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PODCAST

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting

Stephan Kesting

What is it that allows some people to push themselves beyond their limitations? Why can some people survive situations others do not? On this podcast we try to find out the answers. Stephan Kesting, is a lifelong martial artist, BJJ black belt, career firefighter, and outdoorsman. Join us as he talks to fighters, adventurers, competitors, coaches, firefighters, trainers and other people living the strenuous life. Stephan also runs Grapplearts.com, where he has published many hundreds of martial

sports wrestling

All Episodes

58:08

436 - How Training Your Submissions as Positions...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/10/28

Today the tables get turned and I end up on the other end of the microphone as Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models picks my brain about the huge benefits that arise to treating your jiu-jitsu submissions as positions first, and submissions second. I promise this will make perfect sense by the end of the episode, and may change how you approach your training. Check out my positional approach to mastering the Kimura and tapping out more training partners and competition opponents at

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01:02:36

435 - Roy Dean and the Origins of BJJ in North America

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/10/21

Renowned BJJ blackbelt Roy Dean came onto The Strenuous Life Podcast to talk about his research into how BJJ got started in North America, martial arts culture in Japan, the power of Judo in self defense situations, the importance of role models in shaping one's conception of masculinitym and more. If you get a chance, please give this show a rating in Spotify or Apple Podcasts. That really helps! Also, you can order Roy's new book "Groundswell" here:

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54:34

434 - High-Percentage BJJ Competition Strategies with...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/10/07

Beatrice Jin shares the competition strategies that have allowed her to become the American National adult black belt middleweight champion and one of the top ranked black belts in the world. From guard pulls to sweeps to takedowns to pin escapes to conditioning to KO grips to structuring open mats so that they become a competitive advantage for you, Beatrice doesn't hold anything back. If you compete, or if you're thinking about competing, this is a must-listen. Follow Beatrice on Instagram at

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51:07

433 - How Jiu-Jitsu Builds an Unshakeable Self...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/09/23

Alicia Reitz and I dive deep into how BJJ can be used to develop a strong sense of self confidence for everyone, and how that self confidence can then be put to good use in self defense and the the rest of your life. We also digress a little into specifics of the social media drama that I was involved in recently, which certainly raised my blood pressure just a little. Alicia Reitz (Hon.B.Kin, B.Ed. Hon.B.Kin, B.Ed.) is a BJJ Brown Belt and does in person and remote coaching. Follow her and get

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57:54

432 - Hybrid Training 4: Optimal Conditioning for...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/09/09

James Deirmendjian a strength and conditioning coach specialising in combat and tactical athletes who ALSO competes in BJJ, fighting against much younger opponents. As such he was the perfect choice to finish our 4-part series on hybrid training and the science of developing strength and endurance at the same time. In this episode James and I touch on many topics, including… The most important aspects of fitness for winning matches in BJJ and how to develop it The difference between getting tired

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53:41

431 - Hybrid Training 3: Mixing Ultramarathon and...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/09/01

James Pieratt from Wild Hunt Conditioning joins us to share what he learned on an expedition in which he ran 802 miles through nearly the entire state of California. James is unique in the ultrarunning community because he also lifts heavy weights and trains in BJJ. We looked at the mindset and philosophy required for ultrarunning, the emotional journey of endurance athletes, and the importance of strength training for overall health and performance. We also covered training regimens, the science

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01:02:26

430 - Hybrid Training 2: The Science of Strength,...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/08/18

Record-setting powerlifter and freak athlete Chris Duffin discusses the intricacies of hybrid training, focusing on the balance between strength and endurance. He shares his unique qualifications, including his experience with elite athletes and his world record feats. Chris breaks down the relative importance of skill, and the mechanical, neurological, and metabolic factors that influence power output, and the often-overlooked role of the diaphragm in performance. Duffin also provides insights on

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01:02:05

429 - Hybrid Training 1: Peaking for Power,...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/08/04

Mike McCastle smashed David Goggins' pullup record by doing 5,804 pull-ups in 24 hours while wearing a 30-pound backpack... and pulled an F-150 pickup truck 22 miles through Death Valley... and flipped a 250 lb tire for 13 miles... and climbed a rope for the equivalent distance of Mount Everest... and has trained MMA fighters, alpinists, and extreme adventurers like Colin O'Brady, the first man to cross Antarctica solo and unsupported. As such, he's the perfect person to kick off our 4-part series

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01:15:32

428 - Tom Callos, A Black Belt and Gentleman

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/07/23

Martial arts pioneer Tom Callos came onto The Strenuous Life Podcast to discuss the California martial arts scene in the wake of Bruce Lee, the importance of taking your training out of the dojo and into the world, how your students can become your school's most effective advertising, being BJ Penn's first BJJ instructor, and his thoughts about BJ's current struggles. Tom has owned several martial arts schools, worked as a business and curriculum consultant to the international martial arts

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53:39

427 - Overcoming Doubt and Anxiety in Competition,...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/07/08

Today let's learn from sports psychologist Dr. Haley Perlis, who delves into the competition mindset, developing mental toughness, managing stress, avoiding burnout, the psychology of extreme sports, and how your core values shape your life and sport. Find out more about Dr Perlis at https://drhaleyperlus.com/ And to get a glimpse into the mental aspect of dealing with suffering and self doubt check out my book, Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic at

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56:22

426 - What Needs to Change to Do Jiu-Jitsu after Age 35

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/06/24

Today I'm joined by wrestler, jiu-jitsuka, and author Chris Jessulat (https://www.thewrongsideof35.com/) to discuss the best practices for staying relevant on the mats as you enter your fourth decade and beyond... 00:00 Training as an Older Grappler 02:48 The Transition from Competitive to Recreational Training 05:46 Physical Changes and Changing to a Mobility Focus 08:34 Quantifying Progress in Jiu-Jitsu 11:47 Breaking Through Training Plateaus 14:23 Comfort in Unfamiliar Positions 17:11 Training

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01:00:29

425 - Optimal BJJ Competition Mindset, with Rob...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/06/09

Rob Biernacki has some very impressive competition victories, including black belt masters gold at both No Gi Worlds and ADCC. In this podcast episode he reveals... Why people sometimes just don't perform up to their potential and how to fix it, How to reframe tournament nerves, The optimal state of arousal for competition, Building and executing on gameplans, Why some people just shouldn't compete, His best advice for first-time competitors And more. If you compete (or are thinking about

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50:53

424 - Writing the Ultimate BJJ Book, with Meerkatsu...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/05/29

It started as an April Fool's joke and then morphed into a BEAST of a book complete with 967 illustrations called "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the Ultimate Illustrated Guidebook". In episode 424 I chat with renowned BJJ black belt, illustrator and designer Seymour Yang (better known as Meerkatsu) and his partner in crime Graham Barlow (the creator of the Tai Chi Notebook) about the core techniques of BJJ, modern vs traditional jiu-jitsu, and the process of bringing a new book into the world. Check out the

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48:20

423 - BJJ, Science, and D&D with Bryan Rumble

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/05/06

Bryan Rumble is a 2nd degree belt and a working scientist. In this episode we start out by talking about BJJ traditions, the depth of the art, and how the scientific method might be applied in jiu-jitsu. Then, at about the 23 minute mark, Bryan and I nerd out SUPER hard on Dungeons and Dragons and how it relates to martial arts training. You've been warned! Check out Bryan's school in Brantford, Ontario at the links below https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Rumble-Academy-100057419059340/

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24:24

422 - How to Condition Yourself to Deal with...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/04/24

The fight-or-flight reflex is always lurking just below the surface. When things get sufficiently stressful, our hormonal system dumps enormous amounts of adrenaline into our bloodstream, and—BOOM—suddenly we’re ready for action. That adrenaline serves a purpose: it elevates your heart rate, makes you much stronger, more pain tolerant, and able to ignore injury. If you ever have to lift a car off a child, you don’t want to be calm. Instead, you want to be mad, scared, enraged—whatever it takes to

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01:00:11

421 - BJJ Training and Conditioning Myths, with James...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/04/04

Three time IBJJ World medallist James Deirmendjian joins me to discuss optimal training methodologies and the science behind strength and conditioning for sport. We cover hacks to improve recovery, debunk common myths in the Jiu-Jitsu community, and go deep into the need for a more scientific approach to training and nutrition. Follow and get in touch with James via https://www.instagram.com/fight_fit_training/ on Instagram. And check out my best-selling book, Perseverance, Life and Death in the

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01:02:35

420 - Braving Polar Bears, Facing Off Against the...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/03/20

Frank Wolf is an explorer, a writer, and one hell of an adventurer. In this episode we cover what he learned about endurance and survival during his travels in the Arctic, Central America, and Antarctica. Check out his fantastic book Two Springs, One Summer anywhere you get books in including Indigo and Amazon. https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/two-springs-one-summer-a-year-inside-the-life-of-a-chronic-adventurer/9781771606844.html https://www.amazon.com/Two-Springs-One-Summer-Adventurer/dp/1771606843

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45:05

419 - Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/03/04

I've got something special for you today: a true adventure story set in the Far North featuring that I underwent a few years ago after a kidney transplant. I ended up learning a LOT about mental toughness, resilience, and strategies for making progress when I was absolutely at the end of my rope, lessons that I think are universally applicable. The book out today in hardcover, Kindle, and Audible audiobook formats. Since this is a podcast, I thought I'd give you the first three chapters in audio

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01:07:22

418 - Spartans, Samurai and Ninja with BJJ Black Belt...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/02/24

I was thrilled to have Jeff Nelson on the show to talk about Spartans, Samurai, Ninja, developing confidence through jiu-jitsu, fight scenes in movies that drive us crazy, and pro-training at some of the best BJJ schools in the world. Follow Jeff on Instagram (@thoughtandmindjj) and check out his book Ninja Punks, @*&% OFF! on Amazon! Also check out my new book, Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indigo, or your favorite local bookstore!

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01:25:42

417 - Can You Get Your BJJ Black Belt Without...

The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting ·

2025/02/11

Paul Kindzia describes himself as a "homeschooled, non-denominational, it takes a village black belt" and had a very unique route to getting his BJJ black belt. He was a ronin, training at different schools and did a lot of his training in his home dojo. This paid off because he was a top IBJJF Masters competitor at blue, purple, and brown belt, before being awarded his black belt by a coalition of other black belts (myself included) in October of 2024. In this episode we talk about so many things,

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