Greg Souders

Greg Souders is a highly influential Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach, widely recognised for reshaping how the sport is taught through Constraint-Led Approach (CLA) and ecological dynamics, often referred to as eco grappling. As the founder of Standard Jiu-Jitsu, Souders has challenged traditional, technique-driven instruction, arguing that effective skill development emerges from interaction, problem-solving and realistic training environments rather than rote repetition.

His coaching philosophy places emphasis on decision-making, adaptability and live context, encouraging athletes to learn through guided games and constraints that reflect the true complexity of grappling. This approach has had a significant impact on modern no-gi Jiu-Jitsu, influencing coaches and academies worldwide and sparking ongoing debate about how combat sports should be taught.

Through his outspoken advocacy and practical results, Greg Souders has become one of the most prominent voices driving the evolution of contemporary BJJ coaching.

Carlos Carvalho

Carlos Carvalho is a certified Jiu-Jitsu coach in Portugal, holding a black belt under José Pedro Brás and managing the Five Elements Jiu-Jitsu Faro school. He began training in August 2012, took his first steps as an instructor in 2017, started a professional coaching course in 2019, and has since then worked with children’s groups as well.

With the school since July 2020, and with his accumulated experience in striking, self-defense, and Jiu-Jitsu competitions, in 2023 he began to completely change his teaching perspective, influenced by Greg Souders‘ dissemination of the Constraints Led Approach and Ecological Dynamics as non-linear pedagogy in the world of grappling. Living a different reality since then, Carlos also values ​​organisation, academy standards, and straightforwardness in his relationships.

In his studies, he also advocates understanding the history of Jiu-Jitsu and how we got to where we are today, in order to understand its future direction. Carlos feels happy about the development and growth of Jiu-Jitsu, but he gets more involved with those who help him and those he interacts with daily.

Laurien Zurhake is a historian (started her PhD on Pain Behaviour) & BJJ Brown Belt, known for teaching other martial arts instructors how to implement Trauma Informed Approaches and CLA online through Off The Zone and her podcast The Rise to Thrive Podcast. Recently, she organised the well-received Shieldmaiden Summit camps, the first Ladies Only CLA camps in Europe. Together with her husband, Alex, they run the first Trauma Informed and CLA gym in Munich, Germany.

Through studying Trauma Informed Practices, she stumbled upon Ecological Psychology and Ecological Dynamics in 2020. Realising that optimal healing and learning happen when the nervous system remains in the parasympathetic state (rest and digest) regardless of training intensity, it became clear to her that task-based games are the way forward.

Over the years Laurien has become a strong voice advocating for healthy, safe, and challenging learning environments.