To mark two years of the Emerald Grappling Podcast, Aaron Murphy sits down with two of his own coaches from Lakeland Jiu Jitsu, black belt Ruairi Keena and brown belt Dave Hynes. The episode traces the club's history from its early days as Mullingar Grappling through to the academy it is today, including its partnership with SBG Mullingar and Longford BJJ, and the influence of Tom King on the club's development.
Dave speaks candidly about coming back from a serious ACL injury and a herniated disc, and how that process changed both his approach to training and his outlook on strength and conditioning. He and Ruairi discuss why so many grapplers neglect conditioning work, how they modified their games after injury, and why setbacks became a turning point rather than a setback to their progress. Their return to competition and Ruairi's own competitive experience also feature.
Much of the conversation centres on the pair's shared commitment to a pressure-based, gi-focused style at a time when no-gi grappling dominates much of the sport, along with their views on jiu jitsu's self-defence applications for beginners. They also open up about balancing family life, coaching and personal growth, including how becoming parents has shaped what they want to pass on to their children and their students.
The episode closes with Ruairi and Dave's coaching philosophy: what they look for in students with black belt potential, advice for coaches building their own clubs, what earning his black belt meant to Ruairi, and the legacy they hope Lakeland Jiu Jitsu leaves behind.
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