What an honor it was to sit down with Austin, Anthony, and Thomas! 4 blackbelts, lots to talk about. Some of the topics we covered today: 1. Is the mindset of "hard nosed" judo outdated? (100s of uchi komis, hard rounds, stop the bleeding and work harder)2. With all the activities people have to choose from, how can we make judo stand out and be more desirable?3. How do we get people to stick with judo for the long haul?4. Advice to anyone wanting to try judo for the 1st time?Contacts & Socials:Cole Stanley, Student 1st Martial Arts & Fitness, Monroe, NC704-219-6011 student1stmartialarts.comWell Rounded Grappler on SpotifyAnthony Lau, Hollywood Judo, Los Angles, CAtatamitalk@gmail.com@anthonythrows on IGAustin Hansen, Seijuku Dan Judo, Sanford, NChttps://www.sdjjudo.com/ Cell: 913-704-5145 (call or text anytime)Facebook, Tiktok, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and X at " Seijuku Dan Judo."Thomas Allen, Chantilly MMA, Chantilly, VAChantillyMMA.com@the_take_down_Bjj on IG.#roundtabletalk #roundtablemeeting #roundtable #roundtablediscussion #podcast #martialarts #judolife #judocoach #judopodcast #wellroundedgrappler #bjj #martialartsjourney #mma #judocoach #judo #jiujitsu #judoblackbelt #grappling #martialartsbusiness #martialartspodcast #help #discussion #motivation #senseiexplains #nidan #shidan #shodan #talking #knowledgeispower #knowledge #insight #usajudo #usjijudo #usjfjudo #judofighter

Jeff Brown, father of Colton Brown (judo olympian), sits down with me and tells his story of 50 years in the martial art of judo. He is a WELL of knowledge. We talk about his beginnings, the early days, his involvement with Colton's judo career, the state of judo today, and his hand in the Colton Brown Training Center. You are really going to like this interview with Jeff. His positive energy is infectious and we have a ton of laughs during our inteview on Well Rounded Grappler. #judoblackbelt #judolife #judocoach #judo #judotraining #judofighter #mma #martialarts #martialartsjourney #martialartsbusiness #businessowner #business #businesstips #nidan #sensei #senseiexplains #50years #lifelongpassion #passion #father #fatherhood #fatherhoodmoments #fun #joy #insporation #lifelongservice #teaching #spreadsmile #funny #loveofthesport #coltonbrown #coltonbrowntrainingcenter #newjersey

Travel, judo, culture, human connection, and the untold stories from the mats around the globe 🌍 — this week on the Well Rounded Grappler Podcast, we’re honored to welcome Julien Brulard, better known around the world as The Judo Nomad.

Julien is no ordinary judoka — he’s a French black belt on a mission to visit, train, teach, and elevate judo everywhere he goes. What started as a dream has become one of the most inspiring journeys in martial arts: traveling to dozens of countries, sharing judo for free, building community, and expanding what the sport can truly mean for humanity.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

🥋 Why Julien left the traditional path and chose the open road

✈️ How he’s teaching judo around the world without sponsors or big funding

🌏 Stories from Mongolia, Japan, Europe, the Pacific Islands, and places most judoka never step foot

🤝 The humanity, connection, and family found in dojos from every continent

🧭 How judo breaks language barriers, builds culture bridges, and inspires hope

🎙️ His future goals, including returning to Europe to continue his mission

Whether you’re a competitive athlete, coach, lifelong martial artist, traveler, or just curious what happens when you take your passion seriously — Julien’s story is a reminder that judo is more than a sport — it’s a global family.

Hit SUBSCRIBE if you love inspiring journeys, travel stories, martial arts philosophy, and all things grappling 🎧🥋

🔥 Don’t forget to like, comment your favorite part, and share this episode with a friend! 🔥

📌 TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Intro: Who Is The Judo Nomad?

02:15 – Julien’s Unconventional Journey Begins

08:45 – Teaching Judo in Remote Dojos Across the World

15:50 – Culture, Community & The Global Judo Family

24:30 – Challenges, Triumphs & Lessons Learned

32:00 – What’s Next for Julien

40:10 – Final Thoughts + How to Support the Project🧠 FOLLOW JULIENInstagram: thejudonomad – travel updates + dojo highlights 🌍 @thejudonomadYouTube: The Judo Nomad Channel – technique, travel & story videos

https://thejudonomad.com/📌 WATCH NEXT👉 Highlights from Julien’s travel in Mongolia👉 Teaching judo at the Kodokan in Tokyo👉 How to connect with dojos around the world

#judo #traveltheworld #JudoNomad #WellRoundedGrappler #martialarts #podcast #travelpodcast #judolife #GlobalJudo #TeachJudo #dojolife #culturalconnection #blackbeltjourney #adventure #judocommunity #inspirational #judofamily #worldtraveler #martialartslife #JudoEverywhere #sportstravel #nomadiclife #judojourney #teachingabroad #humanconnection #lifelessons #grappling #martialartspodcast #athletestories #GrassrootsJudo #JudoCulture #interview #motivation #wanderlust #DojoTour #fightlife #judoworld #training #passion #TravelAndTeach

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.

www.kwonusa.com

Contact me directly for 10% off any item in the catalog. student1stservices@gmail.com 704-219-6011

#judo #judoblackbelt #judolife #judotalk #judopodcast #judoroundtable #judocommunity #judocoach #judotraining #judousa #martialarts #martialartslife #martialartspodcast #martialartsdiscussion #grappling #grapplingarts #bjjandjudo #standupgrappling #takedowns #combatarts #judohistory #judoculture #judodevelopment #growjudo #grassrootsjudo #judoclub #judoadults #adultjudo #coachlife #blackbeltlife #martialartseducation #traditionaljudo #competitionjudo #judophilosophy #judomindset #judofuture #supportjudo #judovoices #judoleaders #judoinamerica #judousgrowth #judoconversation #judopromotion #judopassion #judolegacy #judoworld #judotribe #judopride

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

Episode 53 of The Well Rounded Grappler features a deep-dive with one of the most technical minds in modern Judo – Shintaro Higashi. 🥋🔥

Shintaro is a 6th-dan Judo black belt, 2x USA Judo Senior National Champion, former World Team member for Team USA, and climbed as high as 43rd in the IJF world rankings at 100 kg. He’s a Sambo Pan-American champion, BJJ black belt, and All-State wrestler, and he runs the legendary Kokushi Budo Institute in NYC as well as a massively popular Judo YouTube channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers.

In this conversation we get into what really makes Judo work for Jiu-Jitsu and modern grappling – not just theory, but details you can take straight to the mats. We talk about grip fighting, low-risk throws for BJJ, leg grabs, transition to newaza, and how to blend Judo, wrestling, BJJ, and Sambo into a complete takedown game.

In this episode:

Training under his father Nobuyoshi Higashi and inheriting Kokushi Budo Institute in New York City

How he designs Judo for BJJ systems: safe entries, posture, and breaking stubborn stiff-arms

The truth about leg grabs, rule changes, and what still works for Jiu-Jitsu & MMA

Building one of the internet’s biggest Judo education platforms and what he’s learned as a coach, professor, and entrepreneur

If you’re a BJJ player who hates pulling guard, a Judo player trying to adapt to new rules, or just a grappling nerd who loves high-level strategy, this episode is loaded with concepts, stories, and drills you can plug into your training right away.

👇 Support the show

Hit LIKE, drop a comment with your biggest takeaway, and SUBSCRIBE for more high-level grappling conversations.

Share this episode with a training partner who needs better takedowns!

Check out Shintaro's Socials:

https://www.youtube.com/@UC70qwffU7qQvTVm26wziD8A

#wellroundedgrappler #ShintaroHigashi #judo #bjjfamily #judoforbjj #grappling #jiujitsu #nogi #mma #combatsports #takedowns #throws #newaza #SubmissionGrappling #WrestlingForBJJ #sambo #martialarts #olympicjudo #teamusa #blackbelt #KokushiBudo #GrapplerLifestyle #judothrows #GripFighting #LegGrabs #TakedownTips #bjjtechniques #bjjwhitebelt #bjjbluebelt #BJJBrownBelt #bjjblackbelt #dojolife #TrainHard #coachlife #martialartspodcast #grapplingpodcast #JudoInstruction #BJJInstructionals #selfdefense #fightiq

🥋🔥I sat down with 2x Judo Olympian & Multiple-Time National Champion, Colton Brown, at his dojo — The Colton Brown Training Center in Warren, NJ.

I spent two days training with some of the top Judoka in the U.S., including international competitors, and this interview did not disappoint.

🙌Colton shared incredible insight about:

💪 How he started his dojo from the ground up

🔥 The struggles and mindset of a gym owner

🥇 What it takes to compete at the Olympic level

🌎 How his program became one of the largest Judo clubs in the country. Colton is an amazing athlete, coach, and host — and this conversation gives real perspective on what it takes to build champions on and off the mat.

👊🎧 Watch & listen now on YouTube and Spotify!

📺 Search: Well Rounded Grappler Podcast

📲 Follow Colton Brown on Facebook, Instagram, & YouTube📍 Visit Colton Brown Training Center – Warren, NJ

#WellRoundedGrappler #ColtonBrown #ColtonBrownTrainingCenter #JudoPodcast #bjjpodcast #JudoOlympian #olympicjudo #judolife #judotraining #usajudo #bjjcommunity #GrapplingPodcast #martialartspodcast #grapplinglife #judoclub #bjjforlife #combatsports #judonation #bjjlifestyle #TrainHard #martialartsjourney #blackbeltmindset #grapplingarts #dojolife #trainwiththebest #judofamily #OlympianMindset #combatathlete #judothrows #martialartist #grapplers #WellRoundedAthlete #bjjtraining #judochampionship #martialartsmotivation #GrapplingWorld #fightculture #TrainJudo #TrainBJJ #neverstoptraining #OlympicMindset