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Home » History

History

Rescuing People Trapped in Cults, with Joseph Szimhart”

August 9, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

Rescuing People Trapped in Cults

In episode 335 of The Strenuous Life Podcast I talk to cult expert, cult survivor and cult deprogrammer Joeseph Szimhart. We go into depth abot QAnon, Theosophy, new age cults, cult recruitment tactics, and people escape them. I think this is a fascinating and very topical conversation. Find out more about Joe at jszimhart.com. The episode is available on all podcast platforms and also on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Podcasts Tagged With: Cults, History, Interviews, Joseph Szimhart, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Video

Combat Sambo and Russian MMA

May 29, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

Steve Koepfer on Combat Sambo

Steve Koepfer is a Master of Sport of Russia in Combat Sambo and the head coach of New York Combat Sambo. In episode of 328 of The Strenuous Life Podcast we talk about the impending wave of combat sambo specialists coming to the UFC and other MMA events, the differences between training in Russia and North America, the prevalence of leglocks, and much more. I hope you enjoy this conversation … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Podcasts, Training Tagged With: History, Interviews, Sambo, Steve Koepfer, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Training, Video

Bringing Jiu-Jitsu into Public Schools, with Dom Hoskins

May 18, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

Dom Hoskins

Dom Hoskins is a BJJ black belt, coach and fierce competitor who is helping bring the lessons of jiu-jitsu to public schools in California's East Bay. I think his insights will help anyone who is looking to work with kids and help them get ahead in life. Bringing Jiu-Jitsu into Public Schools (Video) Bringing Jiu-Jitsu into Public Schools (Audio) You can also just listen to the audio form of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Miscellaneous, Podcasts Tagged With: BJJ, Dom Hoskins, History, Interviews, Kids, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Video

Wrestling with Trust, Propaganda, and Conspiracies, with Amitabha Palmer

May 7, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

CA 9+ Wrestling with Trust, Propaganda, and Conspiracies, with Ami Palmer

Amitabha Palmer is a wrestler, judoka, and an adjunct professor of philosophy at Ohio Northern University.  The topics he researches include how widespread conspiracism and science denialism affect democratic policy making. I was thrilled to have him on the podcast and I think it's a very important conversation! Wrestling with Trust, Propaganda, and Conspiracies, with Amitabha Palmer … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Miscellaneous, Podcasts Tagged With: Ami Palmer, Covid 19, Cults, History, Interviews, Judo, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Video, Wrestling

An Evolutionary Biologist on the Best Strategies for BJJ, with Marcio Pie

May 6, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

Evolutionary biologist Marcio Pie

Here's the video of my conversation with Marcio Pie which blends of two of my favorite topics: the science of biology and the science of BJJ. Marcio is a professor of zoology at UFPR and practices Jiu-Jitsu in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil Evolutionary Theory Applied to Jiu-Jitsu, with Marcio Pie (Video) Video Timestamps 01:08 - Introduction to evolution 06:44 - Runaway selection 09:56 - … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Miscellaneous, Podcasts Tagged With: BJJ, Brazil, History, Interviews, Marcio Pie, Strategy, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Video

Karl Gotch, the Godfather of Japanese MMA

March 22, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

An episode of The Strenuous Life Podcast about Karl Gotch, the Godfather of Japanese MMA

In this episode I'm joined by pro-wrestler Tad Murphy to talk about the legendary wrestler Karl Gotch. Karl Gotch was a German-Hungarian wrestler born in Belgium who trained at the infamous 'Snake Pit' in Wigan, England, then competed in the United States and then taught several generations of pro-wrestlers in Japan. His influence is the common link between just about every major Japanese … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcasts Tagged With: Catch Wrestling, Conditioning, History, Karl Gotch, MMA, Pro Wrestling, Tad Lincoln Murphy, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Wrestling

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Pro Wrestling But Were Afraid to Ask, with Tad Lincoln Murphy

December 9, 2020 by Stephan Kesting

Podcast Episode with Pro Wrestler Tad Murphy

Today I talk with pro-wrestler Tad Lincoln Murphy about catch wrestling in early American circuses, the development of luta livre in Brazil, Shootwrestling in Japan, and how one trains to becomes a pro wrestler in the first place! 00:53 - Training in wrestling 06:01 - Pro wrestling school 09:40 - Distinction between fake and real in pro- wrestling 13:00 - Catch and shoot wrestling 23:59 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Miscellaneous, Podcasts Tagged With: Catch Wrestling, History, Interviews, Luta Livre, Pro Wrestling, Shooto, Tad Lincoln Murphy, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Video

The Road from Judo to BJJ, with Robert Drysdale

November 23, 2020 by Stephan Kesting

Robert Drysdale and Opening Closed Guard, a History of BJJ

Multiple time world champion Robert Drysdale came onto The Strenuous Life Podcast to share the discoveries he's made while studying the history of BJJ for his forthcoming documentary 'The Closed Guard' and accompanying book "Opening Closed Guard." There's a TON of good stuff here, including how Judo slowly evolved into BJJ, the role of George Gracie, why the Japanese (including Mitsuyo Maeda) … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Miscellaneous, Podcasts Tagged With: BJJ, Catch Wrestling, Helio Gracie, History, Interviews, Japanese Ju-jutsu, Judo, Masahiko Kimura, Mitsuyo Maeda, Robert Drysdale, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Video

Training BJJ Outdoors

August 22, 2020 by Stephan Kesting

Training Brazilian jiu-jitsu outside at Bellingham BJJ

In this episode of my podcast I talked to my friend, black belt, and school owner Jeff Shaw about 2 two main things: the history of BJJ, and how BJJ can survive in a time of coronavirus. When it comes to BJJ and covid I particularly like how he's started having outdoor classes with dedicated training partners (essentially small training pods). This is something you can set up as well with just … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Health & Nutrition, Interviews, Podcasts Tagged With: Covid 19, History, Interviews, Jeff Shaw, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Video

World Champ Robert Drysdale on the Early History of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil

August 12, 2020 by Stephan Kesting

Robert Drysdale Interview on the History of BJJ

Robert Drysdale is one of the most highly decorated American grapplers in history.  He remains the only person not born in Brazil to win both the IBJJF World Championships with the gi and the ADCC Open Division without the gi. Today we talked about his research on the early history of jiu-jitsu in Brazil, his upcoming documentary called, “Closed Guard: The Origins of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil”, and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Miscellaneous, Podcasts Tagged With: Carlos Gracie, Carlson Gracie, Helio Gracie, History, Interviews, Masahiko Kimura, Mitsuyo Maeda, Robert Drysdale, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting

Crosstraining in BJJ and Classical Martial Arts

December 22, 2019 by Stephan Kesting

classical jujutsu vs bjj

In episode 245 of The Strenuous Life Podcast I sit down with Japanese ju-jutsu black belt Alex Kask to discuss the benefits, pitfalls and procedures for training in traditional systems and in modern BJJ at the same time. Both Alex and I have extensive backgrounds in both approaches and have co-authored the Classical Japanese Ju-Jutsu vs BJJ article that got published in several magazines and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcasts, Training Tagged With: Alex Kask, BJJ, History, Japanese Ju-jutsu, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Training, Training Modalities

“Jiu-Jitsu Nowadays Is Much More Effective”, Fabio Gurgel on Old vs Modern Jiu-Jitsu

August 11, 2019 by Stephan Kesting

In this clip of my epic talk with BJJ black belt legend Fabio Gurgel on The Strenuous Life Podcast he talks about whether old school or modern BJJ is more effective in competition, MMA, and in a real fight. He argues quite convincingly that new school jiu-jitsu is now MORE effective than it's ever been, that there are now MORE submissions in competition, and that reminiscing about the good old … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Competition, Interviews, Podcasts Tagged With: BJJ, Competition, Fabio Gurgel, Grapplearts, History, Interviews, Jiu-Jitsu, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Training, Video

Monty Collier, Keanu Reeve’s Judo Instructor for John Wick 3, Parabellum

April 23, 2019 by Stephan Kesting

Keanu Reeves and Collier Judo Boys John Wick 3

Today's guest on The Strenuous Life Podcast is Monty Collier, a black belt Judoka who worked with Keanu Reeves to get him ready for the amazing fight sequences in the movie John Wick 3, Parabellum.  This conversation was fun and we really went detail about stuntwork and gun fu movie fighting including how he taught Keanu highly technical Judo throws that have bedevilled me for years. We … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Miscellaneous, Podcasts Tagged With: Competition, History, Injuries, Interviews, Judo, Monty Collier, Self Defense, Stuntwork, Takedowns, The Mental Aspect, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Training, Uchi Mata

How to Win Lethwei World Championships,

April 8, 2019 by Stephan Kesting

Patrick Marcil, Lethwei trainer

Today's we're talking about training a fighter to become a world champion in an incredibly intense full contact martial known as Lethwei.  Lethwei is from Burma and looks a bit like Muay Thai with a few crazy additions... First of all, in addition to punches, kicks, elbows, and knees they also allow headbutts... If a fighter gets knocked out their cornermen have two minutes tor resuscitate them … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous, Mixed Martial Arts, Podcasts, Self Defense Tagged With: Conditioning, History, Interviews, Lethwei, MMA, MMA training, Muay Thai, Neck Strengthening, Patrick Marcil, Self Defense, Sparring, The Mental Aspect, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting

How to Pass Closed Guard with the Stack Pass

March 19, 2019 by Stephan Kesting

How to Pass Closed Guard with the Stack Pass

If you're caught in the closed guard against a skilled opponent then you're in serious trouble. Give him time and you'll find that he's wrapped up your arms, broken your posture, and is getting closer and closer to tapping you out with some choke or armlock. That's why the closed guard is NOT a place for you to hang out.  Instead you should immediately and determinedly start passing the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: BJJ, Closed Guard, Fabio Gurgel, Guard Passes, History, Pressure Passing, Stack Pass, Techniques, Video

The Standing Sakuraba-Style Kimura Armlock

October 6, 2018 by Stephan Kesting

The first time someone showed me the standing Kimura attack I was pretty skeptical... I was like, "yeah, that would never work, not in a million years!" Whoops, was I ever wrong. You see, shortly after I was introduced to that supposedly 'useless' technique, a Japanese fighter named Kazushi Sakuraba started used the standing Kimura to tear a bloody swath through MMA world, besting a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Android, Armlocks, Brandon Mullins, History, iPhone, Kazushi Sakuraba, Kimura, MMA, Submission, Takedowns, Techniques, Video

Kata is Useless for Combat, Prove Me Wrong. A Discussion with Iain Abernathy, 7th Degree Karate Black Belt.

September 30, 2018 by Stephan Kesting

iain abernathy karate application podcast

In some ways this podcast about the usefulness of kata was destined to happen... In the last couple of years several people suggested that I should talk to Iain Abernathy, an expert in the application of karate kata, because I am generally quite dubious about the utility of karate kata and kung fu forms. Then I published a controversial video on Youtube called "Why Kung Fu Forms and Karate … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Podcasts, Training Tagged With: History, Iain Abernathy, Interviews, Karate, Martial Arts, Shotokan Karate, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Training

Fabio Gurgel on Fighting Vale Tudo in Brazil, Training BJJ World Champions, and More…

September 18, 2018 by Stephan Kesting

Fabio Gurgel, MMA, NHB, BJJ and Vale Tudo in Brazil

I was thrilled to meet up with multiple time BJJ world champion Fabio Gurgel and get him on my show for you. We talked about everything from his experiences in old school Vale Tudo matches in Brazil to the details of running Alliance and creating a team of world champion BJJ killers. Also front and center was the debate between traditional vs modern jiu-jitsu, why the level of BJJ right now … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Podcasts Tagged With: BJJ, Brazil, Competition, Concepts, Fabio Gurgel, History, Interviews, MMA, The Mental Aspect, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Video

Full Contact Jousting with Shane Adams

August 27, 2018 by Stephan Kesting

Full contact jousting with Shane Adams

Shane Adams is the star of Full Metal Jousting and has been featured in the New York Times because is the godfather of modern full contact jousting. In full contact jousting two knights wearing 150 lbs of armour ride on charging horses and try to unhorse each other using 11 foot long solid wooden lances that deliver 2,000 lbs of force. Yes, this is an actual sport: there are rules, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Competition, Interviews, Miscellaneous, Podcasts Tagged With: Competition, Full Contact Jousting, History, Shane Adams, The Mental Aspect, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Training, Video, Weapons

Emily Kwok Interviews Me About BJJ School Culture and More – Podcast Episode 154

July 7, 2018 by Stephan Kesting

Emily kwok stephan kesting podcast on the Strenuous Life show

This was a neat interview I did with Emily Kwok from Princeton BJJ and star of the first How to Defeat the Bigger, Stronger Opponent series. We focused on creating positive learning environments in BJJ, looking at the roles played by the students, the teachers, and instructional technology. We also covered whether I would do anything different if I was starting my BJJ training all over … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Podcasts, Training Tagged With: BJJ, Competition, Emily Kwok, Grapplearts DVDs, History, Stephan Kesting, The Mental Aspect, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting, Training

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