The Strenuous Life Podcast With Stephan Kesting / Grapplearts Radio

There are 5 ranges of combat, but many martial artists only train in one or two of those ranges.  Ideally though you should be at least familiar with each of those ranges to be a complete martial artist and not have any gaping blind spots!   I know that many of my listeners will already be familiar with https://www.grapplearts.com but also check out my self defense oriented website https://www.selfdefensetutorials.com 

How to train mentally and physically to become a world calibre champion wrestler, with Commonwealth Games gold medalist and 5 times national team member Nick Ungoalah.  We go DEEP in this episode and really dig into physical conditioning, honing technique, developing a winning mindset, recovering from injury, fixing imbalances in your body, optimal mental state for competition, and much more.  I think you'll like this one, and if you do I would love a rating or review of this podcast on whatever platform you listen to it on! Find out more about Nick at http://ugohp.com.

Rob Biernacki and I sit down to discuss BJJ guard passing from a strategic point of view.  When should you pass standing and when should you pass on your knees?  When should you go for submission based guard passes and when should you try to force your opponent into a different type of guard? Check out Rob's groundbreaking BJJ Formula at http://grapplearts.com/bjjformula and his amazing leglock instructional at https://www.grapplearts.com/leglocks/  

A quick rant about the absolute easiest way to add effective and proven techniques to your game, namely going through the memory banks and trying to figure out what you used to do that worked great that you then stopped doing for no good reason! Check out my Grapplearts BJJ Master App for iOS and Android for free at https://www.grapplearts.com/masterapp. It comes with a TON of free material on it, including a complete standalone module on weak side back attacks! Good luck with your training! Stephan

I was thrilled to appear on The Great Flip Podcast to talk about jiu-jitsu, specifically why it's probably the best self defense martial art for women and girls.  I hope you enjoy it! Catch up with the work Coach Jody is doing at https://thegreatflip.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thegreatflip/, or on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJleGbTwtlTL4GXLMl6sL6A And, as always, a rating or a review of this podcast is super-appreciated.  It helps the show grow and acts as an incentive for me to use my very limited time to produce more shows more often! Thanks Stephan

In this episode I talk about the importance of self experimentation and how your results may be different from most other people's.  I share some dietary experiments I've been fooling around with and exactly what I've been doing to limit the potential downsides.  And yes, I do talk about limiting the downside when dating crazy chicks. Stephan

Rob from McDojoLife has been relentless in his attempts to expose martial arts frauds, exposing everyone from from chi-based knockout masters to ninjas who practise bending joints in the direction they are designed to bend. Honestly some of the videos he's shared with people over the years have been hilarious for all the wrong reasons! In this episode we talk about his favourite frauds, where he gets the biggest hate and pushback from, his own martial arts training history, and his big plans for the future. Follow McDojoLife on Instagram (@mcdojolife), Twitter (@mcdojolife) and his Youtube channel (youtube.com/mcdojolife)

If you're interested in self defense then how do you train techniques that are too deadly to spar realistically, like eye gouges and groin punches, and combine that with the safer sportive techniques that you can learn to apply to against resistance and get really good at?  This rant should give you some answers to this perpetual dilemma. Check out my two sites: https://www.grapplearts.com and https://www.selfdefensetutorials.com And if you're a grappler (or interested in grappling) then make sure to download my free app with more than 457 minutes of free video instruction for iOS and android at https://www.grapplearts.com/masterapp Thanks! Stephan    

My guest is the science advocate generally known as The Genetically Modified Skeptic.  In this hard-hitting (and likely controversial) discussion he discusses magical thinking in the martial arts, essential oils, alternative medicine, cult leaders, Jordan Peterson, religion, the anti-vaccine movement, fake cancer cures and much more.  I hope you find it interesting and though provoking. Check out Drew's popular youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/geneticallymodifiedskeptic  

Iain Abernathy is an author, a 7th degree black belt, and an expert in the application of traditional karate techniques.  He joined me on the podcast today to talk about kata as a training method, techniques advancing over time, ancient martial arts training methods, "freezing" between moves in kata, pushback from the traditional karate community, drills to make the application of moves instinctive, and more. Find out more about about Iain, his books, articles, and apps at https://iainabernethy.co.uk

Leadership is easy when things are going well,but is considerably more difficult when all hell is breaking loose and the s**t is hitting the fan.  In this episode we look at a common denominator of great leadership in difficult situations, the optimal state of arousal, and a few examples of good and bad leadership in the fire department. If you enjoyed this episode then please subscribe, rate, and review the show.  I can't tell you how much that helps and encourages me to pump out episodes more frequently!

JP Dinnell spent nearly a decade in the SEAL teams, including serving with Task Unit Bruiser in Ramadi, Iraq, where he was a point man, machine gunner, and lead sniper for Delta Platoon.  He worked with his officers Jocko Willink and Leif Babin on many combat operations, and then used the knowledge he had gained in the field to train the next generation of SEALS. In this conversation we talk about what made JP want to become a Navy SEAL, surviving BUDS and Hell Week, becoming a sniper, managing the risk of killing civilians accidentally, and how principles learned in combat can be applied to civilian life, business, and achieving team goals. More about JP at https://www.echelonfront.com/jeremiah-dinnell  

I'm thrilled to have Ando Mierzwa back on the podcast to discuss dealing with fear, overcoming claustrophobia, whether martial arts lessons can be life lessons, training differently based on your age, fitness, and goals, and much more! Find out more about Ando at http://www.senseiando.com And if you do BJJ (or are interested in finding out more about it) make sure you download the Grapplearts BJJ Master App for iOS and Android with more than 457 minutes of FREE black belt instruction at https://www.grapplearts.com/masterapp    

I LOVED talking to Will Gadd, champion ice climber, X games gold medalist, and extreme adventurer.  In this episode we covered his epic climb up Niagara Falls in the winter, organising big climbs, climbing up icebergs and down ice caves in Greenland, dealing with risk and unknowns, close calls, the 25 people he's known who have died in the mountains, fear of loss vs hope of gain, and how to execute on audacious goals.   Check out my "Grapplearts Minimum Profile Ear Guard for BJJ and Wrestling" on Amazon.com at https://www.amazon.com/Grapplearts-Wrestling-Cauliflower-Construction-Protection/dp/B01DAYR9ZG

Weight cutting is a fact of life in modern MMA and also in many jiu-jitsu and submission grappling competitions.  In this episode Ben Zhuang and I talk about how to cut weight safely, effectively replenishing your body after a weight cut, the differences between cutting weight for day-of vs next-day events, and more. We also talked about strength training, and if you're interested in the exercises, article, or PDF guide that Ben and I talk about then go to https://www.grapplearts.com/bjj-strength-training-the-top-6-exercises/ where it's all free! Also Follow Ben Zhuang on Instagram as @coachbz or by clicking https://www.instagram.com/coachbz/

I really, really enjoyed talking to Shane Adams, the godfather of modern full contact jousting, in this on-site interview.  Full contact jousting involves two knights in full armour attack each other on charging horses using solid wooden lances that deliver 2,000 lbs of force.  Shattered lances, unhorsings, broken bones, concussions and impacts that feel like you're being hit in the chest with a sledge hammer. Oh, did I mention that dodging, ducking, parrying, and blocking your opponent's lance is NOT allowed?  You have to sit there and take it. This is definitely NOT a choreographed Vegas dinner show.   Shane and I talk about the physical and mental aspects of jousting, and what distinguishes people who make it through the training to perform in this sport. I really enjoyed the part where he talks about balancing on the knife's edge between the aggression required to do this insane sport, and the zen state of mind you need to properly plan and aim your shot. If you enjoyed this then subscribe to the podcast

BJJ black belt Sim Go and I explore the early days of the Vegas jiu-jitsu and MMA scene, how a 'garage' club can evolve to be a professional school, structuring a class, Marc Laimon's legacy in BJJ, rule sets, transitioning from competitor to instructor, and much more. Find out more about the Cobra Kai school at http://www.ckjj.com Please rate and review my podcast on iTunes or any other platform of your choice - it really helps! And check out all the techniques and training tips on my own site at http://www.grapplearts.com/articles! Cheers, Stephan

  I really enjoyed talking with Andreh Anderson who started training in the very early days of North American MMA with famous fighters like Oleg Taktarov and more.  We cover the specific ways how MMA (and BJJ) were very different in the early days, tribalism in the martial arts, training in Brazil, making the switch from JKD to jiu-jitsu, the evolution of leglocks, old school jiu-jitsu, and more!    

Loved chatting with articulate Seph Smith, Ryan Hall's first BJJ black belt and a Combat Sambo black belt as well!  We cover training leglocks safely, competing in Judo and Sambo, his instructional products, potentially career-ending injuries, where the sport of Jiu-jitsu is headed, developing a well rounded game, and tips for performing well in competition. Find out more about Seph's school in Richmond VA at http://www.upstreambjj.com Find out more about Seph's BJJ mini-courses at https://upstream-bjj.teachable.com/courses Follow Seph on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sephwillkillyou/?hl=en Finally, if you enjoyed this episode the single best thing you can do to help me (and get more episodes out for you faster) is to go and subscribe to the podcast right now.  I can't tell you how much that moves the needle. And if you've already done that then a rating and review would be super-appreciated.  It may seem silly but it REALLY helps! Thank you so much Stephan    

OK, I kind of go off on a big rant here about traditional Kung Fu forms and Karate kata based on my years of training Hung Gar, Northern Shaolin, Southern Crane, Hsing I, Tai Chi and Wing Chun Kung Fu.  Are they at all useful for learning how to fight? In this episode I refer to an article I wrote called "How to Make Sure Your Martial Art Will Work in the Street" - you can find that here: http://selfdefensetutorials.com/how-to-make-sure-martial-art-work-street/ You can also find the video version of that article, called "5 Steps to Make Your Martial Arts Techniques Functional in Real Life" on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC1-vgMh2l0 OSSSS, Stephan Kesting