Harley Flanagan was the frontman and bassist for NYC’s legendary punk band Cro-Mags. He is also a Black Belt under Master Renzo Gracie and a highly respected instructor. He talks about brawls, riots, NY’s old punk scene and how he got started in BJJ! Click “Read More” for show notes!
SHOW NOTES:
- His life before Jiu-Jitsu
- Growing up on the lower east side of NYC
- Being in a punk band at 10 years old
- Why struggles, pressure and suffering can be blessings in the end
- Why punk rock spoke to him so strongly as a kid
- NY in the 70’s and 80’s and the punk shows during that time
- Shows becoming riots
- Jiu-Jitsu attracts all walks of life
- Beginning Jiu-Jitsu in 1996
- How he found BJJ and Master Renzo
- Ryan Gracie
- Being at the Renzo vs Oleg Taktarov fight
- Street fights
- Avoiding fights
- Muscle memory and reflexes
- The incident that caused Ryan to stop working security
- How Jiu-Jitsu can improve your social circle
- The Webster Hall incident
- BJJ in the 90’s
- Stylistic popularity in martial arts over time
- His underground MMA experience
- The Pummel
- His style of BJJ
- Why he loves teaching
- His current music projects