Sensei George Rego on the Martial Arts Mindset: Be Difficult to Harm but Easy to Respect
About this episode
Sensei George Rego discusses his martial arts journey and the principles of discipline and respect in training.
Host Pete Deeley welcomes listeners back to The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset, promotes subscription coffee and announces the new app "My Jiu-Jitsu Journey," then interviews Sensei George Rego about his lifelong martial arts path. Rego describes walking into an old, gritty dojo as a child and feeling instantly "at home," drawn to the combination of real physical capability and character, honor, and discipline—echoing Miyamoto Musashi's "twofold way" of sword and pen. He discusses the unique trust of training, the deep teacher-student bond, and the grief of losing his sensei. Rego shares lessons on discipline becoming self-discipline, navigating students who disappear, and his motivation for writing "The Founding of Jujutsu and Judo in America," including Teddy Roosevelt's ju jitsu connections. He concludes that a strong martial artist should be difficult to harm but easy to respect. 00:00 Welcome and Updates 01:05 Meet Sensei George Rego 02:01 Why Martial Arts 03:25 First Dojo Awakening 05:54 Quiet Strength Ideal 09:14 Twofold Way Mindset 13:21 Loss of a Sensei 15:02 Teacher Student Bond 19:08 Trust and Time on Mat 22:18 Students Who Disappear 23:44 Refocus on Students 25:07 Sensei Beyond…
People in this episode
Host: Peter M. Deeley Jr.
Guest: George Rego
Topics covered
- martial arts mindset
- teacher-student bond
- discipline
- jujutsu and judo history
- trust in training
- self-discipline
Keywords
- martial arts
- self-discipline
- teacher-student relationship
- jujutsu
- judo
- Miyamoto Musashi
- Teddy Roosevelt
- trust
- training
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: The Founding of Jujutsu and Judo in America
More episodes of The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset
- The Might Mocifer! | Professor Mo Gobena on Fear, Community, and Competing: Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, and Life
- La Cazadora (The Huntress): Cassidy Roblero's Martial Arts Journey
- Jiu Jitsu as a Life Pivot: Humility and Persistence | The Splendid Savage Professor Carlos Reyes
- Flow and Feel: Jiu-Jitsu Wisdom with Professor Darien Cobon
- Commitment Without Attachment: Professor Michael Casey's Insights on Jiu-Jitsu
- Veterans Breakthrough: How Jiu-Jitsu Helps Veterans Rebuild Purpose, Health, and Community
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset podcast page.