Black Belts, Gold Medals

Catching up with Leah Stumpf.

Leah Stumpf

She makes me want to be a better person. She makes me want to work harder. She helped me dig out of the darkest moments of my life.

- Andy Stumpf

So that guy gets to be first in line, but it is a long line of people who are better and work harder because of Coach Leah. She can no doubt see a dozen things wrong but also knows the one thing at a time that a jiu jitsu player can focus on to improve his game. Three degrees, two blackbelts, ten (that I know of) medals and counting – one all around badass. I’m excited to bring you Coach Leah Stumpf:

CD: Congratulations, Leah, on earning gold at the IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship in LA earlier this month.

LS: Thanks! The competition was a boost in confidence. I had not competed in about a year and a half. I did a small local tournament the weekend before as well and won those matches. All of the matches were with significantly smaller black belts in the absolute so I'm hoping to compete at least once more before master's worlds and find some matches a bit closer to my weight. That being said, I got some good feedback on my game plan and prep. This time I drilled a lot more than I did full matches. I felt like this brought me to the competition with less wear and tear and with more improvement. I need to continue to work to control those first few moments of the match. In a five minute match that is even more critical. I was able to attempt to execute my guard game plan. When the exact sweep did not present itself I was able to move to an alternative in one match. In the other match I actually wrestled up which has been a big focus of mine this past year.

CD: Some of my first jiu jitsu instruction was from you at Origin. Is it fun to coach new jiu jitsu players or do you prefer students who already know what they’re doing?

LS: Maybe you are aware, maybe not, but the Origin instructors often fight over the white belt mat. The students are very excited to learn and often try to immediately execute the technique the way the instructor presents it. It is a lot of fun to see the huge improvements and enthusiasm that people present in their first year or two of the practice. Students that have some experience are also awesome to teach as long as they come at it with that beginner's mind. Then the class can go further faster. They can be creative in melding what they are learning with what they already know. However, if their cup is already full, it can be a challenge to add much.

CD: A lot of the marketing of jiu jitsu to newcomers emphasizes the fact that you don’t have to be strong to participate which is true enough. But parenthetically: it sure helps. How do you like to train for jiu jitsu?

LS: I implement traditional barbell lifts three days a week. I think some kind of strength and conditioning is critical to longevity. I do a short mobility practice at the end of each open mat that has helped a lot with lower back pain from guard. I also add sauna, cold therapy, massage, chiropractic, and foam rolling for recovery.

CD: As a karate and jiu jitsu blackbelt, does karate have a role in your life today?

LS: Karate helped to introduce me to the martial arts mindset and community. There are definitely some parallels in practice there. I moved on in terms of physical practice but some of the dojo etiquette and way of approaching life have stuck. Karate sparring looks more like kickboxing when done live. Most gyms practice point sparring which is not as functional. Karate covers the striking range which Jiu Jitsu does not. I think it is good to cross over at some point in your career and do some jits with hits and or kickboxing just to be able to handle that range a bit. Getting punched in the face is very different from being held down. I took two amateur MMA fights eventually to feel like I could handle myself in a fight.

CD: Should we make kids roll?

LS: This is a tricky subject. If they are under 9 I think it is really up to the parents to choose appropriate activities. Choose some things that will make them physically and mentally resilient as well as socially adept. Once they get a bit older they will really start to demonstrate some of their own preferences. If a kid quits Jiu Jitsu, or does not want to try it, I do think it is important that they pick up some comparable physical practice. Some of the kids that I see quit are seeking comfort. Their parents are enabling this. They want to play video games and not have to get tired or lose in real life. That mindset is going to crush them later on. I personally feel like it is a life skill. Jocko compares it to swimming. You don't have to learn how to swim but it sure helps if you get thrown in the water.

CD: My wife and daughter are both ballerinas without a lot of extra time for jiu jitsu. I’d love it if they take a little versus none. Any tips for making a better pitch?

LS: I would apply the same method for older kids that are unsure as well as ladies. Set up intermittent private lessons with a partner that is a friend their own size and gender. Work around the ballet schedule. Make a day of it, go get lunch after, make it fun. It is truly not for everyone. There is no other sport that I am aware of where women and men compete on the same field. To make it even more intense we are now wrestling each other. Typical social boundaries are completely broken down. It is a lot. Your girls may never make it beyond the private lessons but they could come away with better self-defense and a better understanding of what you love. Also, under no circumstances should you partner with your wife unless you enjoy generating arguments 😄. Consider whether you would want to do ballet? That is what they love and what fills their cup. It would be way out of your comfort zone and probably in your mind, not that necessary. They likely feel the same way about BJJ! Longer Rant on the Subject.

CD: What’s your favorite outdoor adventure in Montana?

LS: I still get out a lot. I love to snowboard and hike. I have gotten more into hunting and fishing the past few years.

CD: How can someone participate in jiu jitsu with both intensity and longevity?

LS: The new flow drilling protocol I got from Vincente Junior has been helpful for that pre competition training. The drilling series ends with just three full rounds rather than an hour of comp pace. Just drilling more and doing less full rounds that I used to has helped a lot. You can drill with those more dynamic or unsafe partners. You can drill a position where you are already connected like closed guard or back control and still improve but without the damage you might take from a full round. Work to pass the guard on really big guys. Reset off a sweep or pass.

Partner choice is important. You don't have to roll with everyone. Stand up and walk over to the next person you would like to roll with rather than waiting to see who might walk up. I do a lot of reset rounds or flowrestling from standing to improve takedowns. I make sure it is a person that has control and we reset off of the takedown for two minutes then on the third minute finish with a normal round. Then only one of the takedowns "matters" to the rest of the round and you get more practice.

Save the higher intensity rolls for partners closer to your size and level.

CD: What do you like to eat?

LS: I have been prioritizing getting a lot more protein and have found that I have to be a lot more careful being over 40 with my food choices in general. I have stopped drinking almost entirely. That is really more of a special occasion thing for me. I do use a scale to measure my food when I'm at home. I do a lot of protein bowls. There will be a brown rice base or rice noodle, add a protein, veggie, and some kind of sauce. Mediterranean bowls have chicken, feta, kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumber, and some kind of vinaigrette dressing. They are easy to prepare and batch. When you cook for a lot of people they can build their own bowl which they really like.

CD: Do you and Andy work out together or is fitness something that is separate?

LS: We train BJJ together but do our own workouts separately. It is amazing to have a partner that also loves BJJ but has his own passions. I do not think it is needed that your partner does BJJ as long as they have their own thing. It is when they don't that they begin to see the gym as stolen time.

CD: My wife has put her small foot down as anti-proximity flying so I was going to get your wingsuit endorsement but have given up that battle. She’s a no on wingsuits and motorcycles.

LS: Makes sense!

CD: What do you want to leave the world in terms of jiu jitsu?

LS: I was a high school teacher for a while as well as an environmental educator. I am now coaching our future generation of coaches at our gym and across our organization. I'm able to write lesson plans and create videos now so people can pick up where I left off. I am especially focused on making it easier for women and children to learn jiu jitsu as they are more vulnerable populations. I am constantly working on our own kids curriculum and belt standards. I have written a blueprint for how to start a women's program. Recently I have started to create an intro curriculum on YouTube for parajiu jitsu athletes.

CD: Thank you, Leah, for our conversation. Final question: what’s next?

LS: I found myself getting complacent in my own practice without competition. I will continue to compete at the masters level just to hold myself accountable. I will continue to try to help those around me become the best version of themselves through martial arts. I am also becoming more interested in creating apparel for ladies. No one has quite nailed the gi pants yet!

I have a couple of seminars coming up this year. I am so excited about the one in Costa Rica. It is half surfing and half BJJ. I love surfing, I think as much as I love Jiu Jitsu. I am terrible at it. I do it whenever I am near the ocean. A local BJJ black belt and surf instructor will run the surfing half of the camp. The school is a nonprofit so the money goes to support the kids that train there. That is May 16-20. I'm teaching May 5 at SBG Vancouver, Washington.

Thanks for your questions! Happy Training!