“Rocket science is not rocket science if you’re a rocket scientist.”

– Dave Camarillo

Dave Camarillo (@DaveCamarillo) was my long-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) coach (see him kicking my ass repeatedly here). Put simply, he is a machine.

On the Mat once said: “It’s funny that everybody in Judo is scared of David’s ne waza and everybody in Jiu-Jitsu is scared of his stand up. (We) guess people, in general, are just scared of him.”

Dave is a very technical coach and an elite-level Jiu-Jitsu competitor. He dominated the lightweight and open weight classes at the 1998 Rickson Gracie American Jiu-Jitsu Association tournament; the legendary Rickson Gracie himself bestowed the honor of Most Technical American Jiu-Jitsu Fighter upon him.

He has worked not only with people on the ground game, but many recognizable MMA (mixed martial arts) figures as a coach and as a corner man.

We’ll delve into:

Tactical training

Military training

Hockey fights

Defending yourself armed only with a flashlight

How Dave’s mom is the best sniping shot in the entire family

And much, much more.

Enjoy!

#196: Meet the Machine, Dave Camarillo https://rss.art19.com/episodes/cb05b374-ba31-4709-97dd-39de41ca8fee.mp3 Download

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Want to hear another episode with an incredible athlete? — Listen to this interview with Amelia Boone, who has been called the Michael Jordan of obstacle course racing (OCR). In this episode, she explores her training, nutrition, rehab, “pre-hab,” and more (stream below or right-click here to download):

#127: Amelia Boone on Beating 99% of Men and Suffering for a High-Performance Life https://rss.art19.com/episodes/0b00afcc-7043-4ca8-aa2d-e7da55de34b8.mp3 Download

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QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with Dave Camarillo:

Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Position Impossible Podcast

Show Notes

Dave takes in my house. [05:35]

We met at an MMA event punctuated by mass hysteria, a stabbing, and SWAT police. [05:57]

Dave was the (usually unnamed) inspiration behind outsourcing my love life. [08:26]

Dave on using martial arts as a problem-solving framework and what’s been keeping him busy lately. [10:37]

MMA fighters Dave has cornered. [11:50]

How should a beginner approach Jiu-Jitsu? [16:32]

Three basic guard principles for staying ahead of the curve and controlling an opponent in a fight. [18:21]

Key differences between Judo and Jiu-Jitsu. [19:42]

Are there elements of Judo that Dave still applies to Jiu-Jitsu lessons? [21:31]

The difference between tachi waza and ne waza. [21:58]

On the benefits of cross training, how it helped Travis Stevens in the 2016 Olympics, and how it keeps a fighter’s repertoire flexible for when he or she needs it most. [22:39]

Dave talks about his first exposure to Jiu-Jitsu at 19 and how it instantly became something he had to do “for the rest of [his] life.” [24:10]

What is shocknife training? [25:39]

How Dave confidently transfers his martial arts problem solving skills to unfamiliar situations and environments. [29:47]

What Dave learned about hockey fights from Steve MacIntyre. [34:07]

How do you defend yourself if you’re only armed with a flashlight? [39:53]

The importance of situational awareness and knowing how to avoid danger in self-defense. [44:22]

Dave’s advice to people who can’t easily avoid danger. [47:06]

Learning to get comfortable under stress (in self-defense and stand-up comedy). [48:36]

What fighting discipline would Dave recommend for (as an example) a 35-year-old, non-military, semi-athletic woman in a bad San Francisco neighborhood looking to defend herself? [51:11]

Dave bounces his own parties — don’t make him go hands on. [53:24]

Is Jiu-Jitsu the greatest martial art? [58:10]

Unlike many other sparring arts, Jiu-Jitsu isn’t just a young person’s game. [1:00:13]

What is Dave’s go-to Judo technique for throws? [1:01:43]

The properly executed foot sweep looks like a magic trick. [1:05:01]

Dave describes what it’s like to corner a professional fighter in a competition. [1:10:32]

Thanks to the way his parents raised him, martial arts became as natural as brushing teeth at an early age. [1:12:40]

Dave talks about the time his brother Dan brought a fugitive to justice. [1:13:30]

The risks of being a real-life vigilante. [1:14:50]

“Simple” help a corner can provide to a fighter during a competition. [1:17:22]

How have Dave’s experiences had an impact on his parenting style? [1:23:28]

Who has impressed Dave the most as a Jiu-Jitsu sparring partner? [1:27:02]

Why does Dave call Marcelo Garcia “The GOAT?” [1:31:45]

Books Dave has gifted the most. [1:34:05]

When you’re working out, you can always count on Slayer and Tool. [1:36:22]

Movies we love. [1:38:05]

Sometimes the teacher learns a shocking lesson from the student. [1:41:24]

On becoming, as Jim Rohn once said, the average of the five people you associate with most. [1:47:26]

What would Dave’s billboard say? [1:49:15]

Dave’s three favorite holidays. [1:49:36]

Dave tells us about how he elevates his mood. [1:50:10]

We talk about happier spending and the pricelessness of family time. [1:51:24]

What advice would Dave give his 30-year-old self? [1:54:21]

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