Blog
Why Incentives Shape Gym Culture More Than Values Do
Gym culture is built by what gets rewarded, not what gets said. How incentive structures shape behavior on the mats and why toughness can become a Veblen good.
April 10, 2026
Read Article
From the Mat
Training, competition, and martial arts insights
Long-form articles from Warrior Fitness Center on BJJ, Muay Thai, MMA, coaching, and the culture of combat sports in Colorado Springs.
Blog
The Economics of Combat Sports: Anxiety and the Market for Judgment
The team and I have had a number of conversations recently about competition anxiety, the kind that shows up before a tournament, before a fight, or even...
March 26, 2026
Read Article.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
BJJ
BJJ for Beginners: What to Expect at Your First Class
Everything you need to know before your first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class at Warrior Fitness Center in Colorado Springs.
March 19, 2026
Read Article
Striking
Muay Thai vs Kickboxing: What's the Difference?
A practical breakdown of Muay Thai and kickboxing for beginners deciding how to start striking training in Colorado Springs.
March 17, 2026
Read Article
BJJ
Benefits of BJJ for Military and Veterans
Why Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu works so well for active duty service members and veterans training in Colorado Springs.
March 15, 2026
Read Article
Culture
The Economics of Combat Sports Part 2
A gym-owner perspective on why coaching quality, room culture, and athlete development matter more than surface-level hype.
March 13, 2026
Read Article
Blog
Tips on Holding Yourself Accountable
How to Hold Yourself Accountable to Your Goals I know how challenging it can be to stay on track with your goals. Whether you want to improve your skills,...
July 31, 2023
Read ArticleBlog
The Economics of Combat Sports (Part 1)
The Economics of Combat Sports Part 1 The team and I were recently up coaching and competing at the TBA World Expo, which is a large event and tournament...
June 25, 2019
Read Article
Blog
Podcast About BJJ Training Mentality
Click below to see BJJ Professor Benjamin Westrich giving a talk about training, fighting, and life. Get to listening
October 31, 2018
Read Article
Blog
Routines For Consistent Competition (Part 2)
For Part 1, Click Here!Deliberate Training Creates Competitive Success Too often we go through the motions of training, without actually getting the full...
July 16, 2018
Read ArticleBlog
Guest Post: Warrior Fitness team Doc Dr. Ryan Engelhardt talks about "fighting"
Professor Ben had shared this video with me the other day, its about how a Seal Team 6 member motivated himself and his team to face a mission they were r...
November 6, 2017
Read ArticleBlog
Is My Gym the "Best"?
Lets start off by answering the question: No. I mean... Yes. Well, it depends. It is very possible that two people could have two different gyms which are...
October 23, 2017
Read ArticleBJJ
How Am I Holding Myself Back?
First, let’s just address the elephant in the room. You may not be the only thing holding you back, but you can only control what YOU are doing to hold YO...
September 19, 2016
Read ArticleBJJ
Routines For Consistent Competition (Part 1)
Routines are one of the most overlooked and underutilized tools for most competitions. Though you may have some sort of routine, or even worse – a ritual,...
September 14, 2016
Read Article
BJJ
So We Need To Have "The Talk"
You lost. You may or may not think you did, but in the end, it isn’t your decision. It’s the judges have a say in it, the ref has a say in it, you have so...
April 19, 2016
Read Article
BJJ
Are BJJ Competitions Required For Advancement?
Yes. But let me explain. I do not just mean IBJJF tournaments (or your local promoters), I mean in the sense that we gain the most of our knowledge throug...
April 12, 2016
Read Article
Blog
Why The IBJJF Frustrates Me (And What We Can Do About It)
1. Unfair Rule System – I am not saying I disagree with specific rules that the IBJJF employs, that’s the next point. For this one, I am just stating that...
March 28, 2016
Read Article
Blog
Advice I Needed at White Belt (But Wouldn't Have Listened To)
1. Have fun! It’s not that I didn’t want to have fun. I just didn’t know what fun was. I thought that beating other people was fun. Which, with that sort...
March 26, 2016
Read Article
Blog
Return From Pan Ams
Hey! Just got back from the IBJJF Pan Ams and decided, with the questions I was getting, to open up a blog on competitions, training, what to look for in...
March 25, 2016
Read Article