Built Not Born Podcast: Steve Hordinski - US Navy Diver, BJJ Wisdom, & Mental Toughness

"Discipline will take you a long ways, but mental toughness will take you further." - Steve Hordinski

Episode Description

In Built Not Born Episode 166 - We DIVE deep with Steve Hordinski, a 4th-degree black belt under Master Carlos "Caique" Elias and owner of the Katharo Training Center in Colorado.

Steve is a veteran US Navy diver and shares wisdom about BJJ principles, grip fighting his teaching methodology and hard lessons learned from training with the legendary founder of Gracie Jiu Jitsu - Helio Gracie.

Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or new to BJJ, Steve's insights on longevity, mental toughness, and the evolution of BJJ will transform your approach to the art.

Episode Timestamps

• 🥋 [00:00] Introduction to Steve Hordinski, 4th-degree black belt under Master Kaiki
• 🌊 [03:12] Steve's Navy diving career - underwater leverage & challenges
• 🧨 [08:45] The World War II bomber recovery mission in Palau
• 💪 [12:20] Life lessons from Navy diving: "Discipline takes you far, mental toughness takes you further"
• 👨‍🏫 [15:40] Training with Helson and transitioning to Master Kaiki
• 🇧🇷 [19:25] Experience training with Helio Gracie in Brazil
• 🔄 [23:50] The old school BJJ survival approach vs. modern leg lock game
• 📊 [26:15] The four major principles Steve lives by in his BJJ
• 🤝 [29:30] The grip fighting game: "Everything bad happens when you don't control hands"
• 🧠 [31:45] Steve's three concepts of grip fighting that changed his game
• 🧘‍♂️ [36:10] Training strategies for longevity and injury prevention
• 👥 [39:45] Choosing the right training partners as you age
• 🏆 [41:20] The one lesson Steve wants everyone to take away: "Develop toughness"
• 🔍 [43:30] Closing thoughts: "Control and efficiency - that's Jiu-Jitsu"

Key Takeaways

1. Navy Diving Philosophy: Steve's experience as a Navy diver taught him that mental toughness exceeds discipline in importance for long-term success.
2. The Four BJJ Principles: Steve governs his jiu-jitsu by four key principles:

• Leverage over strength (but use strength at the end of the lever)
• Timing over speed
• Natural body movements/flexibility
• Street effectiveness (blocking punches also blocks grips)

1. Grip Fighting System: Steve breaks down his revolutionary approach to grip fighting into three concepts:
2. Training for Longevity: Incorporate Buddha Con movements (jiu-jitsu + yoga), meditation, hot yoga, and targeted strength conditioning to stay on the mats longer.
3. Mental Toughness: The key to longevity in BJJ isn't talent or physical attributes, but developing mental grit and perseverance.

Power Quotes

"Discipline will take you a long ways, but mental toughness will take you further." - Steve Hordinski

"If you're blocking punches, you're also blocking grips - makes you very hard to be controlled." - Steve Hordinski

"Control and efficiency. That's Jiu-Jitsu." - Steve Hordinski

Connect with Steve Hordinski

• Instagram: @SteveHordinski
• Kotharo Training Center (Littleton, Colorado)

Hashtags

#BJJ #BrazilianJiuJitsu #GripFighting #NavyDiver #HelioGracie #Kaiki #JiuJitsuWisdom #MentalToughness #GroundControl #BuiltNotBorn #CombatSports #GrapplingTips #BJJLifestyle #JiuJitsuJourney #BJJLongevity #GripGame #BJJWisdom #JiuJitsuPrinciples #JoeCiccarone #Philly #BJJ #SteveHordinski