https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmz1ID3VgGU The turtle is a terrible position! Being on all fours is an invitation for your opponent to apply the clock choke, take your back and choke you out, or attack you with other submissions. And if you're talking about an MMA or self defense situation it's even worse. Now your opponent can elbow, knee and hammerfist you into oblivion without even … [Read more...]
BJJ Self Defense Rant
In this podcast episode I answer a question received on an Instagram Live Q&A about a boxing beating jiu-jitsu in a real streetfight. (Follow me on Instagram @stephan_kesting and maybe a future podcast episode will be devoted to something you asked about!) The question I dive into today is, "What are the the odds that a boxer would beat a BJJ practitioner if all other things - size, … [Read more...]
Bottom Saddle to Heel Hook Transition
The 'Saddle' - also known as the Inside Sangaku, the Honeyhole, and the 411 position - is probably the most powerful leglock position in all of grappling. This position gives you powerful control over your opponent's ability to move, counter and escape. It also lets you apply a devastating inside heel hook, which twists the leg in a much worse angle than a regular heel hook. (Here are some … [Read more...]
Pain is a Universal Language, with Endurance Athlete Mike McCastle
Mike McCastle has accomplished some of the most amazing tasks of endurance I've ever heard of. In this episode we go deep into developing mental strength, maintaining commitment in the face of adversity, and dealing with physical and emotional pain. He has some amazing insights into human psychology and peak performance that I'm sure you're going to get a lot out of. I hope you really like … [Read more...]
My Solo 1000 Mile Journey from Missinipe Saskatchewan to Arviat Nunavut, Updates from the Field
I'm started this post before setting out on a 1000 mile journey by canoe, alone across the northern boreal forest and Canadian tundra. 12 days before I started the trip I shot shoot a video answering most the questions I got before the trip (what about bears, what kind of boat, will I be fishing, etc.) and going into detail about my plans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrAU1acJCEM The … [Read more...]
Tristan Connelly on Fighting and Training MMA
I recently had the great pleasure of chatting with Tristan Connelly who was just fresh off his absolutely amazing underdog MMA win over Michel Pereira in the UFC, We went deep into detail about mindset, strategy and training. I think you'll find this a great episode! Specific topics included, 00:14 A detailed breakdown of his fight with Michel Pereira, 07:00 Weight control for MMA … [Read more...]
Near vs Far Side Kimura Armlocks
Most grapplers know how to apply the Kimura armlock on the far side of their opponent's bodies. It's an attack taught at white belt that you see in every grappling competition. And many intermediate grapplers don't know that you can actually use the Kimura technique on both sides of your opponent's body. The near side Kimura is an absolutely critical position for controlling your opponent. … [Read more...]
Survive First, Win Later – Old School BJJ Wisdom!
"Survive first, win later" was one of the very first pieces of advice I ever received in jiu-jitsu. This lesson was driven home when I watched the early MMA and NHB events including Rickson Gracie vs Zulu and Royce Gracie vs Dan Severn. To defeat bigger, stronger opponents like that takes time, and before Rickson and Royce could win they first had to not lose. This advice resonated with me … [Read more...]
In-Depth Interview with Chris Duffin, The Mad Scientist of Strength
Chris Duffin is a super-smart, analytical, and incredibly dedicated BEAST of a human being. He's an ultra-elite powerlifter who has deadlifted 1000 lbs for reps and is now closing in on his grand goal of also squatting over 1000 lbs. I spent almost 1 1/2 hours chatting with him about his insane feats of strength at his gym and manufacturing facility and got a ton of insights into his … [Read more...]
Recovery from BJJ Training
You can train super hard and kick the crap out of your body but that doesn't make you stronger - it's only after you RECOVER from training that the benefits of training manifest themselves. Too many athletes focus entirely on the training component and neglect recovery, but ultimately you need to be as focussed and diligent on your recovery, recuperation and rehabilitation as you are on what … [Read more...]
3 Tips to Tighten Any Joint Lock Technique
It' s not easy to tap out a high level grappler with a joint lock. First of all their submission prevention is tight. They do everything they can to stop you from getting the submission in the first place. Next, their defense and escape techniques are also top notch. If you give them even an inch of slack they'll use that space to wiggle out of the submission. Finally elite grapplers are … [Read more...]
The 6 Steps of a Good Submission
Did you know that there's an actual physics and biomechanics-based procedure that'll definitely help you tap out many more people in BJJ? At a high level there's so much more more to getting a choke or an armlock than simply seeing an opportunity and jumping on it. That approach rarely works against good people. Instead it's about gradually manoeuvring your opponent into worse and worse … [Read more...]
The Step-by-Step Armbar from Mount
The armbar from mount is often taught as the 'CPR' armbar where you're mounted on your opponent, he sticks his arms straight up, you put both your hands on his chest and swing around into the armbar. It's slick, it's smooth, and it looks great. But the only reason the CPR armbar works is because your opponent has broken his own structure by pushing on your chest. Good opponents will almost … [Read more...]
How to Achieve Giant Goals
Big goals take a long time and a lot of work to accomplish, otherwise everyone would do them! The 1000 Mile Solo trip that I pulled off in the summer of 2019 had actually been a looooong time in the making. It was actually in 1992 that I first heard of Nueltin Lake and the Thlewiaza River and thought that someday, somehow, I would like to do that journey. (I came across this route while … [Read more...]
Wristlocks in BJJ
Wristlocks are submissions that bend the wrist by bending, flexing, extending or rotating the hand relative to the bones of the forearm Some martial arts like aikido, hapkido, and traditional Japanese jujutsu specialise in wristlocks, making them a major part of their curriculum. Most of the common BJJ jointlocks target the elbow (e.g. straight armbars), shoulder (e.g. Kimura and … [Read more...]
The Realities of Wilderness Travel
In the Instagram lifestyle you only see people's highlight reels. That one perfect photo of someone doing something much cooler than you. But this is a heavily edited and curated version of that person's life. What that perfect photo doesn't convey is all the blood, sweat and tears that went into setting up the situation in which that photo could be taken. This topic of reality vs … [Read more...]
Why Do a Major Wilderness Trip Alone?
When I told people I would be going on a canoe expedition in the arctic for 6 to 7 weeks alone (The 1000 Mile Solo), most thought it was a strange thing to be traveling in complete solitude for so long. Here's the thing... as a species we are mostly pack animals, but I also think it's an important part of the human experience to be able to do things on your own once in a while. If you are … [Read more...]
ABT, or “Always Be Thinking” (Podcast Episode 224)
When the going gets tough then the tough get thinking! This episode of The Strenuous Life Podcast was recorded by me in a tent on the 1000 Mile Solo. Nominally it's about the difficulties of navigating across some of the biggest and most complex lakes in North America, but the larger concept of not shutting off your mind when things get difficult definitely applies to many different kinds of … [Read more...]
Follow Your Dreams? Yes, Absolutely, But It’s Not As Simple As Some Would Lead You to Believe…
People tend to believe that to chase a dream, one must keep working on it at full speed and total intensity until they achieve it. And while you DEFINITELY need commitment and consistency to get anywhere having a super-hardcore approach all the time can be a giant mistake. For example, the physically intense 1000 mile solo canoe trip that I did in the summer of 2019 took years to organise, and … [Read more...]
Do This Now To Ensure You’ll Still Be Training BJJ in 10 Years
BJJ is a fantastically fun sport that's also undeniably hard on the body. The key to getting better is to train consistently. To train consistently you need to avoid injuries as much as possible. And in this video (and podcast) you'll learn my single biggest tip for people in their 30's and 40's who want to keep on training into their 50's and 60's Check it out - I'm sure it'll help you in … [Read more...]
17 BJJ Drills You Can Do At Home By Yourself
Let's face it... BJJ requires you to become adept at using many highly specialised movements that you hardly ever use in the rest of your life. The more smooth and instinctive these movements become then the better you'll be able to flow on the mats. Drilling is the secret sauce when it comes to internalising unfamiliar motions, but it can be hard to get to the dojo as often as you would like … [Read more...]
Leg Action in Rear Mount – How to Put the Squeeze on Your Opponent
The rear mount is one of the very best positions you can get in BJJ. In rear mount you're behind your opponent and can attack him with chokes and armlocks (not to mention strikes in an MMA or self defense context). And there's pretty much bugger all that he can do to you... But it can be a lot of work to get here. You have to pass his guard, induce him to turn, secure your grips, get your … [Read more...]
How Often Should You Train BJJ to Get Really Good?
Historically I've always said that doing something is better than doing nothing, and that training BJJ one day a week is a million times better than not training at all. But we're NOT talking about bare minimums today... Let's say that you're super serious about jiu-jitsu, a competitor or super dedicated student. Then how often should you train to get really good? 4 days a week? 5 days a … [Read more...]
A Close Call with a Bear (Podcast Episode 227)
Today's podcast episode was recorded a few hours after a close call with a bear in Canada's far north. I was on Nueltin lake, a gigantic body of water straddling Manitoba and Nunavut. The southern portions of this lake are in the boreal forest but as you travel north you get into barren lands tundra. Paddling from forest to tundra on Nueltin Lake was stage 6 of 7 on my 1000 Mile Solo in … [Read more...]
How to Defend the Leg Weave Guard Pass
When you're learning BJJ basics you've got to become familiar with the most common techniques first - they are the low hanging fruit and also the techniques that you're going to face most often on the mat. The Leg Weave Guard Pass is one of the most typical ways to pass the Guard so you better have a good answer for it! Here's a simple and effective way to stop, and then counterattack, when … [Read more...]