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Warrior Mindset: The Tao of a Champion
Foreword by Tom Hardy
A guide to self-mastery and other lessons based on the principles of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, by the sport's greatest practitioner of all time.
As a ten-time Brazilian jiu jitsu World Champion and a former MMA World Champion, Roger Gracie is widely considered to be the greatest practitioner of Brazilian jiu jitsu of all time.
His grandfather, the great Carlos Gracie, was the architect of modern day Brazilian jiu jitsu and for Roger, growing up in the famous Gracie family, every conversation seemed to be about fighting,
Within this family of supermen, this self-contained, chubby kid promised little; in fact, nobody expected Roger to become the warrior he later did. But once he had made up his mind as a teenager to become the greatest, Roger's star was firmly aligned with his purpose. Over time, he gradually became unstoppable, both in his thirst for jiu jitsu knowledge and in his single-mindedness to strip back overly complex moves to their simplest most effective forms, just as his grandfather had done before him.
In The Tao of the Champion, for the first time, Gracie shares lessons from a career of fighting at the highest level
-'Learning to breathe',
-'Controlling your emotions',
-'Mastering your thinking', and '
-'Developing Quiet Inner Grace'.
Going far beyond the mat, this hard won wisdom is applicable to everyone from any background and in any walk of life who longs to find strength, courage, health, and peace.
A guide to self-mastery and other lessons based on the principles of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, by the sport's greatest practitioner of all time.
As a ten-time Brazilian jiu jitsu World Champion and a former MMA World Champion, Roger Gracie is widely considered to be the greatest practitioner of Brazilian jiu jitsu of all time.
His grandfather, the great Carlos Gracie, was the architect of modern day Brazilian jiu jitsu and for Roger, growing up in the famous Gracie family, every conversation seemed to be about fighting,
Within this family of supermen, this self-contained, chubby kid promised little; in fact, nobody expected Roger to become the warrior he later did. But once he had made up his mind as a teenager to become the greatest, Roger's star was firmly aligned with his purpose. Over time, he gradually became unstoppable, both in his thirst for jiu jitsu knowledge and in his single-mindedness to strip back overly complex moves to their simplest most effective forms, just as his grandfather had done before him.
In The Tao of the Champion, for the first time, Gracie shares lessons from a career of fighting at the highest level
-'Learning to breathe',
-'Controlling your emotions',
-'Mastering your thinking', and '
-'Developing Quiet Inner Grace'.
Going far beyond the mat, this hard won wisdom is applicable to everyone from any background and in any walk of life who longs to find strength, courage, health, and peace.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published September 16, 2025
10 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 8, 2025
An inspiring read by one of the greats of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Roger Gracie’s book is a rich blend of personal history, the story of the Gracie family, his career as a grappler and fighter, and his beliefs and philosophies.
It reminded me of Georges St-Pierre’s Way of the Fight — both books reveal humble, down-to-earth individuals who achieved greatness through discipline, dedication, and hard work.
What makes Roger particularly inspiring is that he wasn’t a natural prodigy. He only began training seriously as a teenager, and everything he achieved came through focus and persistence. Of course, being a Gracie opened some doors, but his accomplishments stand on the foundation of relentless effort. His legendary super fight against Buchecha after years away from active competition is proof of that.
At a time when elite sports often suffer from tribalism and toxicity, we need more role models like Roger. His story and philosophy offer young people a far better path to follow than many of the influencer role models they encounter today.
Roger Gracie’s book is a rich blend of personal history, the story of the Gracie family, his career as a grappler and fighter, and his beliefs and philosophies.
It reminded me of Georges St-Pierre’s Way of the Fight — both books reveal humble, down-to-earth individuals who achieved greatness through discipline, dedication, and hard work.
What makes Roger particularly inspiring is that he wasn’t a natural prodigy. He only began training seriously as a teenager, and everything he achieved came through focus and persistence. Of course, being a Gracie opened some doors, but his accomplishments stand on the foundation of relentless effort. His legendary super fight against Buchecha after years away from active competition is proof of that.
At a time when elite sports often suffer from tribalism and toxicity, we need more role models like Roger. His story and philosophy offer young people a far better path to follow than many of the influencer role models they encounter today.
November 30, 2025
Roger Gracie’s book is a must-read for BJJ fans. The in-depth breakdowns of his legendary fights are very detailed.
The personal growth sections feel like a remix of classic self-help books (a bit repetitive if you’ve read widely in that genre).
Recommended for mindset seekers in BJJ journey.
The personal growth sections feel like a remix of classic self-help books (a bit repetitive if you’ve read widely in that genre).
Recommended for mindset seekers in BJJ journey.
November 11, 2025
Inspiring! Motivating!
November 21, 2025
This wasn't actual awful. It is essentially a random assortment and presentation of the authors beliefs, rules to lives by and influences, often involving anything from a loose interpretation to bastardisation of philosophical and religious (mostly Buddhist) works. Odd and eh mish mash.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews