Helio Gracie dead at 95

As you might already know, Helio Gracie, father of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, died yesterday at the age of 95.

Helio Gracie epitomized what it is to build a family legacy.

Using Martial Arts as a vehicle for success and using it to keep his family united in a common goal:

To Share Martial Arts

It's hard to tell someone who doesn't practice martial arts, how you feel when you're training.

Which is no surprise why Helio was still teaching and training even at his age. It's something you never want to stop experiencing. If something makes you feel good and alive why would you want to stop doing that?

An important lesson can be learned from this man's journey. Martial Arts is the best way to stay sharp, vibrant, strong, flexible and happy as he demonstrated.

More people need to discover the wonders of martial arts training, I think Helio did his share to accomplish that.

We need more people like him to help bring Martial Arts to the masses so that everyone can benefit from it.

Here at FSD Headquarters we want to wish our deepest condolences to the Gracie family.

Sifu Martin

Private Training with Shaolin Monks

Imagine what you could learn?




















Part of being subscribed to my list also gives you the chance to find out first hand what's happening in our schools.

Special Events and Seminars are one of them.

I'm gathering most of you have heard about the Shaolin Monks?

Some of you might of even seen them at one of their shows.

We had the opportunity to do the opening demo for their show in 2007 while they were on tour in Montreal.

It was fun to be there with them back stage and see how they prepared and conditioned their bodies before their performance. We also had to make sure we were at the top of our game with about 95% of the people in the audience being chinese, along with China's Ambassador and wife in the audience, and the Shaolin Monks going on stage right after us.

We did not disappoint.

Fast Forward to the purpose of this e-mail: The Shaolin Monks are coming back!

It's one thing to see them at a show but it's a whole other experience to actually train with them.

Well, in February you'll be able to.

2 of Shaolin's finest, whom actually live in the temple, and recently did a show for Vladimir Putin, will be our guests next month.

We're holding 2 of those seminars, one in eastern Ontario and one in Quebec as part of our year long 30 th anniversary celebrations.

First seminar is in Montreal, at my school, February 10th at 7:00 pm. The second is held at the Ottawa Headquarters on February 15th at 12 pm.

If you're in the area do not miss this rare opportunity.

If you're a student of FSD and wish to register for the Montreal Seminar go here.

If you're a non-member and you wish to register for the Montreal Seminar go here.

If you're a student of FSD and wish to register for the Ottawa Seminar go here.

If you're a non-member and you wish to register for the Ottawa Seminar go here.

Master Yourself,

Sifu Martin

Putting Fitness First

I never get tired of receiving and reading success stories especially when I know the people on my list can benefit from them. Today I reached in the old mail box and thought I'd share Bill's Story.
----
"Sifu Martin,

In response to your daily email, I just wanted to share briefly "my story"

I have had an office job for the past 15 years. Over that time my health gradually declined to the point where I was scared to really exert myself for fear of a heart attack.

At the start of the summer my wife and I signed my son up for the "Army" run, so I decided to take up jogging so I could be in the run with him.

At the same time, I spoke with Sifu Scott about my son attending his school, and Sifu Scott challenged me to join as well.

I said "I am not in shape yet...maybe after the summer". He pointed out that Fang Shen Do will get me in shape, and there is no better time than the present to start. It has been four months and in that time I have developed a real enjoyment of the physical (brutal) workouts.

I am now able to do about 25 sit-ups in a row, when prior to joining I could do exactly ZERO. My confidence has greatly increased, and I feel so pumped for each class. I am having the time of my life, and I am feeling so much stronger and healthier than before.

I know I have a long way to go, but I am giving it 100%. As one man put it "practice does not make perfect, practice IS perfect!".

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Bill McEvoy

----

SMP: Bill, Awesome. I'm sure your son is proud of you and gave him a powerful lesson of leading by example. The best is yet to come in your training I can guarantee you that.

I'd say that's a pretty good return on his investment, from 0 Sit-Ups to 25, that's one hell of an increase. Just goes to show what you can accomplish if you just decide to start. The hardest part is to take that first step and then to stick with it.

It couldn't be easier, if you're not a member yet visit our classes section to get a Free 30 day pass to any of our schools. Or follow through on the fitness commitments you've made this year and get started on our Strength Training System today.

Master Yourself,

Sifu Martin

YOU are the Master

That's what Martial Arts is supposed to teach you.

Nothing ever happens if you don't put love and effort into it.

No one is coming for you.

You can pray all you want, that won't help get rid of that belly fat around your waist.

It won't save your marriage.

It won't make your kids love you.

It won't attract good friends.

It won't protect you in a self-defense situation.

The only thing you can count on is ACTION.

The right action, making the right choices at the right moment.

Let's take for example the right "Fitness Action".

Mastering what you eat and strengthening your body through daily activity and progressive improvements which you can measure and track are crucial.

That's why our Fitness System takes you through different levels of difficulty (White = Basic, Yellow = Intermediate, Blue = Advanced, etc...) so you gradually improve over time.

Nobody wants to keep on doing the same exercises at the same pace with the same reps all the time. Going that route is a dead end.

Solution: Structured Progresssion

Every exercise needs to grow into something else, to keep up with your growth, more challenging exercises have to be integrated to prepare you for the next step. Once your body has adapted, we can push its limits to a whole other level, starting the process all over again.

Then, Time increments are changed, rest periods change, and on and on you go. All you need to do is follow the system and everything else takes care of itself.

Our Fitness System is something we're particularly proud of, The Dinosaur version we used to teach 30 years ago is a thing of the past. We've had about 30 years to fine tune it and test our results on thousands of students.

Result?

It friggin' works.

Want to start building your dream body? Look no further. Get started now.

Master Yourself,

Sifu Martin

It's Louse Time! It's not MY responsibility?

If you're new to my list of focused, motivated, self- starters, Welcome.

(if you're not new jump right away to today's lesson below)

Every day I communicate to you the best ways to train and the kind of mindset it takes to get results either in your physical fitness or martial art training.

Friday is always what I call: "Louse Time". Modeled after Bruce Lee's strategy in Enter the Dragon.

You know that part where he's having tea with the government agent but he's disturbed by one of his students and Bruce Lee tells the agent: It's Louse Time! The agent replies with his British accent: "yes of course".

Since I'm 6 years old that scene has always stuck with me and I'll be using that same strategy with YOU every week.

Friday is where I share with you Life Lessons and Direction given to me by my dad (and Sifu) every Friday.

Today's lesson is: It's not MY responsibility?

Huh, yes it is.

We all have Freedom of Choice. Why are so many people making the wrong one when it comes to health?

I think it's the comfort of knowing the good ol' health care system is there for them.

I try to live my life as if there was none.

I believe it's not the government's job or the hospital's to fix someone's bad choices.

The choice of smoking

The choice of doing drugs

The choice of deliberate inactivity

The choice of eating junk food

The choice of not drinking enough water

The choice of consuming too much alcohol

The choice of not getting enough sleep

The choice of.....

You get the picture?

You're not made to be sick, weak and stagnant.

Obviously, some health issues are out of our control but most of them can be avoided with a little common sense.

Choices we make and the responsibility we assume today will pay great dividends in the future.

At least get the fitness and weight loss under control once and for all so you can focus on all the other important things you want to accomplish in your life.

Get started today.

Master Yourself and the choices you make,

Sifu Martin

Knock Out Stress

What seems to be a hot topic nowadays is Aging.

Most importantly Anti-Aging, Reverse Aging or Curing Aging which some experts say is a disease like any other which is totally unnatural. With enough research maybe one day we'll say goodbye to Aging all together.

If we are to slow down the aging process you and I need to have a handle on the stress we expose ourselves to.

Recent research from the University of California shows stress can cut off, at a bare minimum 10 years off our life span.

10 years!

Imagine all the things you can do in a year, let alone 10 years.

What I found interesting about the study was, simply being exposed to stress doesn't automatically accelerate the aging process. It depends how you react to it, how much power you give it. What kind of attitude you have towards it. That's what played at difference in the end.

Are you indifferent towards your stress and choose to place the most important priorities first like your kids, your spouse and the gratitude to be here, alive and kicking.

Or do you let it eat away at you, worry you, overwhelm you. Do you keep it bottled up inside of you?

Our first line of defense is Mental Attitude.

The second weapon you can arm yourself with is...Martial Arts.

I'm ready to bet if you walk into the MA school stressed out, you'll have a totally different feeling when you walk out.

You'll feel empty, released, but at the same time filled up with new, bright energy and a new found gusto to find a solution to your challenges.

One of the best ways we've found to purge your system of stress is through Intense, Interval Training with a Martial Art twist.

Each session leaves you stripped of any worries, a deep feeling of accomplishment, and a general sense of happiness.

It has worked wonders for me and I guarantee it will feel right for you too.

Get our Basic Fitness Kit and knock out stress once and for all.

Master Yourself,

Sibok Martin

What your body needs

Last week's e-mail on KO Water got me lots of replies with questions and inquiries about the drink.

Hopefully you've at least started to drink at a strict minimum, more water.

What's ironic is, the best and safest products always get the most skepticism and questions which often leads to "no action taken" while the other inferior ones slide under the radar.

I still can't believe so many people buy energy drinks that are loaded with crap.

Here comes a product like KO Water that is loaded with everything your body needs: Calcium, Magnesium, Copper, Selenium, Potassium and Zinc. Still, people are cautious to try it out.

KO Water is being used in many different fields and especially by martial artists like Gene LeBell, Eric Lee, Bob Wall, Chuck Norris, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, and the list goes on and on.

Those who follow Boxing and know a thing or two about top trainers in that sport will recognize a name like: Freddie Roach. Which both uses KO Water and recommends it to all his fighters.

You'll even see the KO Water insignia in one of the corners of the ring of Fedor's fight with Arlovski this weekend.

Why am I saying all of this? If you want to perform at a peak level and give yourself an edge, you should seriously consider giving KO Water a try.

Unlike most energy drinks being branded about at different events, KO Water is well...Water. Which has no side effects, replenishes the bodies mineral levels, boosts energy and most importantly, recovery, after your intense workouts all the while balancing your body's Ph levels.

We still have a few cases available, get them here.

Master Yourself,

Sifu Martin