Travis Stevens: The Future of Grappling

In the competitive grappling and mixed martial arts world, few coaches are as sought after as John Danaher, a Renzo Gracie black belt and long-time instructor at Renzo's Manhattan headquarters.  The list of athletes under Professor Danaher's tutelage include MMA superstars like former UFC champions Chris Weidman and Georges St. Pierre, grappling phenoms Garry Tonon, Eddie Cummings, and the Ryan brothers, Gordon and Nicky, all who form the core of the much-feared "Danaher Death Squad."  Danaher's cerebral approach to coaching and training have in many ways have helped shape the course and philosophy of modern BJJ.  

Another of John Danaher's students who stands apart from the rest is Travis Stevens.  Travis Stevens is a judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt.  He has also earned a silver medal in the most recent Olympics in Rio.  For Danaher, Travis represents something of a hybrid. Equally adept at take downs and the standing game through his long-time study of judo and the ground game of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Stevens represents the future of grappling for John Danaher.

If you'd like to explore Travis Stevens and his use of BJJ, take a look at this BJJ Fanatics article on the topic and learn more.

In the video below, John Danaher talks about his dream of creating the most well-rounded combat artist, one with world class skills in every grappling arena from stand up to newaza or the ground game.  Travis Stevens, for Danaher, is someone who can compete at the highest level in a judo competition on one day and the next week, compete at the highest level in a BJJ tournament, and then the next week compete in an ADCC-style No Gi grappling tournament without missing a beat.

Travis, as Danaher explained, is someone who has immersed himself in the true study of the art, unlike someone who is a specialist in one area, who simply wants to pick up a few quick secrets of a second art.  John Danaher speaks of striking specialists who come to him to learn simply how to escape submissions, which he says is a methodology that's doomed to failure. 

To gain further insight into the mind of Travis Stevens, take a look at the video below where Travis presents his very unique take on mental toughness, what it means and how to develop it in one's training practices.

 How many times have you tried to escape a difficult moment in training, whether it is being trapped in a bad spot on the mats, or maybe you've been taken into the deep waters of fatigue.  Our minds have a tendency to want to protect us from the pain and fatigue, but Travis says that is exactly what we must fight.  He recommends staying in the moment and thinking through every aspect of the moment and making your mind learn to not go on automatic pilot.

 What's the next best thing to being Travis Stevens?  Check out the 14 DVD Travis Stevens Bundle pack and learn from one of the most well-rounded martial artists to step on the mats.