Fruit is always on a limb

In other words, nothing is ever easy.

To quote Zig Ziglar: "Most people wait until everything is just right before they do anything. They refuse to go out on a limb because they don't understand that the fruit is always on the limb."

Everything requires a little bit of effort, action and faith.

You have success and a personal champion within you waiting to be discovered.

Do you know someone who is "gonna do something just as soon as..."

Do you know them personally as in, maybe...You?

The people who wait until everything is "just right" before they do anything will NEVER do it.

The time will never be just right to start training and losing weight. Nor will it be to stop smoking, changing the food you eat or starting your own business and making a living doing what you're most passionate about.

This is the underlying principle of the Fang Shen Do System. To knock out the "I'll get around to it" mentality plaguing so many people today.

The best way to get things done is to FEEL good. And what better way to do that than by first mastering your body.

A strong body invariably leads to a strong mind that ultimately gets you to follow through on what you want the most.

Here's how to do it.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

What's Important?

What you're doing right now.

All of us.

Wherever you are in the world.

And most are not even conscious of it.

BREATHING

What better way to instantly feel good than to take one long, deep conscious breath?

If ONE breath feels that good, imagine 10 in a row or better yet 10 deep breaths daily?

Deep breathing alone can help you lose weight.

Deep breathing coupled with walking can do wonders to elevate your mood.

Deep breathing mixed in with martial arts techniques?

Ah...there you have a recipe for power.

Understanding how to breathe while stretching will see your flexibility soar to new heights.

Taking care of your flexibility first, gives you an edge in every aspect of martial arts.

You'll have more speed.

Explosive Power.

Less Injuries.

You'll slowly increase your threshold for pain while strengthening your mind.

You'll quickly understand how to use self-talk and visualization to reach your desired goals.

In the end you'll be able to relax yourself quickly while possessing a ritual you can perform on your own which helps you feel good in your skin.

Isn't that the point of martial arts?

To feel good and to be pain free?

Start increasing your Flexibility today. Let me show you how.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

The Art of Procrastination

Have YOU mastered it?

Resort to it every once in a while?

Or, NO, you never use it?

It's in your best interest that you don't.

Cause it will definitely lead you ...

Nowhere!

Procrastination makes you hesitate and miss golden opportunities.

Procrastinaton is the enemy of progress.

Procrastination spawns from being too comfortable.

In prehistoric times, procrastination certainly meant death. Can you imagine our cavemen ancestors refusing to hunt because they were too tired or lazy to do so.

To me procrastination still means death. Failure to act and let a goal slip from your grasp is a missed opportunity to breath new life into your heart and soul.

Having the life sucked out of you doesn't sound like a pleasant experience yet millions of people fall victim to it around this time of year.

Stick with your goals and see them through to their completion.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

I hear and I forget

With 20 days into the new year, how are you doing?

Did you follow my advice and knock off the easiest goals on your list so you get the ball rolling and in turn create a surge of energy and excitement for the accomplishment of your other goals?
I hope you did.

I can tell you, I did that, and man am I ready to get things done this year.

It's just simply impossible to have different results if you do the same things, the same way, using the same words and repeating what you did last year.

"If you do what you have always done, you'll get what you've always got."

Trust me, start with the little goals and expand from there.

You'll build enough momentum and confidence to tackle your major goals.

A famous poet once said:

"I hear and forget.

I see and hear, and I remember.

However when I see, hear and DO, I understand and succeed."

Keep your goals fresh in your mind's eye.

Listen, read and stay inspired.

Finally, ACT on your goals daily.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

P.S. Feeling good emotionally starts with feeling vibrant and strong physically. Learn an easy to follow plan to double your fitness level in 30 days or your money back. You can ACT on your fitness goals now by visiting this link.

Watch who you listen to

With the upcoming renovations in Kanata and the construction work that needs to be done I can't help but think about common construction jargon.

If you've ever had work done in your house you'll understand what I mean.

It's hilarious.

The same subject always comes up without fail.

The person that comes in for the estimate and to inspect the work that needs to be done will always say this:

"Which _(Add defamatory word here)__ did this work?

"What the _(Add defamatory word here)__ was he thinking?"

"He did the work all wrong?"

"We'll make sure to do the work right".

And surely if another worker would be brought in after the new renovation he'd repeat pretty much the same thing about the new work done: "Who the hell did this work?"

"What effin' dummy..."

Makes me think of the same disease plaguing martial artists.

And especially on discussion boards and forums.

You'll find the same kind of behavior in the martial arts world.

Watch who you listen to.

The internet is filled with so called experts.

The answers aren't found in cyber space.

To quote Bruce Lee:

"There is no ultimate style. The ultimate is inside of You.
Be true to yourself and your journey through life"

Are you constantly working on the ultimate You?

What have you done today to get you one step closer to achieving your goals?

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

A Few Announcements

I wanted to keep you up to date on what's happening at Fang Shen Do Central this January.

Tonight is our Sanshou Qualifier in Gatineau (518 Maloney Blvd).

Fighters who wish to participate in the February 6th Fight Night need to be present.

We're simultaneously holding a Sanshou Seminar and Training with Sifus, Stephane and Patrick at the cost of 20$. Training starts at 7:30 pm.

Secondly, it's Board Breaking Time!

"Boards don't hit back!", I know, but there's something about breaking stuff that just gives you a rush and added determination to see your goals through. Like we're taught by our founder: regret, fear, and worry hits back!

So go to the source of what might be stopping you and crush it like you do the board.

See your instructor for details (if you're a member) if not, send me an e-mail and I'll give you the details on how you can participate.

That's all for now,

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

Want a Fang Shen Do school in Kanata, Ontario?

After a few months of re-structuring, we've officially signed the lease for our new Kanata Location.

Students can finally get back to training the art of Fang Shen Do as it was intended.

The school has 2200 square feet of training area and will be loaded with top of the line equipment as well as a curriculum that will be monitored closely by Sijo Jacques Patenaude's oldest son Sifu Stephane.

The address is 329 March Rd. with January 27 th being the school's first class and mid February for the official grand-opening.

For past, present or future Fang Shen Do students in the Kanata area, we encourage you to connect with us on that date and experience the training and teaching straight from the Patenaude family.

See you then,

Sibok M

This is YOUR year

January is my favorite month!

You're given a chance to wipe the slate clean and attack the new year with optimism and gusto.

It makes you feel like you're starting fresh, it makes you contemplate and imagine a long list of endless opportunities and possibilities.

This is YOUR year.

Clearly map out what you're going to do this year.

Visualize and actually imagine NOW how you will feel when you've reached those goals.

Express gratitude for what you have and what is to come.

Figure out what drained you last year and what could of pushed you off course and correct it.

Throw procrastination out the window.

Refuse to settle for: "good enough".

Acquire a burning desire for the attainment of your goals.

The fastest way I've found to understand the concept of developing a burning desire, and this at record speed, is through a unique way of training we've incorporated in Fang Shen Do.

Once understood, it's easily transferable to any other goals you might have.

It's what I personally used as a kid to lay the foundation of discipline, follow through and a "never give up" kind of attitude.

You can find out more about it here.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

Inside Kung-Fu Article

I hope your training went well this weekend and that you are constantly making strides in the areas of strength, speed, endurance and flexibility.

I wanted to point you to a 3 page interview in the latest issue of Inside Kung-Fu (March 2010 Issue), "A Life Changing Experience" by Inside Kung-Fu Editor Dave Cater where he interviews my dad, Sijo Jacques Patenaude on what martial arts training can do for you.

If taught right, martial arts can help you accomplish more than just learn how to kick, punch or grapple.

Strive for excellence in every area of your life.

Fight for what you want, dream big and let no one tell you otherwise.

Well worth the read.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

Put all the chances on your side.

Are you of the opinion that YOU create your own luck or that sacred objects can bring you luck?

Is the mere act of writing down goals enough to get you what you want?

Whatever you might believe, in the end, you'll have to take action towards your goals.

The reason I bring this up is I still ended up rubbing the turtle's head for longevity and good fortune at the Ming Tombs while on my trip to China last year.

I thought I'd better put all the chances on my side.

Same thing for your fitness goals.

Only relying on the actual exercises you're going to do and not paying attention to what you eat will lead to less than stellar results.

Or going at it alone and failing to have some sort of support through a group or club might be a challenge when your motivation and will power are tested.

Put all the chances on your side so you can achieve maximum success.

The first step is actually knowing what kind of exercises, in what order and at what frequency, you need to do them in.

You'll find the answer to these questions and more by getting to work on our Basic Strength Training Kit. It's the first step in acquiring the kind of foundation you need to make struggling with your weight, muscle toning issues and general health problems disappear.

Get started now.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

Watch the Results Show

It's hard to believe a decade has already passed in the "not so long ago" new millenium.

A wise man once said about goals: "The important thing is not where you were or where you are but where you want to get".

10 years can fly by and without planning, can seem like you haven't accomplished much during that time when you look back on it.

Your future should not be left to chance.

For a forward thinking individual each of the 10 years that have passed was a step closer to reaching your master plan.

Without goals you cannot grow, you'll feel like you're stagnating.

If you've never written goals before I urge you to start this year. If you share this habit, keep it up.

Write easy, yearly goals you can knock off in 12 months and remember to focus on creating an image of yourself 10 years from now.

What do you want to accomplish in your life? What do you want to be? What level of responsibility do you seek? What kind of standard of living do you want for you and your family? How strong and healthy will you be?

Questions of that nature.

To quote David J. Schwartz: "You must form an image now of the person you want to be 10 years from now if you are to become that image".

What a difference this kind of thinking has made in my life and my training.

Apply it to yours and watch the results show.

If you've done like I have and chosen martial arts training to improve every area of your life, you're in luck.

You'll find many DVD courses and books in our Product Section to help you do that.

Be on the lookout as well for new, up and coming DVDS, Books and Courses soon to be released in the new year.

Let's make 2010 your best year yet.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M