Episodes
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One of the biggest trends in BJJ right now is the so-called "ecological approach." In episode 412 of The Strenuous Life Podcast I'm joined by renowned coach Rob Biernacki to discuss the do's and don'ts of game-based training. Check out Rob's instructional BJJ Games here https://www.grapplearts.com/bjj-games/ for more information.
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Erin Herle is a BJJ black belt under Cobrinha and is a certified Mental Performance Consultant. In her work she uses an evidence-based approach and has a master's degree in sport and performance psychology. In this episode we cover overcoming the biggest barriers holding you back from performing to your potential, dealing with burnout and overtraining (and why they are different), hero worship in martial arts, and living the jiu-jitsu lifestyle.
Find out more about Erin and her coaching programs at https://www.erinherle.com/
Check out No Gi Pin Escapes, your masterclass at getting out from the bottom and getting your jiu-jitsu confidence back, at https://www.grapplearts.com/no-gi-pin-escapes/
Cheers,
Stephan Kesting -
Missing episodes?
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Would you like a behind-the-scenes peek at what really goes on at one of the most successful grappling teams in the world as they get ready for ADCC and CJI, the Olympics of grappling?
Today I'm joined by Chris Wojcik, a standout grappler and the author of The Grappler's Diary, and we cover...
The qualifying process for ADCC, the Olympics of Grappling Training with a herniated disk How to go from enthusiastic amateur to dedicated professional What natural athletes need to do differently to compete in a sport rife with steroids How to train smarter, not harder Why B Team brought in an external trainer to prepare for ADCC and CJI ADCC vs CJI rule sets and strategies The future of CJI The role of wrestling and wrestling up in submission grappling Outside vs inside leglocks Top 3 leglock entries and top 3 leglock finishes The connection between leglocks and wrestling up Advice for practitioners feeling overwhelmed with the pace of change in the sport The mindset required for continual improvement in jiu-jitsu And moreFollow Chris Wojcik on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thegrapplersdiary/ and/or on his substack https://thegrapplersdiary.substack.com/
Check out my podcast-only leglock instructional special at https://www.grappplearts.com/leglocksale
And finally, check out the video version of this episode on my Strenuous Life Podcast Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/aahJznxxEsE
Cheers!
Stephan Kesting -
Denis was one of the top MMA fighters in the world with wins over Minoru Suzuki, Murilo 'Ninja' Rua, Akihiro Gono and Marvin Eastman. In this interview he opens up about the mindset shift that took him to a 22 fight undefeated streak... how he dealt with the death of his fiance while competing for the biggest MMA organisation in the world... how fighters should know when it's time to quit fighting... and how MMA training has changed since the early days.
This episode is also available on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/bYfPiNUIWa4
Denis teaches at https://pinnaclemma.gymdesk.com/ and can be followed at https://www.instagram.com/thisisdeniskang/
Check out Stephan's new book, 'Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic' at https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/
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Ramsey Dewey is an MMA coach now based in Shanghai, China. I really enjoyed our conversation which included...
How wearing headgear in sparring actually makes things WORSE for your brain His controversey with Master Wong Why China could take over MMA What self defense 'experts' get wrong What happens to martial arts that don't spar Ramsey's experience on The Ultimate Self Defense ChampionshipCheck out Ramsey's very popular Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@RamseyDewey
Find out more about the FREE Grapplearts BJJ Master App at https://www.grapplearts.com/masterapp
And please check out my brand new book, Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic, available on Amazon and all other online book retailers https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612
Thank you,
Stephan Kesting -
I just did a 19-day solo canoe trip in the Canadian Arctic, and here are the 3 big lessons I learned!
If you want to see photos and a day-by-day description of the trip please go here: https://essentialwilderness.com/lost-in-the-barrens-a-solo-canoe-trip-on-a-remote-arctic-river/
Order my book "Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic" at the following places:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perseverance-stephan-kesting/1145682384
Indigo/Chapters: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/perseverance-life-and-death-in-the-subarctic/9781639368617.html
If you'd like to subscribe to audio-only form this podcast please find it at the links below:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5NTGdrtMZv8JcxpUBcdREx
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/strenuous-life-podcast-stephan-kesting-grapplearts/id320705565?mt=2
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/stephan-kesting/grapplearts-radio-podcast
Cheers,
Stephan Kesting -
This podcast episode covers all the details and preparations for a long solo trip in the Arctic that I'm starting today! After 30 hours of driving and a 2 hour bush plane flight to Nueltin Lake I'll be heading north of the treeline direct into the Barren Lands of the Arctic.
Once there, I'll be completely alone and out of touch for 30 days. The only written description of the river is a few pages in a book written by a missionary in the late 1800's.
The trip spans the Thlewiaza, The-Tinne, Kognak and Tha-Anne rivers and will probably include caribou and bear encounters, whitewater and giant ice-covered lakes, and insanely complex navigational challenges.
Once the trip is underway, I'll be sharing a few photos from the field a small satellite device So if you're interested in adventure and how well jiu-jitsu works against giant Hudson Bay Polar Bears then follow along!
The best place to stay current is probably on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/essentialwilderness/), although this page on Essential Wilderness (https://tinyurl.com/nunavutsolo) should have a map that updates with my location once I'm on the water
I believe that pictures from this trip will also get cross-posted on
Threads (https://www.threads.net/@stephan_kesting)
Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@essentialwilderness), and
Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@essentialwilderness/community)
I'll be back to the world and jiu-jitsu in late July. Hopefully!
Cheers, Stephan
P.S. I'm telling my publisher that this is my official book tour, so if you haven't yet pre-ordered Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic (the story of another trip I did up there) then please help me out!
You can grab it at Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/
https://www.amazon.ca/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/
Barnes and Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perseverance-stephan-kesting/1145682384
And Indigo. https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/perseverance-life-and-death-in-the-subarctic/9781639368617.html
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Short episode today with my friend Denis Kang sharing three ways that fighters have improved their training methods to get ready for MMA fights.
Denis fought for the first time in 1998 (in an event without gloves) and went on to fight a total of 55 times in events like the UFC, PRIDE, DREAM, Impact FC, M-1 Global, K-1 HERO'S, ROAD FC, and Pancrase.
Denis currently teaches MMA at Pinnacle Martial Arts in Richmond, BC.
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Luke Thomas is one of the most influential MMA analysts in the game and the host of The Morning Kombat Podcast. I was delighted to talk to him today about
How the sport of MMA has changed The rise of Eastern European fighters Why is terrible behaviour of MMA fighters tolerated Can other MMA organisations ever rival the UFC Drug testing in the UFC Fighter unions and the Ali Expansion Act What Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson means for combat sports And more!Check out Luke Thomas's Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/ @LukeThomas
And, if you have a second, please follow my two outdoor adventure accounts to make my book publisher happy! https://www.youtube.com/@essentialwilderness and https://www.instagram.com/essentialwilderness should do the trick!
Thanks ever so much,
Stephan Kesting
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In this episode I put on my adventurer hat and use my biology background to look at four studies and 352 aggressive bear encounters in Alaska to see whether bear spray or firearms was more effective at deterring aggressive black, grizzly and polar bear behaviour. The results may surprise you, but data doesn't care about your feelings!
TIMESTAMPS
01:28 - Introduction to bears spray vs guns
04:08 - Analysis of the first report, Bear Spray vs Bullets, Which Offers Better Protection, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
04:30 - Analysis of second report, Bear Spray or Bullets, by Lynn Dickerson
08:57 - Analysis of third report, Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska, by Smith et al.
16:48 Analysis of fourth report, Efficacy of Firearms for Bear Deterrence in Alaska, by Smith et al.
23:27 Summary and personal opinions
MORE OUTDOOR STUFF BY STEPHAN KESTING
Please like this video and subscribe to my Essential Wilderness Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCujEWgySgpTa76dw__i_UAw
Check out my Essential Wilderness site at https://www.essentialwilderness.com
Follow my outdoors Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/essentialwilderness/
Sign up to get notified about my upcoming book, Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic at https://www.essentialwilderness.com/book
Thanks so much,
Stephan Kesting
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There are times when it feels like life has you trapped on the bottom of mount against a vastly heavier, more experienced opponent intent on mauling you. The steps to deal with these two situations are the same.
Pass this on to someone you think it might help,Stephan Kesting
P.S. I made one little mistake in this podcast: Epictetus was a Greek (not Roman) stoic philosopher who lived in Rome for much of his youth serving the Emperor Nero, so he doubtless knew all about suffering.
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Rob Biernacki is my guest today to talk about how injury and physical limitations have led to some of the fastest technical development of his career and the refinement of entirely new techniques like the Roadhouse Choke. Since some form of injury is inevitable there are a LOT of takeaways in this episode.
We also discuss the concepts of risk vs reward in your choice of techniques, how new techniques and technical refinements get adopted, the risks of the buggy choke, the barbell strategy for allocating your training time, how rule sets drive evolution of the art, and more.
Check out the Roadhouse Choke Instructional at http://roadhouse.bjjconcepts.net
And sign up for my free email newsletter at https://www.grapplearts.com/newsletter
Good luck with your training
Stephan Kesting
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Many people completely run out of gas when they're sparring, and often this is because they are inadvertently holding their breath. In this short podcast I share four very specific ways that I've coached people past this problem and hugely improved their endurance.
Please share this episode with someone you think it will help.
Cheers,
Stephan Kesting
P.S. This episode is also available in video form here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umD_zc5Bd3M
P.P.S. If you follow me on social media only then we are all subject to the whims of the algorithms, therefore subscribe to my (entirely free) newsletter so we can stay in touch and I can give you tons of good stuff: https://www.grapplearts.com/newsletter
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From war-torn Africa to climbing remote peaks in Greenland with Alex Honnold, Matt Pycroft has built a very impressive career working as a journalist and filmmaker. In our conversation he goes into detail how he gradually acquired the skills to achieve his goals and the lessons he's learned working with extreme athletes in inhospitable settings all over the globe.
Follow Matt on Instagram @mattpycroft and check out his latest film, Arctic Ascent with Alex Honnold, on Disney, Amazon, and National Geographic.
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The traditional class structure of doing a warmup, learning a couple of new techniques, and followed by sparring is NOT an efficient way to learn jiu-jitsu. We can do much better if we use insights from research on coaching and learning.
Today's guest is Cal MacDonald, a BJJ black belt and competitor who has dedicated himself to developing his teaching and coaching skills to the highest possible level.
Cal is a longtime blackbelt under Rob Biernacki at Island Top Team. Rob and his team are at the cutting edge of teaching and training methodologies that make people amazingly good incredibly fast. Cal coached full time at Island Top Team for five years and is also a fierce competitor, having won Gold at NAGA, Pacific Northwest Open, and many other tournaments. He has travelled to top academies for Worlds and ADCC camps, training with top athletes like Yuri Simões, Mason Fowler, and Caio Terra, so he knows what works at the highest levels.
His proudest accomplishments are the successes of his students, and he has spent thousands of hours coaching and cornering competitors as they fight their way to the podium.
Cal stays abreast of advances in sports science and cognitive science, and blended that with experience and experimentation to create the BJJ Foundations program - more info about that at https://www.grapplearts.com/foundations
Good luck with your training,
Stephan Kesting
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In this episode I talk BJJ longevity, weight training, home gyms and training methods with BJJ old-timer Mike Mahaffey. I think there are a TON of valuable takehome lessons here for anyone who trains jiu-jitsu, and ESPECIALLY the over-40 crowd!
Also check out BJJ Foundations, the brand new Grapplearts instructional that gives you the best jiu-jitsu technique and training method curriculum I've ever seen at https://www.grapplearts.com/foundations
Cheers,
Stephan Kesting -
Did you know that the England had many different wrestling systems including Cornish, Lancashire, Devonshire, Cumberland and Westmoreland wrestling and catchwrestling? In this conversation Oz Austwick and I go into the history of these arts including the influence of Japanese Judo and Jiu-Jitsu on English Wrestling... the great Billy Robinson and his influence on Kazushi Sakuraba... Satoro Sayama and the birth of Shootwrestling... American vs British catchwrestling... the blending of jiu-jitsu with catchwrestling... leglocks and traditional BJJ... and much more.
Follow Oz Austwick here: https://www.youtube.com/@EnglishMartialArts
Subscribe to The Strenuous Life Podcast on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK-c9Vxqx-I
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Rob Biernacki and his competition team are on a tear. Rob recently took gold in masters middleweight the Canadian ADCC Open, silver at the California ADCC Open, and gold in black belt M4 at the IBJJF No Gi Worlds. In this episode we talk about designing an effective training camp, dividing your conditioning and skills training, detaching emotionally from the outcome of the competition, why sharktanking and competition-style rolls are overused, 80/20 analyses of different rule sets, training athletes to think strategically while in matches, the central role of games and drills in his competition training, and strategies that work in ADCC that will lose you the match in IBJJF
Check out his latest instructional, BJJ GAMES, at https://www.grapplearts.com/bjj-games. It features 25 different games and drills Rob uses at his school to get his students ready for competition.
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In episode 393 of The Strenuous Life Podcast I talk to Oz Austwick, who has extensively studied armed and unarmed combat systems in Europe. Topics we cover include the origins of boxing in England, historical training and conditioning methods, reconstructing and testing techniques shown in swordfighting manuals, fighting with live blades, the role of wrestling in real swordfighting, and much more. I think you'll really like this one!
Oz Austwick runs the English Martial Arts channel on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/englishmartialarts and publishes at https://www.patreon.com/englishmartialarts
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