Most grapplers collect moves. DFM Coaching helps you build a game. Structure-driven BJJ instruction for adults who want to grow on the mats without quitting their jobs, their families, or their sanity to do it.
DFM Coaching | Bjj
Mastering The Gentle Art
DFM Coaching | San Diego, Ca
You know more techniques
than you can actually use.
My Experience
15 Years
On the mats and over a
decade as an instructor
3 Days
a week is all it took to reach black
belt, your schedule can work.
About Me
I am a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, instructor, and community builder dedicated to helping people train with clarity, intention, and grounded confidence. Through DFM Coaching, I teach classes, run workshops, and support students who want structure and direction in their Jiu-Jitsu journey.
I’m also the host of Tapped In: A Jiu-Jitsu Podcast and the writer behind DFM Coaching Blog, where I explore training, mindset, leadership, and the deeper human lessons we find on the mats. My work is rooted in discipline, emotional intelligence, and helping people grow without ego.
The Blog
The DFM Coaching Substack is a blog focused on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, mindset, and leadership, written for grapplers who want depth, clarity, and long term growth. It blends tactical insight with thoughtful reflection on training culture, personal development, and the human side of the art.
The publishing rhythm includes The Sunday Brief for reflective observations, Technique Tuesday for practical training concepts and techniques, and a full blog post every Thursday that dives deeper into strategy, structure, and lessons that carry beyond the mats.
The Podcast
Three episodes a week. 14 to 24 minutes each. Built for grapplers who train with purpose.
Hosted by David Figueroa-Martinez, BJJ Black Belt and coach, Tapped In goes beyond technique. Each episode explores the mental game, the mat culture, and the lifestyle that shapes who you become as a practitioner. Whether you are a White Belt finding your footing or a Purple Belt pushing through a plateau, this show meets you where you are.
Picture a mat side conversation with a friend.
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere you listen.
E237 | The Mats as a Mental Sanctuary: Vulnerability, Brotherhood, and Dropping the Armor – Tapped In: A JiuJitsu Podcast
DFM Coaching Library:https://www.patreon.com/cw/DFMCoachingBjjAbout This EpisodeIn this episode of Tapped In, David Figueroa-Martinez reflects on the unique role the mats play as a mental sanctuary, speaking directly to the heavy emotional armor that men carry daily. Drawing parallels between military camaraderie and the shared physical adversity of jiu-jitsu, David discusses how training shuts down mental noise and survival-driven "what-ifs," creating a rare flow state where only the present moment exists. He explores why the tap is an act of total vulnerability, why genuine mentorship on the mats matters, and why the grappling community must serve as an outlet where people can drop the tough facade and support one another through life's heaviest moments. 3 Key TakeawaysShared Struggle Builds Real Brotherhood: Just like in the military, grinding through physical adversity on the mats creates deep, authentic bonds that bridge the gap from training partners to trusted friends. A Forced Flow State for an Overactive Brain: The intense physical problem-solving of live rolling forces the conscious thinking mind to shut off, offering a true mental break from daily anxieties and hypervigilance. The Tap Is a Practice in Vulnerability: Admitting defeat on the mats teaches men how to put ego aside, embrace failure without shame, and normalize asking for help both on and off the mats. Chapters0:00 – The Heavy Armor Men Carry 0:50 – Military Parallels: Shared Struggle and Authentic Bonds 2:10 – Being a Good Partner: Mutual Elevation vs. Crushing Ego 3:30 – Embracing the Suck: Why Failure on the Mats Feels Different 4:55 – When the Mat Community Steps Up Outside the Gym 6:00 – Quieting the Noise: Jiu-Jitsu as a Mental Reset 8:30 – Tapping Out as an Act of Honest Vulnerability 10:45 – The Power of Mentorship: Giving Back to the Room 12:15 – Holding It Together at Home While Carrying the Load 14:00 – Dropping the Facade: Why We Can't Carry It AloneAre You You New To The Podcast? Start Here!👉DFM Coaching Patreon PageEverything here is pulled from real mats, real classes, and real conversations about what actually works. Choose the tier that fits where you are right now.👉DFM Coaching In Person and Remote CoachingDFM Coaching works with recreational grapplers who want to get better and actually feel it. Remote coaching and in person seminars available.👉 DFM Coaching | BjjDFM Coaching Skool CommunityJoin the free DFM Coaching Skool Community, the space where the conversation continues after the episode ends. Mindset tools, mat culture, and a community of grapplers who take the mental side seriously.👉 DFM Coaching | Bjj Skool Community.Stay Connected🌐 www.DFMCoachingBjj.com📸 Instagram @DFMCoaching.Bjj▶️ YouTube @DFM2099DFM Coaching | Bjj Blog:Long-form storytelling, deep strategy, and the philosophy behind the fight:🌐 DFM Coaching Substack BlogAffiliate PartnerBJJ Mental Models has one of the deepest conceptual Jiu-Jitsu libraries out there. I use it. I recommend it.👉 Join BJJ Mental Models+(Code: FIGUEROAMARTINEZ)Help the Show GrowIf this episode gave you something, pass it on. Share it with a training partner, drop a review, or repost it to your story. That is how we keep the signal strong.Stay tapped in,David Figueroa-MartinezFounder, DFM Coaching BjjMentioned in this episode:Patreon Blueprint Ad