The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting

A fun conversation with BJJ black belt Thomas Lisboa about why testing yourself occasionally in competition gives you things that you just can't get from regular training, how Brazilian black belts use their skills on the mat to emigrate to North America, how to develop your weakest positions, why even advanced students should attend the beginner's class, and much more. If you enjoy the podcast th...

The guard is the most important position in BJJ, and if you understand the multiple ranges and range battles that occur within this position then your ability to both pass the guard and defend against guard passes will improve exponentially.  In this episode Rory Van Vliet explains the different ranges within guard and how you can use them to your advantage.  If you found this useful then check ou...

The days of learning from just one instructor if you're a serious martial artist are over.  Nowadays you need at least four different coaches... Check out my latest BJJ instructional, The Guard Retention Formula, at https://www.grapplearts.com/guardretention

I sit down with Japanese ju-jutsu black belt Alex Kask to discuss the benefits, pitfalls and procedures for training in traditional systems and in modern BJJ at the same time.  Both Alex and I have extensive backgrounds in both approaches, although I've done more BJJ and he's done more classical jujutsu, aikido and hapkido.  I hope you find this an informative and entertaining chat! Also while I h...

This was a fascinating conversation with Nick Hiebert who has done a ton of research into the nutrient density of different foods.  In this talk we look at the all time greatest, most nutrient dense foods, the ketogenic diet, fats vs carbs vs proteins, and much more. Check out Nick's blog at https://thenutrivore.blogspot.com/ or follow him on Twitter @The_Nutrivore where he spends a ton of time de...

I think you'll like this one, because I share a fighting strategy that comes from Roberto Leitão, the godfather of Luta Livre who has trained fighters like Jose Aldo, Pedro Rizzo and Marco Ruas.   I also discuss times when you should use the exact opposite strategy to develop your game! Check out The Guard Retention Formula at https://www.grapplearts.com/guardretention .  It's an absolutely amazin...

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) can seem incredibly complicated when you're first exposed to it. In this episode I explain the positional hierarchy, the underlying logic, and the method behind the madness of what happens when two people are rolling on the ground.  I think this'll really help you and I hope you share it with your friends!   Download 'The Roadmap for BJJ' in PDF form for free at https://w...

In this podcast I answer a question I received on an Instagram Live Q&A about a boxing beating jiu-jitsu in a real streetfight.  Then I go on an epic rant about the three specific things most BJJ guys need to do first to make their martial art streetworthy.  Follow me on Instagram ( @stephan_kesting ) and maybe a future podcast episode will be devoted to answering one of your questions! Also go to...

Mike McCastle has accomplished some of the most amazing tasks of endurance I've ever heard of. In this episode we go deep into developing mental strength, maintaining commitment in the face of adversity, and dealing with physical and emotional pain. This is an amazing episode and I hope you really like it!  Mike's feats of endurance are part of the 12 Labors Project and include  setting the world...

Tristan Connelly, fresh off his absolutely amazing underdog win over Michel Pereira in the UFC, talks with Stephan Kesting on The Strenuous Life Podcast. We went into detail about mindset, strategy and training. I think you'll find this a great episode! Specific topics included, 00:14 A detailed breakdown of his fight with Michel Pereira, 07:00 Weight control for MMA Fighters, 09:23 What quitting...

Sparring is just as essential in the striking arts as it is in the grappling arts, but the addition of percussive trauma raises the stakes and makes safety the single most important consideration.  In this short episode I talk with Ritchie Yip from The Precision Kickboxing Masterclass ( http://www.selfdefensetutorials.com/kickboxing ) about sparring in boxing and kickboxing and his top tips for do...

"Survive first, win later" was one of the very first pieces of advice I ever received in jiu-jitsu. It helped me then and it still helps me now, both on and off the mat. I hope this mentality helps you too! And just a quick reminder that a rating or a review of the podcast is the easiest thing you can do to help out, so thank you for that in advance. Good luck with your training, Stephan Kesting

I talk with Chris Duffin, one of the most elite powerlifters in the world, about his absolutely inspiring journey from a childhood spent in poverty to becoming one of the strongest men on the planet. Learn what it's like to deadlift 1000 lbs and squat 900 lbs for reps! Some of the highlights of today's episode include Chris talking about overcoming an upbringing in complete poverty, powerlifting a...

You can train super hard and kick the crap out of your body but that doesn't make you stronger - it's only after you RECOVER from training that the benefits of training manifest themselves.  Too many athletes focus entirely on the training component and neglect recovery, but ultimately you need to be as focussed and diligent on your recovery, recuperation and rehabilitation as you are on what you'...

You can train super hard and kick the crap out of your body but that doesn't make you stronger - it's only after you RECOVER from training that the benefits of training manifest themselves.  Too many athletes focus entirely on the training component and neglect recovery, but ultimately you need to be as focussed and diligent on your recovery, recuperation and rehabilitation as you are on what you'...

How to get more chokes, armlocks and leglocks in BJJ with Rob Biernacki.  We break down a 6 step submission formula that will allow you to hit more submissions on good people, even if they're bigger and stronger than you.  Plus we talk about training submissions as positions, an incredibly important skill to develop if you want to get better at tapping people out. Check out The Submission Formula...

Jessica is the yoga coach to the New Orleans Saints.  She helps NFL players put themselves back together after the relentless abuse of games and training. And she also does BJJ which means she's doubly cool. In the last year, however, she's fought back from having cancer and came on the podcast to talk about it.  I thought that her tips on how different types of breathing affect your central nervo...

BJJ is a fantastically fun sport that's also undeniably hard on the body. Here's my single biggest tip for people in their 30's and 40's who want to keep on training into their 50's and 60's If you're not already doing so then follow me on instagram where I post cool pics and informative videos quite regularly https://www.instagram.com/stephan_kesting And if you're thinking about starting BJJ, or...

If you're serious about jiu-jitsu then should you train everyday?  In answering this question I also give some real life examples of how to achieve any large, hairy, audacious goal, be that getting your BJJ black belt, building your own business, getting good marks in school, etc. Many of the examples I used in this episode came from the 1000 Mile Solo which you can find out more about at https://...

You'll like this episode!  In it I talk with 62 yr old BJJ black belt Rabbi Mordecai Finley (the Wrassling Rabbi) about starting BJJ at a later age, picking the right jiu-jitsu club, training after a heart attack, the horrors of the Eastern Front in World War 2, interpreting the Torah, being Leonard Cohen's Rabbi, and awarding Blue Belts in marriage counselling.  

Stephan talks with Filipino Martial Arts instructor Jarlo Ilano about sparring with sticks and knives, self defense and how the training methods you're using affect how your martial art will express itself when you're trying to use it under stress. Jarlo Ilano is an instructor under Burton Richardson https://jkdunlimited.com/ in his Battlefield Kali system and a purple belt in BJJ. And as well as...

This trip has been a looooong time in the making. Back in 1992 I had the crazy idea of doing a super long trip that would take me across Nueltin Lake and down the Thlewiaza river in Nunavut, north of 60 degrees latitude.   This trip was originally planned for 2014 but life got in the way. I got divorced, lost my home and underwent a kidney transplant. 2014 came around and unfortunately I wasn't in...

Today was a very interesting day. I had just arrived at Nuelton lake. It is a huge lake that expands over 100km. I had heard there were some abandoned cabins along this lake. Every thing was left there, from motors to gas to batteries and of course, some garbage. This left me in a pretty sketchy scenario when some company came along...

Do you ever find yourself struggling to start a task that you have been excited to do for so long? That is completely normal! We all have moments where we just cannot seem to find any motivation. In my case, its waking up knowing that I am going to be paddling for the next 8 hours... Here are 7 tips you can use right now to help get you on track and stay motivated so that you can accomplish whatev...

I am on day 12 of my 1000 miles solo journey and my body is starting to feel it. My mind is feeling foggier and my urges to rest are stronger. It is at this point where I need to remind myself of how important quality recovery is in any mental or physical exercise. It's no secret that rest is important but it is often under looked as the key to great performance.