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Dave Meyer | Host, Ageless Warrior Lab podcast | President & Co-founder of Food System Innovations and Humane American Animal Foundation
Join BJJ coral belt, Gang of Eight and Dirty Dozen member Dave Meyer as we draw wisdom from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the martial arts and explore how it applies to your life, success in business, and your long-term health.
Dave Meyer is a pioneering American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) practitioner, and accomplished non-profit founder and Philanthropist. He is an eleven-time world champion in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and is the current world champion in his age/weight division in the no-gi format.
Dave co-founded and served as CEO of Adopt-a-Pet.com for two decades, turning it into the world's largest nonprofit homeless pet adoption website and helping save millions of animals, before its acquisition by Mars Inc.
Today, Dave leads Humane America Animal Foundation and Food System Innovations, working on farm animal welfare and a healthy and sustainable food system. He frequently advises U.S. lawmakers on these issues, and has raised and deployed over $160 million in philanthropic capital as part of his work in the nonprofit space.
In his athletic career, Dave has risen to the highest ranks of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He earned his black belt from Rigan Machado in 1996 and ranked among the first Americans ("the Dirty Dozen") to do so. He was the first American to medal at the black belt level at the BJJ World Championships in Brazil in 1998. Dave is one of just several Americans to achieve the rank of coral belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a group now referred to as the “Gang of Eight”. He continues to compete at the world championship level, winning world championship titles in his age division.
As a martial artist and instructor, he taught at UCLA, Steven Seagal's Tenshin Dojo, and developed a globally used grappling curriculum with John Will, including customized material for Chuck Norris's UFAF association. He has written several books on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, including "Training for Competition: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Grappling".
Meyer also played a critical role in post-Katrina animal rescue, co-authored books pet care, and co-founded a Haiti orphanage for children with HIV, exemplifying a lifetime of impactful leadership in both martial arts and philanthropy.
Dave resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, and continues to coach BJJ athletes and compete at the world championship level. He is the President & Co-Founder of Humane America Animal Foundation and Food System Innovations, of which the Ageless Warrior Lab is a project.
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
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GSP: Overcome Fear and Become an MMA Champion | EP44
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May 26, 2026 |
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Martial Arts, War Zones & Telling a Legend's Story | Peter Maguire EP 43
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May 14, 2026 |
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Robert Drysdale: Hard Training Builds Real Fighters | EP 42
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May 01, 2026 |
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How I Used Strategy To Achieve Big Goals | Ep 41
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Apr 23, 2026 |
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Martial arts, Aliveness and Modern Police Jiu Jitsu Training: Adam Treanor | EP 40
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Apr 07, 2026 |
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Eric Ries: Building Companies That Promote Prosperity With a Purpose | EP 39
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Apr 01, 2026 |
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Justin Flores on Connecting Judo, Wrestling & Jiujitsu | EP 38
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Mar 25, 2026 |
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Lachlan Giles on Leg Locks, Heel Hooks & ADCC | Interview with The Giant Killer | Ep 37
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Mar 18, 2026 |
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Erik Paulson: First American Shooto World Champion & MMA Pioneer | Combat Submission Wrestling Ep 36
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Mar 14, 2026 |
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Toughness: How to Get Mentally and Physically Tougher | Ep 35
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Mar 05, 2026 |
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Rikki Rocket: Poison's Drummer on Martial Arts and Music | Ep 34
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Mar 03, 2026 |
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Burton Richardson - Combat Wisdom & Training Philosophy - Ep 33
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Feb 25, 2026 |
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Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry: Star Trek, Martial Arts & Finding Your Own Path | Ep 32
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Feb 20, 2026 |
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Cesar Gracie on the Early Days of BJJ, the Diaz Brothers & Coaching UFC Champions | Ep 31
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Feb 17, 2026 |
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Real Street Self Defense | What Many Martial Arts Don't Prepare You For | Ep.30
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Feb 12, 2026 |
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Caio Terra on BJJ Technique, Training Smart & Building Champions | Ep. 29
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Feb 10, 2026 |
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How to Avoid BJJ Injuries & Train for Decades | Injury Prevention for Grapplers | Ep. 28
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Feb 06, 2026 |
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David Mitchell on No-Gi BJJ, Ankle Locks & Balancing a Career with Elite Competition | Ep. 27
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Feb 03, 2026 |
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Professor John Will: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Evolution, Real Self-Defense, and Building Safety Nets | EP. 26
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Jan 29, 2026 |
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Frank Shamrock: From Prison to UFC Champion, The Mindset That Built a Legend | Ep. 25
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Jan 21, 2026 |
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Krissa Hjartar: Mastering Leg Attacks, Training with Men & Building Confidence| Ep. 24
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Jan 17, 2026 |
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The Ego Trap: What 35 Years of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Taught Me About Success | Ep. 23
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Jan 13, 2026 |
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Adapt and Prevail: The #1 Skill That Can Help You Win When There's No Win in Sight. | Ep. 22
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Jan 06, 2026 |
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Bob Bass: 2nd US BJJ Black Belt, Stories of the Gracie & Machado Early Days | Dirty Dozen | Ep. 21
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Jan 02, 2026 |
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The Psychology of Competition: Why Winning Shouldn't Be Your Goal | BJJ & Life Lessons | Ep. 20
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Dec 30, 2025 |
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Melissa Will: Pioneer of Women's BJJ on 36 Years of Training & Building Inclusive Gyms | Ep. 19
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Dec 24, 2025 |
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Mission Days: The powerful tool to keep your work and life on course | Ep. 18
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Dec 17, 2025 |
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Rick Williams, SWAT Cop & BJJ Pioneer: "Jiu-Jitsu Saved My Life Dozens of Times" | Ep. 17
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Dec 11, 2025 |
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Don’t Die With Your Potential Intact: Dave Meyer’s Guide to a Meaningful Life | Ep. 16
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Dec 10, 2025 |
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Chris Haueter on the Origins of BJJ, the Dirty Dozen & the Evolution of Jiu-Jitsu | Ep. 15
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Dec 04, 2025 |
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From Black Belt to Venture Capital: Arvind Gupta on Mastery, Startups & Martial Arts | Ep. 14
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Dec 03, 2025 |
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The Clock Is Ticking: Make Every Moment Count | Ep. 13
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Nov 25, 2025 |
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Building Resilience Through Martial Arts: Lessons from Sensei Mike Valentine | Ep. 12
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Nov 18, 2025 |
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Functional Strength & Longevity: The Ultimate Guide for Athletes Over 40 | Ep. 11
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Nov 12, 2025 |
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Weaponized Curiosity: Jeremy Corbell on UFOs, Martial Arts, and Life Lessons | Ep. 10
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Nov 04, 2025 |
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Mastering Anxiety: Practical Tips for Competitors, Athletes, and Everyday Life | Ep. 9
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Oct 28, 2025 |
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Facing Fear: Lessons from a Hurricane Rescue & Martial Arts Mastery | Ep. 8
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Oct 21, 2025 |
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Rigan Machado: The Untold Story of a Jiu Jitsu Legend – Family, Films & Hollywood | Ep. 7
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Oct 14, 2025 |
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The Truth About Confidence: Why Most People Get It Wrong (And How to Fix It) | Ep. 6
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Oct 08, 2025 |
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Ageless Wisdom: Martial Arts, Mindfulness, and Mastery with Dan Millman | Ep. 5
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Oct 01, 2025 |
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The Secret to Winning Every Negotiation: Lessons from the Mat | Ep. 4
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Sep 23, 2025 |
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Transforming Pain Into Power: The Alchemy of Outcomes. | Ep. 03
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Sep 16, 2025 |
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From Bullied Kid to BJJ Legend: The Untold Story of John Will | Ep. 02
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Sep 16, 2025 |
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3 Rules to Get Better, Faster: Secrets from a BJJ Black Belt | Ep 01
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Sep 16, 2025 |
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How Martial Arts Shaped My Life & Mission | Introduction
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Sep 16, 2025 |