Interview With Travis Motl (The Elbows Tight Podcast)
Welcome to our exclusive interview with the host of the popular martial arts podcast, Elbows Tight. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Travis Motl, a blue belt who has been passionately creating content for the BJJ community through his jiu-jitsu podcast and YouTube videos.
In this interview, we will dive into Travis' journey with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the inspiration behind Elbows Tight podcast, and his thoughts on the current state of the martial arts world.
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Full Name: Travis Motl
Age: 34
Belt Colour: Blue
Professor: Cody Smith
Short Term Goals: I would like to be more consistent in my training and earn my purple belt.
How long have you been doing jiu-jitsu for?
I have been training 5 ½ years
Where do you train out of?
Do you prefer gi or no-gi?
I really enjoy both but unfortunately I only really train gi right now.
Have your instructors helped you in other aspects of life other than jiu-jitsu?
My main instructor is one of my best friends and we have known each other for almost 10 years. He is one of my mentors in my personal and professional life.
What are some lessons you learned from jiu-jitsu that apply to everyday life?
Too many to write but the main one is to do difficult things. Life is full of adversities and challenges. Jiu-jitsu has taught me to push through these difficult times and it has helped me to pass that on to my kids.
How often do you train?
Right now I train twice a week.
What made you want to start training?
I wrestled a semester in high school so I always felt the love for grappling. I also really enjoyed watching MMA and once Cody decided he wanted to start training again it was an easy yes for me.
What’s it about jiu-jitsu that makes it so addicting?
I am a veteran and missed the comradery that came along with it. Martial arts was the closest thing to that and now it is just a part of my day to day life.
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What has jiu-jitsu done for your physical health?
It helps me burn more calories and feel 10 years older than I am.
Has jiu-jitsu benefited your mental health?
I used to have pretty bad claustrophobia but after years of being put in uncomfortable positions it has stopped a lot of my anxiety.
If you could restart your jiu-jitsu journey, would you do anything differently?
No. The only thing that has changed my journey is having kids and I couldn’t imagine my life without them now.
What’s your advice for someone that’s never tried jiu-jitsu before but is interested in trying it?
Come and watch a couple classes. Talk to the people. Show them you are interested but have reservations. The community is great at helping people overcome some doubts.
What’s your favorite move?
North South Kimura or knee bar
Would you like to see the sport become more mainstream?
Yes and No. I feel that it being more mainstream will help with the sport to grow and make it easier for people to do it as a full-time job but not because I don’t want it to change because of the competition side. I hear Judokos talk about it happening to Judo.
Have any of your training partners pushed you to reach your full potential?
No, not really. We are all hobbyists that push each other but we are more worried about our 401k’s and not winning ADCC 🙂
When you were first starting, what was the most difficult concept of jiu-jitsu that you had trouble getting?
How to go super hard and fast isn’t how to learn jiu-jitsu. You have to slow down and recognize when opportunities present themselves so you can capitialize on them.
If you could roll with any practitioner, dead or alive, who would it be?
My buddy Jordan Priesinger. He lives in Canada and we have been talking about making content together and rolling for almost 3 years.
If you had to describe Jiu-Jitsu to someone that's never heard of it before in under 5 words, what would those words be?
Learning through failures and errors.
What has been the most memorable moment you've had on the mats so far?
Winning my first match in my first competition. I never thought I would compete in BJJ but decided to put myself out there and had a blast.
Was there a difficult moment in your life where jiu-jitsu helped you get through it? If so, please explain.
Being a parent to 3 kids, BJJ has helped me as a parent. It gives me a place to go and practice self control and to let out built up emotions.
What inspired you to create your podcast?
When I first started my journey I couldn’t find any white belt podcasts that were made my white belt (or lower belts) about the struggles we go through at the beginning of our journey. I wanted to fill that space and give a place where any new white belt can come and learn how to get better at bjj, set goals, what to focus on, how to improve outside of just techniques, and grow personally.
Who would you like to interview on your podcast that you haven’t already?
- Someone who can teach my audience how to improve their mental strength with balancing life and training.
- Someone who can deliver a message about the importance of S&C training, how to do it with a busy life, and what to focus on when in the gym.
- Tom Hardy
What are your long-term goals for the Elbows In Podcast?
Be a full-time creator, have an active and helpful community for anyone looking for answers, and create a business model to where I can give back to the community and those in less fortunate circumstances so they can train and escape hardships in their lives even if it is only for 2-4 hours a week.
Where can people listen and watch more of your content?
You can listen anywhere you find podcasts and YouTube.
What would you like to say to everyone that has supported you on your journey?
Thank you. Without you I wouldn’t be able to help so many people around the world. I am forever humbled that people would even listen to a random podcast from a guy that has 0 achievements in the sport and a dadbod.
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