking tip you need to start using now. If you want to find out more about Jordan, his excellent podcast and the AoC Bootcamps the head over to his site The Art of Charm. Thanks as always to Leicester Shootfighters for supporting the podcast.

Our most popular guest from Season One, Chase Amante, returns for another pick up masterclass.  This time Ben and I met up with Chase in Beijing, China in order to provide an episode so jammed full of information that it would be of benefit to anyone, no matter what level your game is at. Topics we cover include finding women that are looking for you, approaching groups of girls, handling cock-blockers plus Chase gives us some great tips on escalation.  We get some useful advice on body language and Chase goes on to reveal how to recognise the red flag warnings that you’re dealing with a dangerous girl.  This one is definitely worth checking out. If you would like more advice from Chase then you should definitely check out his website, girlschase.com, which has loads of in-depth, well written articles  which cover all aspects of pick-up and self-improvement. Thanks again to Leicester Shootfighters for supporting the podcast.

Ben Greenfield is a renown expert in the field of health and fitness having been an ex bodybuilder, Ironman triathlete and Spartan Racer.  A former Personal Trainer of Year winner, in 2013 he was named in the top 100 Most Influential People in Health and Fitness by Greatest.com and has since gone on to become a New York Times best selling author with his book ‘Beyond Training’.  Ben is no stranger to podcast’s either hosting two of his own, Obstacle Dominator and The Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast. He aim’s to provide cutting edge fitness content enabling listeners to accomplish amazing feats of physical endurance, without destroying their bodies, whilst also focusing on living long and active lives. This is a fascinating episode during which Ben gives us advice on anti-aging and we discuss the perfect human diet and how the food you eat can effect your sexual performance.  We talk about how to select the right endurance event and mental strategies to develop discipline and toughness, plus Ben gives us his top tips on how to recover from a grueling race or training session.  If you have any interest in improving any element of human performance then you need to listen to this episode. If you would like to know more about Ben then head over to Ben Greenfield Fitness or alternatively you can support Ben and the podcast by purchasing his excellent book ‘Beyond Training’ by following the link below. Also don’t forget to check out the Leicester Shootfighters documentary, its a great insight into the exciting world of amateur MMA and a good production to boot. Enjoy !

Lee Reynolds is an English former BMX champion who has reinvented himself in California as a DJ and co-founder of Desert Hearts, a Burning Man esq Deep House festival held, as the name suggests, off the grid in the desert. Despite having only been running for a little over 2 years, Desert Hearts has already been named as the no 1 festival to attend in the US in 2015 by FEST 300 magazine and the event continues to grow, now attracting a stellar list of DJ’s including the likes of Audiofly, Monkey Safari and M.A.N.D.Y’s Phillipp Jung. Now with their own record label and with spin off night City Hearts going from strength to strength, 2015 promises to be a big year for Lee and the crew. In this episode we discuss the birth of Desert Hearts, I ask Lee about Chicanes comments on this show that Americans don’t get clubbing, we talk about the evolution of Burning Man and whether it has now gone too far, we discuss the legality of desert parties and the massive Police operation that attempted to shut the event down and the exciting prospect of Desert Hearts coming to England, plus we drop a couple of big tunes from the record label. I’m a massive fan of Desert Hearts and everything they are doing so it was great to finally get Lee on the show on my last night in San Diego. I would recommend attending a Desert Hearts festival to any house music fans looking to experience an event free of commercialism and put on purely for the love of music and building a hedonistic community based on free love. As they say at Desert Hearts, One stage, one vibe, one beautiful and growing family. For details and tickets for up and coming events please visit: http://www.deserthearts.us/ To listen to and download more music from the Desert Hearts label check out: http://bit.ly/DesertHeartsRecords To support the artists by paying what you think the music is worth visit: http://bit.ly/DHBandCamp If your still struggling to imagine what a Desert Hearts event would look like, check out this cool video set to Che’s ‘Transformation’: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=280598835397737

For this, the first episode of Season 2, I am back in San Diego, California with Dean Lister. Dean needs no introduction to fans of MMA having fought in Pride, King of the Cage and the UFC. He is even more respected in grappling circles having twice won ADCC Gold, widely regarded as the ultimate prize in No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu. This episode was recorded on New Years Eve at Deans fighters house, which is why Geoffrey Villarreal shows up half way through expecting a night out, but instead ends up joining us on the podcast. Despite being born without a left hand Geoff, has gone on to become a high level black belt under Fabio Santos and is now competing in MMA. We are also joined by Deans new housemate and long time friend Conan Dunn. Conan has fought for years in underground MMA fights and is a former Navy Seal. Currently he is starring in the Discovery Channels reality show ‘The Devils Ride’ which focuses on the Biker War between two San Diegan biker gangs, The Laffing Devils and Sinister Mob Syndicate. This is a funny and varied podcast in which we discuss a variety of things including Deans loss to Josh Barnett, the effect of those black speedos, Seal training, Deans potential return to Gi competition and whether the much anticipated Palhares fight is still on the cards. Thanks to Leicester Shootfighters for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. If you would like to know more about the place where Ben and I currently do our Jui-Jitsu, then head over to their website at http://leicestermma.co.uk

Regular listeners to the podcast will be aware that we always end every show with a different track.  There’s no theme to the selection other than that we try to keep the music somewhat underground, so its unlikely that anything we play will be something you get tired of hearing everyday on the radio.  I’ve had a lot of positive comments regarding the tunes that I’ve chosen so I thought it was time to bring them altogether on one podcast.  I’ve tried to organise the play list so it makes sense musically rather than just arrange them in show order, the idea being that, like any good DJ set, it eases you in and continues to build up the energy throughout the mix.  To save you the trouble of constantly ‘Shazaming’ whilst you listen, here are the track listings: 1.   RFK Eulogy vs Indian Summer (Eat Sleep Grow Repeat Mash Up) – Jonsi & Alex 2.   How Could You Walk Away (Oriental Café Abu Dhabi Lounge Mix) – Green Taboo 3.   58bpm – Tensnake feat Fiora 4.   Ready For It – RAC feat St Lucia 5.   Calypso – Jori Hulkkonen 6.   North – Dahu 7.   The Defendant – Mikey Lyon & Jonjo Williams 8.   No Face No Problem – Wehbba 9.   Blacklight Sleaze – Peace Division feat Pleasant Gehman 10. Standing in this Dream – My Dear 11. Sad Machine – Porter Robinson 12. Every Night – Lane 8 13. Halcyon (2008) – Chicane 14. Rewind (Mikka’s Remix) – Emma Hewitt 15. Tsunami – Formal Warning   I’m always looking for new music to play at the end of the show, so if you are a musician or producer and you have created any tracks you think may be suitable for Season Two, then please feel free to contact me at jamie@eatsleepgrowrepeat.com.  I promise to listen to everything I’m sent and if I think a track is suitable I will definitely use it and give you credit for it on the show.  So get sending them in!

For the final episode of Season 1 of the podcast, myself and Ben Harrison were joined by ‘Judo’ Jimmy Wallhead. Jimmy started off in Judo from a young age and showed great potential, leading to him leaving school at 16 to go full time at two times Olympic silver medallist Neil Adams gym.  Jimmy eventually became disillusioned with Judo but not before winning three British under 21’s titles and representing England in the European Youth Olympics. Since switching to MMA Jimmy has amassed a 26-9 record whilst fighting for top organisations such as BAMMA, Bellator and now Cage Warriors.  During this time he has had many ups and downs with great wins against the likes of Che Mills, Frank Trigg and Joey Villasenor never leading to the UFC contract he still coverts.  Now with a new training regime and fresh from the devastating KO of Juan Manuel Suarez, Jimmy is hoping now is finally his time. This is a fascinating insight into the highs and lows of life as one of Britain’s top MMA fighters. During the show we discuss the benefits of Judo as a foundation for MMA, pre-fight nerves, overcoming self-doubt and Jimmy tells us how he rediscovered his passion for his career. Amongst other things, he also gives us his tips for grapplers trying to adjust their game for MMA, his views on TRT use and provides us with some upcoming UFC predictions. If you want to know more about ‘Judo’ Jimmy Wallhead then head over to his website at: http://www.judojimmywallhead.co.uk

Our guests for this edition of the podcast are two of England’s top independent Jiu-Jitsu instructor’s, Leicester Shootfighters Nathan Leverton and Chiu Kwong Man of Team Renegade BJJ. Although both our now running successful clubs producing champions who compete across the globe, they took very different paths. Chiu attained his black belt under multiple BJJ World Champion Braulio Estima, before taking the unusual step of leaving Gracie Barra to set up his own team. Regular listeners may remember Nathan’s story from the earlier Geoff Thompson podcast.  Geoff is the closest Nathan has come to having an instructor in the traditional sense, being largely self taught through books, DVDs and seminars.  Nathan’s ability to breakdown techniques, analysis strengths and weaknesses and devise game plans has seen him corner over 100 MMA fights in six different countries, including ten UFC fights for Dan Hardy, Andre Winner and Nick Osipczak. This episode is a free flowing conversation on all things fight related. We discuss training for self defence, yoga for BJJ, the problems with White Collar MMA, why BJJ has lost its effectiveness in MMA, Metamoris and how BJJ can become more marketable as a spectator sport.  We also get their tips on setting up your own club and they reveal their dream Metamoris match ups. If you would like to know more about these coaches and their excellent clubs then please visit http://leicestermma.wordpress.com and http://teamrenegadebjj.com.

This episode of the podcast is a yoga special recorded during the OM Yoga Show in London.  More and more people are now discovering yoga and realising that it’s more than just a relaxing way for middle aged housewives to spend an hour away from their kids as many people (and by people I mainly mean guys!) used to think.  The fact that a host of celebrities, including the likes of Russell Brand and Jennifer Aniston, have been speaking of their love for this ancient practice has certainly helped spread the word, but its the benefits yoga is providing to athletes that has got a lot more men unfurling their mat on a regular basis.  Previous Eat Sleep Grow Repeat guest and 2nd degree Roger Gracie black belt Nic Gabriel has written an excellent article on yoga for BJJ (http://www.jiujitsubrotherhood.com/2013/05/yoga-jiu-jitsu-a-natural-symbiosis/), Ryan Giggs, the most decorated footballer in British history, credits yoga for keeping him playing at the top level for Manchester United aged 40 and more and more sports teams, from the Indian Cricket team to the New Zealand All Blacks, are adding a yoga instructor to their books.  To find out why I’m joined by my Vinyasa Flow instructor Laura Fisher. Since discovering yoga in 2001 Laura has dedicated her life to the art and became a qualified yoga teacher with the internationally recognised Yoga Alliance having studied extensively with both the Yoga Alliance and the British Wheel of Yoga.  Her practice has been complimented by her desire to deepen her knowledge through readings of ancient yogic texts and Indian philosophy which has made her an incredibly knowledgeable yoga teacher.  Her  inquisitive nature has led her to experience many different styles of yoga such as Ashtanga Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Hatha Yoga and Iyengar Yoga making her the ideal guest for this show. During this episode Laura gives us her tips on finding the right class for you, discusses yoga for runners plus gives her opinions on the concept of the OM Yoga Show and tells us why she disagrees with Bikram Yoga physically and ethically.  Listen, learn and if you’ve not already done so give yoga ago!  It might be the best thing you ever do. If you would like to know more about Laura or watch some of her free online tutorials then head over to her website at http://www.laurafisheryoga.co.uk/classes.

Jordan Harbinger was a Wall Street lawyer who turned his back on a great salary and clear career path to co-found The Art of Charm podcast, a show dedicated to helping men pick up women.  Over the next seven years the business grew exponentially, the podcast now gets over 1.1 million downloads a month and the personal coaching sessions know as ‘AoC Bootcamps’ run every week in Hollywood, California attracting people from all other the globe.  This success is due in part to the evolution of the product from a PUA podcast to a premiere men’s lifestyle resource, helping guys and girls excel in business, health and relationships, whether that be with friends and family or their partners. In this episode we talk about the problem with pick ups guys, Jordan gives us his advice on choosing the right career and pointers on how to create a network in a new town whether at home or abroad.  We get some practical tips on improving your body language and discuss the importance of vocal tonality and eye contact, plus Jordan tells us why ‘follow your passion’ is terrible advice. Although this isn’t as long as some of the other podcasts on the site due to Jordan having other commitments, the show is packed with useful, practical information you can start using today. Ben and I certainly came away with a few things to think about so hope you find this one useful too. If you want to hear more from Jordan then check out his excellent site and podcast at http://theartofcharm.com.

Joining us for this episode of the podcast we had 8th Dan Judo Legend Neil Adams.  Neil has been called the Mike Tyson of Judo and who can argue with that?  Having won five European Championships, the World Championship and twice finishing runner up in the Olympics, Neil’s contribution to Judo didn’t end there.  He went on to coach the English and Welsh national teams, write multiple books and is now the voice of international Judo having commentated on events across the globe including the 2012 London Olympics. In this episode, amongst other things, we discuss why Judo needs more professional coaches, what the sport can learn from BJJ, how recent rule changes have taken the art back to what it was, plus Neil gives us his views on the prospect of Ronda Rousey fighting in Metamoris. Neil is a terrific role model for anyone who wants to excel in their chosen sport.  This episode is also essential listening for any Judoka looking to improve their game or coaching skills. You can find out more about Neil at http://www.naeffectivefighting.com/ or check out his You Tube Channel over at http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdFj0qDqQrl_gLkf3CIsREw.

For this the tenth episode of Eat Sleep Grow Repeat we were joined by Gracie JiuJitsu 5th degree black belt Steve Maxwell. At 61 years of age Steve is still teaching JiuJitsu and Strength and Conditioning and is also a highly regarded kettlebell instructor. However, he is now very interested in aging well and after studying extensively around the world has become an expert in mobility training. It was after training in one of Steve’s enlightening seven hour mobility seminar’s that we conducted this interview. During the show Steve tells us why sitting is the new smoking, gives us the key to aging well, reveals his training tips for anyone starting out in JiuJitsu, tells us why sports aren’t healthy and shares his Gracie Challenge stories from the Wild West days of BJJ plus much more. This is a stacked show you won’t want to miss. If you want to know more about Steve Maxwell and the programs he offers then check out his website at http://www.maxwellsc.com. Also check out the promo video we made for the episode with a cameo appearance at the end from Steve himself! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMdUmrLOE2c

This is a special Ibiza episode of the podcast recorded in Ibiza Town with my guest Nicholas Bracegirdle, better known as Chicane. Seventeen years on from his seminal album ‘Far From the Maddening Crowds’ Chicane shows no signs of slowing down. With a new album on the way, his ‘Sunsets’ podcast blowing up and his new Sunset set concept touring the globe, Nick continues to be at the forefront of dance music whilst sticking true to the beautiful, melodic sound with which he has become synonymous. On this show we discuss whether Ibiza is still relevant, how Spotify is degrading music and Nick offers his advice to new producers plus shares some of the tracks with us that have been doing it for him on the White Isle. Eat Sleep Grow Repeat now has a You Tube channel and if you follow the link below you can check out the promo video filmed in Ibiza for this episode featuring the Chicane classic ‘Offshore’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOMI2sKQRTo  

Ever seen a beautiful girl in the street and wanted to go and talk to her but didn’t know what to say? Ever really liked a girl but she only liked you as a friend? Or got your dream girl only to have a nightmare relationship full of drama? Well if you said yes to any of the above you need to listen to this episode! My guest Chase Amante has trained extensively in what he calls ‘the social arts’ and is one of the most respected members of the pick up community for his natural, suave, no tricks approach. His website www.girlschase.com is one of the most popular resources on the net for advice on numerous topics all falling under the umbrella of becoming a better man and in the process better with women. This episode is crammed full of information including how to approach girls, tips on maintaining a healthy relationship and why watching porn can ruin your sex life. If you enjoy the show afterwards be sure to check out Chase’s free online test and find out where you are with women and what you can do to start improving yourself and your social skills. You’ll find that at http://www.girlschase.com/quiz/start, enjoy!