What happens when four Judo black belts sit down for an honest, no-nonsense roundtable discussion about the state of Judo today? In this episode, Cole Stanley, Vernon Kirk, Austin Hansen, and Ken Nazemetz come together to tackle the conversations that matter most: Judo as an art vs. Judo as a sport, the challenges of promoting Judo in the United States, and what must change if we want to see real growth—especially among adults. This isn’t hype or politics; it’s lived experience from coaches and practitioners who care deeply about the future of Judo.

We also dig into why grassroots development is non-negotiable, how clubs can better attract and retain adult students, and—importantly—what’s actually going right in Judo right now. If you’re a coach, competitor, recreational player, or simply someone who loves Judo and wants to see it thrive, this discussion offers insight, perspective, and practical ideas worth hearing. Thoughtful, honest, and forward-looking—this is a conversation for anyone invested in Judo’s future.

Thank you to our sponsor: Darho Judo and Kwon USA. From now till January of 2026, recieve 25% off of any judo item on their website. Use promo code: cole25.

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On today's episode, I welcome Sensei Thompson to the podcast. Sensei Thompson is a traditional martial artist that is involved heavily in spreading the wisdom and spirit of martial arts. We sit down and have a great conversation about philsophy, our journeys, and ways we can spread martial arts. #grapplinglife #martialarts #judoblackbelt #bjj #judocoach #judo #student1stmartialarts #sensei #senseiexplains #jiujitsu #podcast #martialartspodcast #judopodcast #nidan #karate #kenpo #kenpokarate #grappling #fightpodcast #fighter #philosophy #talk #talking #conversation #meaningful #traditionalmartialarts #spreadtheword #enjoyment #fun #cool #technique #philospher #sitaroundthefire #likemindedpeople #martialartsjourney #martialartsbusiness #grow #growyourchannel #growyourbusiness

On today’s episode, I’m excited to welcome back my friend, Rob Tate.Rob is a standout athlete with a deep North Carolina wrestling pedigree. He was a state champion for East Gaston High School, a three-time state placer, and later went on to wrestle Division I at Gardner-Webb University.During his collegiate career, Rob qualified for the NCAA Division I Tournament, became an East Regional Champion and two-time finalist, earned East Region Wrestler of the Week multiple times, and was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 2007 Pembroke Classic.Rob later served as the head wrestling coach at Queens University in Charlotte before the program was dissolved. Today, he works with USA Wrestling in Utah, continuing his commitment to growing the sport at a national level.On top of all that, Rob is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under John Piper— and most importantly, he’s a good friend of mine.Check out this episode and more on Well Rounded Grappler, found on both Spotify and Youtube. #WrestlingPodcast #BJJPodcast #CombatSportsTalk #WrestlingLife #CollegeWrestling #NCAAWrestling #DivisionIWrestling #HighSchoolWrestling #WrestlingCommunity #WrestlingFamily #WrestlingNation #BJJLife #BrownBeltBJJ #GrapplingTalk #GrapplingNation #CombatSportsPodcast #WrestlingCoach #WrestlingLegacy #USAWwrestling #USAWrestling #GardnerWebb #QueensUniversity #WrestlingHistory #EastGaston #NorthCarolinaWrestling #NCWrestling #BJJCommunity #GrapplersUnite #GrapplingArts #FightTalk #AthleteSpotlight #PodcastInterview #SportsPodcast #CombatAthlete #GrapplingCulture #ChampionMindset #WrestlingJourney #BJJJourney #GrapplingLife #MartialArtsPodcast