Shows
The Martial Arts Lifestyle PodcastThe Martial Arts Lifestyle Podcast Episode 2025_33 with Jeff WestfallSend us a textIn Episode 2025_33 of The Martial Arts Lifestyle Podcast, host Tim Becherer interviews Evansville Indiana martial artist Jeff Westfall. Jeff is the founder and head instructor of The Rising Phoenix Martial Arts Academy. Jeff's martial arts history begins in 1971 and he has spend several decades earning instructor ranks in several martial arts including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, Majapahit Silat, and Combat Submission Wrestling. A well respected instructor of adults and children, Jeff has carved out a well respected place in the martial arts community and even hosts his...
2025-08-1829 min
The Early Edge Mentorship PodcastEarly Edge – Madeline Westfall on Owning Your Path and Taking the First StepJay and Jeff welcome Madeline Westfall to discuss her creative path to starting a business. Madeline shares valuable lessons about creating your own path, surrounding yourself with the right people, and taking the first step—even when you don’t have it all figured out. Her story offers practical encouragement for anyone navigating the early stages of their career.
2025-07-2427 min
Advent Calendar HouseJack Frost (1979)🎄It’s 1979, and an evil king is having abandonment issues after his entire kingdom left, so he made an army of robots instead of going to therapy. The Advent Calendar House has once again emerged from hibernation after declaring 4 more months of winter to pretend it’s still winter. Join us as we encounter what might be the least Christmassy Rankin/Bass Christmas special, featuring a friendlier version of Jack Frost, a groundhog dressed like a pro wrestling manager, and the wintry weather neighbors of those angels your grandmother told you were bowling whenever there was a thunders...
2024-07-021h 36
Advent Calendar HouseThe Soulmates in The Gift of Light🎄 It’s 1991, and Santa Claus is fighting with a talking dog over a park bench. By some Christmas miracle, this obscure special was rediscovered over 30 years later. For years, people on the Internet tried to identify it on a TV in the background of an old family photo, until finally, thanks to the power of positivity, it was identified as “The Soulmates in The Gift of Light.” Join us as we meet the intergalactic Soulmates in what seems like a pilot that never got off the ground. **** 🎙 Guests: Michael DiGiovanni (Pop...
2023-12-041h 41
Advent Calendar HousePrep & Landing Trilogy🎄 It’s the Advent Calendar House’s 5th anniversary, so instead of celebrating one Christmas special, we watched three! Clear the runway as we salute Disney’s trilogy of 2009’s “Prep & Landing,” 2010’s “Operation: Secret Santa,” and 2011’s “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice.” SANTA SPOILER WARNING: This episode contains Santa-adjacent spoilers from 1:24:28 to 1:26:49. **** 🎙 Guests: Jeff Somogyi (Linktree: @sommerjam). Paxton Holley (Cavalcade of Awesome, Cult Film Club, Hellbent for Letterbox). **** 💬 Topics & Tangents: 1. Disney’s Prep & Landing Website from 2009 is still up with character and gadget profiles.
2022-12-012h 31
2021-09-2516 min
Advent Calendar HouseA Cosmic Christmas🎄 By special request, this episode of the official podcast of teaching aliens about Christmas takes you on a domesticated goose chase back to 1977 through the first fully animated feature by Canadian studio Nelvana. **** 🎙 Guest: Jeff Fox (Name That Christmas Special, @chrspecials). **** 💬 Topics & Tangents: 1. Jeff’s collection of A Cosmic Christmas music and scanned promotional items. 2. Joanna Wilson’s Christmas TV History. 3. This special got George Lucas’s attention and led to Nelvana producing the animated segment of the Star Wars Holiday Special.
2021-07-031h 10The Martial Brain228 The Forgotten War Part 17Jeff quotes American anti-war and pro war voices from the time of the Philippine-American War
2021-04-2718 minThe Martial Brain227 The Forgotten War Part 16Jeff explains why he takes the Samar Campaign personally.
2021-03-0913 minThe Martial Brain226 The Forgotten War Part 15Jeff describes the notorious Samar Campaign of the Philippine-American War.
2021-02-2417 minThe Martial Brain224 The Forgotten War Part 13No matter what you call it, the event at Balangiga was the worst defeat of American troops since the Battle of the Little Big Horn!
2020-09-1717 minThe Martial Brain223 The Forgotten War Part 12Funston, four other Americans, and a renegade Spaniard would pose as POWs in the "custody" of a group of Macabebe Scouts in captured Insurrecto uniforms.
2020-09-0115 minThe Martial Brain222 The Forgotten War Part 11"To see nine men, the officers in their drawers and the privates naked, cross such a stream by such means, and drive off an entrenched force not less than ten times their number, in broad daylight, where their number must soon become known, is something not soon to be forgotten!"
2020-08-2515 minThe Martial Brain221 The Forgotten War Part 10I find the story of David Fagen fascinating. We seldom rationally depict such figures in history.
2020-08-1317 minThe Martial Brain221 The Forgotten War Part 10Jeff continues the saga of the Philippine-American War
2020-08-1317 min
Advent Calendar HouseGarfield’s Thanksgiving🦃 We end our countdown to Christmas in July by badly dancing back to 1989 to celebrate the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season in Garfield’s Thanksgiving, the clear bronze medalist of Garfield’s holiday trilogy, thanks to Jon Arbuckle going from goofy pet owner to gaslighting, mansplaining, hopelessly inept creep. **** 🎙 Guest: Jeff Somogyi (Talkin’ Chopp, @sommerjam). **** 💬 Topics & Tangents: 1. Orson the Pig from U.S. Acres makes a cameo in Liz’s waiting room. 2. The dumbest things we’ve done to get a date pale in compari...
2020-07-2356 minThe Martial Brain220 The Forgotten War Part 9The leaders of the Philippine independence movement had tremendous admiration for the American founding fathers and the government they wrought!
2020-07-2117 minThe Martial Brain220 The Forgotten War Part 9Jeff continues the story of the Philippine-American War
2020-07-2117 minThe Martial Brain219 The Forgotten War Part 8The depth and breadth, the sheer comprehensiveness of Filipino martial technology stands as a shining example, a tribute to defiance in the face of tyranny and oppression!
2020-06-1617 minThe Martial Brain219 The Forgotten War Part 8Jeff takes a pause in his historical narrative to tell you about his personal connection to the Filipino culture through the study of its martial arts.
2020-06-1617 minThe Martial Brain218 The Forgotten War Part 7But it turns out that the Filipino people didn't WANT themselves and their property to be the property of the United States!
2020-05-2017 minThe Martial Brain218 The Forgotten War Part 7Jeff continues the stories within the story of how the USA and the Philippines managed to intertwine their histories.
2020-05-2017 minThe Martial Brain217 The Forgotten War Part 6On June 12, 1898, the Filipino rebels officially declared independence from Spain, in a document that, ironically, in light of what was to come, drew elements from the American Declaration of Independence.
2020-05-0116 minThe Martial Brain217 The Forgotten War Part 6Jeff continues the stories within the story of the historical relationship between the USA and the Philippines.
2020-05-0116 minThe Martial Brain216 The Forgotten War Part 5Pershing was an instructor at West Point when the war broke out, and quickly sought to rejoin his old unit, the Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry.
2020-04-2415 minThe Martial Brain216 The Forgotten War Part 5Jeff continues a deep dive into the stories within the story, the story of why the USA and the Philippines have such a close relationship.
2020-04-2415 min
The Monster ProfessorMonsters and the Martial Arts with Jeff Westfall
Monsters and martial arts? What about self-defense against zombies, vampires, and werewolves? What about the real-life human monsters that make martial arts necessary, and which martial art is your best bet? We get answers to these and more by talking with martial arts expert Jeff Westfall, black-belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Ajarn in Muay Thai, black-belt in Judo, authorized coach in Combat Submission Wrestling, full instructor in Jun Fan Gung Fu and in Filipino martial arts and weapons training, fencer, boxer, and more. He is owner and chief instructor of The Rising Phoenix Martial Arts Academy in Evansville...
2020-04-241h 09The Martial Brain215 The Forgotten War Part 4In order to get to Santiago, his troops would need to get past the fortified San Juan Heights on its outskirts, which loomed across their path like a fortified roadblock.
2020-04-0615 minThe Martial Brain215 The Forgotten War Part 4Jeff continues his saga of how the fates of the USA and the Philippines became intertwined.
2020-04-0615 minThe Martial Brain214 The Forgotten War Part 3Jeff continues the story of how the USA and the Philippines developed such an interesting relationship.
2020-03-2516 minThe Martial Brain214 The Forgotten War Part 3The history of the world in the upcoming decade would have played out quite differently if Teddy Roosevelt had perished on that hot June day in the Cuban jungle!
2020-03-2516 minThe Martial BrainCalm Down, People!If there's one thing that can be learned from human history, it's that there is no crisis so bad that it cannot be made worse by our tendency to engage in over-emotional, "monkeys in shoes" behavior!
2020-03-1906 min2020-03-1906 minThe Martial Brain213 The Forgotten War Part 2When you picture a scene from the old west in which the cavalry comes charging to the rescue, in reality at least ten percent of the time those "boys in blue"...were black!
2020-03-0317 minThe Martial Brain213 The Forgotten War Part 2Jeff continues the discussion of the history of the Philippine American War
2020-03-0317 minThe Martial Brain212 The Forgotten War Part 1The epic story of the relationship between the USA and the Philippines started in war a little over a century ago.
2020-02-1712 minThe Martial Brain212 The Forgotten War Part 1Jeff talks about a war from American history of which most of us are ignorant.
2020-02-1712 minThe Martial Brain211 Syncope, Hypnagogia, Barnyard Animal Behavior, and Sex Demons Part 2Jeff continues his discussion of the choke hold.
2020-02-0814 minThe Martial Brain211 Syncope, Hypnagogia, Barnyard Animal Behavior, and Sex Demons Part 2Despite the fact that ethical jiujitsu players shouldn't SEEK to render their opponent unconscious, it's not at all uncommon for unintended "choke-outs" to occur.
2020-02-0814 minThe Martial Brain210 Syncope, Hypnagogia, Barnyard Animal Behavior, and Sex Demons Part 1Jeff discusses various aspects of the choke hold.
2020-01-2609 minThe Martial Brain210 Syncope, Hypnagogia, Barnyard Animal Behavior, and Sex Demons Part 1It's almost like taking out an opponent with Mr. Spock's Vulcan nerve pinch!
2020-01-2609 minThe Martial Brain209 Inter-species Combat Part 2Jeff finishes his thoughts about "man on chimp" battle.
2020-01-2115 minThe Martial Brain209 Inter-species Combat Part 2The myth that chimpanzees are 3 to 5 times stronger than humans stems from a poorly done study that was done nearly a century ago.
2020-01-2115 minThe Martial Brain208 Inter-species Combat Part 1The Roman practice of pitting humans against animals in the arena not only slaked the blood-lust of cheering crowds, it also appealed to the human obsession with hierarchical organization; in particular seeking evidence to help answer who and what would defeat who and what in combat.
2020-01-1410 min2020-01-1410 minThe Martial Brain207 Tis the Season…to Rage Against the Dying of the LightHow deeply frightening must if have been to people who had no idea that they lived on a giant sphere spinning in space as it also orbits around the sun, spinning on an axis that is tilted relative to the plane of its orbit in such a way that in the temperate latitudes the year is divided between seasons of darkness and of light.
2019-12-2407 minThe Martial Brain207 Tis the Season…to Rage Against the Dying of the LightJeff discusses the winter solstice, seasonal affective disorder, and holiday revelry.
2019-12-2407 minThe Martial Brain206 You Can’t Force BalanceJeff discusses the subtle nuance of homeostasis, and why most dietary supplements are unnecessary.
2019-12-0719 minThe Martial Brain206 You Can’t Force BalanceSo, of course, before the science was more thoroughly understood the supplement industry promptly built the bandwagon and then enthusiastically jumped on it; producing, selling, and heavily advertising antioxidant supplements.
2019-12-0719 minThe Martial Brain205 In the Darkness, a Shining Blade I HoldJeff compares the cognitive discipline of Scientific Skepticism to the martial arts.
2019-11-2618 minThe Martial Brain205 In the Darkness, a Shining Blade I HoldIf you would like to be "that person" who always seems to have a thoughtful, logical point of view in any discussion, who doesn't easily fall prey to scams and pseudo-science, who doesn't allow the primitive parts of his brain direct his actions; learning the basics of Scientific Skepticism is a great way to start!
2019-11-2618 minThe Martial Brain204 Heroes of the Rising Phoenix Martial Arts Academy Part 1.2Jeff continues the story of his relationship with a pivotal person in the history of his academy.
2019-10-1513 minThe Martial Brain204 Heroes of the Rising Phoenix Martial Arts Academy Part 1.2I had been forced to endure the presence of bullies for much of my young life; I would be damned if I was going to add to macho martial culture by producing martial arts bullies through my teaching!
2019-10-1513 min
Advent Calendar HouseGarfield’s Halloween Adventure🎃 Put out the oars and surrender yourself to the mercy of the rivers of time as they take us back to Garfield’s terrifying 1985 Halloween special. **** 🎙 Guests: Jeff Somogyi (@sommerjam, Talkin’ Chopp). **** 💬 Topics & Tangents: 1. Jim Davis wanted ‘Garfield’s Halloween Adventure’ to ‘at least scare 4-year-olds’ (The A.V. Club, 2014). 2. Samples of the comic book adaptation, Garfield in Disguise, from Rotten Ink and Goodwill Hunting 4 Geeks, including even creepier drawings of the old man and pirate ghosts. 3. The first appearance of Binky the Clown...
2019-10-101h 20The Martial Brain203 Heroes of the Rising Phoenix Martial Arts Academy Part 1.1Jeff begins a new sub-series telling the stories of important figures in the history of his academy.
2019-09-1818 minThe Martial Brain203 Heroes of the Rising Phoenix Martial Arts Academy Part 1.1When I contemplate what a dark place my mind was inhabiting prior to Dave's visit, it's perfectly possible that he saved my life that night.
2019-09-1818 minThe Martial Brain202 The Intersection of Survival and Self-ExpressionJeff discusses the "arts" part of the martial arts.
2019-08-2414 minThe Martial Brain202 The Intersection of Survival and Self-ExpressionThe study of the martial arts lies precisely at the intersection of the worlds of survival and self-expression.
2019-08-2414 minThe Martial Brain201 Toxic Sparring CultureWhen sparring is done badly it's at the very least a poor use of training time, is probably very frightening, dangerous as hell, and really painful to watch.
2019-08-1114 minThe Martial Brain201 Toxic Sparring CultureJeff describes his ideas about the right and wrong way to go about sparring at your academy.
2019-08-1114 minThe Martial Brain200 Authenticity, Inauthenticity, and the Martial Arts Part 2Jeff continues his discussion of the way we humans use language, especially when discussing other people who practice the martial arts.
2019-08-0110 minThe Martial Brain200 Authenticity, Inauthenticity, and the Martial Arts Part 2If such a student leaves the academy before being "certified" by his instructor, and then starts his own academy many people will label him as "illegitimate." A martial arts "bastard," if you will.
2019-08-0110 minThe Martial Brain199 Authenticity, Inauthenticity, and the Martial Arts Part 1Jeff discusses the way humans show approval and disapproval
2019-07-2413 minThe Martial Brain199 Authenticity, Inauthenticity, and the Martial Arts Part 1Here's a thought...Is it a stretch to substitute the word "competent" for the word "authentic" when referring to a martial artist?
2019-07-2413 min
2019-07-1915 min2019-07-1915 min
Red bear radioWestfallWestfall performs six song live for RED BEAR RADIO and they did a full interview!
2019-07-151h 20The Martial Brain198 Make a Note of This!Jeff discusses the importance of the simple skill of note-taking.
2019-05-2912 minThe Martial Brain198 Make a Note of This!In a preliterate world if you wanted to remember something you had to do just that, REMEMBER it!
2019-05-2912 minThe Martial Brain197 The Master Meets the Skeptic Part 2There is a significant fraction of humanity that really wants magic to be real, and will perform impressive mental gymnastics of rationalization and confirmation bias in order to satisfy that desire.
2019-05-2015 minThe Martial Brain196 The Master Meets the Skeptic Part 1Jeff tries his hand at a satirical depiction of a day in the life of a "Chi master."
2019-05-1112 minThe Martial Brain196 The Master Meets the Skeptic Part 1Please keep in mind that these are the words of a fictional character, not mine.
2019-05-1112 minThe Martial Brain195 Maintaining Your Martial RelevancyJeff discusses the problem for martial arts instructors of retaining their advanced students.
2019-04-2011 minThe Martial Brain195 Maintaining Your Martial RelevancyIf you run a martial arts academy, keep in mind that it's more productive to think in terms of business and science instead of the kind of personal politics that is a tired artifact left over from our heritage as dominance hierarchy primates,
2019-04-2011 minThe Martial Brain194 The Art of ListeningJeff discusses the importance of getting out of your own head and out into the real world, in the martial arts and in life in general.
2019-04-1411 minThe Martial Brain194 The Art of ListeningMany budding martial artists pay only enough attention to their opponents to know where they are, and maybe if they are trying to do something right this second that you, as their adversary, don't want them to do.
2019-04-1411 minThe Martial Brain193 I’m Not As Good As I Once Was, But I’m As Good Once As I Ever Was Part 2Jeff discusses the dilemma of managing pain and injury for the aging martial artist.
2019-04-0112 minThe Martial Brain193 I’m Not As Good As I Once Was, But I’m As Good Once As I Ever Was Part 2My fascination, indeed my QUEST, is to hit the sweet spot in this equation as many times as possible from now until I die.
2019-04-0112 minThe Martial Brain192 I’m Not as Good as I Once Was, but I’m as Good Once as I Ever Was! Part 1Jeff discusses what it's like to age as a practicing martial artist.
2019-03-2613 minThe Martial Brain192 I’m Not as Good as I Once Was, but I’m as Good Once as I Ever Was! Part 1If one more "twenty-something" says to me that "age is just a number" or "you're as young as you feel" I'm going to hit them with my cane!
2019-03-2613 minThe Martial Brain191 Bright Lines and Blurred Lines Part 3Isn't it ironic that exercising a lot can make you weaker?
2019-03-0912 minThe Martial Brain191 Bright Lines and Blurred Lines Part 3Jeff discusses the extremes of human behavior in this mini-series. In this episode his topic is the phenomenon of taking the workout ethic to toxic levels.
2019-03-0912 minThe Martial Brain190 Bright Lines and Blurred Lines 2Most of us are aware of the martial arts movie trope of the hero or villain who is supremely, indeed magically aware of his surroundings at all times.
2019-03-0210 minThe Martial Brain190 Bright Lines and Blurred Lines 2Jeff describes how the behavior of paying attention to your surroundings has both positive and negative versions.
2019-03-0210 minThe Martial Brain189 Bright Lines/Blurred Lines Part 1Jeff discusses how the desire for technical perfection can become a bad thing.
2019-02-2515 minThe Martial Brain189 Bright Lines/Blurred Lines Part 1Is it possible to become too detail-oriented? It can be if it causes you to lose sight of the bigger picture.
2019-02-2515 minThe Martial Brain188 The Brain is the Deadliest OrganWhile the natural weapons of your body like your fists, shins, elbows, and knees can be quite formidable; without the brain to run things they are only parts to memorize for an anatomy test.
2019-02-1214 minThe Martial Brain188 The Brain is the Deadliest OrganJeff describes how the human brain is the vital element in making the human animal dangerous.
2019-02-1214 minThe Martial Brain187 The Dilemmas of the Kicker Part 4It's the burgeoning kicker's job, ideally with the help of a good coach, to learn to make sure that it's not easy for an opponent to gain an attachment to his or her kicking leg; and also to learn what to do when the opponent succeeds in doing so.
2019-01-2811 minThe Martial Brain187 The Dilemmas of the Kicker Part 4Jeff continues his description of the unpleasant choices that beginning kickers face.
2019-01-2811 minThe Martial Brain186 The Dilemmas of the Kicker Part 3Should I kick hard and risk doing as much damage to myself as to my opponent; or should I hold back some kicking power to protect my legs and feet, making my kicking game less useful?
2019-01-1709 minThe Martial Brain185 The Dilemmas of the Kicker Part 2Contacting a target with a kick makes you subject to the physics of collisions.
2019-01-0814 min
Advent Calendar HouseALF’s Special ChristmasRemember ALF? He’s back, in podcast form! Tune in as we salute ALF’s two-part Christmas special from 1987, the single most depressing special starring a wisecracking alien puppet of all time. Content Warning: In this Christmas special, the goofy alien with the jokes meets a terminally ill child and a man contemplating suicide. **** 🎙 Guest: Jeff Somogyi (Talkin’ Chopp, Down the Rabbit Hole, @sommerjam). **** 💬 Topics & Tangents: 1. The heartbreaking true story behind ALF’s Special Christmas. 2. A study in human ignorance: Gordon Shum...
2018-12-2357 minThe Martial Brain184 The Dilemmas of the Kicker Part 1When done well, kicking is the human body's equivalent of heavy artillery; powerful enough to break bones, destroy thick joints, or to send an opponent stumbling or sometimes even flying across the room.
2018-12-2111 min
Advent Calendar HouseA Garfield Christmas SpecialLet’s have a good, old-fashioned Christmas down on the farm in 1987’s A Garfield Christmas Special, featuring the voices of Squiggy and Ursula. **** 🎙 Guest: Jeff Somogyi (Talkin’ Chopp, Down the Rabbit Hole, @sommerjam). **** 💬 Topics & Tangents: 1. Joey O. interviews Gregg Berger, the voice of Odie. 2. On lasagna as a Christmas food and how including shrimp as one of the Seven Fishes is cheating, you cheaters. 3. Dinosaur Dracula identifies all the presents in Garfield’s dream. 4. Going long on the dinner prayer, p...
2018-12-061h 15The Martial Brain183 An American Muay Thai Tale Part 6This testing process had been the hardest I had ever done as a martial artist.
2018-12-0617 minThe Martial Brain182 An American Muay Thai Tale Part 5My left thigh became so sore and swollen that at one point, when Rob scored a clean kick to my head, snapping it way back; I remember feeling glad that he hadn't kicked my leg again.
2018-11-1915 min
whistlekick Martial Arts RadioEpisode 334 - Sifu Jeff WestfallSifu Jeff Westfall is a martial arts instructor and practitioner. He is the host of the Martial Brain Podcast. Sometimes I teach to pass across a technique, but sometimes I'm teaching to pass across a concept. And that definitely I lifted directly from Guro Inosanto... Sifu Jeff Westfall - Episode 334 His generation has always admired Bruce Lee not only because of his movies but because of his role in the Green Hornet TV show. It has brought Sifu Jeff Westfall into martial arts because he was captivated by Bruce Lee's performance on the...
2018-10-081h 08
BjjBrick Podcast- BJJ, no-gi and good times!Epi 268 BjjBrick Extra Jeff WestfallThis episode we have an interview with Jeff Westfall. We talk about: His start in martial arts Early Jiu-Jitsu in the USA The Martial Brain Podcast The concept of thinking outside of the box The power of continuing education Survivorship bias Closed guard tips Getting out of side control tips and ideas Links: The Martial Brain Podcast Episode 51 Building Your Grappling Game RPmartialarts.com Tip: Pulling workouts help develop muscles to add pressure to your game. Question: The question involves taking private lessons from different instructors
2018-10-041h 50
The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan KestingJeff Westfall on Skepticism and the Martial ArtsStephan Kesting interviews Jeff Westfall from The Martial Brain podcast. They discuss kata vs real training, chi power and other martial hoaxes, and the power of applying a skeptical mindset to learning martial arts.
2015-09-1358 min