5 Mind Blowing Insights from Paige Ivette on Jiu Jitsu and Mental Prep

In this episode, I catch up with my friend and powerhouse black belt Paige Ivette Clymer. Paige is a multiple-time IBJJF medalist, ADCC Open double gold champ, and one of the most technically sharp athletes I know. We go deep into her ACL injury, how she navigated the emotional and physical recovery, and the mindset it took to come back even stronger.

We also break down her epic Who’s Number One match and how she prepped for battle with precision, right down to escaping a guillotine with total calm. Paige gets real about pre-competition anxiety, training smarter, and what every grappler should know about injury prevention, mental prep, and fueling their body. This one is packed with insight for athletes of all levels.

If you got something out of this episode, please rate, follow, and leave a review! Share it with a teammate or a friend who’s passionate about Jiu Jitsu and building longevity on and off the mats. Thanks for listening—see you on the next one!

Episode Highlights:

[1:07] Meeting Paige and the ACL injury that changed everything.
[3:33] Learning from the injury: technique tweaks and defending your knees.
[6:19] Why prehab matters: physical and emotional readiness before surgery.
[10:03] Breaking down her Who’s Number One performance and guillotine escapes.
[14:11] Pre-fight anxiety and how Paige is learning to tame the nerves.
[18:40] Top injury prevention tips: slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
[21:07] Learning how to fall and the banned techniques at Legion.
[24:58] Training smarter as we age and protecting your peace on the mats.
[27:39] How Paige prepped her cardio for a 15-minute war.
[31:29] Paige’s go-to meals, nutrition hacks, and her foodie favorites.

Links & Resources:

Follow Paige on Instagram: @paige.ivette
Legion AJJ on Instagram: @legionajj