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The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting

by Stephan Kesting

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Latest episodes

450 - Save the Fear for Later; Discipline, Fear Management & Survival Lessons from Champion Freediver Anna von Boetticher

September 10, 2026 · 1 hr 28 min

Anna von Boetticher is a freediving champion, and she joins us today to share her profound insights into the fascinating world of freediving, its disciplines, risks, and the incredible adaptability of the human body. Discover how mental…
449 - Why Jiu-Jitsu is NOT for Everyone, with James Deirmendjian

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Thrilled to have James Deirmendjian on the podcast to discuss why jiu-jitsu might NOT be for everyone, the benefits of training with practitioners from diverse backgrounds, balancing training and a career, and creating camaraderie through…
448 - The Forgotten Jiu-Jitsu Practitioner Who Taught Maeda (and Ultimately the Gracies) Groundfighting

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Most people know that BJJ descended from Kodokan Judo which came from traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu systems. But the Kodokan was initially quite weak at the groundfighting aspect of grappling, and it wasn't until it brushed up against…
447 - Making Your BJJ Training Safer and Much More Effective with Chris "The Villain" Paines

June 1, 2026 · 59 min

Chris is a BJJ and Luta Livre black belt teaching in the UK and has many radical ideas about teaching and training BJJ which could change the sport for the better! In this episode we covered... - Training takedowns and dangerous…
446 - Building a Community BJJ Dojo in Kenya with Just Shiggi!

April 7, 2026 · 49 min

Shiggi loves BJJ and thinks that it can build and change communities in Africa, and is on a mission to open a community dojo in Kenya aimed at empowering girls aged 12 to 18. Shiggi is a BJJ practitioner with a background in Shotokan…

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445 - The Most Dangerous Day of My Arctic Journey and What It Taught Me About Satisfaction and Happiness

March 19, 2026 · 21 min

In today's episode of The Strenuous Life Podcast, I share the story of dealing with storms, giant tides, and the ever-present threat of polar bears on the remote Hudson Bay coast at the mouth of the Thlewiaza River in Nunavut, Canada and…
444 - Stoicism and BJJ, with Adisa Banjoko

March 4, 2026 · 1 hr 16 min

How your journey through BJJ can intersect with and is helped by Stoicism, with Adisa Banjoko. It gets pretty personal as we go beyond the sound bites of Stoicism and dig into the actual practices you can use to develop the four virtues of…
443 - Twenty-seven Red Flags to Avoid When Picking a BJJ Club

February 24, 2026 · 39 min

Telltale traits of toxic schools by Stephan Kesting, a BJJ black belt for 20 years. Did he miss any red flags? RED FLAGS 01:24 No cross-training 01:41 Separating you from friends and family 02:30 No trial classes 03:35 No talking to…
442 - Building a Positive Gym Culture in BJJ, with Josh Peters

February 2, 2026 · 57 min

How to create a professional environment and a welcoming gym culture at your BJJ school, and what people do wrong, with Josh Peters. Josh is a 3rd degree black belt in BJJ, who has competed in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Sanda, Sambo…
441 - The Science of Fighting and Training MMA, with Ian Harris

January 20, 2026 · 1 hr 28 min

How to train MMA effectively, efficiently, and safely, with Ian Harris from Fight Science. Ian has more than 40 years of martial arts experience and has been working with MMA fighters for more than 20 years. Today we discuss the changes…
440 - Training Methods and Cross Training in Jiu-Jitsu, with Josh Peters and Stephan Kesting

December 16, 2025 · 1 hr 0 min

Josh Peters and Stephan Kesting look at the evolution of effective teaching methods, school culture, risk, cross-training, and why you want your students to become better than you in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Follow Josh on Instagram…
439 - The Real Catch Wrestling and What it Can Teach Jiu-Jitsu, with Val 'The Crippler' Childs

December 2, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min

Catch wrestling was a brutal method for settling disputes on the American Frontier as well as one of the largest, most respected spectator sports prior to the modern era. In this episode Val Childs - who has been training in catch…

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About the show

What is it that allows some people to push themselves beyond their limitations? Why can some people survive situations others do not? On this podcast we try to find out the answers. Stephan Kesting, is a lifelong martial artist, BJJ black belt, career firefighter, and outdoorsman. Join us as he talks to fighters, adventurers, competitors, coaches, firefighters, trainers and other people living the strenuous life. Stephan also runs Grapplearts.com, where he has published many hundreds of martial arts videos, articles and tutorials. His free guide to learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, A Roadmap for BJJ, has been downloaded more than 10,000 times and has become a foundational text for the art.