Stephan Kesting, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, has issued a stark warning to practitioners who attempt to emulate the training regimens of elite competitors, cautioning that PED use in combat sports has become so widespread that it fundamentally alters what training methods are sustainable.
“Let’s talk honestly about ster*ids in combat sports and what it means for your training,”
the instructor states in a recent video that has gained traction in the grappling community.
“When you see a high-level guy, the temptation is always to ask, what does he or she do for their training? How many times a day do they train? Do they lift weights? Do they do cardio? What kind of sparring do they do?”
Kesting explains that while wanting to follow successful athletes’ training protocols is natural, many practitioners are “missing a very important component” – the prevalence of PEDs that allow professionals to train at intensities and frequencies that would be unsustainable for natural athletes.
This warning comes amid increasing openness about PED use in competitive grappling circles, most notably from multiple-time ADCC champion Gordon Ryan, who openly admitted he began using PEDs in 2016 when moving up from the 77kg weight class.
Ryan’s controversial statements have sparked debate in the BJJ community, particularly his claim that
“I would rather die with a legacy at 50 years old than just be a normal guy dying at 70 or 80 years old.”
Ryan has defended his choice by noting that PEDs were legal in many Jiu-Jitsu competitions when he began using them, though the IBJJF has employed USADA testing since 2014.
The black belt warning athletes about training protocols offers several dubious red flags that might indicate PED use:
“If the influencer or the athlete that you’re following regularly poses with a shirt off, there’s a very high percentage chance that he’s on performance-enhancing dr*gs. If the guy admits to taking testosterone replacement therapy, there’s a chance that he’s taking testosterone replacement therapy, plus, plus, plus.”
He particularly emphasizes caution for athletes who maintain intense training schedules beyond their early twenties:
“If a person trains hard multiple times a day, and they’re not in that magical age, 17 to 23, 24 age, where your body just secretes testosterone ridiculously… they’re almost certainly using ster*ids.”
The prevalence of PEDs in combat sports extends beyond recovery and muscle growth – they fundamentally change what training volume is possible.
“Not only do those dr*gs make them stronger and faster, it also helps them recover from workouts much, much faster,”
the black belt explains.
Drawing a parallel to cycling’s infamous scandals, he notes:
“When Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France medals, they didn’t give those medals to the second place finishers. Why? Because basically everybody in the Tour de France was on dr*gs.”
The black belt concludes with practical advice for athletes:
“If you use, great, no judgment. There are potential negative health side effects. That’s your choice. The discussion you should be having with a real doctor. But if you don’t use, be very, very careful of modeling your training on people who do.”
This warning comes at a time when the BJJ community continues to grapple with inconsistent PED testing across different organizations. Ryan himself has criticized the IBJJF’s isolated stance on testing while other major competitions don’t test, arguing it has “drastically diminished” the quality of their events as top competitors either avoid them or face suspensions.
Some believe UFC might clean up the sport, but it’s highly unlikely considering their biggest high profile signing was Gordon Ryan.
