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Learning to Fight Podcast — Conversations in Combat Skill

After a year-long hiatus, the Primal MMA Coaching Podcast is back—Rebranded, and refocused as the Learning to Fight Podcast: Conversations in Combat Skill.

Your hosts are:

Adam Singer — Co-owner and head coach at SBG Athens, BJJ black belt, long-time MMA coach, with years of developing novice to elite level fighters. Student of Matt Thornton and SBG's philosophy of 'aliveness'.
Scott Sievewright — Co-Owner at Primal MKE, MMA skills coach and obsessive student of how humans learn to move and fight.

Together, we dive deep into the art and science of coaching, training, and skill development in combat sports.
Expect honest conversations about MMA, striking, grappling, practice design, contemporary research, traditional approaches, ecological dynamics, and the messy realities of learning under pressure.

No gurus. No dogma. Just two coaches trying to understand fighting a little better each week.

Same curiosity. New lens.
Learn how to learn.
Find your own style.
Thrive on the mats—and in the cage.

Send us a text

Learning to Fight Podcast — Conversations in Combat Skill

After a year-long hiatus, the Primal MMA Coaching Podcast is back—Rebranded, and refocused as the Learning to Fight Podcast: Conversations in Combat Skill.

Your hosts are:

Adam Singer — Co-owner and head coach at SBG Athens, BJJ black belt, long-time MMA coach, with years of developing novice to elite level fighters. Student of Matt Thornton and SBG's philosophy of 'aliveness'.
Scott Sievewright — Co-Owner at Primal MKE, MMA skills coach and obsessive student of how humans learn to move and fight.

Together, we dive deep into the art and science of coaching, training, and skill development in combat sports.
Expect honest conversations about MMA, striking, grappling, practice design, contemporary research, traditional approaches, ecological dynamics, and the messy realities of learning under pressure.

No gurus. No dogma. Just two coaches trying to understand fighting a little better each week.

Same curiosity. New lens.
Learn how to learn.
Find your own style.
Thrive on the mats—and in the cage.

Send us a text

In this episode, I’m joined by Andy from the School of Grappling, a coach and physicist whose analytical approach to no-gi grappling and wrestling has made him a respected figure in the sport. We discuss the science behind skill development, biomechanics, and training methods that align with the ecological approach. As the podcast nears its conclusion, I’m grateful to have one of my dream guests on the show. Tune in for a deep dive into the art and science of grappling!

Catch more of Andy and his insights on the great Sonny Brown Breakdown Podcast.

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In this episode of the Primal MMA Coaching Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Laura Cuijpers, an assistant professor at the University of Groningen, to explore the emotional and psychological aspects of martial arts training. We dive into Dr. Laura's work on agency, resilience, and the application of the ecological approach in self-defense, with a particular focus on women's self-defense. We discuss the challenges of moving away from choreographed methods and the importance of improvisation under pressure. This conversation is packed with insights relevant to anyone interested in martial arts, self-defense, or ecological dynamics.

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Today I welcome Sonny Sahota from Praxis Gym in Canada. Sonny, a judo black belt and manager of Kensington Judo Club in Vancouver, shares his insights on integrating Ecological Dynamics and the Active Inference Framework (AIF) into martial arts coaching. Sony introduces some of the tenets these approaches, discussing how they inform skill acquisition, practice design, and the balance between training under fatigue and maintaining motor learning. Sonny highlights the importance of understanding athletes' individual narratives and emotional engagement. This conversation offers valuable perspectives on how these cutting-edge theories can complement each other and enhance coaching practices. Whether you're a seasoned coach or new to these concepts, this episode is packed with practical insights and thought-provoking discussions.

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Coach Rob Cole joins me today to talk coaching within an ecological dynamics framework.

Rob is a long time mixed martial artist, globetrotters BJJ coach and a regular coach at Ascension Athletics in Connecticut.

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Gray Thomas joins me today to talk about the Ecological Psychology side of ecological dynamics.

Gray is a PhD student at the university of Connecticut where he studies and researches Ecological Psychology. I enjoyed my chat with Gray and learn more about eco psych. The ecological approach really hangs on the theory of direct perception. Gray took some time today to talk about this and it's implication for sport and movement.

As plugged in the intro.

Some more resources worth checking out are:

The Constraints Collective Podcast

Danny Hatchers Video Essays on 'Introduction to Ecological Psychology"(Blau and Wagman) and "How we learn to move" (Gray). Danny's Youtube channel is a treasure trove of Eco related content.

And lastly the recently launched Ecological Dynamics for submission grappling podcast.

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Today's chat was with Pittsburgh Pirate's coach John Baker

John is a former MLB player and current performance and skills coach alongside Andy Bass in the Pirates Baseball organization.

Also a BJJ purple belt, Ecological dynamics advocate and MMA fan. We had a fun chat covering all things eco, baseball and combat sports.