Chokeholds and Chill Podcast

In this bonus episode of Chokeholds & Chill, Jenn sits down with Nick “Chewy” Albin to talk about one of the biggest life shifts there is — becoming a parent.

We get real about what it looks like to find time for yourself when everything changes, how jiu jitsu fits (or doesn’t) when life gets busy, and why staying on the mats doesn’t always mean training harder — sometimes it means showing up differe...

Jenn sits down mat-side with Ron Jarman, black belt under Tom DeBlass and the force behind Hero Academy BJJ in Tamarindo, Costa Rica.

This episode cuts straight to who Ron really is — his values, his leadership style, and what he’s building with Hero Academy. We talk vision, intention, and the long game of jiu jitsu, plus what the future holds for Hero as a training destination in 2026.

In this episode of Chokeholds & Chill, we sit down with BJJ black belt Justin Court to talk about his journey on the mats, his experience on Netflix’s Outlast, and *most importantly* what it’s like being a girl dad raising a daughter in jiu jitsu.

Justin shares how earning his black belt under Chewy at Derby City MMA shaped his values, discipline, and long-term mindset — and how those lessons now guide the way he teaches, lead...

What does it take to build a lifetime in jiu jitsu—and still love it decades later?

In this episode, Jenn and Mal sit down with Shannon White, 2nd Degree BJJ Black Belt, owner and head coach of True Art BJJ, and a lifelong grappler with over 30 years of wrestling and jiu jitsu experience. Shannon shares his journey from growing up and finding the mats, to competing, running a successful a...

In this episode of Chokeholds & Chill, Jenn and Mal sit down with Emily Wooten—law enforcement officer, elite competitor, and a woman whose relationship with jiu jitsu runs far deeper than medals.

Emily shares how both jiu jitsu and law enforcement entered her life through the same door: a desire for power, protection, and choice after growing up in instability. We talk about discipline over motivation, building habits when emo...

This week on Chokeholds & Chill, we’re joined by Kari Summers and Mendi Carlson, the women behind Unbreakable Jiu Jitsu Camps.

Training out of the DFW area under Professor Karen Banes, both women are mothers, heavily active competitors, and leaders in the women’s jiu jitsu community. They created Unbreakable with one clear goal: make jiu jitsu more accessible for women by bringing the...

C*nnabis. Jiu Jitsu. Culture shift.

This week on Chokeholds & Chill, Jenn and Mal talk with Chelsea Kossower of Puffco about breaking down stigma and changing the conversation around c*nnabis in combat sports.

We dive into the story behind Puffco becoming an official sponsor of UFC BJJ, what that moment represented for the sport, and the intentional steps...

A quick stats check before we keep rolling.

In this 10-minute episode, Jenn and Mal recap the 2025 season of Chokeholds & Chill—total episodes, total interviews, how many states our guests came from, how many black belts sat across from us, and how many downloads brought the pod to life this year.

Short, sweet, and celebratory. Thanks for being part of th...

Today we’re sitting down with TJ Brownfield — a lifelong martial artist, a traveling coach, and the man responsible for growing the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu footprint here on the Oregon coast.

Originally from Colorado, TJ spent time moving around with his wife while she served in the military. After retiring from the tech industry, he dove fully into the world of Jiu-Jitsu.. a journey he actually started later in life at age 38.

TJ has bee...

In today’s episode, we sit down with Heather Woods, a seasoned BJJ black belt, world traveler, world champion competitor & dedicated coach, to unpack her unique path through jiu-jitsu.

Heather began her journey with BJJ as a wanderer - traveling the world, exploring different gyms, and immersing herself in various training cultures. Over time, her dedication led her to earn her black belt from Atos Jiu-Jitsu under legendary coa...

This week on Chokeholds & Chill, Jenn sits down with Gwena — a jiu jitsu blue belt and the creator of the “From My Mat to Yours” podcast.

After her breast cancer diagnosis, Gwena built her podcast as a way to stay connected to the Jiu Jitsu community she loves so deeply. In this episode, she opens up about the realities of navigating life, training, identity, and healing through an en...

This week we’re joined by Zoe Parris, a competitor whose grit and growth mindset are turning heads on and off the mats. Jenn and Mal dive into Zoe’s journey—from her early days training to the challenges, breakthroughs, and self-discovery that come with chasing jiu-jitsu at a high level.

Expect real talk, plenty of laughs, and a refreshingly honest look at what it takes to keep evolving a...

In this episode, Mal and Jenn sit down with Mal’s sister, Lindsay — a special education teacher, early intervention specialist, and mom — to explore her world supporting tiny humans with big needs and being a steady force for the families who love them. She tells us all about her business, Jump the Line, and the services that she offers to support families. We talk about motherhood, marijuana as a regulation tool, and...

Rob Ingram — aka McDojo Life — joins Jenn and Mal for a deeply honest conversation about what really goes on in some martial arts schools. In this episode, we talk about fraud, abuse, and the people who use “dojo” as a disguise for predatory behavior.

Rob shares how he’s uncovered fake instructors, cult-like gym cultures, predatory behavior, and financial scams. We also confront the darkest parts of this...

In this week's episode of Chokeholds & Chill we sat down with Patrick “Durkin” Cummins for a conversation that somehow hits every chapter of his life in one go. We start off joking around (fast forward a touch if you don't like dirty jokes), but quickly dig into the real story — from walking on to wrestle at Penn State, being a member of the National team, navigating legal trouble, getting thrown straight into the...

From rolling on mismatched mats in rural Pennsylvania to training under John Danaher, Garry Tonon, and Gordon Ryan — Katie Hooven’s story is one of obsession, evolution, and community.

Jenn and Mallory sit down with Katie to talk about her journey through small-town beginnings, the legendary blue basement, moving to Puerto Rico mid-pandemic, and now helping lead the next generation at Kingsway Jiu Jitsu in Austin.

She also opens up...

From a small farm town basement to the black belt ranks, John Kress’s Jiu Jitsu journey is anything but ordinary. Starting at 16, he trained with wrestlers, rolled on makeshift mats, and fought his way through local tournaments before earning his black belt after 16 years of dedication.

Now our newest professor at Union Jiu Jitsu, John shares his story of competition, discipline, and passion for the fund...

From running the world’s largest women’s Jiu Jitsu camp to coaching business owners and hosting podcasts, AJ Clingerman somehow does it all — and still finds time to roll.

Jenn and Mallory talk with AJ about how she built her Roll Models empire, the lessons she’s learned about leadership and burnout, and why creating safe spaces for women in Jiu Jitsu matters more than ever.

Check out www.rollmodelswanted.com

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