50 SAMURAI PRACTICES

TO FORGE INNER STEEL

& A RIPPED PHYSIQUE

Unlike barbaric warriors of other cultures, the Samurai comprised a noble class in Japan.

They were highly literate and studied history, philosophy, poetry, calligraphy and mathematics.

THE ARCHETYPAL SAMURAI: Lean, Agile, Calm & Courageous

Samurai were not history’s greatest warriors by chance, nor do modern athletes magically transform into champions. Both result from disciplined lifestyles that consist of proven micro-practices that encompass nutrition, mental training, physical conditioning, and recovery.

A Holistic regimen that nourishes Body, Mind & Spirit.

  • BODY

    Obtaining a healthy, lean physique in just 30 days is no longer a dream. With the adoption of a few small practices—90% diet, 10% movement—I’ve helped clients achieve this goal. That’s how I lost 40 pounds and kept it off for 15 years. The key is establishing a healthy supportive Lifestyle

  • MIND

    A rigid blade will quickly break, as will one who undertakes a diet based on deprivation and anguish. A healthy program must be enjoyable, and it must tackle subconscious cravings and the use of food to cope with stress. As the great Miyamoto Musashi taught: ‘Do not let the body be dragged along by the mind, nor the mind dragged along by the body.’

  • SPIRIT

    Science has proven the power of mindfulness and Tribe. Our modern grinding lifestyles lead to exhaustion, panic attacks and depression. This is why Samurai emphasized contemplation, and also why they surrounded themselves with like-minded Tribe.

Tomoe Gozen, a legendary Samurai and a member of the Onna-Musha, female warriors who trained and fought alongside males.

For seven centuries Samurai embodied discipline, bravery and honor… until 1871, when the Japanese government abolished all feudal classes, thus ending their official status. But these warriors lived on—many continued training Jiu Jitsu (a martial art developed for when they lost their weapons on the battlefield), and by the 1920s, 30% of prominent Japanese businessmen hailed from the former Samurai class. In 1914, Mitsuyo Maeda, travelled to Brazil and there he taught Jiu Jitsu to the Gracie family, who eight decades later started the UFC in order to showcase the art as the most effective form of combat. The rest, as they say, is history. The ‘Gentle Art’ exploded and academies opened across the globe. Women, men and even children began training and competing, developing confidence and respect for all. In essence, Jiu Jitsu practitioners are modern Samurai, and now this great discipline belongs not to any culture or country, but to the entire world.

MODERN SAMURAI & JIU JITSU

34 vs 54 years old… the right photo was taken in Sicily, where I lived in 2022 in order to study Blue Zone diets and immerse myself in a true Mediterranean lifestyle. * NO TRT OR PEDS OF ANY KIND.

After earning a law degree and an MBA, I started several successful businesses, and at 34, despite achieving family and career milestones, I found myself overweight, over-stressed, and unhappy. Fast forward five years and I was 45 pounds above my ideal weight and on the path to a heart attack. Thankfully I recognized the warning signs and vowed to change my trajectory. So I researched every nutrition practice under the sun, and just 30 days after starting an unconventional nutrition plan I lost 40 pounds. But that was just the start of my new Path. Four months later I walked into a Jiu Jitsu gym, essentially stumbling onto my Tao, and since then I’ve devoted my life to documenting all facets of modern martial arts—authoring the book Into The Cage: Rise of UFC Nation (Random House), penning a weekly column for Vice Media’s Fightland, commentating for elite Jiu Jitsu competitions (EBI), hosting the podcast Motus V, winning x2 Black Belt World Championships, and teaching Jiu Jitsu seminars around the globe.

TAO 道: The Path

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