The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting

I talk with personal trainer and BJJ black belt Ben Zhuang going DEEP into the supplements, exercises, and conditioning protocols, and recovery procedures to help with Brazilian jiu-jitsu and other grappling arts. Follow Ben and see the exercises he's referring to on Instagram @coachbz Follow Stephan on Instagram @stephan_kesting

There are many reasons to train BJJ - fitness, camaraderie, having fun, taking on a challenge, spiritual development, learning to deal with challenges, wanting to compete - but at its core, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a martial art and not a martial sport. Martial arts means self defense. Self defense is a huge and diverse topic, but a big part of it means being able defend yourself against an attacker choking them into a unconsciousness if need be. In this episode of The Strenuous Life Podcast I talk about good vs bad jiu-jitsu schools for self defense, the legacy of Gracies, the necessity of learning basic striking, clinching, takedowns, and strike defense on the ground, and more. I hope you enjoy it. If you're interested in BJJ and no-gi grappling then check out my site http://www.grapplearts.com And if self defense is important to you then also check out my other site http://www.selfdefensetutorials.com Cheers Stephan

Jessica Huneycutt is the yoga instructor for the New Orleans Saints National Football League team. In this episode we go deep into how Yoga and other techniques are used at an elite level to help athletes recover as fast as possible, prevent injuries, and prolong their careers. We also talk about surviving sexual assault, travelling to India, living in ashrams, doing yoga for improved jiu-jitsu performance, and her own personal BJJ training. This is a really good one - I hope you enjoy it and share it with someone else who might benefit from the information in the conversation! Follow Jessica on Instagram @jessica.huneycutt

In this episode I talk with Riccardo Ammedolia, BJJ black belt under the Mendes Brothers, ADCC commentator, and worldwide jiu-jitsu ambassador. We talked about training in Brazil, rolling with Rafa Mendes, judging and reffing in BJJ, staying well rounded, curriculum development and more. If you train BJJ then I think you'll really like this one! Riccardo trains and teaches in Hamilton, Ontario at http://www.atoshamilton.com. You can also follow him on Instagram at @riccardoammendoliabjj or on Facebook at facebook.com/RiccardoAmmendoliaBJJ/

In this (likely controversial) episode I argue that the differences between 'self defense' and 'sport' jiu-jitsu have largely been exaggerated. The real magic of jiu-jitsu is in training against resistance and learning to deal with pressure, not learning a set of magical 'self defense approved' techniques. If your interest is in self defense then you should still train at the best BJJ school you can find and then, if necessary, supplement the curriculum with a little bit of additional training. Stephan Kesting http://www.grapplearts.com http://www.selfdefensetutorials.com

In this episode I discuss the different forms of exhalation and 'kiai' used in various martial arts, ranging from Thai Boxing to Kajukenbo Karate to traditional Japanese Ju-Jutsu. Then I break down the four reasons how vocalising while striking not only makes you more powerful but can also increase your endurance and improve your resilience to getting hit. If you enjoyed this or found it useful then please remember to subscribe to the podcast and, if possible, give it a rating or a review on whatever platform you get your podcasts from! Thank you Stephan

In this episode I talk with elite powerlifter, kettlebell instructor and BJJ practitioner Jason Kapnick about conditioning program design, building a balanced body, functional movement screening, injury prevention, and training for optimal athletic performance. It was a great conversation, and I hope you come away from it having learned as much as I did! You can find out more about Jason, or go to him for training, at https://catalystsportnyc.com Finally, if you found this episode interesting or useful please share The Strenuous Life Podcast with ONE person in your social or training circle. Thanks, Stephan

Today, should you go to seminars, can you learn from seminars, and the funniest thing I ever saw at a seminar...

This episode is just a little different! Today 12 BJJ black belts give their single best piece of advice for people just starting out in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. White belts looking for tips and help with their training will really benefit from watching this, and if it doesn't fire you up and get you on the mat grappling then nothing will! Here are the BJJ black belts featured in this video: Stephan Kesting http://www.grapplearts.com Bernardo Faria https://bernardofaria.com Brandon 'Wolverine' Mullins http://www.justgipants.com Travis Stevens http://www.fujisports.com/blog/travis-stevens/ Rob Biernacki http://www.islandtopteam.com/ Pshemek Drabczynski http://www.besthometrainer.com Ritchie Yip http://www.infighting.ca Sean McHugh https://www.alliancekelowna.com Elliott Bayev http://www.openmat.ca Jason Manly http://instagram.com/jasonmanly Michael Zenga http://www.bjjfanatics.com Perry Bateson http://www.nwjja.ca/ Also you can download my (Stephan's) checklist of BJJ positions and techniques for free at http://www.grapplearts.com/book See you on the mat!

I loved this talk with Kirik Jenness who is mayor for life of the underground forum at http://mixedmartialarts.com, the author of The Fighter's Notebook, the official records keeper for mixed martial arts, and has "done every job in MMA except for being a ring girl."