Inside the Wave

About Inside the Wave

Welcome to ”Inside the Wave” with your host, Perry Wirth, presented by Utopia. Dive into the dynamic world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, health, fitness, and personal development. Each episode, Perry brings you engaging conversations with inspiring individuals from the BJJ community and beyond. From stories to fitness tips and life hacks, this podcast is your go-to source for staying on top of your game, or even getting into the game! Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or just starting out, ”Inside the Wave” offers fresh perspectives and insights to fuel your journey. Tune in and join us on this adventure of growth, both on and off the mats. Let’s ride the wave together! 🌊🥋💪

Publisher

Perry Wirth

Category

education · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Mar 2024

Latest episode

12 Jun 2026

Latest episodes

21 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Jun 2026

   Girls in BJJ: Two Journeys, One Mat with Ava & Deb

   She Started at 60. She Started at 15. Two women. Two very different paths onto the mat. Same reasons for staying. Ava Govek walked into Utopia at 14. Six years later, she's a four-stripe blue belt, Utopia's former sales director, and one of the most experienced women in the room. Deb Pokel walked in at 59. She turned 60 last fall. She just hit her one-year anniversary, runs a Sport Clips franchise with 110 barbers across 13 locations, and has dropped into six other gyms while traveling for business. Perry sits down with both of them to talk about what it's actually like to train BJJ as a woman. The first-day nerves. The mental barriers. The training partners who get it and the ones who don't. Why "we're not your rest stop" is a line every man in the sport should hear. What happens when your BJJ breakfall shows up on an icy boardwalk. And what the sport gives women, beyond self-defense. This one is honest, funny, and useful. If you've been curious about starting, this is the episode that pulls you closer to the door. Key Takeaways Your first day is supposed to feel like that. Both Ava and Deb were terrified, and both came back. "No is a complete sentence." Ava calls it the most valuable lesson she's learned in six years of BJJ. Men: nobody is your rest stop. If you're rolling with a woman because you want a break, your training partners can feel it, and the culture suffers. Deb's first real-life application of BJJ was a sprawl on an icy boardwalk. One year in. Muscle memory kicked in. Gym culture is what keeps women training. Fundamentals class, the women's chat, and coaches who watch the mat make Utopia feel different. Size and strength matter less in BJJ than in any other contact sport. They still matter. Train accordingly. Planting the seed works. Ava and Deb both bring women in by talking about the sport like the journey it actually is. Guest Bios Ava Govek. Four-stripe blue belt at Utopia, six years in. Started as a teenager, grew up in the academy. Former sales director at Utopia. Graduating with her master's in May. One of the highest-ranking women on the mat and a voice for the women's program. Instagram: @ava.govek Deb Pokel. White belt at Utopia, one year in. 60 years old, turned 60 last fall. Married with five kids and five grandkids. Owns a Sport Clips franchise with 110 barbers and stylists across 13 locations. Trains at Utopia and drops into gyms while traveling for business. Faith-driven, tenacious, still bruised, still showing up. Instagram: @pokeldeb Listen now and ride the wave. Inside The Wave Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube

2. 

   8 Apr 2026

   Jimmy Kanno's Jiu-Jitsu Story with Jimmy Kano

   What if the thing you almost didn’t try became the thing that saved your life? In Episode 20 of Inside the Wave, Perry sits down with longtime Utopia black belt Jimmy Kanno to unpack a 14-year journey that started with MMA fandom and a random neon sign—and turned into sobriety, leadership, business ownership, and a black belt earned the hard way. Jimmy began training at 28. At the time, he was working tough manual labor jobs, living cash-only, and stuck in habits he knew wouldn’t lead anywhere good. Jiu-jitsu wasn’t part of some master plan. It was just something to try. But it became the one consistent thread in his life. In this conversation, Jimmy shares: How training helped him close the door on addiction for good Why plateaus are inevitable and why showing up anyway is everything The identity shift that happens from white belt to black belt What changes in your 40s when you have to work harder just to stay sharp The reality of gym ownership versus simply loving to teach Why community, not technique, is what keeps people on the mats Jimmy’s belt progression mirrors his personal growth... from getting his first checking account to building businesses, getting married, and mentoring the next generation. If you’re a white belt wondering if you’ll stick with it, a blue belt feeling plateaued, or someone who knows jiu-jitsu is becoming more than just a workout—this episode will hit home. Listen now and ride the wave. Follow Jimmy here:Instagram: kanno_est1983 Stay tuned for more conversations that go beyond the mats.

3. 

   16 Mar 2026

   Approaching Athletic Development & Competition in Children Ages 15-18+ (High School & Beyond) with Chandler Lewis

   What does athletic development look like when athletes reach the high school years and competition starts to carry real stakes? In this final episode of the four-part youth development series, Perry Wirth sits down again with returning guest Chandler Lewis, sports psychologist, Certified Mental Performance Consultant, and competitive swim coach, to explore the critical stage of ages 15 to 18. At this point many athletes begin facing increased expectations. College recruitment, scholarship opportunities, tougher competition, and the pressure that comes with chasing high level performance all begin to shape the experience. Together Perry and Chandler break down how coaches, parents, and athletes can navigate this phase while protecting long term development, mental health, and love for the sport. You’ll learn how to:• Understand the major PIES shifts (Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Social) during the high school years• Balance intense training, strength work, and recovery without burnout• Help athletes build autonomy and ownership in their training and competition plans• Navigate the pressure of rankings, recruiting, and rising expectations• Develop the mental skills needed to perform under pressure• Support athletes through the transition from youth sports into college level competition Chandler shares insights from coaching hundreds of competitive swimmers and working with athletes through his sports psychology practice, offering practical strategies for staying grounded when performance begins to matter more than ever. Whether you are a parent, coach, or athlete navigating the high school years, this episode offers a roadmap for developing resilient competitors and confident young adults. Connect with ChandlerSwim Program: Clewis@wsacltd.orgSports Psychology: championshipmind.com | Chandler@championshipmind.com Stay tuned for more conversations that go beyond the mats.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

708,842

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

12

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

51