Stay on Top of ...
YOU!  Every morning. During the day and before retiring at night. Stay on top of You. Monitor what you do, what you think and what you feel. Approach it the same way a drill sergeant stays on top of his recruits. Just like that classic scene in Full Metal Jacket. Imagine if you kept such a tight control over your appetite, your level of activity during the day, your thoughts, and your level of unwavering commitment to the goals you've set. How would you feel? Looking at levels of obesity in North America in both children and adults, clearly, many people have failed to stay on top of themselves. Although there's no other time than now to start taking care of your health, if you ask me and I think you'll agree, it's better not to wait until you've passed that point of no return to start doing something about it. Have enough foresight to not wait to be diagnosed with Diabetes to start watching your sugar intake and exercising regularly. Same thing for lung cancer, avert the dreaded news by quitting the habit of smoking now, not later. Control inflammation (the major cause of artherosclerosis) in your body by eating the right foods and supplementing with the right nutrients today instead of making it a priority later if you're lucky enough to survive a heart attack. Listen to your body, pay attention to how you feel, make a mental check when you retire at night about the healthy choices you've made during your day, sleep peacefully and wake up with discipline to take care of your machine by staying on top of you today and every day to avoid massive pain later. Master Yourself, Sibok M P.S. An easy way to stay on top of you is by training smart. Our 60 second training method boasts results in record time. One less thing to think about. Get started here. Labels: Drill Sergeant, Fang Shen Do, Full Metal Jacket, Health, Heart Attack, Obesity, Sibok Martin Patenaude
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Full Split with No Warm-Ups
Back in 1989 my dad started what we called back then "Special Classes".  These classes were reserved for advanced students and were a way to test a whole bunch of different concepts and techniques from a wide variety of martial arts systems to see if they worked. The gamut of arts we experimented with was extensive and none of them were excluded. There are many lessons I learned during these sessions and one that comes to mind is the one on "Having no mind". Let me explain. At one of these classes my father was explaining this concept and how adults will sometimes over analyze and question "why should I do this" or" why should I do that" either in their heads or to their partner. And through this analysis, you've heard the statement: "Being caught in the paralysis of analysis" settles in. This analysis brings self-doubt, hesitation, and fear. At that moment, my dad put me on the spot. I was only 11 years old at the time. Just a kid. What my father went on to explain is when you're a child you don't question like adults do, you just DO. No questions asked. No excuses. No negative self-talk. No procrastination. He says: "Mart" (Everyone called me that before I was ever made a Sifu) "Come up here" I didn't know what the hell he was going to have me do and the class was packed with grown men staring at me. "Do a full split to the floor, and Daniel and Christian will lift you by your feet from each side, straight in the air and hold your balance". I had never done that before but that day I did. My goal isn't to share this story with you so you can say: "Wow you're great!" On the contrary, I just want you to know that you're great. You have the potential to do anything you set your mind to. BELIEVE and it can be achieved. Instead of finding all the reasons why you can't do something, Focus on doing the THING and with repetition you'll master the thing. Reach the point of No Mind, have total confidence in yourself and just go for it. Master Yourself, Sibok M P.S. Stretching is a great mind challenge. That's why I enjoy it so much. We've compiled some of the best stretching exercises you can do to reach total flexibility and finesse on DVD. Listen as I go through other important techniques I use to acquire, maintain, and not lose your flexibility. It's a great resource that no martial artist or athlete should be without. Get it here. Labels: Fang Shen Do, flexibility, Sibok Martin Patenaude, Sijo Jacques Patenaude, Special Classes
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I already know that!
Zig Ziglar's answer to this all too common statement is: "Maybe so but what have you done about it!" Think about that. All the things that you know but didn't act upon. Or the things you were going to get around to doing when the kids would be all grown up or when you lose X amount of weight. Maybe it was when you were going to graduate or when you got that raise you were going to do that something you always wanted to do, but never did. "Faith without works is dead" No matter what you know, in the end, ACTION is the only thing that counts. Have you ever met people who seemed to know it all? Do you fall into that trap sometimes? I know for me as soon as I catch myself thinking: "I already know that" I add the words: "But I want to learn more about it" Learning is a journey not a destination that's for sure. And the journey is much more enjoyable when you face each experience with an open mind and child like enthusiasm. You already know you should cut sugar, avoid processed food, eliminate soft drinks and spend more time strengthening your mind and body through exercise, getting in the habit of performing deep breathing techniques to cleanse your body while bending and twisting your body for maximum flexibility. If you know it then DO it! If you need help in those areas I'd love to help. Here's a list of products that can help bridge the gap between learning something and actually implementing it. Master Yourself, Sibok M Labels: Attitude, Fang Shen Do, Flexibility training, Nutrition, Sibok Martin Patenaude
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Your Greatest Mission
We both have an important mission you and I. Do you know what it is? This quote pretty much sums it up: "Men go forth to wonder at the heights of mountains, the huge waves of the sea, the broad flow of the rivers, the vast compass of the ocean, the courses of the stars, and they pass by THEMSELVES without wondering." ~ St-Augustine  How amazing is it to be here, fully conscious, with the ability to create the reality we wish and experience life to the fullest. Do you realize the amazing potential you have locked inside? Your most important mission, responsibility, or job is developing, knowing and challenging... YOU. I happen to like the martial art path because of the fighting spirit it instills in you and the self-discipline you need to stick with it. Many paths can keep you on the path of self-mastery. Find yours and be dedicated to it. How sad would it be to go through life and only realize when it's too late what you could of really accomplished if you only took the time to realize how special and lucky you are? Just something to keep in mind and ponder about as you start your week off. Master Yourself, Sibok M Labels: Fang Shen Do, Fighting Spirit, Life Lessons, Purpose, Sibok Martin Patenaude
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Something us men take for granted
 As many of you know I live in a Japanese Style Pagoda which boasts a 3500 square foot training area which is also our studio for filming most of our training DVDs. Every week on Wednesday I hear the crack of leather, deep breathing, feet shuffling around and women moaning and groaning to do one thing: Have the body they've always dreamed of. It's not easy to stay in shape. Look good after having had kids or drop unwanted pounds. Something us men take for granted. My sister, Sifu Christine has been drilling groups of ladies in our various schools to do just that. To get women off their butt and working towards harnessing their inner strength. In many ways women are stronger than us (yes I hate to admit it, but I couldn't see myself giving birth or handling the stresses of raising my kids on my own) Some need to be reminded of this strength and what better way to do that than to start training. She's designed a unique way of training to help women get started from where they are right now when it comes to their fitness level and get them ready for more intense workouts within the span of 5 weeks. When she created these DVDs she had 3 areas she wanted to develop: 1. Pre-Natal Fitness. Most women gain the most weight while pregnant and don't know where to get started after they've delivered their babies. In this DVD my sister is 9 months pregnant running through the steps she took and will take before and after the delivery. 2. Maintaining Fitness. It's one thing to lose the weight but keeping it off is another story. These Workouts are designed to be very efficient, short, fat burning sessions. Even if your wife or girlfriend can't make it out to a live training, this DVD goes through the steps in great detail. Warrior Fitness can help drop up to 10 lbs in 5 weeks, it's that good. 3. Personal Protection. Once you have the body and the confidence you're looking for, you want to protect what you got at all cost. Women's Self-Defense is a simple, effective "kick in the pants" to any would be attacker trying to put his hands on your wife or daughter. If this sounds like something you would be interested in for the women in your life or you are a woman reading this and would like to get started send me an e-mail at info@fangshendo.com if you have questions and I'll help get you started. Master Yourself, Sibok M Labels: Fang Shen Do, Sibok Martin Patenaude, Sifu Christine Patenaude, Women Fitness, Women's Self-Defense
www.fangshendo.com
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Forgot the Reward?
After a full year of hard work we all need a little bit of pampering and some sort or reward. Just like my last day in China, after my intensive schedule (a 2 hour training every 4 hours, around the clock, day and night for 10 straight days) I paid myself a very unique kind of Chinese foot massage.  With most of the training being mostly static, immoveable, standing positions, my feet were in need of some pampering. After, walking outside felt like walking on sponges, I was relaxed but rejuvenated at the same time. Which is exactly what you should do as well after you've maintained and "stuck with" a certain fitness routine or you've followed healthy eating habits or lost the desired weight. You should celebrate with some sort of reward. The biggest mistake people make is reach a goal and immediately set another one without rewarding yourself or taking the time to treat yourself to some sort of self-indulging activity. It's during that reward time that you can reflect on how good you feel when you do what you've set out to do (exercise regularly, eat right, no smoking, reaching a certain rank in martial arts, etc...) and you can even smile and think about all the people who told you you couldn't do it or didn't believe in you. Then when you return to maintaining and surpassing the goals you've set, you'll attack them with double the enthusiasm and determination while feeling refreshed and unstoppable. Master Yourself, Sibok M P.S. If tackling the world of Internal Martial Arts has been a goal of yours but failed to act on it, here's a great place to start. Labels: China Trip, Chinese Culture, Massage, Reflexology, Relaxation, Sibok Martin Patenaude, Wudang Neigong
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Legalized Drug Pushers
One week today I was boarding a plane for a business trip with my dad and happened to be sitting next to a group of high level pharmaceutical owners and employees who were on their way to the same hotel we were staying in for their end of year celebration. I was close enough to hear some of the comments being passed around. There must of been at least 30 of them. One lady sitting next to us engaged in small talk and made a comment that pretty much sums up how the pharmaceutical industry really feels about our well-being and health: "I like it when people are depressed and sick, we make more money". Keeping you sick and treating your symptoms instead of the root cause of an illness means big bucks for these legalized drug pushers. In my head I told myself: "You'll never make a dime off my back". I'm also of the opinion that your health is in your hands, it's hard to tell these days if your doctor really has your best health at heart. How do you feel about that? Me, I was happy to know that I'm not their best customer. In fact if everyone went to the hospital like I do, well there wouldn't be any hospitals or pharmaceutical companies would turn a "loss" every single year (instead of billions off of your back) and if there were hospitals, they would be for the people who really needs them. Get in the habit of researching stuff for yourself. When a prescription is given, usually 10 times out 10 there's a cheaper, natural way of treating it. I just got courses called Nutrition and Healing from Dr. Jonathan V. Wright. Eye opening stuff. I'll let you know some of my findings in the coming weeks. I'm not saying you should never visit your doctor. I'm just saying don't be so quick to reach for an over the counter drug or pay for a prescription given just to increase Big Pharma profits to later hear them brag about how many suckers bought their products. I'm sure some drugs are important and vital to keeping someone alive during an operation or things of that nature. But that lady really sealed the deal for me. I'm going to be very careful to take care of MY health and I encourage you to do the same. Master Yourself, Sibok M Labels: Fang Shen Do, Fitness, Health, Sibok Martin Patenaude
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