Concentration is power!

I bet you know who are Oscar de la Hoya and Zidane:
Oscar de la Hoya is a boxer.
Zinedine Zidane is a soccer player.

They are both professional athletes, and they have something in common which is critical for success:

The power of concentration.

Oscar just regained a new World title, Zinedine is going to play in the World Cup.

These great achievements would not be possible without their power of concentration: they got a burning desire to succeed, they worked hard and never gave up.

You think it is a good idea to get fit and you just decided to start now. But you have to be aware it’s not going to happen in two days! You’ll need at least several weeks of work.
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Read this quote from the classic Power of concentration, a 1917 book:
“To make a success of anything you must be able to concentrate your entire thought upon the idea you are working out”.

But: “…it is easier to concentrate on something that is not good for us, than on something that is beneficial. This tendency is overcome when we learn to concentrate consciously”.

It’s so easy to get lazy and stay on the couch watching TV. You have to focus on what you want and take the step up, day after day.
I know you have the power inside yourself to get the best shape of your life in the next three months.

But first, learn to concentrate, learn this amazing power, learn to succeed:
Click Here

The paradox between strength training and cardio training

How do you build strength in your legs and arms?
Well, by doing sets of several repetitions per exercise, you’ll be able to build strength and power in the muscular groups trained.

And about cardio?
It appears something is wrong here: traditional cardio means long sessions at low or moderate intensity. The heart is like the other muscles, it needs to develop strength and power.
The belief is long session and low intensity is the key for health: a Harvard study showed that intense exercises is a lot better, intensity is the key, not only for conditioning but also to prevent the risk of heart disease.

Do interval training: alternate short bursts of activity (running, biking) with slow intensity for recovery.

Here an example of program to start:
30 seconds running
30 seconds walking
1 minute running
1 minute walking
2 minutes running
2 minutes walking

Start progressively and repeat this routine 2-3 times.

A great resource is the book of Dr AL Sears:

Discover The Amazing "Heart-Health" Secrets of
The Strongest... Most Energetic... And
Most Successful People in The World!
The Doctor's Heart Cure

Train the legs first

Today I was watching my younger daughter playing around, she is just 1 year and half.
She started to move a box and she dropped it, she started again and dropped it again, and so on for several time!
Each time she caught the box with a perfect body position because she bent her legs to grab the box from the floor: at this age this is completely natural, because at this age the leg strength is excellent for her body weight.

It’s not the case anymore with adult people: they got lazy and their strength decreases with age. They don’t bend the legs if they need to grab something on the floor and you know what happens… they hurt their back!

In my opinion, a lot of people injure their back due to a lack of strength in the legs: with a lack of exercise they lose the habit to use efficiently their legs.
If you have some back problems, I am not sure doing crunches is going to fix it: work the legs first!

Work with your bodyweight: do bodyweight squat with a range of motion you feel comfortable, keep going until you are able to squat at least at 90°; bottom squat is even better.
If your back is really a concern, use a swiss ball against the wall.
Set up a goal about reps: the goal is to hit 100 reps, but start progressively , you have to feel your body.
You’ll work in the same time the abdominals: use deep abdominal breathing.
When you are ready for the next level, check an excellent resource, using only 2 different bodyweight exercises:

A swiss ball exercise for a tighter waist

Get a swiss ball and do lateral crunches ; this exercise is particularly effective for the obliques and abdominals because you have the possibility to work on an extended range of motion.

This increased range of motion means a better work of the muscle fibers because different angles of the movement are emphasized : you start with a pre-stretch, the side of the body is in full extension, then you crunch and squeeze the obliques.

Focus on the pre-stretch, and then focus on squeezing the muscles during the flexion.
Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps for each side everyday for 10 days and you’ll see…
Do not forget to do 3 to 5 deep abdominal breathing between each set. You’ll get more energy in the same time.

A simple but effective workout

A simple workout can be a very effective workout. Most of the time I train at home because I save a lot of time. I have a few circuits of very simple exercises: it gives me a full body workout within minutes.

My main exercises are: Hindu squat, hindu pushup, pull up. I do the three exercises without rest, take 30 seconds of
deep breathing exercise at the end of the circuit. I do the circuit 3 to 5 times according to my time. I get great result with this very simple program because I am totally focused on what I am doing. I use intense concentration so every rep and every angle of every rep count!

You can train less and still get great results if you focus on yourself: this is the key and it takes just a few minutes!

How to Create Energy From Nothing

Lack of energy is often the main excuse for not exercising. Here is an article written by Kacper Postawski: read and check out...

A lot of people feel "tired", and blame it on getting not enough sleep, or other external factors. Basically, the fact that they're tired is always "out of control." What they don't know is that there's a reason for feeling "tired", and that there's a simple method to change "tired" to "energized" in a heartbeat....

Most of us feel tired during one of the four:
1) After waking up in the morning.
2) After intense physical activity, or long hours of work.
3) After sitting in one place for a long period of time.
4) During the evening, or in the late evening hours.

What do all four of those have in common? There's one very common process that happens in our bodies in all four cases. During all of these we all experience very similar"symptoms" of tiredness. These include yawning, rubbing our eyes, feeling sllooowww, and having the urge to just get into bed and sleep.

Why Do We Get These "symptoms?"
Our bodies have a natural temperature rhythm. Our body temperature rises when we are awake, and promotes feelings of alertness. Our body temperature also falls when we're sleeping, and promotes feelings of drowsiness, and a desire to sleep.

The natural DROP of body temperature in our bodies is a CUE for our body to produce feelings of tiredness, drowsiness, and the strong urge to sleep. I call this the "natural sleep response". When we're exercising, or putting excessive physical demand on our body, our body temperature RISES rapidly, however when you END the physical activity, there is a RAPID body temperature DROP until your body temperature regulates sometime after. It's during this DROP that most of us think there's no other way out but to sleep, and we usually jump into bed and do just that.

The feeling of the body temperature drop after long hours of work is usually mistaken by us as a deep need for sleep. In reality, we don't need to sleep, we just need to "cool down". Allow me to give you a personal example:

As a kid I used to work at a FULL SERVE gas station for 8-9 hours in a row. This meant I had to be on my feet running around pumping gas for 8-9 hours with one 10 minute break. It was hell! Even when I had the early morning shift I would come home and feel TOTALLY DRAINED and TIRED, I usually fell asleep and slept till the evening.

However, as I began learning the inner science of our sleep system and the inner sleep clock, I tried a little experiment one day. Instead of going to sleep I came home and played fetch with my dog out in the yard for about 45 minutes instead. To my surprise, after just a few minutes of a little light activity (throwing a plastic chewed up Frisbee across the backyard), the feeling of tiredness faded and I was able to stay awake and alert WAY into the early morning hours.

How did this work?

I simply allowed my body temperature some time to return back to the normal pattern it proceeds. I gave it time to "come down." When it returned back to normal, I didn't feel tired and the intense pressure to sleep faded.
This same body temperature drop happens after you sit in one place for a long time. Listen, you could take a person who is robust, athletic, and naturally energetic, but if you put them in front of a TV for 3 hours, THEY WILL GET TIRED! This is simply because our body temperature drops when we're NOT MOVING.

That's why the biggest antidote to feeling tired is exercise and movement, NOT SLEEP.

During the morning our body temperature is low too, which creates feelings of drowsiness and tiredness, however, most of us chose to mask this feeling by consuming large amounts of caffeine. The other main temperature drops happen in the afternoon, and in the mid-evening.

In the Powerful Sleep system I describe the EXACT methods to gain a full understanding of your body temperature rhythm, so you can create a quick RISE of body temperature in the morning, and delay the body temperature drop in the evening. This allows you to stay awake and ALERT longer, have more energy and MORE TIME (time is a precious commodity!)

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About The Author:

Kacper Postawski is an innovative sleep science researcher and the creator of the “Powerful Sleep - Secrets of the Inner Sleep Clock” system on www.PowerfulSleep.com. He can show you how to reduce your sleep by up to 3 hours, create more time, and an abundance of energy in your body by sleeping LESS! Not more. He dispels the “8 hour sleep myth”, tells you what most people never realize about sleep, and what the drug companies DONT WANT YOU to know. Go to: http://www.PowerfulSleep.com to find out more about Powerful Sleep.

How to avoid rotator cuff problems

When people do weight training, they focus only on superficial muscles.

For the shoulder, the exercises emphasize the deltoid and trapezius muscles and not the deeper cuff rotator muscles. They are critical for a healthy shoulder because these muscles are responsible for strength and stability of the joint during the different range of motion of the movement.
If you have already weak shoulders, you probably need specific exercises like external rotation: you can do it lying on the side with a light dumbbell or standing using a cable.

But to avoid on the long-term rotator cuff problem, you have to do overhead exercises: the Turkish get up is one of the best and, in addition, it is a terrific core exercise.

Start with a light dumbbell (or kettlebell), lying on the back. Get up in a controlled fashion, keeping the weight straight overhead until you are in the standing position. Then go back.

Resources: The Ultimate Rotator Cuff Training Guide

Do you know the Rolls Royce of the abs machines ?

Forget everything you can find on the market, this is the perfect equipment to really isolate the abs.
The device forces you to recruit your hamstrings and glutes instead your hip flexors.
When you do sit ups, even crunches, hip flexors are often overworked and involve low back pain.
The activation of the glutes and hamstrings inhibits the hip flexors, so the abdominal muscles have no other choice to work alone.
It means a harder muscular tension, less reps and more results.

Less time, more results, safer : check it here !

Kettlebell workout

My daughter is 3 years old and she loves to watch me working out.
She is still too young to start training, but watching is for sure a good way to prepare her to exercise later...

Russian kettlebells are often parts of my workout. I like to use them because each exercise hits all muscle groups ! If you do not have time, you can get a full body workout in just a few minutes.
You have to start with caution because a kettlebell is not so easy to control but you can learn the main exercises in a few sessions. Once you know, be ready to build a strong body and ripp off the fat in the same time: you can train strength and endurance in a very effective way for the best shape of your life in a matter of weeks.
If you want to learn more about Russian kettlebells, check here:

Hands and fingers strength with pushups

The pushup is a versatile exercice and there are many ways you can do it.
The main targeted muscles are pectorals, biceps, triceps, shoulders. The core muscles have to work hard to keep the body straight like a barbell.
It means you hit a big part of the body with a single bodyweight exercise.
In case the regular pushup is too easy for you, try this one :

In addition you make the exercise more difficult, you’ll improve strength in the hands and fingers big time. This is critical for all martial arts and combat athletes.
To improve yourself, you have to find a way to work harder, intensity is a key.
Do not forget deep breathing exercises between each set, so you recover faster.

Boxing conditioning program

The program of a boxer is often very simple: long run, boxing workouts, pushups and sit-ups.
There is usually no real strategy to develop physical power, maximal strength and explosive punching.
But these components of training are critical for success in this sport.
Boxers (and trainers) have to get the knowledge to design effective program for specific needs: explosive power, anaerobic endurance, and fast cardiovascular recovery.

A young boxer just asked me to prepare a conditioning program.
This young boxer trains everyday, but has no strength and power program: no bodyweight exercises, no weights, just a Compex! (This is a portable machine sending electric impulses, the muscles contracts by the command of the machine). This equipment can be interesting sometimes, but cannot be a priority in training!
A boxer needs to become a complete athlete: he has to develop specific endurance, strength and power, speed and explosiveness, agility and flexibility, mental toughness with demanding workouts…and everything can be accomplish with a program designed with full body exercises, there is no shortcuts allowed…

A natural high energy food

What do you do when you are poor in energy ?
Are you like all these people, drinking coffee and expresso ? Good business for Starbuck,
But not so good for your health !

Here is a perfect alternative: the Açai, an energy fruit from Amazon palmberries.
If you need a boost before your workout, this is a perfect natural drink. Many athletes use it now, among them the jiu-jitsu fighters Royce Gracie and Luis heredia.
You’ll get more energy, strength and improved mental focus. The powerful concentration of antioxidants fights the free radicals (anti-aging action).
And there is much more… Check at Sambazon:

Also, and this is not the less important, this company help to save the Rainforest, giving a new economic opportunity to the people of the Amazon ! Take a few minutes to learn more:

Stabilize your spine

You know this kind of equipment for abs, maybe you use it ?
This is the abs machine with neck support and you roll, crunching your abdominal muscles.

This machine is so popular because it supposes to train the abs hard without the problem of neck pain.
It's ok in some cases, but if you have a weak neck, strengthen these muscles !
You work also on a very limited range of motion, so you develop tight abdominal muscles subject to poor posture and back problem !

You must train your abs to stabilize the spine, you have to work in stabilization and a very good way is to use a stability ball.

You have to recruit the deep abdominal muscles to stabilize the movement: this is a major benefit for a functional body.

Working out your abs this way , along with the practice of deep abdominal breathing, will decrease back pains and increase well-being and energy. Go for it !

If you have back pain, check this resource: your back pain cured in five minutes or less

The ultimate test for functional abs !

The main goal for most people when it’s about the abs is to get ripped abs: Ok, they are going to look pretty on the beach this summer, but what kind of strength their abs have ? Are they really functional ? Do they protect effectively the spine ?

I know the following exercise is not for everyone. But if you think you are good in abs training, take this test: the Dragon Flag.
Your body has to be like a barbell, keep it straight and tense at all angles, otherwise you’ll fall.
At least go down at 45° and go up: you are on your way for good functional abs.

Before to execute my few sets, I always practice 1 to 3 minutes of abdominal breathing to awake the internal core power !

Training: all is about intensity

Do you know why people do not get the results they expect with fitness goals ?

No, it’s not about the latest “breakthrough” nutritional supplement, or the new magic fat burning pill !
It’s not about to purchase the new and never seen before piece of equipment !

All is about intensity ! You have to pick up the right intensity for all kind of exercise . Yes, you have to train faster, heavier, harder.
People train too slow, they want everything easy, they want to feel comfortable, they want results without too much effort !
In your dreams…!

Read these 2 quotes from the legendary runner Emil Zatopek.

"Why should I practice running slow? I already know how to run slow.
I want to learn to run fast." Emil Zatopek.

"When I was young, I was too slow. I thought I must learn to run fast by practicing to run fast, so I ran 100 meters fast 20 times. Then I came back, slow, slow, slow. People said, « Emil, you are crazy. You are training like a sprinter. » Emil Zatopek

Zatopek is the inventor of interval training: he used his method to break records and win gold medals.
You can also use this method to boost your results, whatever your goal is…

Effective breathing is a key for intense workout because you need to bring more oxygen to your body.
To learn more check Deep Breathing.

About interval training

I just read a report about Cardio, written by an expert in the Fitness field.
The content of the report is supposed to give me the secrets of this system: I had to read 12 pages to get a basic interval training workout, yet to suppose to revolutionize the way you have to train to burn fat and get lean !

I agree that interval training is the most effective way to get in shape quickly. If done right, you burn fat, you strengthen your cardiovascular system, you improve your stamina.
It seems some experts appropriate this concept of training. Well, there is nothing new: athletes have been used this form of training for decades.

This is Emil Zatopek, “The locomotive”, who is credited with revolutionizing running and training : he developed intense interval workouts known today as interval training.

He entered the legend when he won 3 gold medals (the 5,000, the 10,000 and the marathon) in the Olympics in 1952.

Zatopek did not use interval training on treadmill or stairmaster to get leaner! He used it to go faster and faster.
With this form of training you can get in a tremendous shape and conditioning, the rest is details. I will come back later on this subject…

The challenge is the Molokai !

I just finished a conditioning and kayaking training program for a French guy. This program is a challenge, but because his goal is also a challenge: the Molokai Race !
He is 49 and he is the owner and chef of a very nice restaurant in Orleans, France.
He has a passion: kayaking, sea kayaking and competition.
In his category of age, he is in the top 5 in the country.

When most people think of retiring and having health problems, or struggling to stay in a decent shape, he put all his energy in a big challenge: to compete in the famous ocean race in Hawaii, the Molokai, in 2007.
This race is 32 miles and is the most difficult ocean race in the world for kayaks and canoe outriggers.

You do not need to engage in this kind of extreme challenge, but I strongly believe that some challenge is a necessity: it gives you the motivation to go ahead, to keep moving, to stay in shape.

Check this excellent resource: Fit over 40

A guarded secret for strong abs

Just after my daily workout in my 20 sq feet basement, I got a phone call from NY. It was a good friend, a professional boxer, and he lives now in NY.
We talked a few minutes about training and he remembered me I taught him a powerful abdominal exercise a few years ago:
the "vacuum".

This is an old school exercise, very effective. Boxers have to learn how to take powerful blows in the abdomen without falling on the canvas. This exercise trains the deep abdominal muscles like no other ones. Strong deep abdominal muscles give a better protection of the internal organs. This exercise is a guarded secret for strong abs, but also to get a flat stomach and a tight waist. Give it a try.

This exercise is even more effective when associated with deep breathing. If you are interested in deep breathing and its many benefits, I highly recommend this excellent resource:
Deep Breathing

A personal and inspirational story

I want to share with you an event that is part of history now : for sure, this event influenced my own life 30 years later.

It happened in France, it was in 1944 and the Germans occupied the country.
This event took place at Orleans; a river, la Loire, crosses the city.
A railway bridge crossed the river and was the unique way trains could bring what the German troops needed : it was a strategic point.
In 1944 the US Air Force bombed the bridge and a few weeks later the American troops with General Patton freed the city from the enemy.

The bridge was in pieces and big blocks laid in the river.

The next winter, when the river flooded a lot of water, the big blocks of the former bridge made a big whitewater rapid.

It was the opportunity for my uncle and other teenagers to start canoeing.
After a few years, my uncle became an expert of the paddle, controlling his canoe everywhere in the waves and currents of the rapid.
He became World Champion, traveled in the United States and won 3 times the famous Arkansas River race (26 miles) in kayak. It was in the Fifties.

Roger Paris and Claude neveu training for the World Championship in 1955

I discovered this story many years later, as a teenager, looking at old pictures and newspaper articles in my grandfather home office.

Since a kid, outdoors activities and sports have been part of a lifestyle. I started kayaking at 8.

Having a World Champion in my family became a source of inspiration.

I started to train seriously at 14. My goal was to be a champion in my sport.
Years and years of training are necessary. Hard training sessions day after day, week after week, in all kind of weather (I remember many times kayaking in winter when snowing, the water icing on the kayak and on the paddle).

During hard training sessions I remember visualizing myself in competition, performing at the best level, feeling very strong and, at the end, stepping up on the podium.
I visualized myself with such emotion it gave me more motivation to keep going and more focus towards my goals. In my mind these goals were already a reality. These visualizations gave me the determination to train very hard and reach the elite level.

Without a doubt my uncle played a strong role model : his success gave me a powerful energy to set up goals and reach them, for my own success.

Focusing with a high level of emotion along with visualization push into action, day after day, months after months.
Focus yourself on what you want, visualize yourself with already having what you want, feel it, focus on these emotions. This is powerful, I know it.

Me, in downriver at the European Championship in 1982