Caffeinated Jiu Jitsu
Caffeinated Jiu Jitsu: Fuel for Your Roll, On and Off the Mats
Whether you're fresh into your white belt journey or deep into black belt life, Caffeinated Jiu Jitsu is brewed for you. This podcast explores the world of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu through the lens of curiosity, community, and a strong cup of coffee.
We dive into the topics that matter training plateaus, competition prep, injury recovery, gym culture, mental toughness, belt progression, and yes, even that first awkward day on the mats. Each episode is crafted to help new practitioners find their footing and give long-time grapplers something fresh to think about.
You’ll hear:
- Real conversations with teammates, coaches, and special guests from all belt levels
- Honest takes on the highs, lows, and lessons of BJJ
- Fuel and flavor because what’s training without good coffee?
Join us for episodes that blend technical insights, off-the-mat stories, and community shoutouts. It’s a podcast that respects the grind, celebrates the journey, and keeps your mind as sharp as your game.
Roll with us. Sip with us. Welcome to Caffeinated Jiu Jitsu.
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Caffeinated Jiu Jitsu
Episode #30 - White Belt Chronicles: Amanda Cowie's Journey and Beyond
The journey into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu often begins with unexpected catalysts. For Amanda Cowie, it was her three energetic boys that first brought her to the edge of the mats. After watching from the sidelines for two years, this talent acquisition professional finally stepped onto the mats herself, discovering a world that would transform both her physical capabilities and mental resilience.
Amanda's story resonates with anyone who's ever felt out of their element when starting something new. The intimate nature of BJJ initially created discomfort, and technique retention proved challenging. Yet the turning point came not from mastering a specific move, but from forming a genuine connection with a training partner who made the experience fun. This human element of jiu-jitsu—the community that forms around shared struggle—emerges as a powerful theme throughout our conversation.
Our discussion weaves between Amanda's recent competition experience (where she earned gold despite overwhelming pre-match nerves), her technical evolution from pressure passer to developing a more well-rounded game, and the fascinating parallels between talent acquisition and martial arts. Both worlds require adaptability when plans falter, patience through rejection, and the humility to acknowledge areas for improvement. Most surprising is how Amanda, like many practitioners, finds mental decompression through an activity that outsiders might view as stressful.
For parents juggling careers and family responsibilities, Amanda offers practical insights on fitting training into busy mornings, balancing multiple children's activities, and using jiu-jitsu as a space where work emails and household duties temporarily disappear. Her perspective as both a mother and competitor provides valuable wisdom for anyone struggling to maintain consistency in their training journey.
Ready to hear how a self-described non-competitive person transformed into a medal-winning grappler? Listen now and discover why Amanda believes that even when progress feels slow, the benefits of sticking with jiu-jitsu extend far beyond techniques learned on the mat.
Reach out to Amanda on IG @mandabears
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Welcome to Caffeinated Jiu-Jitsu the blend of white belt enthusiasm, black belt wisdom and a dash of caffeine for that extra kick. Dive deep into the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as we explore the journey, techniques, challenges and the sheer joy of the sport from a White Belts perspective, from intriguing interviews with renowned coaches and professors to playful fun episodes that'll have you chuckling mid-roll. We've got it all brewed and ready.
Intro/Outro:Now, stepping over the mess and into your ears, here's your host, joe moats and welcome back everyone to another episode of caffeinated jujitsu, the podcast where we talk about our passion for brazilian jujitsu fully caffeinated, and you know how the how the two worlds collide sometimes and just really focus on getting jujitsu out there in front of those who are as passionate about it as we are. And today I have a very special guest here on the show. It is our second episode in the White Belt Chronicles series. With me is Amanda Cowie. Amanda, welcome, did I say your last name, right?
Amanda :Yeah, that's perfect, joe, it is Cowie.
Joe :Awesome, awesome. I was going to fancy it up and and go. How was I saying it earlier to myself? I forgot, but it was a super like french fancy name and I don't know why I made it french? Yeah, that was it. That was it, coey that was it.
Amanda :It's literally a translates to um cow shepherd or something. It's my husband's last name and obviously some Irish or Scottish history to that oh yeah cowie is how we all say it all right.
Joe :Well, uh, you know, for the listeners, amanda is not only a white belt who loves jujitsu and has been training for about two years. You're in some change. She is also in the same profession as me talent acquisition and staffing. So we're going to, today, talk, of course, a good bit about jujitsu, but we're also going to mix in some of our career and passion about recruiting. So we're going to have a lot of fun. We'll share some crazy recruiting stories with them. I love that. We've got plenty. Oh gosh, I, you know, I. Um, yeah, we're gonna talk because I have this one and I may you. You and I met what? Two years ago, was it two? It's got to be two years now, right?
Amanda :yeah, it's been about two years.
Joe :I was like super early on in my jiu-jitsu journey yeah, you were on LinkedIn it out over it yeah, I remember I had posted something on LinkedIn and you posted with a picture of you, uh, with your white belt. Uh, you just started and yeah, ever since then we've kept in touch and it was cool because we were, you know, both in the same profession and yeah, it's just so. I love it how jujitsu makes the world really small, really fast I like that so let's uh, let's talk a little bit about your, um, your jujitsu journey.
Joe :Let's start maybe from the beginning. You know what brought you into jujitsu. I know a little bit of your story, but the listeners I know would love to hear it. You know, was there a spark? And also, where are you currently training?
Amanda :Yeah, so I got into jujitsu because of my kids. I've got three boys. My husband calls me the mother of dragons. They're very, very active boys. They're 11, 9, and 6 now. But you know I wanted them to try all the sports.
Amanda :I just hoped that they would have a passion for something and it would be obvious that they would have a passion for something. And it would be obvious. And my husband was a wrestler, so we got them into jujitsu. Our club is in North Las Vegas. It's called Bill's Brothers or V Bros, and I'm sure I'll talk a lot about it in this podcast, but I can't say enough great things about that gym. It's a family gym. I mean. I feel so included there. But so my kids, you know, got into jujitsu. My oldest, he has really big emotions so he kind of we knew jujitsu wasn't for him. Maybe he'll come back to it one day. But he loves baseball and I played softball growing up. I did team sports.
Amanda :So, I had a lot of connectivity with him. You know I taught him how to hit and play catch and I played on an adult softball league and he could see me play and we had that connectivity there. But for my younger two, specifically my middle son, you know he took on to jujitsu and then wrestling because our club's a wrestling club as well and my husband kind of pushed me to go into jujitsu. You know he thought I could build some connectivity with my middle son and you know my husband started training and he's like you're really going to like it, son. And you know my husband started training and he's like you're really gonna like it. You know you don't know this about you, but you've got like this inner drive and aggression that you need to get out.
Amanda :Um, that's funny, I didn't think so. I'd never done like a contact, for it was totally out of my element. It made me super anxious to think about like choking and breaking limbs, and so I was an observer for like two years and then finally just got a hair up my butt and was like you know, I'm gonna try it, I want that connectivity with my son. And so then my gym had a white belt fundamentals class, which was perfect for me because I had to go at a really slow pace at first and it was only two nights a week, and so that's what I did for about eight months until they got rid of the white belt class. And you know I didn't love it at first. I mean, I was really infatuated with it and I wanted to learn more. But I think you probably remember your first class, right, joe?
Joe :Oh, absolutely, yeah, I remember everything about it. Yeah.
Amanda :Yeah, I was lucky enough to have white belt fundamentals but even then belt fundamentals, but even then I just had trouble with retention and you know it's for me. The physicality of it came later. You know I had to get used to just being that close to an individual. It's kind of like a really intimate sport it is you know, and if you don't have.
Amanda :Um, I didn't have a regular partner as brand new white belts probably don't, you know and I was kind of an introvert and I didn't make an effort to socialize like I should and build camaraderie with people. So it wasn't until I got a new partner that I really, you know, became invested. I remember a new girl walked in and she had a pinkie, ended up being a loner bee, but I thought it was so cute, I complimented her on it and she became my partner and I said, oh, you're really good, You're really strong, you should come back. And she did and we ended up having a lot of fun together. You know, we laughed and we rolled and we really put an effort into teaching each other things and for me, like, having that good, regular partner made all the difference.
Amanda :And that's when I started, you know, taking my jiu-jitsu a little bit more seriously and before I knew it, I liked it. It took me a while to get there, but I'm there now and one of my favorite episodes that you did was that, jackie, I think about that daily where she's like, if it's not going to help my jujitsu, then why am I doing it? So, so yeah, that's kind of my jujitsu story. Um, and you know I have that connectivity with my boys. Um, my favorite class is our comp class that we do on Saturdays and we get to roll together and yeah, I, uh, I submit my kids. I'm not afraid to admit it. That's right.
Joe :Yeah, you got you do what you gotta do. I mean, I think, as long as you're not like wrist locking them and heel hooking them. But maybe I'll do that there, I don't know, but that's awesome. I want to submit my kids but and they don't even train jujitsu. They just get on my nerves sometimes.
Amanda :So they're eligible for a rear naked choke.
Joe :I think so too, especially when they get in the teens. I would love to train jujitsu with my kids, but then I think, well what if they get mad? I can't put the fear of God in them anymore by yelling at them. Yeah.
Amanda :I may have a couple years left, but my nine-year-old is 120 pounds.
Joe :Oh wow. Well, you're married to a wrestler, so so dad's a wrestler, so he's probably, you know, he's got some size there too. So yeah yeah but I got a couple more years on him and then I'll start getting worried but yeah, yeah now it's all fun yeah, well, by then you'll, you know, you'll be a blue belt, you'll have more techniques and, just you know, try to stay on top yes that's, that's the best we can do, right? So you, you recently competed. Yeah, how was that?
Amanda :yeah, my first competition. Um, I never wanted to compete, I just I, I don't know, by nature I'm not. I'm not a high drive person I I'm definitely not a bad Jackie, but I did play team sports and I do have some competitive drive. But again my husband pushed me. He was like you know you've been doing well, and the boys, you know it'll be good for them to see you compete. And the plan was that we do the tournament together.
Amanda :It was the L open in february, um and that's what the comp class was all about, um, and he wanted my. You know, my instructor wanted to bring a large group, but it ended up being a smaller group than he'd like. But, and my kids uh, my youngest is still a white belt and the white belt kids couldn't compete, so I ended up being the only one that competed from the family, but it was a great experience. I only had one match, unfortunately, but it was. It was what I expected, but not like there's. There's really nothing that can prepare you for what happens to your body and really kind of your mental and I've, you know, I've given birth and I've gotten married and all the things that make you feel like alive and nervous this was so different I it's indescribable.
Amanda :It's like your body knows you're going into like a hand-to-hand combat situation and is preparing you in this weird way, and that's kind of like the dramatic version of it, but it is, it's different, there's nothing like it. And so my first competition was all about just calming my nerves and I feel like I'm a pretty even-keeled person by nature, I don't have like a super wide range of emotions. So this was very new and different for me and I was in that like bullpen area thinking, oh god, this feeling that I've never felt before.
Amanda :I'm never gonna do this again this is an awful feeling it is, it's the worst feeling it is right, like why, why did I do this, why did I sign up? But then I thought about, like I'm over 40, like what on earth could make me feel like this again? You know how many times in my life am I gonna feel this brand new feeling, whatever it is nerves, excitement, fear, um, I felt like alive. I mean, as cheesy as that sounds, but yeah, I went out there a nervous wreck and it was great because my opponent was a mom herself and she got into it she should see because of her daughter and we really bonded like that over that after the match. And we really bonded like that over that after the match and it ended up going the whole, the whole round.
Amanda :She pulled guard and I ended up passing guard and was in half guard for quite a bit but eventually got out of it and ended up getting points for passing guard. And now and I had kind of a rather pathetic submission attempt at the end there um with the Kimura. If you want to catch my, my live, my first um match in competition, you can do so on my Instagram reel. I'll give it later in the podcast. But yeah, I, I won that match. I have a gold medal.
Amanda :I mean it was a great experience.
Joe :Oh yeah, that has. I mean, I uh, I gotta imagine it's. It's a amazing, amazing feeling and I think it's good like especially for us who and I love how you talked about you know you're over 40. A lot of our kind of amazing tingling feeling events are a little bit behind us, or so we think. And then we find this feeling in jujitsu and everyone knows that feeling that competes, and I think even those who compete a lot still talk about like it gets real when you're walking from the bullpen to the to the mat and it's, it is. It's not like a feeling that that anything else gives you. So are you going to compete again?
Amanda :yeah, um, I think my next one might be Jiu Jitsu Con in August, you're so lucky you're in Vegas too. Yeah, and it's in Vegas and a lot of the master folks at my gym are going to do world masters there and, yeah, that'll be my next one. As long as I stay healthy and stay on track, that's what I'm planning on.
Joe :You know, the funny thing about competition, that feeling we're talking about, is it's weird how we don't get that in training, like at the gym, when you're training with a brand new person, like maybe you're rolling with them. I mean, it's kind of the same thing. I don't know if it's because it's just competition, is it because maybe people are watching? But I was thinking about that one day. I don't know why I was thinking about that, but it's just weird how you know competition makes. It just makes that difference.
Joe :I do think people should should try to compete at least one time If're going to, you know, make jujitsu something that's your every day. And it's like a sport having that experience of maybe one time trying to compete. And it doesn't have to necessarily be ibjjf or or definitely not something like adcc, but if the, if the opportunity comes, why not? Why not try time? Um, and then just see what it's like? I think it's a good measure of how you're retaining your jujitsu. And again, there's nothing wrong with being a full-time hobbyist. I look at myself as a hobbyist.
Joe :Um, I'm definitely not, you know this athlete competitor guy but I don't know, I I just, I just think it's a good experience for people I agree.
Amanda :Um, I probably consider myself a hobbyist as well. Um, like I mentioned, I never really had that total competitive drive, but I think everybody should try it at least once. Um, there's not a feeling like it that I felt, and I did hear that blue belt is probably, competition wise, the toughest belt. I mean, you get like such a wide range of blue belts, don't you like? Yeah, the brackets, yeah the.
Joe :The one time I did compete at blue belt there were four people in the bracket, and when all every time I competed at white belt, there was just me and one other person. So and yeah, and like, when you're in the adult brackets it's like sometimes it'd be like eight people in there for an open.
Joe :It's crazy oh gosh but yeah yeah so thinking about, um, your journey a little bit more, let's. Let's talk maybe about some lessons. You know it's, you know white belt, such a up and down and just a wild face emotionally, physically, there's a lot of uncertainty there. You're learning a whole new everything. I mean you were you said it earlier about how you had to get used to somebody being that close to you. That's not somebody who should be that close to you, right? Um? Have you had any moments where you thought about ah, I think I'm. I don't know if this is going to be for me. Uh, maybe I'll quit yeah, definitely.
Amanda :Um, well, when I first started you getting used to the physical, I mean, every day was hard. My fundamentals class is like 20 minutes of conditioning, and then when I got to the adult class, um, I think what I was missing, big picture wise is I didn't feel the sense of community just yet. Sense of community just yet. I remember a very pivotal moment where I was. I have one stripe and I have kind of recommitted myself to training more than two days a week and I thought I was making progress and my husband's kind of more of a social butterfly of the gym than me and he was talking to some of the coaches and he came to me that night and he was like you know so and so notice, you know your progress, and we talked about you a little bit and they're doing promotions on Monday. I'd be surprised if you didn't get another stripe. And they didn't really care about stripes. I mean, why would I? I don't know. I just kind of was on my own pace on my own journey, but that kind of got me excited. And when the day came and I didn't get a stripe, I was like devastated. I don't know if it's because I kind of bought into. Yeah, I'm working hard and I'm earning one. But, long story short, it was a mistake. My instructor, you know, did forget to give me a stripe, um, and, and you know, he gave out stripes to, I think you know, five or six other people.
Amanda :That Monday night and I came home and you know, before I knew it was a mistake, I was almost in tears, like I can't describe the emotion, just like I thought maybe this isn't for me, you know, like maybe if I didn't get a stripe and I'm not progressing the way that I think I am, maybe I thought I deserved some feedback or what was I doing wrong? I mean just so much self self doubt in that moment. But you know what I got? It lasted like an hour, you know, and the next day I put my gi on and my husband's like oh, you're going back. And I'm like yeah, I'm not a quitter.
Amanda :And then the next day I got my stripe and my coach was like yeah, you know, I 100% plan to give you one. I've been noticing your progress and I'm sorry I forgot. And then I, honestly, that was like a kickstart into me feeling like part of the community too. I mean, you know, then my black belt instructor's wife took a picture of me with my second stripe and sent it to me and it was like a proud moment and I felt a little silly for wanting to quit over that very, you know, minuscule thing on my very long journey of potential jujitsu challenges. But and I didn't know if I was going to tell that story, it's a little embarrassing to.
Amanda :I might have shed tears over, you know, not getting my stripes and it's not all about stripes, and I know that and that's what I tell my kids, but, yeah, it's a very memorable moment, like to know what, to have that self-doubt. I'm glad that I felt that in the moment and still, you know, picked myself up and went back, you know.
Joe :Yeah, I think there's absolutely listeners out there who've probably experienced the exact same like situation. You know what? I was a four-stripe white belt and at Alliance you have to do a certain amount of classes before because we test. We're on a test belt system and you have to do, I think, like four white belt it's 30 hours or 35 hours per stripe, and then on your second stripe you have to test. Well, I was already a two-stripe, so I didn you have to test. Well, I was already a two stripe, so I didn't have to test.
Joe :But I got to to my fourth stripe and you know I had done what? Three so two, two so 60 hours I had done, and I was waiting for, um, you know, professor, uh Maciel, to say, okay, you're gonna, you're gonna test for your blue belt now. But I remember thinking that like I'm getting ready to test for my blue belt and I am still getting just smashed by. You know, there were a couple two-stripe white belts. There was a white belt who had, like I think he had like maybe two or three weeks and dude was submitting me and I'm like I don't know, like it was a lot of pressure and I felt like, oh my God, you know, I don't know if this is for me, but again, like you, it lasted for all of a few seconds, and then I realized these guys that were submitting me were in some cases younger, and if not younger, then a lot bigger than I was.
Joe :So you know it's just, you have to keep things in perspective. And I had to look and ask myself well, why are you doing jujitsu? And it's simply because I love it. It's not for medals. It's not for medals, it's not for, you know, flair. It's not. I'm not going to be this, this multi-world champion in the jujitsu hall of fame.
Joe :I started when I was 42 and you know, I, I am doing this because I, I just, I just love it, you know, and I think if if we as may I say, we, those of us who are in within, like our first several years of jujitsu, if we keep that in mind and keep that our reason, there's no reason we won't continue on, you know, all the way till we get our black belts, and I think that's. You hear about the blue belts that quit and things like that, um, or just the people that quit in general. I I think it's because they lose sight of that yeah, I was.
Amanda :I was thinking about all the benefits we get um and how they might be different from someone who is like ultra competitive. And I don't think they're very different. I mean other than titles and medals and maybe sponsorships. I mean we get same benefits as they do. I mean I'm physically more fit than I was 10 years ago. I get all the mental benefits my brain is reworking and rethinking and growing and I get you get that sense of community. I have that now. It was. That was probably the most unexpected thing for me.
Joe :Oh same.
Amanda :All the friends that I have in jujitsu and how we root for each other and help each other, and it's very cool feeling um, so yeah, jujitsu is for us it is, it really is, uh, it's, it's for everyone who wants to get out there and and try it.
Joe :I um, just like you, we share a lot in common when it comes to our early journey is I had no clue the sense of community was going to be the way it is, and I've heard people say it's the jiu-jitsu cult and I can kind of see it. I mean, we kind of gosh, we kind of are a little bit, but in the best sense of the word, if that word can be in the best sense, I don't know, but it's awesome, it's amazing. I hope everyone that listens is in a really good gym with a good community. I know I hear stories about, you know, toxic gyms and I've never experienced it and I'm glad. And if I ever do, I want to experience it long. But you know, so far it's just, it's just, it's been great.
Joe :You know, one of the things I want to ask you is uh, is there maybe a current focus on that you're focusing on in your training now? Is there a technique you're trying to improve? Has there something in the? You know, because you're getting kind of? You know, I think, you think you're. You said you were a two-stripe white belt right two stripe, yeah three. You're getting kind of. You know, I think you think you're. You said you were a two stripe white belt right, two stripe, yeah, three, you're three.
Joe :Okay, so that's right, you just got your third stripe. So like has something began to click, like maybe a technique um that clicked for you, that you're looking to improve on um anything like that. Yeah.
Amanda :So a couple of things recently. Um one thing was um I I go to morning class and there's about three purple bells oh my gosh, it's a smaller class but that are girls that continually humble me.
Amanda :Um, so I am learning to be a master escape artist and and when I escape you know maybe a triangle or a omakata, if I can there's that small moment where I might have the upper advantage. You know, like if they're planning on keeping that submission or they're counting on it and I escape, usually I would tend to reset totally and get some distance for them. But someone in a live role was like no, keep the pressure. You know, don't, don't sit back. You have the advantage for a split second. You know they might not know their next move after you've escaped, so that you know I'm working on that. And then, um, you'll see me pulling guard more. Um, I'm not a guard puller at all by any means, but I need to force my legs to do jujitsu. Um, I fancy myself kind of a pressure passer. You know, the purple belts that I roll with consistently pull guard and that's their game. So, by nature, my game has been the opposite.
Joe :Right.
Amanda :Trying to pass guard. So I'll pull guard more and work my De La Riva, you know, been working sweeps this week trying to off balance and yeah, you wouldn't see me doing that six months ago. Never pull guard. But I'm getting some more confidence in it. It's like my current focus and that's what needs to happen.
Joe :My whole, my legs and my arms have to work together, so yeah, I think that's a challenge for all of us, especially us newer in it. I, um, it took me a while to find a technique that would actually work somewhat for me. I, but for me it was because I was being hard-headed, not not listening, you know, to my professor and a sense of I wanted, I wanted to, you know, be good at the cool stuff like lasso guard and x guard and, you know, be able to retain open guard again. I can't like.
Joe :Funny thing is, uh, my professor. He finally, I guess he kind of had enough. He was like why are you continuing to play open guard? Everyone passes you. You cannot play open guard. Why do you go straight into the lasso if you can't hold the grip when they come around to the right? He kept coaching me and coaching me. He's like you need to go to close guard or half guard? You need to go to close guard or half guard. And one day I was like you know what? I'm going to close guard or half guard, I'm going to see what happens. And from then on I mean that specific day everything changed when I was able to start building a really good half guard game. Almost all of my submissions that I do land come from closed guard. I have a couple sneaky ones from half, but they don't typically work.
Joe :On upper belts I'd say purple, brown, black of course, but you know, there just comes a point where something clicks for you and um it, it's, it's, it's awesome when that happens, it's motivating, you know it keeps you going like, okay, this is getting fun, you, you know, I couldn't even process fast enough to be able to think two steps ahead, you know.
Amanda :But now, um, yeah, your muscle memory starts kicking in, also around maybe year two or just with some consistency. So yeah, yeah and wherever you fail mentally, the physical kind of picks up. Well, you know this.
Joe :Yeah, yeah, I've, I've been lucky to training at Alliance and you know, when you're in a school like I'm sure you are as well where you've got some just really good, you know professors and coaches and've got some just really good, you know professors and coaches and you know Alliance has, you know the Lucas LaPree they had. You know Bernardo Fierra I always miss his name. I need to get it right. I'm bad with names, but Leo Nogueira and all of these people are, you know, part of kind of that, that lineage or whatever. And so some of the moves that we're learning are like these battle-tested moves and I remember, uh, we learned this punch choke from close guard and I, I love it, I love it. Uh, problem is, I've used it so much that that now everybody kind of knows what's coming and I need to figure something else out. But it's just, you know, I just come back to it and it's just really, really motivating. So if, uh, you know there's listeners out there that maybe haven't hit this point in their journey, you know, I definitely encourage you to keep on because it's coming.
Joe :There's going to be a day a week, you know, some random open mat on a Saturday where you're like, oh my gosh, this feels great, I can land it, you know so, but yeah, so let's, let's kind of switch gears. I I cause I want to spend some time talking about, you know, our career and some of the things that we maybe take from our career onto the mat and vice versa. So you know, we share that professional background and talent acquisition. How have you seen, maybe your career in recruiting and staffing influenced by your jujitsu? And then also the flip side, has your jujitsu been influenced by you know kind of your, your career and profession and and recruiting, and maybe you haven't seen any uh kind of bleed over, but uh, yeah, talk, talk a little bit about that, yeah.
Amanda :Well, I know you and I bonded over this um early on in our jiu-jitsu careers. Just the connection or the correlation between talent acquisition and jiu-jitsu and maybe this isn't unique to talent acquisition, but I know in recruiting you can get humbled a lot. We were just talking about being a recruiter sourcer and how you just can get that rejection from candidates. Just like you get humbled in your professional life, you get humbled on the mats daily. Jiu Jitsu teaches you patience and how to problem solve when things don't go according to plan and how to make adjustments and just overall how to calm your own anxieties, fears, frustrations. And when you practice that every day, physically, mentally, that translates to professional life.
Amanda :I don't do a ton of sourcing recruiting Now. I do more high volume and, but it's the same. You know situation. You know situation. I, you know, have a number that I'm expected to fill and I start out with a plan for it and when things don't go according to plan I have to make adjustments, just like you do, like in a live round. You know you can go in there with it all planned out, have prepped for um, your skill set, study your opponent, uh, put it into action, and then you know it didn't happen or it didn't go the right way, and now you're making adjustments and exercising flexibility, so I think that's the biggest correlation. Um, I know you've got some thoughts on it too yeah, yeah, I a hundred percent um it's.
Joe :it's hard sometimes for me to put it specific to, to talent acquisition, um, but I know overall in my professional life, um, it's definitely kind of bled over into it. It's um and for it's around stress management, because jujitsu is my thing. Right, it's how I wusa, it's how I decompress which is weird, I know, but being a dad of five boys and having a family and working a stressful job, it helps so much alleviate stress. And when I first got out of the military I was a little stressed. I was dealing with some untreated PTSD at the time but I I didn't feel like I was a high stress person. And then, and when I got into the corporate world, like people were stressing over the craziest things, like the smallest things, and I'm like, well, no one's shooting at you, you know, like it's not that bad.
Joe :But then as I got further along and more away from the military, I did start getting a lot of stress. I put on a lot of weight. I think at my heaviest I was over you know, I think I was like 210 pounds and I'm only 5'11". So it was, you know, there was. I was just it, just everything was piling up on me. But when I started jujitsu and I started experiencing those health benefits you talked about earlier, the mental health benefits to me far outweighed and that's what I started seeing in my career right, a lot less anxiety, a lot less stress At home. I was a lot less stressed, had a lot more patience. So I didn't see as many parallels with, like, if I sit down and think, talent acquisition, but oh my gosh, that the benefit has been just that total. Hey, I have something to decompress, I have something of my own and yeah, yeah, this is, this is how it's impacted my my day to day in my career.
Amanda :Yeah, it's funny to think about. You know jujitsu and the intensity behind it and thinking. You know that's how you decompress. It really is. I get that a hundred percent. Know my motivation for going to jujitsu. When I don't feel like it is because I know that's going to be a mental break for me, believe it or not. You know from my schedule and from you know us remote workers. You're never like off work, if that makes sense.
Amanda :You're never like off work, if that makes sense, like I don't have to answer my emails at eight or nine. But if it's going to save me time and headaches, then I will, you know. So, to have like that hour and a half where I don't think about work at all, I don't think about my kid's schedule, I don't think about the trouble they got in school, and then, as the added bonus, if it's, you know, around dinner time, then my husband's in charge of all that. So, yeah, it is totally like a de-stress, decompress time and you wouldn't think so, but that's like one of those unexpected benefits that you get from jujitsu.
Joe :It's like it calms me down. People are like what you have, like scratches and bruises on your face.
Amanda :It's like, yeah, it's great.
Joe :It's so true, it's hard to sell people like if you had to sell jujitsu for a career. I probably would fail because, like you, you can just say hey, yeah, it's awesome. You're smiling with the rash or a gi burn across your forehead.
Amanda :So exactly, and uh, I know, for me at least um, even though I did sports growing up teen sports, like I mentioned um, in my adult life I've never been able to like stick to a normal workout routine. And I know a lot of adults that can, and I know some that don't work out at all. But, um, yeah, I just going to the gym was kind of boring. It's not mentally stimulating for me, even if I have like a rock solid playlist, um, so jujitsu kind of saved my life.
Intro/Outro:You know, yeah, like.
Amanda :I go four or five days, six days a week, and that is my workout, and I don't know what I'd do, how I'd motivate myself to get to the gym, you know, consistently. I mean I used to like the workout classes and those were kind of fun, but going every day just to lift weights or run the treadmill just never motivated me. So this is fun. It makes working out and putting in hard work really fun.
Joe :So yeah, I, I agree I I'm not. I have weights and a little gym set up at my house and I I train jujitsu more than I work out there. Um, but yeah, it's. I think it's kind of the community too, and we've talked about that a lot and I actually have some some thoughts and questions around that, um, when we think about. Well, first off, thank you for sharing the you know the insight, because I think there's a lot of people out there who get bored with workouts, and you know whether I, because I think there's a lot of people out there who get bored with workouts and you know I remember when the DVD thing, the P90X, that used to be this big thing.
Joe :I don't know if you've ever heard of the P90X.
Amanda :I remember that.
Joe :Yeah, it was huge and but it was a fad, right, and all of these. You know these apps. And you know one coach tells you one thing. One person you know, um gosh, one foot fitness influencer or guru, tells you this you got the guy that does V shred on Instagram eating pizza but he looks like, you know he just he was chiseled by the hands of the gods or something and it's it's, it's overwhelming. You know it's not fun, it's not at all. And yeah, I think a lot of people can relate to that. And you know, coming back to a little bit and spending some time on, you know, community and things like that For you, how important has your gym and your gym environment and community been in your journey? I mean, I hear a lot of people say it's the reason I stay.
Amanda :You know yeah, let's talk a little bit about that it absolutely is. It is the reason like you, I know I don't personally know, but I'm part of like a Facebook group of jujitsu women over 40. And there's a lot of complaining about their instructors oh no Politics and their rolling partners, and I've never had any of that and if I had to deal with that, I don't know that it would be worth it for me.
Amanda :But I've had such the opposite experience. I mean, my gym, you know, is a family gym. It's owned by um Matt Villatorra and his wife Vivian and their three sons, so that's kind of like, you know, a reflection moment for me. They have three sons that are really met.
Amanda :You know men now, but really good boys growing up and they have great heads on their shoulders, and AJ, alika and Arona have been growing up doing jujitsu and now they instruct at the family gym. You, you know that it opened in 2016 and there's such a big sense of community. Um, they have, you know, multiple kids classes and that's my favorite thing to go in and see the kids having fun. I mean, they do tug of war. They find a way to make it engaging for them. And, you know, I've found, like this unexpected community with the adults, obviously, that I didn't expect to have. Yeah, it's, it's, it's what's kept me for sure. I mean, had I not found that it'd be hard to go.
Amanda :It's hard to roll with strangers or people you don't know, right you know um jujitsu, I don't want to say it needs to feel safe, but you definitely that sense of community helps. It gives you like that safety that you need, that encouragement that you need, um, and it really does make a difference yeah, I, I couldn't agree more.
Joe :Yeah, I, um, I I've seen stories and and things like that on on instagram as well about, you know, toxic gym cultures, especially for for women practitioners. You know, sometimes it's just like kind of in the workplace too, right, unfortunately, women deal with with things that that they, they shouldn't at times, and I'm not saying that men don't, but it's just that, um, yeah, it's, the culture has to be right and it has to be safe and I think there has to be um, like, yeah, like, I'm sure there's gems out there that have just straight up creeps in them. You know, um, and you know that's the last thing you want to do, is, is, is have to come across that in any way, shape or form. And then you know, I know the this big thing in jujitsu now, uh, with male and females that are going around, is when you know that people start dating inside the gyms and and things go south, and you know it becomes a real clicky.
Joe :So, um, like, I have never experienced that right in in any of the gyms I've been at and I'm glad, and I don't think any of the professors I've ever trained under would put up with that. But you hear it, you know and it and it's good, it's, it's, it's. It's great really to know that you're in a safe, a secure environment, that all you have to worry about is training and not stepping the wrong way or doing something crazy to yourself and injuring yourself. So I just couldn't agree more.
Amanda :Yeah, it makes all the difference.
Joe :And you know thinking about um well, I on on the episode and it's not from effort, or on the podcast, it's not from any lack of effort or anything, but I've only had a few you know female practitioners on so far and I always like to ask you know, do you feel like jujitsu has changed the way maybe you view women in combat sports, or maybe your own identity in the gym has it given you more of an appreciation? You know what? What are your thoughts around that?
Amanda :Absolutely. It's given me, first of all, a bigger awareness. I, you know I didn't use to watch a lot of combat sports like UFC and boxing before I started Jiu Jitsu, but now I do. I watch it more. I mean it's all over my Instagram feed, um, so that's just my built up algorithm. But particularly I'm interested in watching you know women's Jiu Jitsu fighters. I mean, I just never took notice to them before and now I follow. You know as many as I can.
Amanda :I mean Helena Cravar and oh yeah, she's awesome, yeah and um, you know, adele, brianna, sam, I mean there's just I can go on and on about who comes up on my Instagram feed daily and it's like, honestly, my favorite thing to watch. It's just, and I don't know if I see myself in them. I mean, I definitely watch the women more than men and it's maybe just like a self-actualization, I don't know, just as a woman watching a woman competing in that way, it does make me feel a little bit more empowered and it's just. I never observed it before because I didn't know it was out there, I guess, to say, or didn't have an interest of it, but it's totally changed my perspective and, um, I'm always watching to learn more about myself and grow and, honestly, watching in admiration about just how complete animals these girls are and how badass you know. So, yeah, that's a great call out. I didn't even notice that I had taken such an interest in female fighters the way that I do, but night and day, for sure.
Joe :Yeah, I'm a big Elizabeth Clay fan. I like watching her a lot. I tell yeah, I know, right, and then just to bounce back and she's already, I think, um, I thought the match between her and Helena was good. I, I was thinking that that Elizabeth, might, you know, pull it out, but you know.
Joe :Helena's tough man. I mean she is tough, um, you know, but it was a great, great match. And you know, but it was a great, great match and you know, I enjoy watching all of them. I I excited about, you know, bad jackie going worlds this year and competing at brown belt. I mean, if she wins that three years in a row, that is insane.
Joe :So like I'm gearing up to watch that when she goes out there and she's not you know, like this, this super famous person, but you know, I like even watching the, the people in my gym compete and you know, rachel, um, she's, she's our own, she's our purple belt and she won pans and I remember it was, I was celebrating like it was. You know, my favorite team just won the Super Bowl. When she won, and all of us, we had this group chat and we, you know, we celebrate, you know, really everybody, but it's, it's especially um, I don't want to say sound overly mushy and say heartwarming, heartwarming, but it's always great to see the female competitors just go in and mop the floor with people and so that's great yeah I know, and uh, helena havar started.
Amanda :Um, actually, you know, under my instructor, matt no, no way um, yeah, so it's kind of fun to you know, root her on. I mean, she's just incredible in her submissions and how she off balances her opponents and yeah, I think mikey most yeah, oh, mikey, yeah, he started under him too yeah, no way yeah that's awesome.
Joe :Yeah, I love watching mikey stuff to see.
Amanda :You know, I'm getting the same quality instruction. Yeah, how come I'm not there yet?
Joe :yeah, god, could you imagine like standing on one side of the mat and on the other with, like helena? I was like what?
Intro/Outro:is gonna happen here, yeah just.
Joe :I mean I, I wouldn't bite her, you know she's, she's, he'll hook at me in seconds. So I'm done, um. But no, uh, let's talk a little bit about your training and then I have kind of like a fun I call it the espresso round of some questions that some have to do with jujitsu, some have nothing to do with jujitsu, and then then we'll share maybe some final thoughts and close out. This is, you know, been great. This is awesome. You know conversation and insights. I appreciate you, you know, taking the time and going through this with me. So, yeah, yeah, let's talk about, uh, you talked a little bit about your training schedule and this is always fun to talk with.
Joe :Um, you know, kind of master's level people here us that have this full life, uh, outside of jujitsu. Right, we're not just going to school and going to training, we're doing a thousand other things. Um, what? What does your your schedule look like? You said you were morning trainer, um, you said it was. Is it monday, wednesday and fridays? Do you do gi or no gi? Do you do both? How do you? How do you balance it all, too, with work?
Amanda :yeah. So the morning class is rather new for me. I think it started in december and um, it's only because my kids are old enough to get themselves ready for school now. But mornings work really well for me. I mean, I do lose that hour of sleep, but I don't miss it, and we can go five days a week in the morning, so it's an hour class. We usually squeeze in either a couple of 10 minute rounds at the end or we'll do like guard pasturals. I call it King of the Hill, I don't know if it's called that?
Joe :Yeah, that's what we call it, yeah.
Amanda :Yeah, and yeah, friday's open, matt, but I try to go. You know I try to get my body in line to go five days a week. It's definitely becoming more doable for me. I miss the night class. Our night class is 7 to 8 30. My husband had been working in Boise for six the last six months so he just got back. So I think, if I push myself, I'll probably start doing some double days here and there.
Amanda :Usually no gi is Tuesday and Thursday and then we do gi Monday, wednesday, friday. That's how we do at our gym, but it's tough. I mean my kids, kids, as I mentioned, I want they do. They have a full schedule of themselves. I mean my. My one kid does competitive club baseball four days a week during the week and then tournaments on the weekends, and then my other two do jujitsu and wrestling. So they do double days on Tuesday and Thursday and their classes like from five to seven. And then my little one still does baseball. In the spring is a busier season for us, so we have baseball games on Tuesday and Thursday.
Amanda :And yeah, we eat dinner at a healthy nine o'clock at night.
Joe :Oh yeah, you gotta love those nights. Uh, that happens a lot at my house as well. So, um, I think, during this time of the year too, we're eating out way more than what we should.
Intro/Outro:So it's just so easy, yeah gosh, it's hard.
Joe :It's hard not to fall into that. You know, um, but especially when you people who have more than one kid, understand that like you're going to go. Yeah, we don't judge each other this is bad, this is going to sound bad, so it's funny. Sometimes I kind of laugh internally when someone who has maybe one kid and they're like nine, and I'm so stressed I'm thinking what? Like, if I had one kid and they were nine, I feel like I was like no kids, like I don't know, and I'm not saying I'm not like downplaying their stress or anything.
Joe :I just you do appreciate like that time in your life where you just had one and you're like, okay, yeah yeah, exactly.
Amanda :Um, yeah, I mean I would take this crazy schedule over, like having babies and toddlers, though oh god, yes, yes exhaustion. Um, I feel like it's. Even though we have a full schedule, like I'm in the car for like five hours a day running around um I would take this over, that any day and them being able to, you know, wipe their own butts.
Joe :I mean, yeah, people don't realize, like, how liberating that is and when you get out of the diaper phase or when they can fix their cells. A bowl of cereal, you know it's like you just don't get or even when you get to get rid of the car seat like what. That's awesome. I don't have to like navigate straps anymore.
Amanda :This is great yeah, yeah it's um, it's better on this side for sure. I mean, I miss having babies. They're all like little men now and they're just getting older. But yeah, next milestone will be when they drive themselves to practice. It'll be a minute, but we'll get there.
Joe :Yeah, yeah it's. You know it is going to be crazy. Trenton, my 14-year-old he'll start kind of learner's permit driving next year and that's going to be crazy. It's hard to think. I think, you know, I'm going to have two that drive because I have an older son too. But yeah, the hair's getting grayer so it's that time. Um, well, look at you know, amanda, I want to kind of go through these questions. I call it the espresso round.
Joe :Just some fun questions to um you know just let the listeners get to know you a little bit more um around some of your passions and interests. So so yeah, let's do this, do you prefer? I think you may have covered it a few moments ago, but I just didn't catch it.
Amanda :Do you prefer ghee or no? Ghee I prefer no ghee.
Joe :Oh really, really, I thought you'd be a ghee person.
Amanda :I don't know why Do you want me to elaborate? Yeah? Yeah, let's get into this, let's figure this out, let's sort you out the grips add a whole nother element of brain block for me, sometimes when you get stuck in them, as I mentioned I I fight a lot of purple belts and they have really tight grips and I guess that's just part of jujitsu, but but I get submitted way less in nogi.
Amanda :So maybe that's why it's my favorite right now is because I'm an escape artist in nogi and in gi I get submitted. Yeah, the grips are a whole nother element for me to learn and overcome and master. So the flow of the nogi is is a lot of fun for me yeah, I think that's where I'm at well it's, it's good.
Joe :You know, in a sense it kind of it sort of feels like jiu-jitsu is kind of going more towards nogi. I mean you have gems like 10th planet and things like that that only train no gi. And then you know, adc is synonymous for no gi, grappling. So, um, so I like, I like no gi. I have less time on the mat no gi than I do gi. I, I do prefer gi. And it's funny, um, you don't like gi because of the grips. I like gi because I can make grips. I have to slow these guys down and I have to have something to hold on to. You know, I'm not, I'm not super athletic, um, I'm not out of shape or are completely not flexible, but if they're moving fast they're gonna beat me. So I have to slow them down and I find find no gi, especially when you get sweaty.
Joe :It's so slippery, like you can't hold on to stuff as much and I just kind of need the element here. Lately I'd say the past few months no, not the past few months, Probably the past two months I've been training mostly gi, but it's also been because of my schedule. So Monday, Wednesday and Fridays are gi for us, Tuesday and Thursday are no gi, which I think is kind of the same for you, and then Friday's open mat and um yeah, it's, I like them both.
Joe :I think I think we should, as practitioners, train both. You know it's okay to like one over the other, it's okay to like them both. It's okay to like one over the other, it's okay to like them both. It's okay to train more in one than the other. But I do think you you need the exposure in both, because I know there's some people out there who may only train one and if it's your schedule right, that's okay. Yeah, but try maybe once a month, getting you know at least one no gi class in if you only do gi and and then also you know flip that no gi class in if you only do gi and and then also you know flip that a gi class in if you only do no gi.
Amanda :So it's kind of my thoughts on it yeah, yeah, those are good thoughts, I agree, yeah, so so what's your favorite submission right now?
Joe :is there something that that's working for you really well?
Amanda :Mine's the Kimura. Yeah, as I mentioned, I'm a bit of a pressure passer. I mean, if I can get side control or even half guard and I've got your arm, that's what I'm going for. Yeah, I don't know, it's just a personal favorite for me. I can't. It's probably what I get myself in the opportunity to do the most um so if I can do it right.
Amanda :I mean, if you look at my my competition round, you might be laughing at me because I went in there. Oh, you know my my instructor. He asked me if I had a plan and I'm like, yeah, I'm kind of hoping she pulled guard, that way I can get past the guard, get side control and get the Kimura. That was my plan. So why I went in there and fumbled the Kimura, I have no idea. It's just your brain shuts down when you're that nervous yeah, well, you got to it.
Joe :You know you did 75 of your plan, so you know that's good I, I was gonna ask where, uh, from which position do you usually go for the kimura? I, um, so we have this guy at our gym. He likes, likes Kimuras as well, and he will get you in his closed guard and he'll go for a hip bump and make you post the hand and then, as soon as you post that hand, he shoots a Kimura and it gets a lot of us with that. And I just you know the.
Joe :Kimura is such a great move because I mean there's at least five different positions you can, you know, use it from, and I think it's a very versatile submission. That's a personal thing, yeah yeah, Well, what about your guard? Favorite guard? You talked about De La Riva earlier. Do you have a favorite guard?
Amanda :Well, de La Riva has been a big focus the last couple of weeks. I don't know that I have a favorite guard. I love working close guard. You know to your point you just made you can get submissions closed guard. You know to your point you just made you can get um submissions. You, you know, um. I feel like that's a good way to bait somebody oh, absolutely sweets and hip bumps and you can get the kimura from there.
Amanda :So, um, if I can get closed guard and have a lot of options from there, then you know that's my favorite thing. Um, do I always get close guard? I don't, not against my purple belt opponents, and when I do, I have like seconds, not you know the full minute. I need to pull something off. But um yeah, we've been working De La Riva pretty hard. Um. Um, yeah, we've been working De La Riva pretty hard. Um.
Joe :So I would say, since my personal goal is to improve, you know, my jujitsu skills from the bottom, that's that's been a main focus, yeah, I well, yeah, you said you like to play top, uh, mostly, and I think it's, it's just just, it makes you a more well-rounded, uh, practitioner. If you have somewhat of a bottom game, you don't have to go to it every time. Um, so I have a training partner at um, the gym that I like training with, and, uh, he's on instagram as papa gray beard. He's awesome, he's like, he's like this 50 something year old guy, but he's literally the strongest person on earth. It feels like sometimes, and, um, he's always on top. You know, he's just, he's just, he gets you there.
Joe :But he started working a guard and we were training one day and all of a sudden he pulled guard and I was so taken off by it. I was like, oh, my God, what is happening? And he's like, yeah, I'm working on my guard and I was like I couldn't get out of it cause I wasn't expecting it, and I was like, okay, this is new, um, but yeah, I think it's. I think it's important to to have at least something that you can go to. So, um, yeah, a few more questions. If you could roll with anybody in jujitsu, alive or dead celebrity family member. What have you? Who would you most like to train a five minute round with? That's a good one, right?
Amanda :That's a good one, it is a good one, right, that's a good one, it is a good one. Um, I don't know, it'd be really quick, but I am just kind of really impressed with helena cravar's, like her style of jujitsu, because it's so opposite of mine. Yeah, of course I'd want to pick her brain every step of the way, but from a perspective, I just kind of want to see and experience how she works, her opponents yeah, you know her submissions and how she can off balancebalance opponents in different ways. I mean that's for me, you know, priding myself on having like a solid base. I mean I know she'd off-balance me in like a fraction of a second, but maybe that's why it's so fascinating is her guard game is like ridiculous.
Joe :So it'd be, interesting to see her work, uh um, in live action, I think yeah, yeah, maybe I don't know if she competes in ibjjf like uh, for like jujitsu con, and well, she's not masters, so but yeah, I mean you're out in.
Amanda :Vegas, so you could, yeah, yeah.
Joe :I mean, you're out in Vegas, you're out there with, like everyone and the Jiu.
Joe :Jitsu, like all the big cool Jiu Jitsu stuff comes out there. I uh, yeah, I think Helena Cravor would be awesome, uh, to watch, for sure I? Um, it's hard question for me to answer Um time I I was talking to somebody about this. I was talking about man. It'd be great to, um, maybe roll with master jacob ray, uh, when he was, you know, uh, an instructor at alliance. Then how cool would it be to roll with someone like holes Gracie, um, you know, um, hodger Gracie, those those guys, uh, there's just so many people Like I think it'd be hard to just pick one.
Joe :Um, I, I, I love rolling with my professor. I mean, he's so we have a, you know he's, he's ultra heavy, uh, weight guy. He's just, he is super strong and it's painful every second of it. But yeah, I, I enjoy. I mean, I think I'm the only person that that enjoys it. Um, but it's because I talk smack during the whole round, like I'm mad, talking trash to him and he's just killing me, arm bars and I'm just still and I, I don't know why I do it. It's, it's a weird thing about me, but, um, we, we laugh during the role. We have fun. You know he, he's not trying to like pop my arm or anything, but he's definitely making sure I don't cover his mouth again so that that's uh we we have a lot of yeah, we have a lot of fun, and, uh, he is just great.
Joe :I enjoy it.
Amanda :So, um all, right, I don't get the chance to roll with my instructor all that much, but he's a rooster weight um AJ and a black belt, of course.
Joe :And he's just insanely fast oh gosh yeah that that that round would be over so quickly yeah, I don't, I don't do well with fast people, I just yeah, my favorite thing is to see him like humble the kids, you know, and just kind of give them a good workout.
Amanda :And you know, and just kind of give him a good workout and you know, as soon as they turn their head to his direction, he's, he's around the corner. I mean he's. He's incredibly freakishly fast.
Joe :But yeah, yeah, fast. People are are my kryptonite. Um, that's why I have to have to play half guard, have to slow them down there's hey, just hold on a minute, stop moving. Let me figure something out here.
Amanda :Um time to think.
Joe :Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. So let's talk. Uh, I got a couple about recruiting and this is this is where we're gonna have some fun. Um, so, regarding recruiting and candidate screening, um, what is a recruiting red flag? You can spot in three seconds flat when it comes to talking with a candidate, like they've applied for the role, and on paper things look really good at least good enough for you to call them but you get on the phone with them and then bam, this is an instant red flag. You know this is a no-go right away. What would you see? An instant red flag.
Amanda :You know, this is a no-go right away. What? What would you see? Um? I? Well, I do more high volume recruiting I I usually ask them why they left their last position. Um, and I can always tell if that answer is genuine. And if they're avoiding it, then that's a red flag.
Amanda :You know, I mean it could be anything and I'm open-minded. I mean, if they want to say it was for personal reasons and kind of you know they don't have to elaborate too much on their personal life. But I guess when I just feel like it's not genuine, you can't help but think what are they hiding?
Joe :and right, yeah, my mind always goes to.
Amanda :They just stop showing up, you know yeah um. So those are the kind of candidates that I see and I get immediate red flags. Um, we just need reliable people, so that's a big one in my line, for sure yeah, well, that's, that's pretty much mine.
Joe :And um, so if I ask the question, which is this is a basic question uh, for those of you listening, your recruiter more than likely is going to ask this in some form or fashion why are you leaving? Why are you looking? That's what they're trying to get. But if they say, if I say, okay, why did you leave this, this role? And they're like, well, you know, the, the culture just wasn't a fit for me. You know, there was a lot of tension and drama. I'm like, okay, well, that can happen, right. And then I ask them well, why did you leave this role? And it's the same answer, and then the same answer for the next. Now we have, I mean, the chances of three positions being bad because of a culture fit.
Joe :It's hard for me to believe you got that wrong three times it may be something going on with you from a personality standpoint or team fit or maybe you're exactly if they have self-reflection and then when I when I was doing military recruiting.
Joe :If they over inflated their military service like I used to not when I would screen a veteran I I wouldn't tell them I was a veteran and I would just ask them about their service. You know, hey, uh, what did you do in the military? And I've got some crazy stories around that. Just the answers I've gotten. So, um, but no final question here in the espresso round um, what is your craziest candidate recruiting story? I said we were going to talk about this. What's your craziest? Um, if you can pick one, yeah, yeah.
Amanda :It's been a while since I had like super crazy, but for some reason this candidate's answer like sticks with me, um me, because I believe he was honest, but it was just too crazy to really comprehend. So one of the questions I asked is you know, tell me about what reliability looks like to you in the form of attendance? And he had had several jobs, um, you know, over the course of maybe 10 years, um, maybe four or five jobs. And it blew my mind because he said you know, I've never had accountability for attendance in any of my previous roles. And I said, oh, okay, um, what do you mean? And he said, well, I'm like, do they not have an attendance policy? And he's just like, well, no, you know, they just I've never been held accountable for attendance. And that just kind of blew my mind. Um, I didn't really know how to take that uh, as far as like, are there really places out there that don't have an attendance policy?
Amanda :But he in legit really genuinely did not know what accountability looks like for attendance and that's kind of scary. I hope most places are not like that, but yeah, that's really kind of the one that comes to mind. But in my HR days I've seen a lot of crazy things and I bet you've got some stories Joe.
Joe :Oh yeah, yeah, I have plenty, and the one I it will to this day remain. I think it will always remain. Hopefully there won't be something to top this, but it remains the craziest one. So I, I believe I was with AGS, the RPO, and I was doing sourcing and had a high volume roll. I can't remember exactly what it was anyway, um, I was, I was recruiting and I was sending you know. It's a source, or sometimes you do, uh, you use technology that sends you know multiple emails, right and kind of. You send 50 emails at a time. What have you? I was using a technology like that. I think it was linkedin, actually and uh, so this guy, this candidate, emails me back and he said, uh, his first email was how did you get my information?
Joe :dot, dot dot and I was like well, uh, this is, you know, formerly introduced myself right, not from a mass kind of template email. And then uh told him what I was looking for, her that I came across is, um, you know his linkedin profile and look like a fit, would love to have a conversation with him. Comes back. One word, no, two words. You're lying. Dot, dot, dot. Then this guy proceeds to tell me and threaten me that he's gonna have his security team find me and kill me in front of my family, kid you not?
Joe :swear I wished I would have saved that email off the server because people don't believe me. But yeah, he said he was going to show up and he said he was going to beat me to death with a hammer, with a hammer in front of my family, if I emailed him again. I sent it to my boss and we sent that up the chain because I didn't know like this guy was, like this was an in-state, like Georgia search. I didn't know if this guy was serious, I didn't know how much, you know, I thought he was just blowing smoke. But I'm not going to have somebody show up at eight, 30 at night with a hammer.
Joe :So, yeah, they sent this up and and they, like they contacted, you know, the authorities. Our security team at uh, ags or whatever, I don't know what team did it, um, but contacted, like the local authorities, cause we had his address too, right, and we his resume was up on file Only then we had his address, we had everything and we attached the email and had somebody go talk to this guy. But can you imagine, I can't.
Amanda :People are unhinged.
Joe :Insane, insane.
Amanda :Man, that's what I'm talking about. For my HR days I've had some threat assessments and some people just you know, there's a screw loose. But yeah, recruiting and job market hunting and interviewing and all that stuff, it comes real personal to people and you just I don't know, I just don't understand, you know yeah, like you don't.
Joe :You don't know who you're coming across, and I I would have never thought, though, that I would get something like that. You know, um, we're just trying to help you find a job, and we yeah, we got to get a job filled, but, I mean, we do want you to find a good opportunity for yourself, and just to come back with I'm going to kill you in front of your family, like how?
Amanda :does it elevate to?
Joe :that right, like just unsubscribe, say hey thanks, but no thanks, not, you know, I'm gonna beat you to death with a hand to save headache for future recruiters.
Amanda :You wish there was a list of. Hey, look out for this person oh my gosh, I put kind of like there's a no-fly list you know.
Joe :I put so many notes and the ATS on that guy Like run, we'll threaten you. Oh gosh, it was crazy.
Joe :That's so scary too, though, yeah yeah, and then I had one candidate. But remember, I told you I used to not tell people about my service in the military. But I got this candidate who was getting out of the military or just gotten out of the military and, oh my gosh, the story. He spun that he was a commander on a gun truck that protected the president and, like, started naming like he was. He was a private in the Ranger Battalion that was also part of the old guard. You know, the soldier walks back and forth in Washington, like he did all of this.
Joe :And I'm like I'm thinking to myself I used to process the packets for that job. You got to be like an E-5 or E-6 to even have that. Then you're talking about a gun truck that protects the president. And then he started telling me about he went to airborne school and I had to stop in there because he was telling me he went to airborne school in texas and I'm like, okay, everybody that's airborne knows it's in in georgia, but anyway, it was just yeah, god, it was just so crazy what he was saying and it was, it was embarrassing and I felt bad for the guy because, you know, I don't know but I had to stop him and then he hung up on me and ghosted me, of course, but she wasn't he didn't have to ghost me.
Amanda :I've had that many times where that's happened where people. Just you know, they know it's not going well for them and they just hang up sometimes that's the best way yeah, just um.
Joe :Yeah, it's a very clear message. I do it, but it does feel uncomfortable, right, or like I think. I think I have like and I hear it in in podcasting sometime like mannerisms or crutch words and stuff like that. But like when they are the whole conversation because their nerves kick in and they're like they have See, I almost did it they're like saying like, like, like, like, but they have this crutch word they say over and over and over and over, and then that's all you hear, and then they start picking up that they're doing it. I just feel so bad.
Amanda :I'm like oh no yeah, yeah, you wish you could uh reach through the like. Hey, let's calm down, we're just two people talking about yeah we're just talking.
Joe :Let's have a chat. Just tell me about what you did your last. Yeah, so kind of, as we close out, I and I think this has been amazing. Again, thank you so much for coming on, and I think our listeners, who are primarily kind of newer in Jiu Jitsu are they benefit a lot from hearing these stories. I think it helps keep them motivated, keeps me motivated having the conversation. But if you could give one piece of advice to someone starting their first week of jujitsu or just it could be a month, whatever, but very new to jujitsu what would it be?
Amanda :That's a good one. I would say stick with it, obviously, um, you're gonna be uncomfortable or maybe not. You know, I had a, a brand new person just last week and I was her partner and I haven't seen a brand new white belt in like a year, over a year and I told her I was trying to give her advice. I said I know it can be like I don't know if I said overstimulating or overwhelming at first and she's like, oh no, I'm not overwhelmed. And I'm like, oh OK, well, you go, girl, yeah.
Joe :All right High five, I never know what someone's thinking what's your threshold?
Amanda :yeah, you don't want to assume that they're overstimulated or overwhelmed just because that was my experience, but I just stick with it. There will be some things that are uncomfortable. Maybe you know whatever it is. I mean the physical part, or just your own self doubt, I mean that comes into play a lot. You know it does for me when I feel like I'm not progressing and you feel that way a lot as a white belt. But then you step back and think about all the new benefits and or all the benefits in general and, um, every day is a new day. You can put as much effort or kind of as little effort, I guess, as you want into the sport and get out of it what you put in, and my advice would be just to embrace the journey. It's about the journey, not the destination per se yeah, yeah, I love that.
Joe :it's a great tagline I'm going to have to put that in the description. I um, what's what's next for you? What, what, what are you looking to accomplish in the next 30, 60, 90 days in jujitsu, or maybe a year?
Amanda :Yeah, so, um, well, I I do. I do want to compete one more time before. You know, during the summer, as I mentioned, I hope to do that novice at Jiu Jitsu Con and maybe get my blue belt. You know that's a goal. As I mentioned, I don't really put a lot of emphasis on stripes and promotions, but I want to progress. You know, I didn't care about that when I first started. I was just kind of going for funsies. But I have this new ever, ever, since I've competed I do have this new sense of rejuvenating motivation to get to class, to do my best, to build my stamina. I start going, you know, double days, maybe a morning and a night class, a couple times a week and.
Amanda :I want to see progression. You know I want to take care of myself. I always refer, keep referring, to bad Jackie, you know, if it doesn't benefit my jujitsu then I shouldn't be doing it and I'll take better care of my diet. I want that for my boys, you know. I want them to be athletes and eat well and maybe we'll start lifting weights as a family. So I'm kind of all in right now. I'm excited and my body's holding up. You know 41. I haven't had any major injuries.
Joe :I mean, I ripped half a nail yesterday, that's yeah, if it breaks at the quick, like at the finger itself, that's painful, yeah yeah, it was bleeding, it's everywhere.
Amanda :It's literally ripped off. Um yeah, other than that I haven't had knock on wood anything substantial not even like a full hamstring. I'm really healthy right now and I want to keep that going and kind of push myself.
Joe :Yeah, yeah, I think that's good goals and I'll have to connect you and Bad Jackie. She's so great to kind of watch and follow along, like what she's doing in her career. And if you get to go to Jiu-Jitsu Con, maybe you'll get to go to Jiu Jitsu con, you know you'll, maybe you'll get to see her compete and bring home that, that third title, which will be insane. Yeah, I, I, I think that it's good to set goals. I did an episode of solo episode not long ago about, you know, goal setting and things like that.
Joe :It's important to have some things in mind that you're, you're striving to. Otherwise, it it is, it's gonna, it's gonna feel deflating at times and you're not going to see your progress or others see your progress. In jujitsu I noticed quicker than you do. Um, I, I still don't say and I have no doubt in my mind, you're going to get your blue belt, um, you know, in no time. And then you know I dealt with imposter syndrome, like, oh, my God, I'm a blue belt, these blue belts are way better than I am. And it's like, did I miss something? It's just, it's crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy. So the listeners, how can they get in touch with you. You said you have an IG page that you're constantly watching jujitsu stuff on. How can people reach out for jujitsu commentary and also maybe recruiting if they have any questions?
Amanda :Oh for sure, my IG handle is AmandaBears M-A-N-D-A B-E-A-R-S. It was a childhood nickname that my best friend's dad gave me a long time ago. Amanda Bears, I don't get a ton of DMs, so if you want to connect, DMs are open.
Joe :Careful what you wish for there, though. It's crazy. All the sales people, yeah, crazy downloads. Oh my gosh it is. It is insane. I said last episode posted. I haven't posted any episodes in in April. This will be the first one in April and I think I want to get another one in, but something happened and I'm looking at actually I'm looking at the stat. I have it on my phone because I'm weird. Well, actually I'm not weird, I just I don't know, maybe I'm self-loathing.
Joe :Self-loathing is where you don't like yourself. I don't know, I just like looking at them and watching it. But it's in the past seven days. There have been over 1600 downloads in the past week and like we were getting like 200 downloads every like 30 days or what have you. But now it's just insane. It's it's crazy you know, just cool, cool, just really cool guests, you know like yourself coming on and I don't know, maybe I don't know I don't know what.
Joe :maybe I don't know. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's that cool intro music, Cause I think I have some pretty cool intro music. I think it's really cool.
Amanda :Yeah. And keep the momentum going. I'm going to tell everybody, I know yeah.
Joe :Yeah, well, you know, amanda, thank you for you know, coming on and supporting as a guest. It's been great keeping up with each other throughout the couple years, and I'm sure we're going to keep in touch. When you get your blue belt and you win a few more competitions we'll have you back on, because you're absolutely proof that, even though we're newer in jiu-jitsu, you can still figure out how to balance it all, how to progress and how to stay passionate and passionate. So so, thank you so much for coming on.
Amanda :So I'm a huge fan and I appreciate you inviting me on and, yeah, I'm looking forward to reconnect down the line or keep in touch and appreciate everything.
Joe :Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, thank you. And to all the white belts out there who may be interested in a future episode of white belt chronicles, reach out in the caffeinated jujitsu. Let's connect. Amanda's info will be all in the podcast notes for you to click on and follow. And be sure to uh, if you got value out of today's episode, be sure to you know. Subscribe, drop a rating, follow the show. What have you? Leave a review and, like amanda said, she's going to share with her teammates, be sure to share with yours and remember to stay safe, train, train smart and keep your passion brewing.
Intro/Outro:And that's the final tap on today's episode of Caffeinated Jiu-Jitsu. A big thanks to all of our listeners, especially today's insightful guest, for sharing their BJJ knowledge and tales. If you felt that adrenaline rush and are hungry for more, hit, subscribe, drop a review and spread the jujitsu buzz. For show notes and to contact the host, reach out to the email provided in the podcast description and to join our grappling community, head over to Instagram. Get those geese. Crisp your coffee strong and always be prepared for the next roll Oss.
