Professor Alex Martinez, a Navy veteran who started jiu-jitsu at 40 and is now an Arizona black belt, academy owner and host of the BJJ Foxcast, joins Pete and Professor Lucas Rubbo for the show's first episode of 2023. Out of shape after years away from the military and triathlons, he walked into an academy in Mesa still wearing his shirt and tie from a business trip, threw up during warm-ups twice that first week, and knew right away he was in it for life. He explains how the mat brought back the family feeling of his division aboard ship, and why he believes "the mats never lie."

Alex and Lucas share a concern that jiu-jitsu is being treated as only a sport rather than a martial art, and talk about what Olympic inclusion could change. Alex describes winning his first tournament at 40 after being crushed in local events, and the shift from feeling like "just an old guy" to wanting to be an example for younger teammates. He asks what people are willing to give up to perform at their best, recalls a student who called training "the best investment I've ever made in myself," and closes with advice for blue belts: set goals and make yourself undeniable for the next belt.

In this episode

• 0:00 Welcome
• 2:11 Meet Professor Alex Martinez
• 5:18 A martial art, not just a sport
• 7:32 What the Olympics could change
• 10:40 What the Navy taught him
• 13:52 Walking in wearing a shirt and tie
• 18:05 Surviving the first week
• 22:18 First tournament win at 40
• 26:41 From old guy to example
• 30:57 What are you willing to give up
• 35:06 Turning his passion into an academy
• 39:18 When the community rallies
• 42:28 Advice for beginners
• 44:37 Be undeniable at every belt

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