"Crash Test" Tommy Dowdall is a black belt out of Canada. He is a mental health crisis counselor with over 30 years of experience. He has also fostered over 50 children.

Episode Links:

• Crash Test Tommy's Youtube Channel
• Jerk Chicken Sauce
• Tommy's Story
• Beltchecker

Additional Notes:

• Teaching at BJJ Globetrotters Heidelberg 2025

Outline:

00:00 Journey to Black Belt

04:24 Patterns of Learning in Jiu-Jitsu

10:23 Mental Health and Jiu-Jitsu: An Intersection

21:42 Crisis Counseling: Daily Challenges and Insights

26:09 Pattern Matches and Not Rolling Hard

29:30 Mat Culture and Safe Spaces

35:35 Fostering Children: A Compassionate Life

40:33 Culinary Adventures: The Jerk Chicken Sauce Story

45:05 Balancing Life: Jiu-Jitsu, Counseling, and More

49:09 Understand Your Dog

53:00 Walkout Music

54:22 Outro

Podcast Links:

• Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthebeltpod.com/

Social:

• Instagram: @beyondthebeltpod
• Tiktok: @beyondthebeltpod
• Youtube: @beyondthebeltpod

Missy Baize is a black belt from Wenona, Illinois, USA out of War Horse BJJ. She is a medical technician and studying to become a paramedical tattoo artist.

Episode Links:

• War Horse BJJ Facebook
• War Horse BJJ Instagram
• Teaching at Rough Hands Camp in April

Additional Notes:

• Beltchecker

Outline:

00:00 Intro

00:17 Journey to Black Belt

03:07 Overcoming Haters and Self-Doubt

06:35 Learning and Dealing with Frustration

09:33 Lessons for Women

14:14 Teaching and Coaching People with Special Needs

16:19 What's It Like Being a Medical Technician

19:46 Working in Emergency Medicine

22:51 Anatomy and Physiology

24:16 Handling Pressure

26:29 Leadership Off the Mats

28:41 Misconceptions about Med-Techs

30:26 Exploring Paramedical Tattooing

32:16 Studying to be a Paramedical Tattoo Artist

36:45 Parallels in Skill Building

38:15 Having a Lot of Irons in the Fire

39:16 Breaking Down Problems as a Skill

40:59 Any Advice

42:16 Long Breaks from Jiujitsu

45:25 Advice for Long Layoffs

46:04 Advice for Non-Jiujitsu People

48:43 Promotions from Missy

49:47 Outro

Podcast Links:

• Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthebeltpod.com/

Social:

• Instagram: @beyondthebeltpod
• Tiktok: @beyondthebeltpod
• Facebook
• Youtube: @beyondthebeltpod

Sebastian Elmenhoff is a Swedish black belt who gave up a good corporate job to live on a farm and raise his family.

Episode Links:

• Personal Instagram
• Beltchecker

Outline:

00:00 Intro

00:17 Journey to Black Belt

05:52 Proving You're A Black Belt

08:57 Life Lessons from Jiu Jitsu

10:00 Buying the Farm

13:27 Lessons From the Farm

15:14 Not Everyone Burns Out to a Farm

16:00 Jiujitsu's Role in your Life Today

18:11 BJJ with a Physically Intense Job

22:17 Foundation from Jiujitsu

24:27 Raising Air Force Dogs

27:12 Training Dogs: Bridging Passion and Purpose

31:57 Giving Up Your Fostered Dog

35:45 Dog and Human Psychology

37:29 Relating it back to BJJ

38:36 2 Weeks as a Black Belt

40:41 Favorite Jiujitsu Memory

42:19 Learning to Trust Yourself

43:54 Thank You

44:43 Outro

Podcast Links:

• Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthebeltpod.com/

Social:

• Instagram: @beyondthebeltpod
• Tiktok: @beyondthebeltpod
• Youtube: @beyondthebeltpod