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" Eliasand 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
- Navy Diving Philosophy: Steve's experience as a Navy diver taught him that mental toughness exceeds discipline in importance for long-term success.
- 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)
- Grip Fighting System: Steve breaks down his revolutionary approach to grip fighting into three concepts:
- Training for Longevity: Incorporate Buddha Con movements (jiu-jitsu + yoga), meditation, hot yoga, and targeted strength conditioning to stay on the mats longer.
- 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...
