Beyond the Belt

This is a conversation with Gorka Uztarroz, a black belt out of Paris, France. Gorka is an artist who likes to focus most of his creative energy on comics. He also works for a medical repatriation company.
 
Episode Links:
* Art Website: https://www.gorkauztarroz.com
* Comic Website: https://www.lefrenchninja.com
* Instagram: https://instagram.com/@cosmogol666
* Beltchecker: https://www.beltchecker.com/profile.php?id=32726
 
Contact:
* Be a Guest: https://btb.fan/newguest
 
Outline:
00:00 Intro
00:20 Journey to Black Belt
02:55 Black Belt Legitimacy
06:18 Growth in Jiujitsu
09:24 Finding Joy in the Process
18:54 BJJ and Injuries
22:20 BJJ Saved My Art
26:35 Digital Art and Physical Mediums
31:12 Artistic Inspirations
34:33 Self-Publishing and Self-Promotion
42:56 Le French Ninja Inspiration
46:46 The Heart of Storytelling: Vulnerability and Authenticity
50:59 Understanding Medical Repatriation
01:03:37 Future Projects and Inspirations
01:12:53 Outro
 
Podcast Links:
* Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthebeltpod.com/
* Spotify: https://btb.fan/spotify
* Apple Podcasts: https://btb.fan/apple
* RSS: https://btb.fan/rss
 
Social:
* Instagram: https://instagram.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Youtube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beyondthebeltpod.bsky.social
* Facebook: https://btb.fan/fb

This is a conversation with Mike McLean, a black belt out of Torquay, Victoria, Australia. Mike is an artist who focuses mostly on painting on reclaimed materials. He has painted hundreds of thousands of Wagtails that have made it around the world. He's also an art teacher and a poet.Episode Links:* Personal Instagram: https://instagram.com/@mikemcleanartist * Will the Wagtail Instagram: https://instagram.com/@willythewagtail * World Wide Wag Tails: https://instagram.com/@worldwidewagtails * Mike's Poetry: https://instagram.com/@mikemcleanpoet * YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MikeMcleanArtist Contact:* Be a Guest: https://btb.fan/newguest Outline:00:00 Intro00:22 Journey to Black Belt03:28 Training for Longevity08:29 Reflections on Life and Jiu Jitsu14:25 Getting Into Jiujitsu16:53 Balancing BJJ, Family, and Relationships19:51 Family Road Trip24:52 Artistic Journey and Career36:11 Getting Into Art45:23 Artistic Materials and Economic Choices50:35 The Wagtail Phenomenon59:02 An Emotional Painting for Jamie01:02:40 Immersive Activities 01:04:55 Getting Into Poetry01:11:32 Living a Life of Happiness01:15:53 OutroPodcast Links:Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthebeltpod.com/ Spotify: https://btb.fan/spotify Apple Podcasts: https://btb.fan/apple RSS: https://btb.fan/rss Social:Instagram: https://instagram.com/@beyondthebeltpod Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@beyondthebeltpod Youtube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthebeltpod Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beyondthebeltpod.bsky.social Facebook: https://btb.fan/fb

Stephan Kesting is a black belt out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Stephan is a fireman, outdoorsman, podcaster, author, and BJJ instructor and OG jiujitsu content creator. He is currently making the rounds promoting his new book, "Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic."Episode Links:* Book: Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic: https://btb.fan/17-persevere * Strenuous Life Podcast: https://youtube.com/channel/UCxFCWZJbnlRyhw3vmDx0Rlg * Grapple Arts: https://www.grapplearts.com/ * Outdoors Site: https://essentialwilderness.com/ * Personal Site: https://www.stephankesting.com * Instagram: https://instagram.com/@stephan_kesting * YouTube: https://youtube.com/@stephankesting * Threads: https://threads.net/@stephan_kesting * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephankesting * Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/stephankesting.bsky.social * German Jiujitsu Commercial: https://youtube.com/watch?v=X6wpRVqD5VQ * Book: Non-Stop Jiujitsu: https://btb.fan/17-nonstop * High Percentage Leglocks: https://btb.fan/17-leglocks Contact:* Be a Guest: https://btb.fan/newguest Outline:00:00 Intro00:36 Journey to Black Belt09:29 The Early Years of BJJ13:01 Online Content Creation and Teaching19:20 BJJ as You Age23:07 Protect Ya Neck27:15 Firefighter Combat Challenge31:50 From Biologist to Firefighter35:14 First Fire Rescue Operations42:51 Team Dynamics in High-Stress Situations45:00 Prank Culture in Firefighting50:43 Toxicity in Martial Arts55:07 Loneliness and Finding Solitude in Nature01:00:43 The Mental Focus of Wilderness Survival01:06:13 The Importance of Sleep and Recovery01:08:54 Journaling and Reflection01:11:22 Grit, Perseverance, and Risk01:15:50 Toughness is Transferable01:20:57 Why Canoe in Canada01:24:55 Luck and Averages01:27:45 Work-Life Balance01:29:17 The Power of Momentum in Taking Action01:33:11 Lack of Future Plans01:36:06 Perseverance and Promotion01:39:05 OutroPodcast Links:* Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthebeltpod.com/ * Spotify: https://btb.fan/spotify * Apple Podcasts: https://btb.fan/apple * RSS: https://btb.fan/rss Social:* Instagram: https://instagram.com/@beyondthebeltpod * Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@beyondthebeltpod * Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beyondthebeltpod.bsky.social * Youtube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthebeltpod * Facebook: https://btb.fan/fb

Bunmi Ojewole is a black belt out of Cape Town, South Africa. Bunmi is a doctor and currently finishing up her training to become an orthopaedic surgeon. In her spare time, she also fights MMA and dances Kazumba and Bachata. She is one of first few female black belts in South Africa.
 
Episode Links:
* Instagram: https://instagram.com/@bunmiojewole
* Lions Den Jiujitsu: https://instagram.com/@lionsdensa
* Pride Fighting Academy: https://instagram.com/@pf_sa
* South African Gi Girls: https://instagram.com/@southafricangirlsingi
 
Contact:
* Be a Guest: https://btb.fan/newguest
 
Outline:
00:00 Intro
00:23 Journey to Black Belt
02:47 Mentoring in Jiujitsu
06:21 Competitive Landscape
10:26 Opinions of Avatar, the Last Air Bender and Arcane
13:06 Bone Bender and Orthopaedics
16:46 Advice for Queer Women
22:00 Origin Story: Geography and Culture
28:28 Becoming a Orthopaedic Surgeon
32:03 Surgical Stories
37:08 Medicine in South Africa
41:44 Dancing: A Safer Hobby
47:02 Life Lessons: Giving Grace to Others
50:18 Looking to the Future
54:25 Outro
 
Podcast Links:
* Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthebeltpod.com/
* Spotify: https://btb.fan/spotify
* Apple Podcasts: https://btb.fan/apple
* RSS: https://btb.fan/rss
 
Social:
* Instagram: https://instagram.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Youtube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Facebook: https://btb.fan/fb

Matt McPeake is a black belt out of Ontario, Canada. He is also an Engineer, director of Sales in the paper and packaging industry, and a Batman enthusiast.
 
Episode Links:
* Beltchecker: https://www.beltchecker.com/profile.php?id=61
* Instagram: https://instagram.com/@jitzrollz
* Facebook: https://facebook.com/matthew.mcpeake.1
* BJJ Fanatics Introduction to the Power Line: Modified Kesa Gatame: https://btb.fan/15-bjjkesa
* BJJ Fanatics Power Line: Backpack Attack: https://btb.fan/15-bjjback
* Book 1984 by George Orwell: https://btb.fan/15-book1
* Book A History of Canada in 10 Maps by Adam Shoalts: https://btb.fan/15-book2
* Book Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink: https://btb.fan/15-book3
* Book Batman and Ethics by Mark White: https://btb.fan/15-book4
* Comic Batman Contagion by Chuck Dixon: https://btb.fan/15-comic1
* Comic Batman Cataclysm by Chuck Dixon: https://btb.fan/15-comic2
* Comic Batman No Man's Land by Bob Gale: https://btb.fan/15-comic3
 
Contact:
* Be a Guest: https://btb.fan/newguest
 
Outline:
00:00 Intro
00:26 Journey to Black Belt
07:37 Find Your Gym Culture
17:09 Guard Pulling and Rulesets
19:44 Have a Game Plan
22:26 Teaching Structure
27:14 Sticking to the Rules
30:13 The Reality of Competition
37:00 Reading and Lifelong Learning
44:56 Jiujitsu's Role In Life
48:40 Dealing with Injuries
54:16 Life Advice
58:15 Conversation Take 2
59:21 Journey into Engineering and Corporate Career
01:02:14 Understanding the Starch Industry
01:04:34 Making Cardboard Boxes
01:08:12 Sustainability and Innovations in Packaging
01:18:23 Greenwashing and Recycling
01:23:07 Corporate Life
01:25:58 The Path to Advancement
01:35:22 Batman: The Complexity of a Hero
01:41:25 Ethics and Morality: Batman's Dilemma
01:45:07 Different Batmans, Different Villains
01:50:29 Exploring Batman: Recommendations for New Readers
01:52:50 The Importance of Authenticity in Life and Business
01:55:41 Outro
 
Podcast Links:
* Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthebeltpod.com/
* Spotify: https://btb.fan/spotify
* Apple Podcasts: https://btb.fan/apple
* RSS: https://btb.fan/rss
 
Social:
* Instagram: https://instagram.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Youtube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Facebook: https://btb.fan/fb

Will Stone is a black belt out of Swindon, United Kingdom. Will is a member of the UK parliament representing Swindon North, an Army veteran, former bouncer as well as the owner of 10th Planet Swindon.Episode Links:* Will Stone Instagram: https://instagram.com/@WillstoneMP * Will Stone Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/willstone1990/ * 10th Planet Swindon Website: https://www.10thplanetswindon.com/ * 10th Planet Swindon Instagram: https://instagram.com/@10thplanetjiujitsuswindon * Street Sports BJJ Santa Monica: https://instagram.com/@streetsportsbjj * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-stone-mp-b4910a265/ * X: https://x.com/WStone4SN Additional Notes:* Politics Joe Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLtLrjltHVk * Critical Role D&D Podcast: https://critrole.com/podcast/ * Harry Parker Law: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9d55gzeqx8o * Beltchecker: https://www.beltchecker.com/ Contact:* Be a Guest: https://btb.fan/newguest Outline:00:00 Intro00:22 Black Belt Feeling03:21 Complete Jiujitsu07:58 Transitioning to 10th Planet14:06 Competing in Jiujitsu17:29 Teaching Jiujitsu20:14 BJJ Gyms as Communities26:17 Finding Passion in Public Service31:00 What does a Member of Parliament do35:15 MP Casework40:52 Learning to Embrace the Grind46:09 Dad is a Great Influence48:35 The Importance of Support Systems52:55 Learning Who You Are Through Martial Arts55:02 Stories from Bouncing59:49 Building Effective Bouncing Teams01:02:57 The Therapeutic Nature of Hobbies01:06:21 Getting Started with Dungeons & Dragons01:09:10 Advice for Overcoming Challenges01:11:05 God Complex in Coaches01:14:31 IBJJF and JiuJitsu Politics01:18:50 Belts as Validation01:21:39 Breaking from Martial Arts Tradition01:30:33 The Polaris Performance01:38:15 Toxic Masculinity and Positive Male Role Models01:44:11 Reaching Across the Aisle01:48:36 Getting Into Politics01:54:54 OutroPodcast Links:* Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthebeltpod.com/ * Spotify: https://btb.fan/spotify * Apple Podcasts: https://btb.fan/apple * RSS: https://btb.fan/rss Social:* Instagram: https://instagram.com/@beyondthebeltpod * Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@beyondthebeltpod * Youtube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthebeltpod * Facebook: https://btb.fan/fb

Stevie Antoniou is a black belt out of Stockholm, Sweden. Stevie is a world traveler, freelance photographer and videographer, documentarian, and wilderness guide. He has also been diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.Episode Links:* Beltchecker: https://www.beltchecker.com/profile.php?id=44* Personal Instagram: https://instagram.com/@stevieantoniou * Personal Website: https://www.stevieantoniou.com * Hundarutanhem Documentary: https://btb.fan/13-dogdoc * Hundarutanhem: https://hundarutanhem.se/ * Hundarutanhem Donations: https://btb.fan/13-dogdonate * BJJ Globetrotters Documentary: https://btb.fan/13-bjjdoc * BJJ Globetrotters: https://www.bjjglobetrotters.com/ * Book: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie - https://btb.fan/13-book1 * Book: Hunter Gatherer's Guide for the 21st Century by Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein - https://btb.fan/13-book2 Additional Links:* Stevie's Current Job: https://youtube.com/@ErikGrankvist * Crohn's Disease: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crohn%27s_disease Contact:* Be a Guest: https://btb.fan/newguest Outline:00:00 Intro00:21 Journey to Black Belt04:54 Growing Up in Martial Arts07:33 Changing Size in Jiujitsu11:07 Getting Diagnosed with Crohn's Disease14:40 Health Challenges and Personal Growth23:49 Language Learning26:04 Lessons From Traveling33:54 Wilderness Guide37:28 Forest Bathing40:31 Journey into Photography: From Hobby to Profession44:17 The Emotional Side of Photography48:13 Stevie's Favorite Photo51:02 Dogs Without Homes Documentary54:58 BJJ Globetrotters Documentary58:57 Advice for Aspiring Creatives01:02:09 Documentary Stats and Behind the Scenes01:05:49 Gratitude and Doing Hard Things01:08:54 A New Chapter in Life01:11:22 OutroPodcast Links:* Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthebeltpod.com/ * Spotify: https://btb.fan/spotify * Apple Podcasts: https://btb.fan/apple * RSS: https://btb.fan/rss Social:* Instagram: https://instagram.com/@beyondthebeltpod * Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@beyondthebeltpod * Youtube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthebeltpod * Facebook: https://btb.fan/fb

Doug Kimball is a black belt out of Oklahoma, USA. Doug is a former Chief Marketing Officer, seasoned marketing executive, and the Operations Director for the Robson Moura BJJ Association.
 
Episode Links:
* Instagram: https://instagram.com/@dkimballil
* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougkimball/
* Robson Moura Association: https://robsonmoura.com/rmnu/robson-moura-jiu-jitsu-association/
* Robson Moura: https://robsonmoura.com/
* Rafael Lovato BJJ: https://okbjj.com/
 
Contact:
* Be a Guest: https://btb.fan/newguest
 
Outline:
00:00 Intro
00:19 Journey to Black Belt
02:54 Experiencing Age and Jiu-Jitsu
06:27 The Evolution of Jiu-Jitsu
08:59 ACL Injury and Lockdown
10:24 Training Under Different Instructors
16:31 Training Outside His Home Gym
19:35 Starting BJJ Older
23:13 Teaching and a Foundation in Counseling
26:07 BJJ Associations
32:56 Marketing as a Career
36:50 The Importance of Mentorship
39:15 Product Marketing Insights
41:25 Key Performance Indicators in Marketing
44:58 Doug's Innovative Marketing Wins
49:10 The Art of Storytelling in Marketing
51:43 Reflections on C-Level Leadership
56:04 Advice for Personal and Professional Growth
58:00 Future Aspirations and Jiu Jitsu Journey
01:02:40 Changing Gyms as an Upper Belt
01:09:58 Outro
 
Podcast Links:
* Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthebeltpod.com/
* Spotify: https://btb.fan/spotify
* Apple Podcasts: https://btb.fan/apple
* RSS: https://btb.fan/rss
 
Social:
* Instagram: https://instagram.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Youtube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthebeltpod
* Facebook: https://btb.fan/fb