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BONUS Special Report Lessons from Legends

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Special S pecial Report

Lessons
from

Legends
by

Bova

Copyright Anthony Bova2011, All Rights Reserved

BONUS Special Report Lessons from Legends

www.modernspartan.com

Published by

Spartan Health P/L


PO Box 2985 Taren Point NSW 2229 Australia

bova@spartanhealth.com www.modernspartan.com
Copyright Anthony Bova 2011
COPYRIGHT & LEGAL NOTICE: This Special Report is protected by international copyright laws. You do NOT have permission to re-distribute, resell, auction, or otherwise give away copies of this Report, whether in digital or physical book format. Im not a big faceless corporation. Im an individual trying to teach my methods, help people who want to learn, and make a living at the same time. If you violate my copyright you are basically stealing from me, not cool and very disrespectful. I have many loyal Spartan students worldwide who report copyright violations to me on a regular basis and I will do whatever I have to, to protect my work. If YOU see this manual being given away or illegally sold on the internet or elsewhere, I would be very grateful if you contact me with the details. However, the above being said, if you own the digital version you DO have permission to print a copy of this manual for your own personal & private use.

Disclaimer: The ideas, opinions and views contained in this course are the totally biased work of Anthony Bova and are intended for enjoyment and educational purposes only. Neither the author nor publisher assumes any responsibility for the use or misuse of information contained in this Manual. The author does not claim to be a doctor and if you have any health problems it is advisable that you seek the proper medical advice. You should also seek the proper medical advice before starting a new diet or exercise program.

Copyright Anthony Bova2011, All Rights Reserved

BONUS Special Report Lessons from Legends

www.modernspartan.com

Im going to talk about a few different individuals who have provided inspiration to me. Most are from a warrior/martial art background, but dont let that stop you if you are not a martial artist yourself. In fact most of these people were an inspiration to me before I ever took up any martial art training at all. They lived or are still living exceptional lives that we can learn from and get motivation from.

Milo of Croton
Milo was an ancient Greek Olympic Wrestling Champion. He won the Olympic Wreath (like a Gold medal) 6 times in a row over a 20yr period. Can you imagine someone today winning a Gold medal in 6 Olympics in a row!!! Milo was renowned for his strength. He was the first to use a system of progressively increasing poundage to increase size and strength. He took a baby calf and placed it on his shoulders. Then he walked the length of a stadium, carrying the calf. He did this every day. As the calf grew bigger and heavier he grew bigger and stronger.

Soon he was carrying a fully grown bull on his shoulders!


In later years he would carry a bull fully around the stadium, set it down then kill it with one punch. How would you like to compete against someone who you saw just do that? Another feat was being able to grasp a piece of fruit in one hand, while challengers tried to pry his fingers off it. But none could and when they finished the fruit would not be bruised or squashed at all. He finally died trying to defeat nature. Milo found a tree deep in a forest that had been half split with a wedge. He tried to tear the split tree fully apart but the wedge fell out and his hands were trapped in the tree, leaving him as easy prey for wolves.

Copyright Anthony Bova2011, All Rights Reserved

BONUS Special Report Lessons from Legends

www.modernspartan.com

Napoleon
As in the short French guy who use to tuck one hand into his jacket. I have listed him for two main lessons;

For Napoleon;

To think was to act


That is a very valuable lesson to learn. When you wake up in the morning, dont start making excuses about why you should skip your training. Act! Just get out of bed and go. If you have a goal, do it. Start living the way you want to. You must act, dont just dream about things or keep putting things off. Act! Just do them.

He also made the comment that;

The Art of War is a Simple Art


So is the art of health, the art of strength, the art of conditioning etc. Whole industries have been developed to make all these things complicated, but they arent. Always think Spartan Simplicity!

Copyright Anthony Bova2011, All Rights Reserved

BONUS Special Report Lessons from Legends

www.modernspartan.com

Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi was a famous Japanese swordsman. His story is told in a book by Eiji Yoshikawa, called MUSASHI. This is one of the big ones. I read about Musashi before I ever started martial arts but his story and the lessons I learnt from it are very valuable. Musahi had a goal, to become the best swordsman in Japan. Not so he could become famous or rich, but to master the Way of the Sword, for himself. Its about striving for the most important goal in your life, whatever that may be. I wrote out a lot of specific passages from this book and Ill share the best with you. In the 1st Edition I made comments after each quote, I actually think some of the comments werent needed as these quote speak for themselves, so Ive bitten my tongue a little more this time;

Mushashi took it for granted that a warrior must be content to live from day to day, never knowing if hed live to see nightfall
Live your dreams now because you dont know when your life will end. Make each day count, dont compromise yourself or put off things you want to do. ----------

He was the type of man one did not ordinarily encounter in this world
Strive to be the same. Dare to be great. It is well know that people judge you in the first 10 seconds that they meet you for the first time. Hard training, healthly living and an athletic apperence will make you stand out. ----------

Copyright Anthony Bova2011, All Rights Reserved

BONUS Special Report Lessons from Legends

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But, you should avoid the temptation of thinking that your dreams can only be realized in some far off place. If you think that way, youll neglect the possibilities in your immediate surroundings. Most young people do, I fear, and become dissatisfied with their lives
A very wise piece of advice. Ive been guilty of it myself. The grass isnt always greener elsewhere. I use to think to myself, If only I could travel to America to learn from the best Grappling Instructors! But I didnt realise that some of the best instructors are right here in Australia! Use the opportunities in your own backyard rather than just dream of far off places.

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No one can create a worthwhile life for you but you yourself
Only you know what you really want out of life. And only you can chose to reach that dream. Life isnt just a random event, you really can create the life you want for yourself.

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You wont make a name for yourself just doing what the next man does. Youll have to distinguish yourself in some way.
By following the crowd you will never be more than average. To be more than average you must do what others will not.

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Copyright Anthony Bova2011, All Rights Reserved

BONUS Special Report Lessons from Legends

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The problem was how to imbue his life with meaning, how to ensure that his life would cast a bright ray of light into the future, even if it became necessary to give up that life for a cause. If he succeeded in doing this, the length of life - 20yrs or 70yrs made little difference. A lifetime was only an insignificant interval in the endless flow of time
Quality not quantity.

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There was one way of life for ordinary people, another for the Warrior

What a classic quote. It pretty much sums up the Spartan Lifestyle. If you chose the way of ordinary people you will end up as an ordinary person. If you chose to live according to the basic Spartan Principles you will become a modern Spartan Warrior.

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The way I have chosen is one of discipline. It requires me to overcome my sentiments, lead a stoic life, immerse myself in hardship. If I dont, the light I seek will escape me

Hardships means forsaking the instant pleasure of sugary/fried/processed food and a sedentary lifestyle. It takes discipline to do this. But the rewards are worth it.

I want to dedicate myself to training and discipline. I want to spend every minute of every day working to improve myself
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Copyright Anthony Bova2011, All Rights Reserved

BONUS Special Report Lessons from Legends

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His aim was to always take on opponents who were better than he
The fastest way to improve in anything you do. This is a simple secret that can skyrocket your progress. Most people only spar/compete agaisnt/race agaisnt/take on/challenge others if they know they can beat them. Do the opposite, seek out the best and you will rise to their level.

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Dream of your own world to conquer


What is your ultimate aim in life. Think about it. Write it down and work towards it. It can be as simple as - to be healthy, happy and raise a family that loves me. Dont think you must have the ambition to be a world champion.

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Instead of wanting to make yourself like this or that, make yourself into a silent, immovable giant. Thats what the mountain is. Dont waste your time trying to impress people. If you become the sort of man people can respect, theyll respect you, without your doing anything

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The way of the sword must be a way that does not permit a man to age
You can stay youthful and vigorous by following the Spartan Lifestyle. Think of yourself as a Warrior and dont let yourself grow old because others expect it. ----------

Copyright Anthony Bova2011, All Rights Reserved

BONUS Special Report Lessons from Legends

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Only custom, followed unquestioningly over the centuries, had made it seem normal. He felt he had arrived at an undeniable truth: custom had made the unnatural appear natural, and vise versa

Dont accept things without questioning. Be brave enough to stand up against the crowd. Just because something is accepted as the conventional or correct way by the majority doesnt make it so. Should you train with light dumbbells doing lots of fancy little exercises just because that is the accepted thing? Should you eat masses of cooked foods because people have been doing so for centuries? Etc.

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They say the longer a man goes without facing a challenge, the weaker he becomes
Living a soft life will make you a soft person. Constantly challenge yourself to learn more and improve more.

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He must keep his mind on the Way he had sworn to follow throughout this life and the next
Keep your mind focused on your goal.

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For the first time he asked himself whether it was possible for an insignificant human being to become one with the universe

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Mas Oyama
Mas Oyama was the founder of Kyokusin Karate, which is still going very strongly today. Personally I dont have much interest in Karate but Mas Oyama was a man to be respected. He was born in 1923 and decided early on to try and be the best he could possibly be in Karate, just as Mushasi had aimed to be the best swordsman. He received this advice from his Master, So Nei Chu;

Withdraw from the world. Seek solace in nature. Retreat to some lone mountain hideout to train your mind and body. In 3 years you will gain something immeasurable. So train yourself in self-discipline before you grow older if you wish to be a great man
So Mas retreated to a mountain and trained himself fanatically 12hrs a day. He practised his karate, broke stones with his hands, used trees as punching posts and did constant physical and mental training. At one point Mas became depressed and wrote to his Master. The reply from So Nei Chu inspired him to continue on. Parts of the reply were as follows;

Those who become recognized as geniuses work much harder and demonstrate far more perseverance than the average person

Training harder than anyone else will make you invincible

What others have done should not be impossible for you

The really great men can only be produced through continuous heavy training

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Mas emerged from this period of training as an unbeatable Karate fighter. He traveled the world and took on all comers beating most with only a single punch. He became known as GODHAND because of the power of his punches. He also demonstrated his skill by fighting bulls and actually killed 3 with his powerful blows. Speaking on training he said he had never met anyone who even trained 1/3 of the level that he did while in the mountains. This doesnt mean you should dedicate your entire life to training, but it shows what can be accomplished if you really decide to train hard. He believed the secret to achieving great things was;

Sweat, you must train hard!

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Bruce Lee
The one, the only, Bruce Lee. What can you say about a man who is still a house-hold name decades after his death. Most people only know him as the movie star but he was one of the best fighters on the planet before that. He was also something of a philosopher and his ideas were way ahead of his time. He was a physical fitness fanatic in every sense of the word. He was constantly training. Constantly trying to improve himself. His physique was chiseled and a whole generation took up martial arts to try and be like him. Bruce was not a big man but he could send anyone flying across the room with just a one-inch punch. He considered forearm and ab training to be the most important. His martial art is Jeet Kune Do and his motto was;

Using no Way as Way Having no Limitation as Limitation

Copyright Anthony Bova2011, All Rights Reserved

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Gracie Family
For those of you who dont know who the Gracie Family is let me give you a run down. They are a Brazilian family who for 60 yrs have been accepting no-holds barred fights with no time limits in an attempt to perfect their style of Ju-jitsu. Think about that. The courage it takes to put everything you know on the line in a real fight. They didnt hide from opponents they faced every challenge head on. While other martial arts were punching the air, they were punching real fighters who wanted to kill them. They have been practically undefeated for that whole time. Needless to say they now have brilliant techniques that include only what has been proven to work in real combat. If you are after a martial art to study I highly recommend them. They are a real inspiration. They also have a range of Videos etc. that are great. It was a few years ago after reading about two of the Gracies, namely Royce and Rickson, and their successes in several no-holds barred competitions that I was inspired to start training in Brazilian Ju-jitsu here in Sydney.

Copyright Anthony Bova2011, All Rights Reserved

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Hannibal
Hannibal was a great military leader of the ancient Carthaginians, maybe the greatest to ever live. In Carthage the military commanders had to be good for 2 reasons. Firstly they had no army to speak of. The Carthaginians were merchants who hired other people as mercenaries to fight for them. Hannibal came from a family of leaders whose job was to train and lead these mercenaries in battle. Keeping control of paid mercenaries and enforcing discipline is TOUGH. Secondly although military families such as Hannibals were treated as nobility, the Carthaginians expected a lot of them and didnt tolerate failure. Leaders who failed in battle were crucified. Hannibal had a burning hate of Rome (who had defeated the Carthaginians in the past) and swore an oath to destroy the Roman Empire when he was only a young boy. And he very nearly did. The lesson we learn from Hannibal is to never give in. You can do the impossible if you believe and work hard enough towards your goal. Also that struggle makes you tough, hard work pays off. Let me explain. Hannibal planned a surprise attack on Rome. Instead of sailing over to attack he would march his army around the back of Italy and cross the Alps. This was considered an impossible feat and the Romans didnt even defend this part of the country because they didnt believe an attack would ever come from this direction. The Alps were massive and treacherous. Filled with wild barbarians, steep cliffs and some of the coldest weather on earth. Hannibal said; We will find a way . . . or make one.

So Hannibal marched his army of 100,000 men and horses and elephants up through Africa and over the Alps. He believed he could do it and he did. He lost over half of his army in the process. Some were slaughtered by the constant barbarian attacks, some fell to their deaths in the steep mountains, some froze to death and many starved. But in the end they made it across. They had done the impossible. Hannibals courage and determination paid off.

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However you may be wondering how he could fight the might of the Roman Empire after losing half his men? Well those that were left had been transformed into battle hardened elite. The weak, the sick, those lacking the toughness and determination to survive had perished. What was left was a formidable fighting force. The same is true of this program. You face your own crossing of the Alps. Not everyone of you will make it. The lure of junk food, of cooked food, of laziness will claim a lot of you. But those that endure, who keep trying to improve and training hard will become truly elite Modern Spartan Warriors that would make Hannibal proud. How did Hannibal do against the Romans? He massacred 3 of their greatest armies while totally out numbered. In the end Rome decided the only way to deal with Hannibal was to avoid him in battle and hope he faded away. He continued to terrorize Italy for another 17 years! Roman mothers had a saying they used to make their children behave (much like stories of the boogie-man)

Hannibal is at the Gates

Finally Rome attacked Carthage itself so that Hannibal was called back to help defend the city. A great man and an inspiration.

Copyright Anthony Bova2011, All Rights Reserved

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