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 strength, safety protocols, and physiological limits can be used in other sports involving risk and pushing yourself to the limits. Topics include...

• Diving underneath the ice of Greenland without SCBA
• The discipline and rules of freediving
• Physiological limits of the human body
• Carryover of freediving training to other sports, including jiu-jitsu
• Mental strength and managing your fear
• Shallow water blackout, the biggest risk in freediving
• Risk management in freediving and other extreme sports
• Training techniques adapted for the Navy SEALS and rescue professionals
• The importance of self-awareness in extreme sports

Follow Anna on Instagram at @freediveanna

Check out The Strenuous Life Podcast on our YouTube channel as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIdxKkoOmxU

Cheers,
Stephan Kesting

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 jiu-jitsu.

Follow James on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/fight_fit_training/

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 other systems specialising in ne-waza or groundwork that it became a well-rounded art. In this episode we are joined by Martial Arts historian (and BJJ practitioner) Oz Austwick who has researched this cross-pollination extensively.

Oz's research focussed on Sadakazu Uyenishi who was among the first to bring jiu-jitsu to Britain, where he performed under the name "Raku". Uyenishi fought all comers, including much larger wrestlers, and toured with Mitsuyo Maeda from the Kodokan BEFORE moving to Brazil and triggering the creation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Oz argues that Uyenishi was almost certainly a huge hidden influence in the creation of BJJ.

Check out the limited edition "Raku" gi honoring this extraordinary jiu-jitsu fighter! More info here: https://rikuzame.com/products/the-raku-limited-edition

Cheers!

Stephan Kesting

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 submissions safely
- A radical re-imagining of the BJJ belt system
- Encouraging exploration in jiu-jitsu
- The limits imposed by strength and power in grappling
- And so much more.

Check out Chris's personal Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/chrisvillainbjj/ and/or his school at https://www.instagram.com/fightingfitgrapplingbjj/

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 karate, Taekwondo, Capoeira, and working the door as a bouncer in UK night clubs. Her ambitious goal is to establish a community dojo in Kenya that not only teaches Jiu-Jitsu but also provides a safe space for girls to learn self-defense and life skills to counteract some of the societal issues affecting young girls in Africa, such as child marriages, domestic violence, and lack of educational opportunities.

The community dojo will be situated in Kenya and serve as a retreat space where tourists can engage in Jiu-Jitsu camps and go on safaris to see lions, elephants and giraffes. Camp attendees will generate funds to support the dojo and its programs. This model not only benefits the local economy but also provides an enriching experience for visitors.

The best place to get updates about the African community dojo is by signing up for Shiggi's Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/JustShiggi

Follow her martial and personal journey on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.ronin.storm/ and https://www.instagram.com/justshiggi

Finally, follow Shiggi on YouTube as well: https://www.youtube.com/@justshiggi

Thanks!

Stephan Kesting

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 what I learned about physical, mental, and emotional performance in extreme circumstances.

This is an excerpt from my book "Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic", the story of the trip in the podcast above and a damn good read, available at Amazon in phyiscal, Kindle and audibook formats: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/

Also available at Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perseverance-stephan-kesting/1145682384

Indigo in Canada: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/perseverance-life-and-death-in-the-subarctic/9781639368617.html

And in many independent bookstores all around the world (they can always order it in if they don't have it).

Thanks so much,
Stephan Kesting

P.S. If you enjoyed this episode check out the beginning of this journey in episode 419 of The Strenuous Life Podcast (links below). For everything in between that episode and this one you'll have to check out the book though...

Episode 419 on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/419-perseverance-life-and-death-in-the/id320705565?i=1000697659908

Episode 419 on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2eKjiJs9G3SVa6ERGXLhAo

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 Stoicism, namely wisdom, discipline, justice and courage.

Along the way, we also tackle the importance of character in jiu-jitsu, the recent spate of scandals in the sport, dealing with pain and loss, and the importance of your whys.

Check out Adisa on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bishopchronicles/ and subscribe to his Substack at https://adisabanjoko.substack.com/!

Check out my book, Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic. It has a lot of overlap with today's discussion, and is available everywhere including Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612

Thanks
Stephan Kesting

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 current students
03:55 No watching classes
04:14 Instructor's name + SA = positive
05:19 "Master"
06:27 No sparring till blue belt
07:27 No questions in class
09:07 Poor hygiene and dirty mats
10:48 High-pressure sales tactics
12:53 No talking in class
14:27 Gravy Seal bootcamp
15:24 "Every other school sucks"
16:13 Instructor chronically dates students
17:18 Financial-medical-astronomical-astrological advice
17:27 No competition / in-house tournaments only
20:22 Peaked in high school
22:57 Focusing only on top competitors
23:20 Focusing only on hot women
23:45 Focusing only on their phones
24:55 Can't pause your membership
25:41 "We don't tap to THAT here..."
27:26 Mat bullies are tolerated

ORANGE FLAGS

29:46 Mandatory and expensive uniforms
30:52 Ranking and promotion fees
32:19 I see dead people (and bow to them)
33:30 Instructor doesn't roll
35:01 No colored belts (or women)
35:21 "Professor" (see video below)

RELATED RESOURCES

The infamous "Don't Call Me Professor" video - https://youtu.be/-TeE3tYMiJM

Grapplearts instructionals in streaming and app formats: https://www.grapplearts.com/instructionals/

My best-selling book: Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/

My book co-written with BJJ black belt world champion Brandon Mullins: Nonstop Jiu-Jitsu: https://www.amazon.com/Non-Stop-Jiu-Jitsu-Champions-Aggressive/dp/B08CPNPNDD