On today's episode we are joined by a few fellow competitors as we were on the road to Chicago. We focused on the topic of managing your weight cut during travel. Using our plan for the ten hour drive we were on. We also get into discussions about the types of food we bring for travel, adhering to the Fighters Drinking Coffee Rules of the Road and Systematically Maintaining the Weight Cut. Hope you enjoy the show and our road rants!

In this episode of Fighters Drinking Coffee the hosts discuss how gyms can welcome newcomers and help them become long-term jiu-jitsu students, and how new members—whether white belts or experienced visitors—can fit into a new community.

Topics include reading the room, expectations for experienced visitors, how existing members can include and mentor newcomers, preventing injury and burnout, and practical tips to build lasting training relationships.

On this episode David Bergida joins the show to discuss his transition from Division I wrestling to MMA, his training and fight-week rituals, and how he balances competition with family life.

They also dig into health and optimization — David’s experience with a pituitary condition, sleep strategies he uses (including the creation of his Hibernation Honey supplement), diet approaches, travel routines, and the launch of his Farm to Fuel/Hibernation Honey product. Find Hibernation Honey at www.farmtofuelfood.com now available for pre-order!

Follow David on Instagram @bergidamma

On today’s episode of Fighters Drinking Coffee we wrap up our Dallas trip, share the "rules of the road" for competing and traveling for jiu-jitsu, and trade practical tips on weight management, pre- and post-competition meals, venue logistics, and in-event rituals.

We also announce upcoming stops like Chicago and Nationals, and reflect on travel mishaps, Delilah’s supper club, Terry Black’s barbecue, and lessons learned from competition on the road.

Recorded in the hotel lobby after day one of the IBJJF Dallas Open, Scott and Mike talk tournament rituals, pre- and post-competition meals, hotels, restaurants and the road life around jiu-jitsu events — including a deep dive on steakhouses.

We also cover our visit to CRUZ CMBT, the Patreon launch, and travel stories from Dallas to New Orleans and Japan.

On this episode of Fighters Drinking Coffee we unpack sandbagging — when someone hides their true skill to enter lower divisions or downplay experience in the gym. The hosts share real stories, why people do it, and how it affects training partners and local competitions.

They also discuss how coaches and teammates should respond, contrast reverse sandbagging and humble elites, and end with clear advice: be honest, compete at your level, and protect the integrity of the mats.

We celebrate the one-year anniversary of Fighters Drinking Coffee with reflections on weekly consistency, improvements in editing and sound, favorite guest episodes (Big John, Tim Dawson, Raf), and the show’s stronger focus on jiu-jitsu.

Plus: listener topics like open-mat policies, the podcast’s international reach, endorsements for Nova Barbell Club, and plans for a Patreon—short updates and gratitude for a growing community.

Welcome back to Fighters Drinking Coffee with guest John Christian — double gold Masters World champion and licensed clinical psychologist. In this episode John discusses how jiu-jitsu hooks athletes, the role of community and quick feedback loops, and how competition amplifies arousal and reward.

They riff on nerd lore (Star Wars and Lord of the Rings) and then dive into psychology topics: addiction versus reinforcement, Yerkes–Dodson arousal law, stress inoculation, mental toughness, impostor syndrome, and how coaches and athletes can structure training and goals.

Practical takeaways include using exposure to discomfort to build resilience, shifting from ego to process-focused goals, setting small achievable training targets, and tuning arousal for competition with routines and deliberate practice.