The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting

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 community, competed regionally, nationally, and internationally, and was a member of an internationally renowned demonstration team.   Follow Tom on Instagram @tomcallos. And check out my best-selling book "Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic", available everywhere including Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/   Cheers! Stephan Kesting  

In this engaging discussion, sports psychologist Haley Perlis dives into the competition mindset and the vital role of core values in sports performance. She shares insights on transforming anxiety into motivation and the emotional challenges athletes face when transitioning out of their sports. The conversation highlights the balance between persistence and knowing when to pivot, as well as the importance of collaboration with coaches to overcome training slumps. Perlis emphasizes mental resilience and the cognitive benefits of tackling new challenges.

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 Strategies for Older Grapplers 29:35 Creating Positive Training Environments 31:12 The Impact of Focussing on Recovery and Positive Lifestyle Choices 33:41 Proactive Injury Management and Recovery Strategies 37:44 Navigating Injury Diagnosis and Treatment 40:51 Adapting Techniques and Mindset in Training 44:22 Reflections on Writing and Sharing Martial Arts Experiences 48:26 Lessons Learned from Martial Arts Training 51:20 The Importance of Community in Martial Arts If you've read this far down then check out my best-selling book Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic, available everywhere including Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/

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 competing), then this is a must listen! Resources referred to in this video include: Gripfighting and Kuzushi with Rob Biernacki: https://www.grapplearts.com/gripfighting Omoplata 2.0 with Stephan Kesting: https://www.grapplearts.com/omoplata/ Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic, by Stephan Kesting https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/ BJJ Concepts by Rob Biernacki: https://www.bjjconcepts.net Please pass this episode on to someone you think would like it - that really helps us grow! Thanks, Stephan Kesting

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 book here: https://www.meerkatsu.com/product/brazilian-jiu-jitsu-the-ultimate-illustrated-guidebook/ Cheers, Stephan P.S. And while we're on the topic of books check out Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic.  While this isn't a BJJ book specifically, it does contain many of the lessons I learned about endurance, perseverance, and grit on the toughest expedition of my life.   Available on Amazon or wherever books are sold: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/  

Join Bryan Rumble, a 2nd degree BJJ black belt and scientist, as he dives into the fascinating connections between Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the scientific method. He discusses the traditions and camaraderie within BJJ, emphasizing how techniques evolve much like languages. The conversation shifts gears to Dungeons & Dragons, exploring how martial arts training mirrors character development in gaming. With engaging storytelling, Bryan draws parallels between the two worlds, showcasing the depth of both disciplines.

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 get into that adrenaline-soaked state of high arousal to lift the damn car with your bare hands. But that superhuman strength comes at a cost; as adrenaline floods your system, you lose a significant amount of fine motor control and higher brain function. Take whatever IQ you started with and cut it in half. This episode of The Strenuous Life Podcast is an excerpt from the audiobook version of Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic which you can check out anywhere you get books including the links below: AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/ BARNES AND NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perseverance-stephan-kesting/1145682384 INDIGO: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/perseverance-life-and-death-in-the-subarctic/9781639368617.html Good luck with your training and all your endeavors Stephan Kesting  

James Deirmendjian, a three-time IBJJ World medallist and strength coach, dives into the science of training and conditioning for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He debunks common myths, like the inefficacy of long-distance running in favor of sprint training. The discussion also critiques the misleading supplement industry and nutritional myths surrounding diets, advocating for balanced approaches instead. Deirmendjian emphasizes personalized training methodologies and effective recovery hacks to enhance performance, making his insights invaluable for combat sport enthusiasts.

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 Please feel free to share this episode with that one crazy outdoor enthusiast in your life because that's how the show grows! Cheers, Stephan Kesting P.S. Also check out my own book Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic - links available at https://www.stephankesting.com/perseverance-book  

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 form, including an incident so embarrassing that I almost didn't include it in the book at all. If you grab the hardcover this week, I'll make sure you get a signed copy!  If you get the Kindle or audiobook format, then you'll get my thanks and undying gratitude.   You can get it at your local bookstore but you also get it at ALL the big online sites, including these links here at Amazon.com, and Barnesandnoble.com, In Canada you can get it at Amazon.ca or Indigo.ca. In the UK  it comes out a little later, but you can still preorder it at any of the links on  simonandschuster.co.uk. I hope you enjoy consuming this book in your favorite format it as much as I enjoyed writing it for you! Thanks so much, Stephan Kesting P.S. You can see some very kind early reviews of the book at stephankesting.com/perseverance-book