Built Not Born

Everyday People, Remarkable Lives

Author: Joe Ciccarone

Welcome to Built Not Born! The story of EVERYDAY PEOPLE creating REMARKABLE LIVES. Each week we bring a REMARKABLE story of an ordinary person that overcame the odds, fought through adversity and impacted the lives of countless people in their community. Subscribe and see why life is BUILT NOT BORN.
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#187 -Chris "Bones" Burns - The BJJ Project, Rickson Gracie, Invisible Jiu Jitsu and Why Everyone Needs to Calm the F*ck Down 🥋🔥
Episode 187
Monday, 2 March, 2026

Chris "Bones" Burns - The BJJ Project, Rickson Gracie, Invisible Jiu Jitsu and Why Everyone Needs to Calm the F*ck Down 🥋🔥He's the algorithm's favorite BJJ instructor — equal parts savage wisdom and sarcasm.Chris Burns is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Rickson Gracie's lineage who's been chasing the invisible art for over two decades.His take?The sport is cool, but self-defense is the point. And everyone needs to chill the f*ck out.What You'll Learn:Why his first 10 years of training were "terrible experiences all around"The moment he finally learned jiu-jitsu — from a hip escapeWhat it's like to roll with Rickson Gracie (hint: "He surfs a human being")Why blue belts should focus on survival, not submissionsHow to train smart when you're older, injured, or bothThe difference between being a lion and being a rat — and why both are validWhy the martial arts community needs to "calm all of your tits"Power Quote: "Calm down. It's just a hobby. Stop making this the focal point of your life. The martial arts is the important thing. The community is the important thing. Be happy that you're physically doing something with another human being and you're connecting with them. Calm the fck down."* — Chris BurnsTimestamps:🥋 0:00 - Introduction😤 3:30 - His terrible first experiences on the mat📼 8:00 - VHS tapes, Gracie in Action, and finding the combatives🔥 14:00 - Meeting Jason Robic and learning the hip escape that changed everything🌊 22:00 - What it's like to roll with Rickson ("He surfs a human being")🎯 30:00 - What a blue belt should actually know🤼 38:00 - Flow rolling vs hard sparring — pick your partners wisely🦁 44:00 - Training when you're older: "There's a time you're a lion, there's a time you're a rat"🎨 50:00 - How being an artist shaped his teaching🧘 56:00 - Breath work, whiskey, and coffee by the ocean📚 60:00 - Books that changed his life: Fight Club, Man's Search for Meaning, The Art of War💡 65:00 - One lesson: Calm down, it's just a hobbyConnect with Chris Burns:The BJJ Project (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok)Zero Point Jiu-Jitsu (Podia)Instagram: @chrisbonesburnsSubscribe for more conversations with elite performers who've overcome the odds.#ChrisBonesBurns #RicksonGracie #BJJ #JiuJitsu #GracieJiuJitsu #InvisibleJiuJitsu #SelfDefense #BJJProject #BuiltNotBorn #Podcast #MartialArts© Copyright - Joe Ciccarone 2026 - Built Not Born Podcast. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.