The Strenuous Life Podcast With Stephan Kesting / Grapplearts Radio

Jess Munster was born with a severe brachial plexus injury which left her with only one functional arm. But this disability hasn't stopped her from training BJJ, competing against able-bodied fighters, and travelling the world to compete in para-athletic championships! In this episode I talk with Jess about what drives her past the limits of her disability, how she modifies her training and her techniques, and her hopes for the future.  This is one very inspiring lady! Follow Jess Munster on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jessmunster_bjj/

Lethwei is an incredibly intense full contact combat sport from Burma that allows punches, kicks, elbows, knees and headbutts. And did I mention that the fighters don't wear gloves and only have a thin layer of gauze over their knuckles? Today's guest is Patrick Marcil who combined Muay Thai, Sanshou, and JKD in order to coach Dave Leduc to World Openweight Lethwei Champion.    This chat will be hugely interesting for anyone who follows MMA, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, or is interested in real life self defense! Follow Patrick @sifupatrickmarcil on Instagram or train with him if you're in the Montreal, Canada area - https://gatineau.patenaudemartialarts.com/en/

Tarsis Humphreys is a multiple time BJJ black belt world champion and Brazilian National Champion.  In this episode we go DEEP into the mental game, including how to keep a match on your terms, the optimal state of mental arousal for a match, how to avoid overtraining, how Tarsis came back after ACL surgery, mixing weight training and jiu-jitsu training, training with BJJ legend Fabio Gurgel, mental breakthroughs, going to Burning Man, and more! Follow Tarsis on Instagram (@tarsisbjj) And check out Fabio Gurgel's Pressure Passing Formula at https://www.grapplearts.com/pressure 

Switching to no gi grappling can be difficult. Here are 5 steps that will make it easier... 1) Accept that No Gi is an inherently faster style of grappling and be prepared to push the pace harder at times, 2) Change your grips so that they aren't gi dependent, 3) Get rid of your gi dependent guards and start developing guards that work in no gi, 4) Learn how to take the back, maintain the back and submit from the back because it's the best position in no gi grappling, 5) Develop your leglock and guillotine choke submissions because those are much more prevalent in no gi than in gi. If you would like some more help developing your gi and no gi games then here are a couple of FREE resources for you... Grab my free app for iOS and Android devices that comes with more than 457 minutes of technique taught by BJJ black belts. More info here: https://www.grapplearts.com/masterapp Download a free copy of my book, A Roadmap to BJJ, which will take you through the most important positions and transitions on the ground.

Here's one simple thing you should do every time that your training has stalled out and you're just not getting any better. Hell, you should probably be doing this even if your training is going great! Today's episode came from a Q&A I did on Instagram.  Follow me there where I'm @stephan_kesting or go to https://www.instagram.com/stephan_kesting

Today I talk with Kathy Hubble who is a professional Stuntwoman and multiple time Canadian National Judo Champion.  She shares how she got started in stunts, how she got injured on set in a Jacky Chan action movie, and how Judo helped her stuntwork.  We also delved into the differences in between Judo and BJJ energies, transitioning from throws directly into submissions, and the funny dynamic of battling people on the mat but then being best friends afterwards.  This was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy it! If you're enjoying the podcast then it's hard to overstate how great it would be to get a rating or a review for it on whichever podcast platform you use.  That's incredibly important and it really helps me put out more episodes. Finally, the video of this podcast is available on my site at https://www.grapplearts.com/podcast-kathy-hubble-judo-champion-and-stuntwoman/

It's important to be able to dial your aggression level up or down in a BJJ match. There are essentially 3 ways to do this... #1, by using so-called 'dick' moves, and/or #2, by using more force and strength, and/or #3, by simply moving faster. You turn the dials on these 3 variables in your training, but be especially careful if you're using options 1 and 2 against smaller training partners or people who aren't serious competitors. This question came from a Q&A I did on Instagram - follow me there where I'm @stephan_kesting or by clicking here: https://www.instagram.com/stephan_kesting And sign up for my free BJJ newsletter at https://www.grapplearts.com/newsletter. Seriously, this is the very best source of BJJ information out there on the internet, delivered to your email inbox. I've sent these emails to over 100,000 people and get regular feedback about how good they are, so check it out. It's completely free and always will be! Cheers Stephan

I think you guys are really going to LOVE this talk I had withJamie Flynn, a British Special Forces operator turned world base jumping champion.  Jamie is also a wingsuit pilot, a professional bodyguard, has protected giant tanker ships against Somali pirates, and - surprise, surprise - does BJJ. In this episode we go into the selection procedure used by elite units in the British army, the crazy story of how he started base jumping and parachuting, close calls in Iraq and Afghanistan, triggers in sport for optimal performance, his horrific basejumping injury and the road back to jumping again, confronting Somali pirates, bodyguarding strategies, commonalities between base jumping and jiu-jitsu and more! If you want to watch the video of this podcast then check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhobVPvYfto Also make sure to check my latest release, the best-selling Pressure Guard Passing System instructional with BJJ legend Fabio Gurgel at https://www.grapplearts.com/pressure And if you get the chance

"Overnight success feels great after 10 years of playing behind chicken wire in honky Tonks" - Willie Nelson. I recorded this rant halfway up a snowy mountain during a rest break because I was thinking about how willingness to work is MUCH more important than talent or genetics, regardless of whether you're talking about sports, business or music. It's amazing how people don't want to acknowledge how much work went on behind the scenes before a major success...  

Reaching a state of flow where you respond automatically and correctly to your opponent is the goal of martial arts training. But how do you get there? In this episode I go through what flow is, what it feels like, and some of the triggers and prerequisites for flow to occur. Hint: relaxation, competence, engaging with your environment, and having a single clear goal without distractions are all important.   For more information on flow check out the book 'Flow' by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. It's a classic! To find out more about the Pressure Passing System instructional I just released with Fabio Gurgel go to Grapplearts.com/pressure And, as always, a rating or a review for this podcast is super appreciated and super helpful! Stephan    

Today I chat with Liz Beaver.  She's a fitness writer, BJJ practitioner, adventurer, mental health advocate and self-described 'cantankerous bitch'.   It's a wide-ranging  yet deeply personal conversation in which we go right for the jugular in many important topics including Workout design Balancing work and workouts using time management  Are there people who shouldn't train in martial arts Mental health, depression, anxiety and fitness Suggestions to help overcome mental health issues The critical role that getting outside plays  Dealing with injuries And much more Follow Liz on Instagram at @ironbeaverfitness    

Today's episode is PURE GOLD for BJJ practitioners and No Gi grapplers. Fabio Gurgel - 4 time BJJ Black Belt World Champion (and trainer of more than 50 other world champions) - talks about his approach to passing the guard, including how to connect your moves, the evolution of guard passing, advice for older grapplers, when you should stop halfway through a guard pass to tire the other guy out, and alternatives to the modern styles of guard passing that rely on mobility, athleticism and floating from side to side above your opponent.  Check out Fabio's instructional, The Pressure Passing System, available on DVD, online streaming and in app form at https://www.grapplearts.com/pressure

Eliot Marshall is BJJ black belt and a former professional mixed MMA fighter who also appeared in Season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter show.  In today's podcast we talk about how to run a successful BJJ school, the financial incentive structures in MMA fight teams, the physical and mental attributes you need to be a good fighter, making a living off of jiu-jitsu, Elliot's experience with anxiety and depression, his rules for raising kids, and his Gospel of Fire book coming out soon. Find out more about Eliot, his teaching, his podcast and his book at https://eliotmarshall.com/  

Red Sullivan is a strength and conditioning expert who has worked with athletes in many different sports to help them realise their athletic potential.  In this podcast we go deep into skill vs physical attributes,  how body types influence sport, insane underwater workouts with Laird Hamilton, and the difference between improving as a person and improving in training. Find out more about Red and his training services at https://www.theredgimen.com/, or follow him on Instagram at @strictlyred ——————————————————  OFFICIAL STEPHAN KESTING LINKS —————————————————— YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/stephankesting INSTAGRAM @Stephan_Kesting https://www.instagram.com/stephan_kesting/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/grapplearts TWITTER: @stephankesting or https://www.twitter.com/stephankesting ————————————————— STEPHAN’S FREE PDF CHECKLIST OF BJJ POSITIONS https://www.grapplearts.com/book —————————————————   STEPHAN’S MAIN WEBSITE - GRAPPLEARTS.COM Home page: https://www.grapplearts.com/ Stephan's Free BJJ

Are you flailing around in your guard, trying to react to your opponent, without a clear plan of what to do?  If so then this episode is for you!  In it Rob Biernacki and I talk about the 3 step order of operations to make sure that you're dominating the guard battle every step of the way. This is from a video shot to support the launch of the 'No Gi de la Riva Formula' in online streaming, DVD and app form.  More info about this step-by-step gameplan for the open guard here: www.grapplearts.com/DLR

Daniel Strauss (aka The Raspberry Ape) is a BJJ black belt under 10x World Champion Roger Gracie.  But he's also a very serious advocate of strongman training including the development of crazy levels of grip strength.  In today's podcast we start with Daniel's victory over Olympic gold medalist Satoshi Ishii at Polaris and BJJ competition strategy and then do a deep dive into strength training for grappling and for its own sake.  I think you'll really like this one! Also make sure to check out Daniel's 'Raspberry Ape' podcast on iTunes and wherever fine podcasts are distributed

Rosi Sexton is a true renaissance woman. She fought in BodogFight, EliteXC, Cage Warriors and was the first British Woman to fight in the UFC.  But she's also Cambridge educated with a PhD in Theoretical Computer Science, a musician, a writer and a physical therapist. So she knows a thing or two... In this episode we talk about learning new skills, improving in combat sports, and overcoming injuries.  From about 38 minutes on we concentrate on neck injuries and the role of neck strengthening in minimising concussion in combat sports.  This is an extremely important episode for all martial artists! Check out the "Safe Neck Strengthening for BJJ, with UFC Fighter Rosi Sexton" video that Rosi shot for my Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04ff_tgZGI0 And check out her site at https://www.combatsportsclinic.net/  

Does training with grappling dummies actually work to improve your skills?  And what else can you do to get better when training time is limited and it's difficult to make it to class as often as you like? This podcast rant is also available in written and video form as an in-depth blog post at https://www.grapplearts.com/will-grappling-dummy-drills-help-bjj/ Regardless of how you decide to solve the problem I wish you good luck with both your time management and your training! Stephan Kesting

Daniel Bohigian is a Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Dave Camarillo, competes actively, and also teaches 'Philosophy of Sport' at San Jose State.  In this episode we discussed philosophy vs jiu-jitsu, work vs play, mind vs body, teaching people how to think, why 'leaving your ego at the door' is a bad idea, and much more.   Follow Daniel on Instagram at @philosograppler And download my FREE app for iOS and Android devices with more than 457 minutes of black belt BJJ technique at Grapplearts.com/masterapp

Paul Kindzia was immersed in the world of marathon and triathalon for many years before immersing himself in BJJ, even going so far as to write a book on the topic called 'Master Jiu-Jitsu, Master Life'. In this episode we focus on the lessons that can be brought into BJJ training from the endurance sports world, including efficient training, effective recovery, minimisation of injuries and maximising your time on the mat.  I really think you'll like this episode and come away with some good 'Aha' moments! Also, I'm releasing the 'Self Defense Guard' as a module in the Grapplearts BJJ Master App right now.  This app allows you to take BJJ with you in your pocket wherever you go.  Download the app for free at Grapplearts.com/masterapp and then look for the 'Self Defense Guard' module within it!!