"You're not in competition with anybody — you're just trying to get better than the person that walked in on day one."

What if the reason you're burning out, getting injured, or quietly losing confidence… isn't your age — but the way you define success?

Most men step on the mat trying to prove something.
They leave years later either broken, bitter, or gone entirely.

Most men don't quit Jiu-Jitsu because they're too old — they quit because their ego can't handle not winning.

This week with Rick Ellis, we break down why recovery is training, why intensity isn't discipline, and why the only real competition is you vs the man who walked in on day one.

If you want to train for decades — not just dominate for months — this episode will change how you measure success.

You can level up with the show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/rickellis235/

In this conversation with Rick Ellis, you'll hear a completely different framework:

• Why taps don't matter as much as you think
• Why recovery is training
• Why ego — not ability — is what really slows progress
• And why the only metric that ever mattered… was you vs the old you.

🎙️ Meet Rick Ellis — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, creator of The Art of Skill, and author of a guide built for grapplers who refuse to quit.

He didn't start at 20. He started at 41 — and cracked the code on how to train, improve, and stay dangerous without destroying your body.

If you've ever felt:

• Too old

• Not fit enough

• Behind everyone else

• Or quietly beating yourself up after a "bad session"

This episode might change how you train — and how you live.

Because this isn't really about jiu-jitsu.

It's about longevity. Identity. And redefining what winning actually means.

#rickellis #podcast #bjj #grappling #martialarts #oldergrapplers #oldergrapplerhandbook #artofskill #longevity #trainsmarternotharder #identity #killtheego #jiujitsu #whatsuccessactuallyis #redefinewhatwinningis #blackbelt #brazilianjiujitsu #dontburnout #injury #winthedecadenotjusttheround

I recorded an episode this week that stayed with me long after we stopped recording.

I sat down with James K. Ellis, a clinical psychologist known as The Loneliness Doctor, and we talked about something a lot of men feel but rarely say out loud — that quiet, gnawing sense of not quite fitting, even when life looks fine from the outside.

One of the biggest shifts from this conversation was realising that loneliness isn't a personal failure. It's not proof that you're broken. It's a signal — information your system is giving you about connection, meaning, and how your life is actually structured right now.

We talk about why you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely, why friendships get harder for men as adults, and why connection isn't dependency — it's humanity.

If you've ever felt that deep, quiet ache… this conversation will land.

You can level up with the show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/jameskellis234/

You'll leave feeling less broken, more grounded, and clearer on how to build real connection as an adult.

🎙️ Meet James K. Ellis — a clinical psychologist focused on modern loneliness, helping people build real connection without shame, fluff, or quick fixes.

#jameskellis #loneliness #socialisolation #lonely #lonelinessisnotapersonalfailure #lonelinessisasignal #connection #betterfriendships #lonelinessdoctor

How to build Real Confidence through Pressure | Discipline, Fatigue & Mastery with Owen Livesey

"You don't rise to the occasion — you default to whatever you've trained when you're exhausted." — Owen Livesey

What if the reason most men fail isn't talent, technique, or motivation — but their inability to stay consistent when nobody's watching?

🎙️ Meet Owen Livesey — world-class pressure grappler, former elite judoka, and coach known for breaking opponents with simplicity, fatigue, and control rather than flashy techniques.

In this conversation, Owen Livesey breaks down how relentless fundamentals, pressure, and long-term discipline quietly beat flash, hype, and shortcuts — on the mat and in life.

Level up with the show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/owenlivesey233/

This episode will show you why most men train harder — but very few train smarter under pressure. From Olympic dreams to rebuilding his life, Owen explains how showing up daily, mastering fundamentals, and training tired is what separates real operators from pretenders.

#owenlivesey #grappling #bjj #competing #podcast #nextlevelguypodcast #pressure #discipline #bjjgame #olympics 'longtermdiscipline #fundamentalsbeatsflashy #judo #trainsmarternotharder #masterthefundamentals #winonthemats #smarterunderpressure #traintowin #winonthematsandlife

What if one of the most expensive mistakes you're making with food has nothing to do with how you cook — but what you don't know about the meat you're buying?

In this episode, I sit down with Brad Baych to unpack why so many of us are overpaying, under-flavouring, and missing out on some of the best cuts of the cow — not because we're bad cooks, but because no one ever showed us what to look for.

Brad shares butcher-level insights that instantly upgrade how you shop, how you cook, and how you think about the food on your plate. It's practical, it's grounding, and honestly, it gives you that quiet confidence that comes from knowing what you're doing — instead of guessing. (And yes… it also makes a cracking Christmas gift for the foodie in your life.)

Level up with the show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/bradbaych232/

🎙️ Brad Baych is a butcher, chef, YouTube educator, and published author who helps everyday guys cook better meat, save serious money, and stop feeling lost in the supermarket aisle. From fine-dining kitchens to breaking down whole cuts at home, his mission is simple: teach what most of us were never taught.

Listen to this one and you won't just cook better — you'll move through life with a bit more calm, control, and respect for what's on your plate.

#meat #podcast #nextlevelguypodcast #bradbaych #butcherwizard #eatbetter #cookbetter #newcookbook #newauthor #butchery #greatgiftforothers #impressdates #flavourmeatbetter #learlovelevelup #youtube #savemoney #savemoneyshopping

From Self-Doubt to World Stage: Andy Black on Pressure, Purpose & Progress

"What if the people hyping you up are the very reason you're stuck? You don't need hype — you need people honest enough to tell you when you can do better."

What does real strength look like when the hype is stripped away?

In this episode of The Next Level Guy Podcast, I sit down with elite Scottish strongman and World's Strongest Man competitor Andy Black to talk about what actually drives long-term progress — in training, performance, and life.

Meet Andy Black — elite Scottish strongman and World's Strongest Man competitor who proves that simple systems, honest brotherhood, and emotional control beat ego every time.

Most people think strength is about numbers, noise, and ego.
This conversation proves it isn't.

Level up with the show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/andyblack231/

Andy breaks down why being the strongest guy in the gym can hold you back, why honest training partners matter more than motivation, and how elite performers handle nerves and pressure instead of trying to eliminate them. We dive into keeping things simple, competing against yourself, and shifting focus from ego and validation to legacy, family, and doing the work the right way.

This isn't a highlight-reel conversation. It's a grounded, no-BS look at discipline, accountability, emotional control, and building something meaningful — whether you lift, compete, or just want to show up better in your own life.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why honest feedback beats praise every time

• How to use nerves as fuel instead of fear

• Why most people overcomplicate progress

• How to stop chasing validation and trust your own effort

• What happens when you shift from ego-driven goals to legacy-driven ones

If you're tired of surface-level motivation and want principles that actually stick — this episode will reset how you think about strength and progress.

#AndyBlack #Strongman #Scottish #Scotland #Pressure #weights #weighlifting #motivation #brotherhood #principles #legacy #kids #fatherhood #ego #strength #truth #competition #recordholder #defeatnerves #liftbigbutlovebigger #friendships #itsyouvsyou #family

Michael "The Monster" Todd: Faith, Grit & Finding Your Way Back

"Mediocrity disgusts me. Being normal never made sense."
— Michael "The Monster" Todd

🎙️ Meet Michael "The Monster" Todd — world champion arm wrestler, founder of The Monster Factory, and proof that grit, faith, and consistency can turn pain into power.

Level Up with the Show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/michaelthemonstertodd230/

This isn't just about arm wrestling — it's about what it takes to rebuild yourself when life breaks you.

Michael "The Monster" Todd has faced shattered bones, brutal losses, and rule changes designed to stop him — yet every time, he's adapted, rebuilt, and risen stronger.

Beyond the table, he's built a space where athletes and everyday people come together to push limits, find purpose, and reject mediocrity.

His philosophy is simple: hard work, consistency, and faith over excuses.

If you've ever felt beaten down or ready to quit, this one will relight the fire.

#armwrestling #monstermichaeltodd #recovery #reigniteyourfire #bounceback #comebackstronger #liveforyourprinciples #faith #purpose #grit #consistency #rebuildyourself #monsterfactory #risestronger

The White Belt in Your Head: Overcoming Self-Doubt at Every Level

"You can't have negative self-talk while someone's trying to strangle you." — Daniel Schuardt

Level Up with the show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/danielschuardt229/

🎙️ What if the secret to silencing your inner critic… was letting someone try to strangle you? Today, Daniel Schuardt joins me to talk ego death, imposter syndrome, and how getting choked can actually change your life.

🎙️ Meet Daniel Schuardt — elite jiu-jitsu black belt, ADCC veteran, and creator of The Man Child, whose mix of high-level technique, humour, and raw honesty is redefining what it means to fight, teach, and think on the mats.

#themanchild #DanielSchuardt #BJJ #grappling #competing #nextlevelguypodcast #levelupyourlife #jiujitsu #highleveltechnique #impostersyndrome #elitetraining #stopnegativity #chokeoutnegativeselftalk #emotions

"BJJ isn't that hard — people just make it hard by chasing fluff. If you focus on movement and fundamentals, everything else falls into place."

What if Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu isn't actually that hard? My guest today says the problem isn't the art itself — it's the way we've been taught to overcomplicate it.

Meet Randy William — BJJ black belt, police officer, and straight-talking coach who's on a mission to cut through the fluff and show you why "BJJ isn't that hard." From teaching as a blue belt on an Air Force base to revolutionishing the teaching of BJJ, Randy brings raw honesty, practical wisdom, and a no-BS approach to mastering the art.

Level up with the show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/randywilliam228/

#bjj #grappling #randywilliam #movement #fundamentals #bjjaintthathard #rawhonesty #practicalwisdow #mastertheart #youguysarefu*kingstupid #stopovercomplicatingit