In this episode of the Emerald Grappling Podcast, Aaron is joined by Ryan Smyth, a 2nd-degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, two-time European Champion, and the head coach of Atlantic Jiu Jitsu in Sligo. Ryan shares his journey from first discovering BJJ to becoming a respected competitor and coach, and the evolution of his training philosophy over the years. As a dedicated instructor, Ryan discusses how he approaches belt testing, what he values most in student progression, and how he integrates modern coaching methodologies such as the ecological approach into his curriculum.We dive into the origins of Atlantic Jiu Jitsu’s renowned training camps, which have featured some of the biggest names in the sport, including Lucas Lepri, Cobrinha, and Jon Thomas, and Ryan offers an exclusive announcement about a major guest for this year’s upcoming August camp. He also shares insights into his newest project: a training initiative that uses jiu-jitsu to promote the Irish language.Ryan shares valuable tips on competition mindset, reflections on his standout moments on the mats, and the life lessons jiu-jitsu has instilled in him beyond the gym. We wrap up with a look at the future of jiu-jitsu and how to connect with Ryan and Atlantic Jiu Jitsu online.Whether you're a student, a coach, or just passionate about the sport, Ryan’s perspective offers inspiration and practical wisdom.Chapters ➡ 00:00 - 9:30 Intro & Ryan's BJJ Origin Story09:31 - 12:31 Changed Approach to Training12:32 - 18:29 Ecological Approach in practice at Atlantic18:30 - 27:53 Belt Testing at Atlantic27:54 - 29:53 World-Class Training Camps in Sligo29:54 - 35:20 Selecting Training Camp Instructors35:21 - 37:30 Favourite Training Camp for Ryan37:31 - 38:36 EXCLUSIVE ANNOUNCEMENT about next camp38:37 - 41:03 Does Ryan wish he trained differently?41:04 - 44:59 Ryan's Competition career & coaching45:00 - 49:05 Life Adjustments for Better BJJ49:06 - 54:59 Competition Mindset55:00 - 01:00:35 Future of Jiu Jitsu1:00:36 - 1:02:59 OutroMake sure to follow Ryan on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/smyth.ryan/Make sure to check out Atlantic Jiu Jitsu when you're in Sligo for some traininghttps://www.sligobjj.comhttps://www.instagram.com/atlanticsligo/https://www.facebook.com/atlanticsligo/https://www.tiktok.com/atlanticsligo/If you enjoyed this episode of the podcast, please Like, Share and Subscribe! ✅ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow Emerald Grappling on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emerald.grappling/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emeraldgrapplingRemember to subscribe and follow the podcast to avoid missing any episodes! ✅#RyanSmythBJJ #AtlanticJiuJitsu #EmeraldGrapplingPodcast #IrishJiuJitsu #BJJInIreland #SligoJiuJitsu #BJJBlackBelt #2ndDegreeBlackBelt #EuropeanBJJChampion #MastersBJJ #BJJCoach #JiuJitsuMindset #CompetitionMindset #ModernBJJ #BJJEvolution #CoachingPhilosophy #BJJBeltTesting #FundamentalsFirst #StudentDevelopment #ConstraintLedTraining #BJJTrainingCamp #BJJEventsIreland #LucasLepriSeminar #CobrinhaBJJ #JonThomasJiuJitsu #JiuJitsuSeminars #SummerBJJCamp #BJJGuestInstructor #GaeilgeThroughBJJ #JiuJitsuAsGaeilge