Cross training has gone from controversial to completely normal in modern jiu-jitsu — but is it all upside?

In this episode of The Gi Spot, Rach and Kaz break down the rise of cross training in the BJJ scene, looking at the benefits, the backlash, and the unspoken rules that come with training outside your home gym.

From faster skill development to gym politics and ego clashes, we explore how cross training can level up your game — or quietly cause problems if done wrong.

Because in jiu-jitsu, it’s not just about where you train…
it’s about how you show up when you get there.

What keeps people in jiu-jitsu isn’t just the training — it’s the stories.

In this episode of The Gi Spot, Rach and Kaz take over for a full story time session, sharing some of the funniest, strangest, and most memorable moments from their years on the mats.

From first-day chaos to gym culture classics and near-disasters that somehow turned into inside jokes, this episode is a reminder that jiu-jitsu is as much about the people and experiences as it is about the technique.

Because if you’ve trained long enough…
you’ve definitely got a few stories of your own.

Jiu-jitsu is built on trust — but what happens when that trust is abused?

In this episode of The Gi Spot, we take a serious and necessary look at grooming in sports and gym environments, including both minors and adults.

We explore how power, authority, and close-knit communities can sometimes be misused — and why it’s not always obvious when boundaries are being crossed.

This conversation isn’t about panic — it’s about awareness, responsibility, and creating safer training environments for everyone.

Because a strong gym culture isn’t just about technique or toughness.
It’s about respect that never crosses the line.

You joined a gym to learn how to choke people safely.

Next thing you know you’re bowing to photos, saying oss unironically, spending all your money on gis, and referring to your coach as “Professor.”

So… is your gym a community… or a cult?

In this episode of The Gi Spot, we take a darkly funny look at the culture of jiu-jitsu gyms and ask the uncomfortable question every grappler eventually wonders.

Where’s the line between:

• a tight-knit team

• and a dojo that drinks its own Kool-Aid?

We break down the warning signs, the traditions, the loyalty, the drama, and why some gyms create incredible communities while others start looking suspiciously like pajama-based religious movements.

Because in jiu-jitsu the red flags aren’t always obvious… sometimes they’re just matching rash guards.

You’re injured. Work is chaos. Kids arrived. Life is throwing heel hooks and you tapped early.

So what happens to your jiu-jitsu when you’re not actually doing jiu-jitsu?

In this episode of The Gi Spot, we dive into the uncomfortable but universal grappler experience: being forced off the mats. Whether it’s a blown knee, a newborn baby, burnout, or just life doing life things, most practitioners hit a stretch where training consistently just isn’t possible.

We talk about:

• The mental side of being sidelined

• Why people disappear from the sport completely

• Ways to stay connected to the game even when you can’t train

• Studying matches, coaching, drilling light, or just staying in the gym ecosystem

• Avoiding the “I’ll come back when I’m fit again” trap

Because in jiu-jitsu, the biggest danger isn’t the injury —
it’s drifting away long enough that returning feels impossible.

Even when you can’t roll, you can still keep a toe in the game.

In this episode of The Gi Spot, Rach and Kaz tackle a truth every grappler eventually meets — whether you’re white belt enthusiastic or black belt battle-worn.

Injury isn’t a possibility in jiu-jitsu. It’s a certainty.

This isn’t fear-mongering — it’s reality. If you train long enough, hard enough, or even just consistently enough, something will tweak, tear, strain or snap. The question isn’t if. It’s when — and how you respond.

Rach brings the perspective of a full-time instructor watching bodies cycle through setbacks and comebacks. Kaz brings the athlete lens — ego bruises, actual bruises, and the mental spiral that follows time off the mat.

Together they unpack the psychology of injury, the culture around “toughing it out,” the difference between resilience and recklessness, and how to train for longevity in a sport that rewards intensity.

Because surviving jiu-jitsu isn’t about avoiding injury forever.
It’s about building a game — and a mindset — that survives it.

In this world-first roundtable episode of The Gi Spot, Rach and Kaz bring together three academy leaders — not to debate territory, but to redefine it.

In studio:
Grant & Rachel Bradshaw from Iconic Jiu Jitsu Academy,
Brian Lewis & John MacAleer from House of Water Jiu Jitsu and Other Musings,
and Peter Jackson from Nura Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy.

This isn’t an episode about who has the biggest competition team or the loudest Instagram presence. It’s a deep dive into what leadership in jiu-jitsu looks like in 2026.

The team explores a growing shift in academy ownership — one built on confidence without ego, curiosity without insecurity, and collaboration without territorial nonsense.

Cross-training is encouraged. Doors are open. The mindset is simple: we can’t help everyone — but we’ll help you find someone who can.

No peacocking. No mat politics. No bar-storming bravado.
Just grappling — and building awesome people into even more awesome people.

This isn’t just a conversation about running academies.
It’s a marker of a new era in jiu-jitsu.

In this episode of The Gi Spot, Rach and Kaz sit down with Cerys Finch, creator of the Artemis Grappling Challenge, for a conversation that goes beyond brackets and medals.

While unpacking the origin and vision behind Artemis, the team also address some of the harder conversations shaping the sport right now — including the recent increase in members of the grappling community coming forward with allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.

Rather than sensationalising headlines, this episode explores what accountability, leadership, and athlete safety should look like in 2026. How do we build competitions — and communities — that prioritise integrity as much as performance? What responsibility do event organisers, coaches, and teammates carry? And how can grassroots initiatives like Artemis contribute to safer, more transparent environments?

Cerys speaks candidly about creating intentional spaces in jiu-jitsu, the cultural shifts required for real change, and why representation in leadership matters now more than ever.

This is a conversation about sport — but it’s also about culture, courage, and the kind of future we’re willing to fight for.