The Ageless Warrior Lab
Dave Meyer | Host, Ageless Warrior Lab podcast | President & Co-founder of Food System Innovations and Humane American Animal Foundation
Join BJJ coral belt, Gang of Eight and Dirty Dozen member Dave Meyer as we draw wisdom from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the martial arts and explore how it applies to your life, success in business, and your long-term health.
Dave Meyer is a pioneering American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) practitioner, and accomplished non-profit founder and Philanthropist. He is an eleven-time world champion in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and is the current world champion in his age/weight division in the no-gi format.
Dave co-founded and served as CEO of Adopt-a-Pet.com for two decades, turning it into the world's largest nonprofit homeless pet adoption website and helping save millions of animals, before its acquisition by Mars Inc.
Today, Dave leads Humane America Animal Foundation and Food System Innovations, working on farm animal welfare and a healthy and sustainable food system. He frequently advises U.S. lawmakers on these issues, and has raised and deployed over $160 million in philanthropic capital as part of his work in the nonprofit space.
In his athletic career, Dave has risen to the highest ranks of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He earned his black belt from Rigan Machado in 1996 and ranked among the first Americans ("the Dirty Dozen") to do so. He was the first American to medal at the black belt level at the BJJ World Championships in Brazil in 1998. Dave is one of just several Americans to achieve the rank of coral belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a group now referred to as the “Gang of Eight”. He continues to compete at the world championship level, winning world championship titles in his age division.
As a martial artist and instructor, he taught at UCLA, Steven Seagal's Tenshin Dojo, and developed a globally used grappling curriculum with John Will, including customized material for Chuck Norris's UFAF association. He has written several books on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, including "Training for Competition: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Grappling".
Meyer also played a critical role in post-Katrina animal rescue, co-authored books pet care, and co-founded a Haiti orphanage for children with HIV, exemplifying a lifetime of impactful leadership in both martial arts and philanthropy.
Dave resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, and continues to coach BJJ athletes and compete at the world championship level. He is the President & Co-Founder of Humane America Animal Foundation and Food System Innovations, of which the Ageless Warrior Lab is a project.
The Ageless Warrior Lab
Frank Shamrock: From Prison to UFC Champion, The Mindset That Built a Legend | Ep. 25
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Frank Shamrock joins Dave Meyer for a deep, honest conversation about martial arts, MMA, mindset, and the life experiences that shaped one of the most well-rounded fighters of his era. Frank shares his path from a difficult childhood and time in the system to discovering martial arts, training in Japan, and ultimately becoming a UFC champion.
This episode goes beyond fight stories, Frank breaks down how biomechanics, discipline, curiosity, and personal responsibility helped him evolve as a fighter and as a human. He also opens up about mental health, the emotional aftermath of winning, and the hard lessons that came from losses. Plus, Frank explains how he now applies martial arts principles to leadership and executive coaching, including work with major organizations.
If you’re into MMA history, UFC legends, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, self-defense, performance psychology, leadership training, and personal transformation, this interview is packed with insights.
Topics covered:
- Frank Shamrock’s origin story: childhood, crime, prison, and turning his life around
- Early MMA and training in Japan (Pancrase era)
- Why “beginner’s mind” matters in martial arts and business
- Biomechanics, systems, and learning how to learn
- Mental health, trauma, and why a big win felt depressing
- Confidence, discipline, honesty, and performing under pressure
- How martial arts principles translate to leadership and team performance
Show Notes Links:
Website: https://frankshamrock.com/
Documentary: https://frankshamrock.com/doc
Uncaged by Frank Shamrock: https://frankshamrock.com/books/uncaged-my-life-as-a-champion-mma-fighter-zgpgx
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankshamrock/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@frankshamrock
X: https://x.com/frankshamrock?lang=en
This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, editor & coproducer by Ryan Turner, producer & marketing Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.
