What makes Brazilian jiu-jitsu so much more than a martial art?

In this episode of the Let’s Move Canada Podcast, we sit down with Paulina Bak and Lucas Wilhan, founders of Lapel Arts Academy, to explore how Brazilian jiu-jitsu builds confidence, resilience, discipline, and community. We also discuss the misconceptions surrounding martial arts, the mental and emotional benefits of training, and why movement can truly be for everyone.

Whether you're curious about trying jiu-jitsu or simply looking for a new perspective on wellness, this conversation is one you won't want to miss.

Follow their journey at @lapelarts on instagram

Show Notes

1. Different Paths, Same Passion: Pauline grew up in Brazil doing gymnastics, swimming, volleyball, and weightlifting before discovering jiu-jitsu at 22. Lucas grew up in Montreal playing soccer and video games, and found in jiu-jitsu a sport where hard work had a direct, visible payoff. Both started the sport as adults and never looked back.

2. What Is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: BJJ is a grappling martial art that starts standing and moves to the ground, where the goal is to control your opponent and secure a submission, like an arm lock, joint lock, or choke. There is no striking. Participants can tap out at any time, making it relatively safe and low impact. It is often called "the gentle art" because it relies on leverage and technique rather than size or brute strength.

3. The Chess Match on the Mat: Both Pauline and Lucas describe jiu-jitsu as a chess match that demands simultaneous physical and mental engagement. Because you can not afford to lose focus for even a moment, the sport naturally builds emotional regulation, resilience, and problem-solving skills that carry off the mat too.

4. Why They Fell in Love With It: What hooked them both was the rare combination of individual challenge and team atmosphere. You push yourself to improve, but you need training partners to do it. That balance of personal growth within a supportive community is, they say, what keeps most people coming back.

5. Building Lapel Arts Academy: The vision behind Lapel Arts Academy was simple: create the kind of jiu-jitsu experience that changed their own lives, and make it available to their community. The gym is designed to be a positive, stress-free space where people can show up after a long day and fully switch off. They also have a competition team for those who want to push further.

6. A Sport for Everyone, Not Just Athletes: One of the biggest barriers to trying jiu-jitsu is the feeling that you need to already be fit or athletic. Pauline and Lucas push back hard on this. Their beginner classes use game-based training so newcomers can participate without any prior knowledge. You can get in shape as you go, sit out rounds, and set your own pace.

7. Busting the Media Myths: Movies like John Wick have created the impression that jiu-jitsu is all flying submissions and flashy moves. In reality, it is controlled, technical, and slow when done well. Another common misconception is that it is only ground work, when in fact takedowns and standing techniques are a big part of modern jiu-jitsu.

8. Transformations They Have Witnessed: Pauline shared how women who arrive shy and hesitant about physical contact often leave months later visibly more confident in their bodies. One of her current students is in her third trimester of pregnancy and still training. Lucas spoke about students who win at the Worlds level after committing to competition, and kids who go from crying in class to leading their peers on the mat.

9. Classes at Lapel Arts Academy: Kids programs start at age 5 and focus on the traditional gi. Adult classes offer both gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu and welcome students from teens through their 30s and beyond.

10. Growing the Women's Side of the Sport: Making jiu-jitsu a welcoming space for women is a personal mission for Pauline. She describes a fighter side that many women have but rarely get the chance to develop, and sees jiu-jitsu as one avenue for bringing it out.

11. Jiu-Jitsu for Kids Is Booming: Originally an adult sport, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is increasingly popular with children. Pauline and Lucas see its benefits for kids as especially meaningful, including confidence building, anti-bullying skills, leadership, focus, and emotional regulation.

12. What Canada Could Do Better: Pauline and Lucas would love to see more public promotion of movement and sport in Canada, more government support for businesses building healthy communities, and eventually jiu-jitsu included in community center programming alongside other mainstream sports.

Call to Action

1. Visit Lapel Arts Academy: Check out their website at lapelarts.ca to explore classes and programs.

2. Follow Along: Find them on Instagram @lapelarts, and follow the coaches individually at @lucaswilhanjiujitsu and @paulibak.

3. Join the Movement: DM @letsmovecanada to suggest guests or get involved in future episodes.

Fiona Mattrasingh is a Registered Dental Hygienist with over a decade of experience. What began as sharing her knowledge through summits and mentoring new RDH graduates has evolved into content creation and the soon-to-launch of her own practice. Passionate about education and patient care, Fiona is dedicated to making dental knowledge accessible. She shares with us her insight on what makes a good dental practice, the importance of education surrounding oral health and the realities of practicing as an RDH.

Connect with Fiona on Instagram @mouthboxx to see more.

Show Notes

1. Born Into Dentistry: Fiona grew up in Toronto with a deep love for dentistry sparked by early positive experiences with her own dentist and family members in the field. Though she briefly considered professional soccer and physiotherapy, she always found her way back to dental hygiene.

2. The Non-Traditional Hygienist: Rather than staying confined to the traditional office setting, Fiona has built a career that spans clinical practice, corporate education for a dental pharmaceutical company, college instruction, public speaking on infection control, mentorship, and content creation, redefining what it means to be an RDH.

3. Mouthboxx Was an Accident: Fiona's platform @mouthboxx started as a simple digital business card for her speaking engagements. It grew organically into a thriving online community, attracting companies, job opportunities, and a loyal following drawn to her education-first approach.

4. The Realities of Clinical Life: Behind the well-oiled machine of a dental office lies a fast-paced, mentally demanding environment. Hygienists work nonstop, moving between patients constantly, sometimes skipping meals entirely. Fiona is candid about the risk of feeling like you're on a factory line and how to break out of it.

5. Self-Advocacy Changes Everything: A turning point in Fiona's career came when she found the confidence to push back respectfully on office policies that didn't align with her professional standards. She now teaches self-advocacy as a core skill in her mentorship work, alongside knowing your non-negotiables before accepting any position.

6. Education-First Offices: Fiona won't work in a practice that treats continuing education as a solo burden. She looks for offices where growth is a team commitment, from the dentist to the front desk, because offices that invest in their staff directly invest in their clients' care.

7. Opening Her Own Space: Fiona is launching her own practice in the Etobicoke area, designed to be welcoming, inclusive, and wellness-driven. As a Black mother of two young children, she wanted to create a space that reflects her community, especially for moms, young families, and those who have historically felt unseen in dental care.

8. Representation Matters: With fewer than 4% of dental professionals in Canada identifying as Black, Fiona is intentional about visibility. Her students and colleagues regularly tell her that seeing her in the role makes them feel like they belong, proof that representation shapes the next generation.

9. Oral Health Is Whole-Body Health: The bacteria in your mouth can travel throughout your body and influence systemic conditions like diabetes and hormonal changes, and vice versa. Fiona explains that everything from stress to hydration levels shows up in the mouth, making regular dental care an essential part of overall wellness.

10. The Sports Drink Problem: It's not about avoiding acidic drinks entirely, it's about frequency and duration. Sipping a sports drink over a long period keeps your mouth in a prolonged acidic state, weakening enamel and feeding harmful bacteria. Fiona recommends waiting 30 minutes after consuming acidic foods or drinks before brushing.

11. A National Conversation Starting Young: Fiona's call to action for Canada is to bring oral health education into schools earlier. Children absorb habits young, and having hygienists speak to kids, the same way she's already teaching her 6-year-old, could shift the culture around dental care from fear to understanding.

12. Advice for New Grads: Stay true to why you entered the field, find your tribe, and don't be discouraged by a bad first office. The right environment is out there. And don't wait to reach out to someone you admire, even a short virtual coffee can make the path feel achievable.

Call to Action

1. Follow Fiona: Connect with her on Instagram @mouthboxx for dental education, career insights, and updates on her upcoming practice.

2. For New Grads: Follow @DearRDHNewGrad for mentorship-focused content tailored to those just starting out in dental hygiene.

3. Visit the Practice: Fiona's office will be opening soon in Etobicoke, details coming to her Instagram.

4. Join the Movement: Visit letsmovecanada.com or DM @letsmovecanada to suggest guests or get involved in future episodes.

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