The Strenuous Life Podcast With Stephan Kesting / Grapplearts Radio

Jesse Bryant is doing his PhD on the politics of nature, and has come across some amazing examples of both far left and far right groups wrapping themselves in the mantle of nature and what is deemed 'natural'.  From the Artaman League to the Wolves of Vinland and Alex Jone's fantasies about moving back to the country sometimes what he's found is hilarious, and sometimes it's terrifying.  I really enjoyed today's homage to the Naturalistic Fallacy and I hope you do too... Check out Jesse's great Tiktok channel where  he goes by @jessecallahanbryant. And check out the latest Grapplearts instructional, Cutting Edge Leglocks, at https://www.grapplearts.com/cutting-edge-leglocks.  It's an amazing deal and will definitely help you tap out a LOT more people!

Amanda Bruse took home Gold as a black belt in her weight division at No Gi Pans in 2022, and also a Silver in the open division facing much heavier opponents. She's also done amazingly well at ADCC Trials, No Gi Worlds, and is now competing in Combat Jiu-jitsu as well. It's remarkable that she's only been training for 6 years; clearly, she's doing something right, and in this conversation I try to find out what it is!! Tune in to find out about learning how to train (02:48), her favorite submission competing against bigger opponents in the open division (09:12), how to structure multiple training sessions per day (14:38), strength and conditioning for jiu-jitsu (18:06), balancing training and university studies (28:57), wrestling for no gi jiu-jitsu (35:34), starting a clothing brand (41:01), visualisation for competition (47:11), and her best advice for new people starting jiu-jitsu (53:06). Follow Amanda on Instagram at @amandabruse.bjj. As always, a rating and a review of this podcast is super-appreciated

To say that Greg Souders is a huge believer in drilling and gamification is actually an understatement; he believes that BJJ training methods have not kept up with the science of learning, and runs Standard Jiu-Jitsu in Rockville, Maryland without teaching any techniques. And black belt medalist students at the Pan Ams and the World Championships suggest that he's onto something!  I really enjoyed this conversation and did my best to ask the questions you'll be hearing in your own head as you listen to this!  As always, if you enjoyed this episode I would REALLY appreciated a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listened to it! Cheers, Stephan Kesting

Brooke Binowski is a journalist specialising in debunking disinformation and misinformation.  She has worked for Snopes and is now the managing editor at TruthOrFiction.com. In this episode we talk about Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, how disinformation campaigns are structured, white supremacists, why the wellness space is so prone to believing conspiracy theories, and how we can know what's actually true and what's not. Follow Brooke on Mastadon brooklynmarie@mastodon.lol, on Twitter (for now) @brooklynmarie, and check out what she's working on at truthorfiction.com/author/brooke/.   Finally, check out the video version of the Strenuous Life Podcast on Youtube as well.   Merry Christmas, Stephan Kesting

BJJ black belt Elliott Bayev and I discuss the minimum knowledge set required to be a competent blue belt, including... The 8 basic positions in jiu-jitsu A 3 phase strategy for beating a bigger person  The real purpose of the guard The 2 types of submissions The hierarchy of positions How to stay safe in bad positions...and what to do next. The importance of getting high up on your opponent’s body How do throws and takedowns fit into training Competition vs self defense tactics How many techniques do you actually need Why sparring against real resistance makes jiu-jitsu special When to begin sparring in your progression How long does it take to make bluebelt And more! Click here to get the Roadmap for BJJ, my free PDF breakdown of the basic positions and strategies in jiu-jitsu. Elliott runs the Openmat school in Toronto Ontario and also the BJJ101.tv learning site.  Check out Elliott's Spider Guard Masterclass, and/or his Self Defense Guard, and/or his 30 Second Fight Finishes instructionals. I've pe

In episode 379 of The Strenuous Life Podcast I talk with podcaster, martial artist, and history professor Daniele Bolelli about the characteristics of fascism. This is a loaded topic for both of us, because both of our families lived in fascist states during World War 2 (mine in Germany, his in Italy).  Which is why I almost went with an alternate title, namely A German and an Italian Walk Into a Bar... The terms 'fascism' sure gets thrown around a lot these days. But words have meaning, and so you can't just use it as an insult to describe anything you don't like. S0 what is it? As Daniele explains, there isn't a single definition of fascism; instead it's a checklist and the more items an ideology checks off then the closer they are to fascism.  Here are some of the major items for Daniele... Nostalgia for a mythic past Reliance on an authority figure who will fix everything Nationalism A cult of masculinity and cracking down on anyone who doesn't embody traditional values A hawkish desire for war against i

Joshua Arellano is a physiotherapist with a black belt in Judo and a brown belt in BJJ. He works with combat athletes on rehab, prehab, and injury prevention, and - since injury is the enemy of progress - I was thrilled to pick his brain on the podcast to help everyone have a healthier grappling career!   00:39 - Judo and jiu-jitsu damage on the body 09:37 - The 5 most common injuries that you see in judo and jiu-jitsu 10:43 - Knee injuries 24:51 - Neck injuries 40:42 - Elbow injuries 45:01 - Is Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation outdated? 59:16 - Shoulder Injuries 1:03:33 - Learning to fall 1:05:16 - Small joint injuries 1:11:55 - How to contact Joshua Arellano, Physiotherapist   Related to this topic are the two volumes in the BJJ for Old F***s series.  If you're worried about or working around an injury consider checking out   1) BJJ for Old F***s, the Guard at https://www.grapplearts.com/oldguard   and    2) Guard Passing for Old F***s at https://www.grapplearts.com/oldpass   Thank you! Stephan Kesting

John Will trained in Southern California in the late 80's, was one of the first 12 non-Brazilians to get a BJJ black belt, and then went on to create the largest jiu-jitsu association in Australasia.   We talked about how the art has changed, how to be 'centrist' in the sport vs self defense debate, teaching elite military personnel, how to create a curriculum, and much more. I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation Stephan Kesting P.S. Check out the latest Grapplearts Instructional, Guard Passing for Old F***s, at https://www.grapplearts.com/oldpass    

James 'The Biking Viking' Benson King is cycling from Alaska at the very top of North America to Argentina at the very bottom of South America.  He's covered thousands of miles, endured injuries, dealt with bears, and gone deep into the reservoirs of his endurance.  In this episode we talk about his mental and physical preparations for the journey of a lifetime. Follow James on instagram @bensonthebikingviking, his youtube channel, and/or his site at bensonthebikingviking.co.uk.

00:29 - Is technique enough by itself? 04:47 - Is Jiu-jitsu for everybody? 09:59 - Skill vs athleticism vs rank 22:43 - The resurgence of guard passing  25:34 - Intensity in training and belt promotion 32:43 - Hobbyist vs competitor training. 37:47 - The most effective takedowns for jiu-jitsu 39:12 - Training strengths vs working on weaknesses   BJJ FOR OLD F***S, THE GUARD PASSING GAME   Check out the latest Grapplearts instructional featuring Stephan Kesting and Rob Biernacki here:   https://www.grapplearts.com/bjj-for-old-fs-guard-passing/   Good luck with your training, Stephan

Explorer Adam Shoalts is fresh off a 3 month, 3,400 km solo trip to the Arctic. It’s an amazing story, and he shares a TON of tips for travelling in the wilderness 00:32 Adam’s 3 month, 3,400 km solo journey to the Arctic 31:20 On Staying Safe in the Wilderness 38:42 On Food and Calories in the Wilderness 50:57 How to Run Whitewater Safely on an Expedition 53:07 Medical Emergencies and Safe Drinking Water 1:05:41 Dealing with Black Flies and Mosquitoes 1:11:57 Dealing with Bears in the Wilderness 1:20:51 Staying Warm in Wet and Cold Weather 1:27:45 Intuitive Navigation vs GPS Navigation 1:34:45 Trip Planning 1:39:10 Dealing with Loneliness on a Solo Trip 1:43:41 Adam’s Books Follow Adam at Instagram @adam_shoalts and check out his website at adamshoalts.com Please share this episode with a friend or two if you liked it - it's how we grow! And check out the video version of this episode at https://youtu.be/m3srgJEDZH0 on the Strenuous Life Podcast channel on Youtube! Cheers, Stephan Kesting

Derek Beres is an author and co-host at the Conspirituality Podcast.  He joined me today to talk about the recent Alex Jones verdict, anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theories, conspirituality and his predictions for the future. Check out Conspirituality on every podcast platform, hosted by Derek Beres, Julian Walker and Mathew Remski.  It's amazing! And if you want more of Derek and I check out Cults and Conspiracies in the Yoga, Wellness, and BJJ Communities which was episode 291 of The Strenuous Life Podcast and/or Conspiracy Dojo, episode 106 of Conspirituality. Keep on fighting the good fight my friends! Stephan

0:37 Why layoffs are inevitable 1:39 Loss of endurance 3:36 Loss of sport-specific strength 5:46 Loss of timing 7:19 How to minimize the loss 7:40 How long does it take to come back     Please share this episode with a friend or two if you liked it - it's how we grow! And check out the video version of this podcast on the Strenuous Life Podcast channel on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxFCWZJbnlRyhw3vmDx0Rlg/videos Cheers, Stephan Kesting    

From Steven Segal getting choked out on set to health influencers and how to develop information literacy I think you'll like this conversation with Phrost. Follow Bullshido on Twitter @bullshido, Phrost @@Phrost, and/or the original Bullshido site at Bullshido.net. Please share this episode with a friend or two if you liked it - it's how we grow! And check out the video version of this episode at  https://youtu.be/fwLPR7VJ8O8 on the Strenuous Life Podcast channel on Youtube! Cheers, Stephan Kesting

Erin teaches jiu-jitsu in Appleton Jiu-Jitsu. In this episode we have a great discussion of trans athetes in jiu-jitsu and a little bit of polite debate about trans athletes competing in elite sport.  I found this a very informative conversation and gained some valuable perspective on the science of transition. More about Erin at metricsbjj.com  

Chris Round is a Judo black belt under Jimmy Pedro.  In this episode we talk about how to add Judo throws to your BJJ arsenal, old school vs new school Judo training methods, Kosen Judo which focuses very heavily on groundwork, gripfighting, leg grabs, belt grabs, crazy Eastern European throws, and more!

Being able to tell the difference between real science and pseudoscience has never been more important, especially given the staggering amounts of misinformation and disinformation being circulated on a daily basis.   In this episode I talk with Jonathan Jarry, a scientist who works for McGill University's Office for Science and Society, which uses the tagline 'Separating Sense from Nonsense'.   We cover some of the most blatant red flags that you're dealing with pseudoscientific claims, charlatanry, grifters, and fake experts.   I hope you find this useful!   Stephan Kesting   P.S. This episode is also available on the Strenuous Life Podcast Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/-FrIVWasO8M   Give us a follow on Youtube if you would please!  

Patrick Wyman from the amazing Tides of History Podcast joins us today to discuss Large civilizations that disappeared (12:22) The human evolutionary family tree and paleogentics (17:41) The explosion of agriculture on different continents (28:16) Different species of hominids (40:20) 40 years that shook the world (43:57) The pivotal role of the printing press (48:30) Patrick's involvement in the MMA world (52:27) Why nerds lift weights (1:01:37) And more! Follow Patrick on Twitter @patrick_wyman Please like and subscribe - that stuff REALLY helps! And check out the Strenuous Life Podcast channel on Youtube while you're at it!  Cheers! Stephan Kesting    

Covid is Airborne, So What Can We Do About It?   No, the answer is NOT lockdowns. In this interview University of Toronto epidemiologist Dr Colin Furness, PhD, goes into detail about Covid transmission, the debilitating (and mostly denied) effects of Long Covid, and simple mitigation measures that don’t require billions of dollars.  Specific topics include… - The evidence for Covid being airborne - How common is Long Covid, what are the three types of Long Covid, which organ systems are affected, whether vaccination helps, and whether mild cases initial respiratory Covid can lead to severe long covid - Other viruses with long term effects that don’t become evident for decades - The real reason that first responders should be vaccinated - Why we’re seeing so many new variants - What is wastewater testing, and why is it one of the most useful leading indicators for strain on the healthcare system - What governments have done to take Covid off of everyone’s mind. - Why the only lockdown that made sense was the f

By limiting what you do during training and drilling you become much more precise and will improve much faster in jiu-jitsu. Today's episode is also available in video form at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drqVrn6L6hI Finally, if you found this useful then please share it with a friend and give me a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from! Cheers, Stephan Kesting