The Bernardo Faria Podcast

Bernardo Faria
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Wrestling

The Bernardo Faria Podcast is about getting better in Jiu-Jitsu and in life. Bernardo is a five-time Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt World Champion, IBJJF Hall of Famer, and co-founder of BJJ Fanatics, the world’s largest online education platform for martial arts and combat sports. Through personal stories and conversations with interesting people, Bernardo shares experiences and lessons on Jiu-Jitsu, mindset, self-improvement, success, failure, and becoming a better version of yourself.

Episodes

  1. 15h ago

    Rafael Lovato Jr: Timeless Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling at 43 & MMA

    On the drive to a seminar, Rafael Lovato Jr tells Bernardo how to keep doing jiu-jitsu for the rest of your life, why he is wrestling college kids at 43, and how to beat the young guys: make them tired. In this episode: - Timeless Jiu-Jitsu: keep doing what you love for as long as possible, and build a game that lasts - Why he never saw himself as "just a jiu-jitsu guy", and the difference between an athlete and a martial artist - Wrestling college kids at 43, and his plan to medal at the Masters Worlds in wrestling and judo - Coming up in Oklahoma with no black belt in the state, learning side by side with his dad - Bruce Lee, jeet kune do and "take what is useful" - Going to Brazil at 16, getting beaten up over and over, and how he met Saulo - Getting beat up and coming back the next day: find your why - How an older grappler beats a 20-year-old: slow the game down, stay on top, keep them flat, make them carry your weight - What MMA taught him, and why he thinks it is what he does best - Why he calls a basic game the most powerful one, and the Roger Gracie comparison Rafael Lovato Jr is the 2007 IBJJF World Champion at black belt and the undefeated Bellator Middleweight World Champion. He runs his academy in Oklahoma City and teaches the Timeless Jiu-Jitsu approach: a game you can keep using as you get older. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:35 Timeless: keep doing what you love for as long as possible 02:40 From Worlds champion to wrestling college kids at 43 03:58 Not just a jiu-jitsu guy: living as a martial artist 08:57 The next goal: Masters Worlds in wrestling and judo 10:45 Want to get good at something? Compete in it 13:45 Oklahoma, no black belt in the state, learning with his dad 14:47 Bruce Lee and jeet kune do: take what is useful 15:58 Brazil at 16, sleeping on mats, and fighting Saulo 18:15 Starting over again and again 19:44 Why he took a match against a 22-year-old 21:01 Getting beat up and coming back: find your why 24:45 Everything great is hard 26:29 Putting on a singlet in his 40s 29:18 How to beat the young guys: "Make them tired" 32:24 Keep them flat: why he wants to be on top 34:29 What he's best at: MMA, 11-0 and the cage door 37:09 Give it all back: why teaching drives him 39:21 The American Roger Gracie: a basic game you never change 42:14 His new BJJ Fanatics instructionals, one a month His new BJJ Fanatics series starts with the Gi Mount Masterclass: https://bjjfanatics.com/products/gi-mount-masterclass-by-rafael-lovato-jr Bernardo says a new one is coming every month. Connect with Rafael Lovato Jr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovatojrbjj Timeless Jiu-Jitsu: https://www.timelessjiujitsu.com His academy in Oklahoma City: https://www.okbjj.com Connect with Bernardo Faria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bernardofariabjj YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtXtqlLdZYZm3060qVExXkA BJJ Fanatics, the largest online jiu-jitsu library: https://bjjfanatics.com Kojo Fightwear, Bernardo's gear brand: https://kojofightwear.com/?rfsn=9277274.6e01c5 New episodes every week. If this one helped you, follow the show and leave a rating: it is the best way to help the podcast reach more people.

    Rafael Lovato Jr: Timeless Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling at 43 & MMA

  2. 5d ago

    Marlon Tajik: From Sweden to ADCC, Passing & Leg Locks

    Marlon Tajik took silver at -88 kg and finished fourth in the absolute at ADCC 2026. A month later he sat down with Bernardo to explain how a kid from Sweden got there with no blueprint, and why his whole game is built to make you tired.In this episode:- Starting jiu-jitsu at 11 in Stockholm, training next to his dad, who is also a black belt- No roadmap: saving money, flying to the US and finding the room where he was not the best- Training like a professional from purple belt: diet, strength and conditioning, 80% light and 20% hard- "Hard work is never in vain, it only compounds"- Half the year in the US, half in Sweden, and why each half has a different job- How he tests a new move: first on juveniles and blue belts, then up the ladder until it works 8 out of 10 times- The energy bar idea behind his passing: "No technique works when you're tired"- The sneaky leg locks, and why he looked for entries nobody else was using- You don't need the best gym in the world anymore to learn from the best in the worldMarlon Tajik is a no-gi grappler from Sweden. At the 2026 ADCC World Championship in Kraków he won silver in the -88 kg division and finished fourth in the absolute, where he submitted Pouya Rahmani (+99 kg) with an inside heel hook. This week he recorded his first instructionals with BJJ Fanatics: his guard passing system, and half butterfly to leg locks.Chapters00:00 Intro00:31 ADCC 2026: silver at -88 kg and fourth in the absolute01:17 Starting at 11 in Stockholm, with a black belt dad02:33 No blueprint: making it from a country where nobody had04:27 Training like a pro from purple belt: 80% light, 20% hard06:27 Jiu-jitsu as a job in Scandinavia: "I'm living the dream"08:25 Half the year in the US, half in Sweden09:45 How he tests a new move: from juveniles to the best guy in the gym11:24 His guard passing system, built from fights and instructionals13:53 The energy bar: "No technique works when you're tired"15:42 The sneaky leg locks and the side control escape everyone saw17:53 You don't need the best gym anymore19:15 His first BJJ Fanatics instructionalsMarlon's first instructionals (guard passing, and half butterfly to leg locks) are coming soon to BJJ Fanatics: https://bjjfanatics.comConnect with Bernardo FariaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bernardofariabjjYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtXtqlLdZYZm3060qVExXkABJJ Fanatics, the largest online jiu-jitsu library: https://bjjfanatics.comKojo Fightwear, Bernardo's gear brand: https://kojofightwear.com/?rfsn=9277274.6e01c5New episodes every week. If this one helped you, follow the show and leave a rating: it is the best way to help the podcast reach more people.

    Marlon Tajik: From Sweden to ADCC, Passing & Leg Locks

  3. Oct 18

    Victor Hugo: ADCC 2026, Big Man Flow & Why He Pulls Guard

    Victor Hugo won ADCC 2026 at +99 kg with four submissions in four matches, pulling guard every time. A month later he sat down with Bernardo to explain the Big Man Flow: why the biggest guy on the mat plays guard, how he trains, and the road from Fortaleza to the top of the sport. In this episode: - "Breaking records or breaking limbs": how he stayed loose and had fun through a tournament most people dread - Why he pulls guard on everyone in training, except wrestlers, and what he gets out of it - Ultra-heavy matches used to be "bad judo": the strategy he has used since the colored belts - His training split: drilling, specific training with constraints, then live rounds, built up from blue belts - The kid from Fortaleza nobody knew: double gold at Worlds as a purple belt, then San Diego with Saulo and Xande - Dropping out of nutrition school after winning Worlds, and starting jiu-jitsu at 14 with his dad - Athlete to entrepreneur: running jiu-jitsu schools and learning the business side - Three ADCCs, Buchecha and Gordon Ryan in the second round, and the joke "I just want to make it to day two" - The CJI foot lock, "don't confuse better with more", and why "the crown is heavy" Victor Hugo is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from Fortaleza, Brazil, under Saulo and Xande Ribeiro of the Six Blades Association. He is a four-time IBJJF world champion at black belt, including double gold (100 kg and absolute) at the 2023 Worlds, and the 2026 ADCC world champion at +99 kg, where he won all four of his matches by submission in Krakow. He recorded two new instructionals with BJJ Fanatics this week: his guard game, and his offensive game with back attacks. Chapters 00:00 Four matches, four submissions, pulling guard at +99 kg 00:41 "Breaking records or breaking limbs": having fun at ADCC 01:42 Big guys around the world are pulling guard now: the Big Man Flow 02:29 Why a giant who relies on strength is a gym owner's nightmare 03:56 Pulling guard against everyone in training, and why 05:21 Ultra-heavy matches used to be "bad judo" 06:08 Drilling, specific training with constraints, then sparring 07:24 Build the technique up from blue belts: the leg drag story 07:56 Two new instructionals: guard game and back attacks 08:25 The kid from Fortaleza nobody knew 09:13 Double gold at Worlds as a purple belt, then San Diego with Saulo and Xande 11:08 Dropping out of nutrition school: "the perfect excuse to make my parents mad" 12:05 Starting at 14 with his dad, who is a black belt too 13:07 What's next: super fights and the names he hasn't faced 14:20 Athlete to entrepreneur: running schools, churn and CAC 16:57 The free time pro athletes don't talk about 18:33 Is 14 too late? Competing too early and burning out 20:53 Three ADCCs: Buchecha, Gordon Ryan and "I just want to make it to day two" 21:42 The CJI foot lock and "don't confuse better with more" 22:42 Resilience after the black belt: "the crown is heavy" 24:43 Wrap-up Connect with Victor Hugo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victorhugojj Instructionals: https://bjjfanatics.com Connect with Bernardo Faria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bernardofariabjj YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtXtqlLdZYZm3060qVExXkA BJJ Fanatics, the largest online jiu-jitsu library: https://bjjfanatics.com Kojo Fightwear, Bernardo's gear brand: https://kojofightwear.com/?rfsn=9277274.6e01c5 New episodes every week. If this one helped you, follow the show and leave a rating: it is the best way to help the podcast reach more people.

    Victor Hugo: ADCC 2026, Big Man Flow & Why He Pulls Guard

  4. Oct 15

    Conan Schafer: From Police Officer to Two BJJ Schools at 63

    Conan Schafer retired from the Lincoln Police Department at 57 to run a jiu-jitsu school full time. At 63 he co-owns two schools, runs three tournaments a year and still teaches the kids classes himself. Bernardo visited him in Lincoln, Nebraska, to find out how he keeps building.In this episode:- How a police officer looking for something that would "make the job easier" ended up in jiu-jitsu in 2003- Why Conan and Jerad gave up their black belts and started over at white belt when they opened Lincoln BJJ in 2013- Retiring at 57, the pandemic year when 100 students hung on, and the school taking off in 2021- "Kitchen manager and dining room manager": how the partnership with Jerad Downs works- The promise he made himself to always teach the kids classes- Running the Nebraska Jiu-Jitsu Championship, the Nebraska Jiu-Jitsu Federation and the Elite Series super fights- "I haven't beaten one of my black belts in a few years": training, lifting and eating at 63- His advice for older beginners (his oldest student is 72) and for anyone starting a school in their 50sConan Schafer co-founded Lincoln Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2013 with Greg Lawson and Jerad Downs, and has been its head instructor since 2020. He spent 23 years with the Lincoln Police Department and received his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from Greg Lawson in 2021. The school has two locations, College View and Havelock, and organizes the Nebraska Jiu-Jitsu Championship.Chapters00:00 Former police officer, 63 years old, two schools, three tournaments a year00:53 How a cop looking to "make the job easier" found jiu-jitsu in 200302:46 Giving up their black belts to start over at white belt04:32 Retiring from the police at 57 to take over the school05:15 The pandemic: 100 students who hung on, then the school took off06:22 "Kitchen manager and dining room manager": the partnership with Jerad Downs07:16 Why he still teaches the kids classes himself09:02 Why he started running tournaments in Nebraska10:53 The Nebraska Jiu-Jitsu Federation and refereeing without favoritism12:04 Motivation at 63: "I haven't beaten one of my black belts in a few years"13:37 His routine: the bicycle, lifting in jeans, rolling two or three times a week14:39 Bernardo on removing friction: something beats nothing16:30 Longevity: keto, no drinking, mobility work after a bulging disc18:02 The Elite Series: 10-minute submission-only super fights with a light show19:40 Advice for older beginners: his oldest student is 7221:22 Starting a school in your 50s: "never let your passion become the bane of your existence"23:19 "I refuse to quit"Connect with Conan SchaferLincoln Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Center: https://lincolnbjj.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lnk_bjjConnect with Bernardo FariaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bernardofariabjjYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtXtqlLdZYZm3060qVExXkABJJ Fanatics, the largest online jiu-jitsu library: https://bjjfanatics.comKojo Fightwear, Bernardo's gear brand: https://kojofightwear.com/?rfsn=9277274.6e01c5New episodes every week. If this one helped you, follow the show and leave a rating: it is the best way to help the podcast reach more people.

    Conan Schafer: From Police Officer to Two BJJ Schools at 63

  5. Oct 11

    John Danaher: ADCC 2026, Confidence, Coaching & Toe Holds

    Two weeks after ADCC 2026, John Danaher explains how his team won the most medals in Poland with Gordon Ryan, Nicholas Meregali and Giancarlo Bodoni sitting out. The whole camp was built on one idea: small gains in bad positions.In this episode:- Why about 30% of every sparring session at New Wave is spent getting hammered in bad positions- The final that looked lost for ten minutes, and the one thing that turned it- Why John thinks confidence is built with results on the mat, not with affirmations- How he coaches professionals without telling them how often to train- Bernardo's theory on the most tiring thing in jiu-jitsu: the "almost"- The toe hold as the knight on the chessboard of leg locksJohn Danaher coaches the New Wave Jiu-Jitsu team in Austin, Texas, the team behind Gordon Ryan, Nicholas Meregali and Giancarlo Bodoni. His new instructional, Master the Move: Toe Hold, is coming to BJJ Fanatics.Chapters00:00 ADCC 2026 in Poland: most medals, youngest champions ever04:23 The final that was lost for 10 minutes and then won07:54 Why 30% of sparring is spent in bad positions10:00 The most tiring thing in jiu-jitsu: the "almost"10:34 Confidence is physical, not psychological13:57 How John coaches: build the environment, don't control the athlete17:26 The dream of a female champion, finally fulfilled18:31 Breakout stars of ADCC 2026 and the Dagestani wave19:42 Master the Move: Toe Hold, the knight on the chessboardConnect with John DanaherInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/danaherjohnInstructionals: https://bjjfanatics.comConnect with Bernardo FariaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bernardofariabjjYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtXtqlLdZYZm3060qVExXkABJJ Fanatics, the largest online jiu-jitsu library: https://bjjfanatics.comKojo Fightwear, Bernardo's gear brand: https://kojofightwear.com/?rfsn=9277274.6e01c5New episodes every week. If this one helped you, follow the show and leave a rating: it is the best way to help the podcast reach more people.

    John Danaher: ADCC 2026, Confidence, Coaching & Toe Holds
  • 5 Episodes

About

The Bernardo Faria Podcast is about getting better in Jiu-Jitsu and in life. Bernardo is a five-time Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt World Champion, IBJJF Hall of Famer, and co-founder of BJJ Fanatics, the world’s largest online education platform for martial arts and combat sports. Through personal stories and conversations with interesting people, Bernardo shares experiences and lessons on Jiu-Jitsu, mindset, self-improvement, success, failure, and becoming a better version of yourself.

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