The Strenuous Life Podcast with Stephan Kesting Stephan Kesting

This podcast episode covers all the details and preparations for a long solo trip in the Arctic that I'm starting today! After 30 hours of driving and a 2 hour bush plane flight to Nueltin Lake I'll be heading north of the treeline direct into the Barren Lands of the Arctic.
Once there, I'll be completely alone and out of touch for 30 days. The only written description of the river is a few pages in a book written by a missionary in the late 1800's.
The trip spans the Thlewiaza, The-Tinne, Kognak and Tha-Anne rivers and will probably include caribou and bear encounters, whitewater and giant ice-covered lakes, and insanely complex navigational challenges.
Once the trip is underway, I'll be sharing a few photos from the field a small satellite device So if you're interested in adventure and how well jiu-jitsu works against giant Hudson Bay Polar Bears then follow along!
The best place to stay current is probably on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/essentialwilderness/), although this page on Essential Wilderness (https://tinyurl.com/nunavutsolo) should have a map that updates with my location once I'm on the water 
I believe that pictures from this trip will also get cross-posted on
Threads (https://www.threads.net/@stephan_kesting)
Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@essentialwilderness), and
 Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@essentialwilderness/community)
I'll be back to the world and jiu-jitsu in late July. Hopefully!
Cheers, Stephan
P.S. I'm telling my publisher that this is my official book tour, so if you haven't yet pre-ordered Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic (the story of another trip I did up there) then please help me out!
You can grab it at Amazon 
https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/
https://www.amazon.ca/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/
Barnes and Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perseverance-stephan-kesting/1145682384
And Indigo. https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/perseverance-life-and-death-in-the-subarctic/9781639368617.html 
 

Short episode today with my friend Denis Kang sharing three ways that fighters have improved their training methods to get ready for MMA fights.
Denis fought for the first time in 1998 (in an event without gloves) and went on to fight a total of 55 times in events like the UFC, PRIDE, DREAM, Impact FC, M-1 Global, K-1 HERO'S, ROAD FC, and Pancrase.
Denis currently teaches MMA at Pinnacle Martial Arts in Richmond, BC.

Luke Thomas is one of the most influential MMA analysts in the game and the host of The Morning Kombat Podcast. I was delighted to talk to him today about
How the sport of MMA has changed The rise of Eastern European fighters Why is terrible behaviour of MMA fighters tolerated Can other MMA organisations ever rival the UFC Drug testing in the UFC Fighter unions and the Ali Expansion Act What Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson means for combat sports And more! Check out Luke Thomas's Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/ @LukeThomas  
And, if you have a second, please follow my two outdoor adventure accounts to make my book publisher happy! https://www.youtube.com/@essentialwilderness and https://www.instagram.com/essentialwilderness should do the trick!
Thanks ever so much,
Stephan Kesting

In this episode I put on my adventurer hat and use my biology background to look at four studies and 352 aggressive bear encounters in Alaska to see whether bear spray or firearms was more effective at deterring aggressive black, grizzly and polar bear behaviour. The results may surprise you, but data doesn't care about your feelings! 
TIMESTAMPS
01:28 - Introduction to bears spray vs guns
04:08 - Analysis of the first report, Bear Spray vs Bullets, Which Offers Better Protection, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
04:30 - Analysis of second report, Bear Spray or Bullets, by Lynn Dickerson 
08:57 - Analysis of third report, Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska, by Smith et al.
16:48 Analysis of fourth report, Efficacy of Firearms for Bear Deterrence in Alaska, by Smith et al. 
23:27 Summary and personal opinions 
MORE OUTDOOR STUFF BY STEPHAN KESTING
Please like this video and subscribe to my Essential Wilderness Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCujEWgySgpTa76dw__i_UAw
Check out my Essential Wilderness site at https://www.essentialwilderness.com
Follow my outdoors Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/essentialwilderness/
Sign up to get notified about my upcoming book, Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic at https://www.essentialwilderness.com/book
Thanks so much,
Stephan Kesting
 

There are times when it feels like life has you trapped on the bottom of mount against a vastly heavier, more experienced opponent intent on mauling you.  The steps to deal with these two situations are the same.  

Pass this on to someone you think it might help,
Stephan Kesting
P.S.  I made one little mistake in this podcast: Epictetus was a Greek (not Roman) stoic philosopher who lived in Rome for much of his youth serving the Emperor Nero, so he doubtless knew all about suffering.

I really enjoyed talking with Rachel Honeyman about modifying BJJ for self defense, which techniques to focus on and which positions to avoid.  Rachel has trained in BJJ, the Filipino Martial Arts, Muay Thai, and many other martial arts and runs https://www.fearlessfemmes.com/