Tapped In: A JiuJitsu Podcast

About Tapped In: A JiuJitsu Podcast

I am a dedicated practitioner and coach on a mission to help you navigate the complex, rewarding world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Whether you are a White Belt trying to survive your first stripe or a seasoned grappler looking for a competitive edge, I created this show to be your technical and mental mat-side companion. In every episode of Tapped In, I break down the nuances of submission grappling. I dive deep into the Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle, discussing how to overcome mat burnout, manage BJJ injuries, and develop the "black belt mindset" both on and off the mats. Why Listen to Me? Beyond my fifteen years on the mats, I’ve had the honor of sharing my philosophy as a recurring guest on BJJ Mental Models and Fighting Matters. I believe in a structured tactical approach and I bring that same level of high-level conceptual analysis to every episode of this show. The Training Schedule: I know your time is valuable. That’s why I release three new episodes every week, each designed to fit perfectly into your daily routine. With a runtime of 14–24 minutes, these episodes are built to give you tactical clarity in the time it takes to drive to the academy or finish a warm-up. If you live for the grind, the flow, and the constant pursuit of the tap, this podcast is for you. Subscribe and let's level up your game, one episode at a time.

Publisher

David Figueroa-Martinez

Category

health & fitness · leisure · sports

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

13 May 2025

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

226 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Oct 2026

   E230 | Why Everything in Jiu-Jitsu Is Borrowed

   DFM Coaching Library: https://www.patreon.com/cw/DFMCoachingBjj (https://www.patreon.com/cw/DFMCoachingBjj) About In this episode of Tapped In, I get into a mindset shift that has completely changed how I approach the mats: realizing that everything in Jiu-Jitsu is borrowed. From the techniques we learn and adapt, to the students we teach, to the physical attributes we rely on, nothing is permanent and nothing is truly "ours." I discuss how moving away from gym tribalism and the illusion of ownership frees us to appreciate the time we have on the mats, adapt our games as we get older, and show genuine gratitude for the people we share the journey with. 3 Key Takeaways You Don't Own the Art or Your Students: Martial arts techniques and lineages are inherited and shared; viewing your students or your game through a lens of ownership only fosters insecurity, tribalism, and stagnation. Physical Attributes Are on Loan: Speed, cardio, youth, and health are temporary; viewing your physical gifts as borrowed forces you to adapt your technical game as your body changes over time. Gratitude Outweighs Gym Numbers: Every round, whether with two training partners or fifty, is borrowed time; shifting your mindset from entitlement to appreciation turns any mat session into a win. Chapters 0:00 – Introduction: Understanding That Everything Is Borrowed 0:25 – Tracing and Copying: How We Learn Jiu-Jitsu 2:18 – The Lineage of Grappling: Borrowing from Judo 3:38 – Tribalism vs. Stewardship: Letting Go of Ownership 5:58 – Adapting as We Age: The Evolution of My Guard 8:12 – The Illusion of Owning Moves and Naming Rights 9:45 – The 5:30 Class in Redlands: Perspective Over Numbers 12:20 – Time, Health, and Mats Are Temporary 13:58 – Outro & Connecting with DFM Coaching Are You You New To The Podcast? Start Here! (https://player.captivate.fm/collection/659813b3-69f7-4279-99a6-eb4ee005ae24) 👉DFM Coaching Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/cw/DFMCoachingBjj) Everything here is pulled from real mats, real classes, and real conversations about what actually works. Choose the tier that fits where you are right now. 👉DFM Coaching In Person and Remote Coaching DFM Coaching works with recreational grapplers who want to get better and actually feel it. Remote coaching and in person seminars available. 👉 DFM Coaching | Bjj (www.DFMCoachingBjj.com) DFM Coaching Skool Community Join the free DFM Coaching Skool Community, the space where the conversation continues after the episode ends. Mindset tools, mat culture, and a community of grapplers who take the mental side seriously. 👉 DFM Coaching | Bjj Skool Community (https://www.skool.com/dfm-coaching-jiu-jitsu-8174). Stay Connected 🌐 www.DFMCoachingBjj. (https://dfmcoachingbjj.com/)com (http://www.DFMCoachingBjj.com/) 📸 Instagram @DFMCoaching.Bjj (https://www.instagram.com/dfmcoaching.bjj/) ▶️ YouTube @DFM2099 (https://www.youtube.com/@DFM2099) DFM Coaching | Bjj Blog: Long-form storytelling, deep strategy, and the philosophy behind the fight: 🌐 DFM Coaching Substack Blog (https://dfmcoachingbjj.substack.com/) Affiliate Partner BJJ Mental Models has one of the deepest conceptual Jiu-Jitsu libraries out there. I use it. I recommend it. 👉 Join BJJ Mental Models+ (https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/a/2147518662/Ejve5hMV) (Code: FIGUEROAMARTINEZ) Help the Show Grow If this episode gave you something, pass it on. Share it with a training partner, drop a review, or repost it to your story. That is how we keep the signal strong. Stay tapped in, David Figueroa-Martinez Founder, DFM Coaching Bjj Mentioned in this episode: Patreon Blueprint Ad

2. 

   6 Oct 2026

   E229 | How to Be the Right Training Partner for Competition Prep

   DFM Coaching Library: https://www.patreon.com/cw/DFMCoachingBjj (https://www.patreon.com/cw/DFMCoachingBjj) About In this episode of Tapped In, I discuss what it really takes to be the training partner your teammate needs when they’re gearing up for a tournament. Inspired by a prompt from Tinley (@tinleykindy) on Instagram, I break down why helping a competitor requires adopting a service-first mindset rather than rolling for your own ego. I share lessons from my time coming up as a white belt under Will Baldwin, explain how your intensity must shift from pushing someone to their physical limits four weeks out to protecting their health and sharpening their game two weeks out, and look at how to help teammates navigate the mental battles when their cardio and adrenaline start to slip. 3 Key Takeaways Adopt a Service-First Mindset: When rolling with someone in camp, your objective is not self-validation or hunting submissions; your priority is exposing the holes in their defense, testing their weak positions, and serving their specific preparation. Shift Intensity by Timeline: Four weeks out calls for maximum pressure, challenging positions, and tough situational rounds; two weeks out requires dialing the pace back to preserve health, refine timing, and maintain momentum. Prepare the Mind for the Wall: Competition creates adrenaline dumps and moments of panic where cardio slips; training partners need to expose competitors to deep exhaustion in the gym so they learn to regulate their breathing and trust their recovery. Chapters 0:00 – Introduction & Tinley's Question 1:13 – Adapting to the Timeline of Competition Prep 1:38 – Lessons from White Belt: Prepping with Will Baldwin 2:44 – Being of Service: Leaving Ego Off the Mats 3:38 – Diagnosing Weaknesses & Steering the Action 5:14 – The Emotional Weight of Training Camps 6:44 – Four Weeks Out: Imposing Reality & Simulating Pressure 8:14 – Pushing the Mental Wall: Breathing Through Panic 10:52 – Simulating Match Speed Without Causing Injury 11:58 – Two Weeks Out: Dialing Back & Sharpening the Sword 13:00 – Building Unshakable Confidence for Competition Day 14:38 – Outro & Connecting with DFM Coaching Are You You New To The Podcast? Start Here! (https://player.captivate.fm/collection/659813b3-69f7-4279-99a6-eb4ee005ae24) 👉DFM Coaching Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/cw/DFMCoachingBjj) Everything here is pulled from real mats, real classes, and real conversations about what actually works. Choose the tier that fits where you are right now. 👉DFM Coaching In Person and Remote Coaching DFM Coaching works with recreational grapplers who want to get better and actually feel it. Remote coaching and in person seminars available. 👉 DFM Coaching | Bjj (www.DFMCoachingBjj.com) DFM Coaching Skool Community Join the free DFM Coaching Skool Community, the space where the conversation continues after the episode ends. Mindset tools, mat culture, and a community of grapplers who take the mental side seriously. 👉 DFM Coaching | Bjj Skool Community (https://www.skool.com/dfm-coaching-jiu-jitsu-8174). Stay Connected 🌐 www.DFMCoachingBjj. (https://dfmcoachingbjj.com/)com (http://www.DFMCoachingBjj.com/) 📸 Instagram @DFMCoaching.Bjj (https://www.instagram.com/dfmcoaching.bjj/) ▶️ YouTube @DFM2099 (https://www.youtube.com/@DFM2099) DFM Coaching | Bjj Blog: Long-form storytelling, deep strategy, and the philosophy behind the fight: 🌐 DFM Coaching Substack Blog (https://dfmcoachingbjj.substack.com/) Affiliate Partner BJJ Mental Models has one of the deepest conceptual Jiu-Jitsu libraries out there. I use it. I recommend it. 👉 Join BJJ Mental Models+ (https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/a/2147518662/Ejve5hMV) (Code: FIGUEROAMARTINEZ) Help the Show Grow If this episode gave you something, pass it on. Share it with a training partner, drop a review, or repost it to your story. That is how we keep the signal strong. Stay tapped in, David Figueroa-Martinez Founder, DFM Coaching Bjj Mentioned in this episode: Patreon Blueprint Ad

3. 

   4 Oct 2026

   E228 | Why White and Blue Belts Are My Favorite Students to Coach

   DFM Coaching Library: https://www.patreon.com/cw/DFMCoachingBjj (https://www.patreon.com/cw/DFMCoachingBjj) About In this episode of Tapped In, I get into why coaching white and blue belts brings me the most joy on the mats. We talk about the beauty of starting with a clean slate, why solid fundamentals beat flashy moves every single time, and how the right coaching environment helps newer students become real problems for higher belts much faster. I also touch on the responsibility coaches carry to build lasting relationships, celebrate that hard-earned first stripe, and guide students with clarity from day one. 3 Key Takeaways Fundamentals Create Real Problems Early: You do not need flashy social media techniques or inverted guards to be dangerous; mastering basic guard play, tight posture, and sound passing makes you a genuine headache on the mats within your first year. The Clean Slate Advantage: Teaching newer students is rewarding because they don’t carry rigid habits or heavy belt ego—they roll with house money, freedom to make mistakes, and an unbridled eagerness to learn. Coaches Build Culture and Legacy: A coach’s job isn't catering only to advanced students; it is cultivating a structured, safe environment where beginners feel seen, supported, and guided through the chaos of early training. Chapters 0:00 – Welcome to Tapped In & The Clean Slate 0:56 – Becoming a Problem for Everyone Else 2:18 – Teaching for the Newer Student, Not the Black Belt 3:30 – Cutting Down the Timeline to Blue Belt 4:37 – Basics Over Flash: Why Fundamentals Win 6:25 – House Money: The Psychology of Lower Belts 7:44 – Unpredictability Keeps Everyone Honest 9:05 – The Significance of the First Stripe 10:14 – The Coach’s Responsibility and Building Legacy 11:51 – Connect with DFM Coaching & Outro Are You You New To The Podcast? Start Here! (https://player.captivate.fm/collection/659813b3-69f7-4279-99a6-eb4ee005ae24) 👉DFM Coaching Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/cw/DFMCoachingBjj) Everything here is pulled from real mats, real classes, and real conversations about what actually works. Choose the tier that fits where you are right now. 👉DFM Coaching In Person and Remote Coaching DFM Coaching works with recreational grapplers who want to get better and actually feel it. Remote coaching and in person seminars available. 👉 DFM Coaching | Bjj (www.DFMCoachingBjj.com) DFM Coaching Skool Community Join the free DFM Coaching Skool Community, the space where the conversation continues after the episode ends. Mindset tools, mat culture, and a community of grapplers who take the mental side seriously. 👉 DFM Coaching | Bjj Skool Community (https://www.skool.com/dfm-coaching-jiu-jitsu-8174). Stay Connected 🌐 www.DFMCoachingBjj. (https://dfmcoachingbjj.com/)com (http://www.DFMCoachingBjj.com/) 📸 Instagram @DFMCoaching.Bjj (https://www.instagram.com/dfmcoaching.bjj/) ▶️ YouTube @DFM2099 (https://www.youtube.com/@DFM2099) DFM Coaching | Bjj Blog: Long-form storytelling, deep strategy, and the philosophy behind the fight: 🌐 DFM Coaching Substack Blog (https://dfmcoachingbjj.substack.com/) Affiliate Partner BJJ Mental Models has one of the deepest conceptual Jiu-Jitsu libraries out there. I use it. I recommend it. 👉 Join BJJ Mental Models+ (https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/a/2147518662/Ejve5hMV) (Code: FIGUEROAMARTINEZ) Help the Show Grow If this episode gave you something, pass it on. Share it with a training partner, drop a review, or repost it to your story. That is how we keep the signal strong. Stay tapped in, David Figueroa-Martinez Founder, DFM Coaching Bjj Mentioned in this episode: Patreon Blueprint Ad

Contact Tapped In: A JiuJitsu Podcast

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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