Consistently Above Average

Consistently Above Average

por Andrew McGahon

Salud y estado físico Lucha

Struck by a Meteor: Starting with Beginners or Mixed Classes & Sauna Etiquette

I really hope it doesn't become a trend to start episodes with facts about the date in question, but after hearing what we discussed in this week’s episode, you’ll probably agree with me. I've seen people start jiu-jitsu by jumping straight into mixed-level classes, and I've also seen people start beginner courses and not finish them. If you're listening with the intention of starting soon, this episode might offer some useful tips on how to navigate that starting point. As sauna week approaches here in the Northeast, we’re getting excited! We had to discuss some do's and don'ts of using the sauna, as well as dive into the bizarre world of the Cursed Sauna World Championships.

"Post Training Clarity" + Regional Irish MMA Chat

After a week off, I'm back in the hot seat with a wonderful episode discussing the now trademarked 'Post-Training Clarity' effect that many of us experience throughout the week — a feeling we should never take for granted. I was also commentating on a local MMA show last weekend, IUR FC. I've been part of every show since it started and love seeing how it has come together and grown. It also made me realize how many people are now pursuing careers in fighting. Reflecting back on some of the older events I attended 13, 14, or 15 years ago, it’s fascinating to see where things are now compared to where they were then.

The Lost Valentines Episode, "Superfights" + Sub Culture Review

Sometimes things don’t go as planned, and I’m happy to say that I decided to pull the plug on what would have been an overall boring and potentially troublesome episode. We have to keep in mind the huge, impending sponsorship deals that don’t yet exist in the podcasting world—but we’ll keep dreaming, all the same. In this episode, I’ll walk you through how we ended up with a Sunday release, share some thoughts on the term “superfight” in a jiu-jitsu context, and review last week’s excellent Sub Culture event. Plus, I’ll offer some insights into what the future might hold for a Belfast-based jiu-jitsu event.

Unifying Ability of JiuJitsu? Sub Culture Debut + A Week of Anniversaries.

There’s been some great feedback from the last episode or two, and I just wanted to double down on a couple of points—especially the ones about how terrible you all are at jiu-jitsu. Please enjoy and send messages accordingly. There’s also a thought process about the unifying element of jiu-jitsu that genuinely brings so many people together. It started to make me think I was organizing a cult of some form—maybe I am. Let’s see how it unfolds. I’ll also have a little chat about subculture this weekend in Belfast, and the 4th and 7th of February are two important dates for me, so I’ll round off the podcast with that.

Darragh O'Conaill: Training Environments, IBJJF Europeans, and What It Takes to Win at the Highest Level

After last week’s episode, I posed the question online: Is Irish Jiu-Jitsu regressing? This was based on the results at the IBJJF European Championships in Portugal. In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Darragh O'Conaill, head coach of East Coast Jiu-Jitsu Academy and co-owner of Nexus Alicante in Spain, which he runs with his wife. Darragh has not only won multiple major IBJJF titles, but he’s also been instrumental in developing champions at all belt levels. He created one of the highest-level training environments Ireland has seen, consistently pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. We dive into a variety of topics, including the current state of Jiu-Jitsu in Ireland, Darragh’s early training experiences in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and how he fell just short of his ultimate goal—conquering Mount Everest in the world of chicken nuggets. Note: This episode was loosely structured from a conversation we had over Instagram DMs, so we may jump around a bit. Darragh has expressed interest in coming back for another episode in the future! I encourage you to listen with an open mind, reflecting on your own training environment and considering how you can improve and progress more effectively. Enjoy!

Question - Has Irish JiuJitsu Regressed? IBJJF European Debrief + Storm Update

In this episode, I feel like I’m doing the opposite of clickbait. The question in the title? I don’t fully agree with it—and neither did the person who originally asked me. But it's still worth considering. It's worth taking a moment to play devil’s advocate and think about how things could be better. I dive into a few chaotic days in Lisbon, exploring some random, yet surprisingly deep thoughts. Maybe we’ve just stumbled upon a new recurring segment for the next few weeks—who knows? Oh, and keep an eye out for the trampolines…

Video Episode Reaction + Thoughts, Lisbon - Same City, Different Person?

First fresh episode of 2025! I say it in the episode, but thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last episode specifically, and thank you very much if you're back to give it another go. I'm heading away tomorrow to the European Championships. I kept that one under wraps, but even when preparing for the NoGi Worlds, my training was split, and the Gi Europeans are one of the most important tournaments of the year. The yearly pilgrimage is back on to Lisbon. I can't wait to go for a variety of reasons, but you'll hear about them in the episode. Mainly, it's good to be back, and thanks for listening!

Kieran McGeeney talks Brazilian JiuJitsu, Athlete Development + The Want of Always Doing More.

If you want to watch the video episode for this podcast you can find it here on our brand new YouTube channel - https://youtu.be/kQVD9dvYdEE I sat down with Brazilian JiuJitsu Black Belt and notable GAA figure Kieran McGeeney to discuss a wide variety of topics including how he got started in Brazillian JiuJitsu, what it was that appealed to him so much about the art, the value of having something outside of his day to day career and life as well as overseeing high performing athletes and many more. Thanks to everyone who has been in touch looking forward to this episode, if you have stumbled upon this because of wanting to hear from Kieran you could check out some of the older episodes while you are here.

IBJJF NoGi Worlds, 5 Days In The Desert + Pre Travel Anxiety

Coming to you from the Mardi Gras "Hotel" and "Casino" in Las Vegas Nevada. I'm flying away in a couple of hours so wanted to run down the week in Las Vegas so far, including the couple of banana skins that was on the way leading up to it. You'll never be worse off not trying, and that's something I will keep trying to remember even more after this week in Las Vegas. Here's to NoGi Worlds 2025.

If You're Going To Do Something...Do It Right

I had hoped for this episode to allow me to take a week off and just publish what we recorded last weekend, however I took for granted how annoying of a process it just might be to get everything done the way I wanted to in my head...a good lesson learned that we dip into slightly on this weeks episode. You'll hear all about it, and then all going to plan you'll be able to watch it very soon. Thanks again for everybody that has been in touch over the last weekend, there's a lot of goodwill floating about and it must be this time of the year. It's appreciated.

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