The training environment and culture of Jiu Jitsu schools around the world can be distinctly unique in their approaches to teaching the “gentle art”. Every academy will have a distinct flavour that is a fusion of the design aesthetic of the school, the personality of the instructor, the vibe of the community, and lastly, the playlist that is making its way through the speakers during open mat time. These factors will contribute to the overall feel of a school and will undoubtedly become an integral part of the critical decision to sign-up and join a grappling team for the long haul. At Authentic Jiu Jitsu, we endeavour to thoughtfully curate soundtracks that accompany training and this blog series is dedicated to keeping the tunes fresh and the good times rolling.
The Rolling Stones
If these rockers can keep rocking, you sure as hell better finish that last rolling round.
The quintessential rock/blues band the Rolling Stones have been trailblazers in the music industry since the 1960s. The band was formed during the year of 1962 as they began performing together on the local scene in London, England. Interestingly, they stumbled into naming their band “The Rolling Stones” during an interview with a local news outlet who wanted to know the name of their act. In haste, the band looked around for some kind of inspiration and there just happened to be a Muddy Waters record laying on the floor with a song entitled “Rollin’ Stone” and as they say… the rest is history. The Stones disc catalogue is a tremendously deep one but if you stick to their rock-based singles; it creates an upbeat vibe for training Jiu Jitsu.
Tunes For Rolling:
“Gimme Shelter”
“Street Fighting Man”
“Sympathy For The Devil”
“Brown Sugar”
“Tumbling Dice”
Jay-Z
Hip Hop royalty lays down the proper groove to keep grapplers moving with swagger.
Shawn Carter, or more commonly known by his stage name Jay-Z (Izzo, JHova) is a music artist, producer, and entrepreneur. Jay-Z did not have an ideal childhood and was abandoned by his father at a young age and as a result he spent his formative years growing up in a housing project in Brooklyn, New York with his mother and siblings. Jay-Z became a hip-hop icon by mastering his craft and producing many unique compositions that have gone on to become unforgettable anthems for numerous generations of music fans. With this success, Jay-Z made it a priority to give back to his community by setting up the Shawn Carter Foundation, a charity that helps individuals from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds achieve their potential through post-secondary education. Jay-Z’s career is a classic example of the “American Dream”; the timeless story of coming from nothing and becoming something extraordinary. Now, for the love of all things good in hip-hop music, throw the gi on, get moving, get technical, and lock up that triangle choke because there ain’t no hard knock life on the tatami.
Tunes For Rolling:
“Encore”
“Izzo (H.O.V.A.)”
“Dirt Of Your Shoulder”
“Holy Grail”
“Empire State of Mind”
Bonus: Check out the Jay-Z | Linkin Park Collab “Collision Course EP” for excellent mash-up versions of classic Jay-Z and Linkin Park tunes; a great hybrid of hard rock and hip hop.
Foo Fighters
Grunge rock for your armlock.
Everything Dave Grohl (founder and lead guitarist/singer of the band) influences musically turns into audio awesomeness and nothing is a better example of this than the band he formed in 1994… The Foo Fighters. The term “Foo Fighters” was coined by the American Air Force during World War 2 and referred to unexplained, mysterious, and/or impossible to identify objects in the sky. Grohl at some point was fascinated by aliens and really…who hasn’t had an unhealthy obsession with UFOs at some point in their life? As much as Dave Grohl is infamously known for his quirky, enthusiastic, and warm personality he has also lived through significant tragedy throughout his career and has still dedicated his life to spreading happiness to others through his music. If you are looking to inject some optimistic energy into a training room, you can’t go wrong with the Foo Fighters.
Tunes For Rolling:
“The Pretender”
“Best Of You”
“Learn To Fly”
“Wheels”
“Live-In Skin”
The Glorious Sons
As Canadian as maple syrup, being polite, and drilling half guard.
The Glorious Sons are a Canadian rock group based out of Kingston, Ontario. The band was formed in 2011 and immediately began creating their brand of grass roots alternative rock to deliver to the world. With numerous popular singles that have reached the top of the charts as well as winning a Juno (a Canadian Grammy for all the non-Canadian Jiu Jitsu players out there); The Glorious Sons have blazed a trail via hard touring (even opening for the aforementioned Rolling Stones) and creating songs that you can’t shake from your psyche. The Glorious Sons write about living life to the fullest, something that Jiu Jitsu helps us all do, so be sure to make the time every week to train and maybe you will “catch a little lightning” on the mats.
Tunes For Rolling:
“Ruby”
“White Noise”
“Josie”
“Spirit to Break”
“S.O.S. (Sawed Off Shotgun)”
Shwayze
Cool down summer training sessions with music from Malibu.
A blend of hip hop, acoustic guitar vibes, with a hint of laid back reggae; Shwayze is a solid choice for a chilled out rolling session. Born in Malibu, California the year of 1985, Shwayze enjoyed the easy going lifestyle of the coast but it wasn’t something he could financially afford and he was forced to work numerous jobs to keep himself afloat in order to follow his passion of creating music. On a whim one night in 2005, Shwayze took a chance and performed a freestyle at a local club in Malibu; he was spotted by another artist (Cisco Adler) who took him under his wing. Eventually with some persuasion and persistence Shwayze convinced Adler to bring him into a studio to record a debut album together which spawned his first hits “Buzzin” and “Corona and Lime”.
Tunes For Rolling:
“Buzzin”
“Too Late”
“Drunk Off Your Love”
“The Boys Are Back”
“Island In The Sun”
Until next time, stay cool, be kind, and keep rolling.
Benjamin Kool is a content creator and the head instructor/owner of Authentic Jiu Jitsu in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Before founding Authentic Jiu Jitsu Calgary, Ben worked in Alberta as a school teacher and is an alumni of the University of Calgary (B.A. European History, B.Ed. Master of Teaching Program).
Website: www.authenticjiujitsu.com
Twitter: @authenticbjj
Instagram/Facebook: @authenticjiujitsu
YouTube Channel: Authentic Jiu Jitsu
