The Side of Jiu-Jitsu We Need to Talk About | Alysa Couce on CJI, ADCC & Women in BJJ

Women in jiu-jitsu, CJI vs ADCC, BJJ injuries, no-gi vs gi, and grappling culture are all on the table in this new episode of The Doctor Jiu Jitsu Show with Alysa Couce, host of Jits and Giggles.

I flew into Philly to sit down with Alysa in person and turn the tables on someone who is usually the one asking the questions.

Alysa has interviewed athletes, coaches, gym owners, and some of the biggest personalities in jiu-jitsu. We talk about what she has learned from more than 100 podcast episodes, including the conversations that changed how she thinks about women in the sport and where professional grappling is headed.

We also get into CJI and ADCC, athlete pay, opportunities for women, and what could help jiu-jitsu continue growing as a mainstream sport. Then we move into something I love talking about: injuries, recovery, and how to keep training for the long haul.

Alysa opens up about her shoulder and knee issues, physical therapy, dry needling, and blood flow restriction training. We also talk about why an MRI finding does not always tell the whole story and why the goal should be treating the person, not just the image.

And of course, we finish with some jiu-jitsu hot takes: gi vs no-gi, braces, warmups, and whether we are spending enough of class actually doing jiu-jitsu.

This was a fun one.

If you train, coach, compete, or simply love the culture around jiu-jitsu, I think you’ll enjoy this conversation.