The Top 12 Pieces of Wisdom from “Jiu-Jitsu Bravehearts”by Bobby Armijo

“Jiu-Jitsu Bravehearts” by Bobby Armijo is an anthology of interviews with living masters and ‘celebrities’ who train in what he calls “the most beautiful martial art in the world.” In lengthy discussions with some of the greatest of all time, Armijo reveals how the sport compels individuals to consistently face their weaknesses and get back up when they’ve been knocked down. Drawing parallels between life’s unpredictable challenges and the demanding nature of Jiu-Jitsu, these interviews are for everyone—not just martial artists.

It took Bobby 5 years to track down and interview everyone on his dream team. Here we present the top 12 moments from the book.

Marcelo Garcia on doing what you love:

“Jiu-jitsu is my big love, maybe my first love. So, why not be the best? Why not try everything? I never knew if I could actually be a world champ. There was no guarantee. Nobody ever knocked on my door and said, ‘You’re going to be a world champ one day.’ But I put together something that was a big love of mine with a lot of time and hard work. I don’t even know if I have the right to call it hard work because I love it so much.”

Actor, activist, and podcaster Russell Brand on pride:

“A teaching I heard once is, ‘Wherever you would be proud, be grateful.’ Even if it’s something like being proud of your kid for being good at baseball, what you’re really saying is, ‘That’s my kid who’s good at baseball, and he wouldn’t be good at baseball if it weren’t for me.’ Instead, if you’re grateful, it’s like, ‘Oh, wow, man, I got a kid who’s good at baseball,’ and even if you taught him baseball, be grateful you are able to and grateful you have the time to.”

Former Navy Seal, Podcaster, and NYT Best Selling Author Jocko Willink on effective leadership:

“When people are resistant,” he told me, “don’t go head-to-head against their resistance…allow them to move into areas where they want to move to, and then you come in from other angles where they can support your plan.”

Entrepreneur and Podcaster Aubrey Marcus on confidence:

“Confidence comes from not being perfect. Confidence comes from not being fragile. And humility makes you not fragile.”

Felipe Pena on the price of winning:

“Everyone wants to win, but no one wants to pay the price. People don’t see the sacrifice. If I could tell them what the real price is, 99 percent of them would say, ‘Oh, that’s what I need to do? Then I don’t want that anymore.’”

Alexandre “Xande” Ribeiro on discernment:

“Be careful where you get your advice from. There are a lot of black belts who think they are life coaches. There is a big difference between being a coach and being a leader.”

World Renowned Chef Alex Atala on remaining calm:

“There is a lesson I carry with me in all situations and in my everyday life. Jiu-jitsu is about being comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. It is about staying calm when you’re trying to find a more comfortable position. If you’re not in a good position, you can always switch, swap, or change your move—if you stay calm.”

Michael Langhi on facing your problems:

“If you have a problem, don’t run from it. Fix it. If you don’t, you’ll have another problem the next day and after that, another one. And then you’ll realize that it is so big, you can’t fix it anymore.”

Roger Gracie on training and self-awareness:

“It’s the daily repetition that makes things happen. Like in chess, you repeat the same move over and over again, and the answer might not come straightaway, but eventually, it will. In jiu-jitsu, you might not see how you are at first, but others will see it. And ten or twenty years of training will show you too, how you treat others, how you react when you’re in a bad position, or if you’re in an advantageous position, or simply angry. Suddenly, there’s no more hiding.”

Fabio Gurgel on managing emotions: 

“In a fight, there’s a moment that’s about acting. You cannot show your emotions. You cannot show what you think. You cannot show what you’re feeling. Because if you show your weakness to your opponent, of course, they’re gonna use it against you.”

Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles Maciel on stopping:

“If I have a problem on the mat while training, I stop. I don’t move like crazy. If I do, I’m going to get caught or hurt. In life, it’s the same thing. Wait a second! Don’t move, don’t react! First, let’s find what caused this problem.”

Bobby Armijo on showing up:

“I know walking into a gym where you are the new face with zero knowledge of the rules is challenging, and frankly, even paralyzing for some. Also, many of us doubt we will withstand five minutes during warm-ups in jiu-jitsu. But if you can manage that first, most difficult step of trying, that is success in itself.”

“Jiu-Jitsu Bravehearts” is available everywhere books are sold and globally on Amazon, with a release date of Feb 20, 2024

M&F and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.