Michael Gooch: King of the One Finger Press Up!

Michael Gooch on Britain’s Got Talent!

Michael Gooch is a spectacular Guinness Book of World Record Pioneer who has been featured on the wildly popular shows "Britain’s Just Amazing" and "Britain’s Got Talent", and a whole lot more!  This second-degree Karate black belt has made a career of pushing the limits and setting world records!  

An Interview  with the "King of the One Finger Press Up"

Background

Alex Graham: Tell me a bit about yourself and your career in the martial arts.

Michael Gooch (Mick):  I started training in the Martial arts Alex, in 1974 due to seeing the Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon. That inspired me to take up martial arts and there was a Kyokushinkai Karate club that had just opened up and I went and joined that.  Also I had always been into fitness. I had always been one to keep trying to make yourself fitter and stronger.  I did actually complete the Charles Atlas Dynamic Tension Course and got my certificate when I was 15 or 16 years old before starting Karate.  I was quite pleased with myself at the time. Hahaha..

Alex:  Can you tell the readers at Celebrity English about the Kyokushin Karate style?

Michael Gooch after 30 man Kumite (fighting)!

Mick:  Actually Alex, it is a very physical style. In our style of Karate you do full contact knock down which is like full contact karate. The idea is to knock the other bloke out but you are not actually allowed to punch to the face.  But you can kick and knee as hard as you like to the body and the head.  This suited me fine because it was strong discipline and, you know, strenuous exercise. And like I said, I have always been into to that. So it was just right for me. 

Alex: Wow! That sounds tough!

Mick:  But I have go to be honest Alex.  I’ve been a fanatic in my training and I have really pushed things to the limit you know.  That is why I acquired the skill to do the one finger press up. 

Alex: Yes. And some of the records you have broken have been amazing!

Mick:  Oh yeah I have done loads and loads and loads.

Creating a World Record

Alex: What is the actual World Record for the finger press up?

Mick: Well I did a World Record at Wembley Arena, that was me creating history. Because nobody had ever done it before so I was the first man ever to do the World Record on the one finger press up and to get it into the Guinness Book of World Records.  Yeah it wasn’t in there before so I created history in the world of martial arts and in the world.  And there has never been anyone after me that does it properly meaning, full body movement and locking out. There has never been anyone who does the full press up like I do them.

Alex: Wow!

Mick:  So the Guinness Book Record that I set in 1985 was 45 on the one finger. And I did that for charity as well.

Alex: Excellent! That is truly amazing!

Extreme Preparation

Alex: How do you prepare yourself for something like that or to prepare for a fight in karate?

Mick:What to break a world record and to fight in a competition?

Alex: Yes, maybe they are different but...

Mick: Well Alex, as I said earlier, if I set my mind to do something, and it’s in my heart then I will give it my full, heavy full training to be better than anyone else.  Not to be big headed, I am not saying that to be big headed. It is just how I am, you know.  I train relentlessly so that I know when I go in to do what I am going to do, you know. I am fully 100% physically ready to do what I am going to do and then the last week or so I am rehearsing in my mind what I have to do and then I have already beaten the record when I go and do it.  Because I have already beaten it in my mind.  And because my opponent won’t be as fit and as strong as me because I have done more training.  And he won’t beat me.  That is how I used to be.  


Alex: Phenomenal!

Mick: It’s all good. I always look at Victory as if it is just around the corner.  I think that is important in whatever you are doing. 

The Mentors

 Alex: Did you have a mentor in your life or teachers?  But it seems like you did a lot of it on your own. 

Mick: Yeah it was trial and error Alex.  I didn’t have a mentor for the one finger press up.  But as I said before I have always looked up to Bruce Lee and the founder of Kyokushinkai Karate Masutatsu Oyama commonly known as Karate Master Mas Oyama.  Unfortunately he has passed away,  “May he rest in peace”.  His instructor in England was my instructor Shihan (a high-ranking or highly distinguished instructor)  Steve Arniel (under Master Oyama).  My other instructors were Norman King and Terry Allen they were the ones that had the local Karate club where I used to train.  Most of the breaking and training was done on my own and with a friend.  Just getting so fit and strong just trying to do these things.

Alex: I see.

Mick: Also my parents gave me a firm foundation growing up.  They taught me to be nice and well mannered and say “Thank you” and “Please”.  If you are brought up with firm foundations they pave the way for you and stay with you for life.  I have always been honest and backed up what I said I could do. I have talked the talk and walked the walk as they say. 

Things Don't Always go according to Plan!

Mick: About the Just Amazing with Kenny Lynch & Barry Sheene

This is a good one. Millions saw me do this in 1993. 

Mick: But actually what happened is they hadn’t supported them properly and when I hit them they just spun off the copper tables.  And I didn’t say anything because I was in front of a live audience but I nearly broke me hand Alex!   I nearly broke it. And I had to start again.  And then I broke 2 and me hand bounced off the other 2.  And at the time I felt sick because the supports weren’t right and now I have broke me hand and then I had to do the watermelon and then I had to do the World Record for the press ups.

Alex:  Uh oh and Ouch!

Mick: But in the end as you can see I did it.  That night my hand came up like a balloon but I didn’t actually break it because of all of the conditioning I had done previously.

The Charity Work

Alex: You are a great supporter of charities, can you  tell us a bit about the wonderful work you do?


Mick:Over the years, I have done a lot of charity performances for all types of charities like for children, cystic fibrosis, breast cancer, etc. that I have organized myself and with the help of friends.  If I see people or groups or organizations in need, I get involved.  It's always a team effort but you are the catalyst or the one putting in your heart, your mind, your body.

Next January 2014, I will aid 2 WPC (Metropolitan Police Constables) who got shot and killed.  It was very very bad and I know the father of one of victims.  He is doing a benefit night in Manchester and he is doing it in aid of the North West Police Benevolent Fund which is about supporting victims and the police.  I am going to be doing a one-finger press up on the top of a man’s head on a 6-inch nail.

Alex: Is there anything you would like to add?

Mick: Well Alex I hope you and your readers found what I had to say interesting.

Alex: Absolutely.  What an adventure!  I loved it all! From the full on training to the extreme dedication to the extraordinary record setting, and more!  

Mick: The situations you end up in you never dream you would end up in.  It is funny where life takes you. It has been really really great speaking to you and best to you and I will keep in touch with you to let you know about new developments this year.

Alex: Sounds great!  Thank you for your time today.

Mick: It has been a real pleasure.

Alex: For me too, let’s keep in touch.
For more great Record Setting by Michael Gooch: King of the One Finger Press Up go to his website:

Michael Gooch: King of the One Finger Press

Language Learning Section

Natural Language

Vocabulary Boost!

Part One - British and American English

Instructions: Change the casual British English to casual American English. 
 
a Press Up  =  a push up

a bloke  = a guy

I nearly broke me hand Alex = I nearly broke my hand Alex (Casual British English Conversational talking)

My hand came up like a balloon  = My hand became like a balloon


Part Two - Natural Expressions


Instructions: What are the meanings of the following expressions that are common to North America and Britain?

I was quite pleased with myself  = I was quite happy about what I had done

This suited me fine  = This was fine with me

pushed things to the limit  = you make it work as hard as it can; often you make it work so hard that it breaks down or wears out Find out the maximum potential of something.

I have done loads and loads and loads  = I have don lots and lots and lots

I have always "looked up to" Bruce Lee  =  to view someone with respect and admiration  

catalyst = a person or thing that precipitates an event or change

Michael Gooch Updates! 

Published on Aug 7, 2013

Mick Gooch in London England, after being accepted into the "Ripleys Believe It Or Not".

Ripley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Horror Writing, Haunted House Day & One Finger Push-ups (Michael Gooch) 

Downloadable Podcast

http://webtalkradio.net/internet-talk-radio/2013/10/14/ripley-radio-an-on-demand-oddcast-horror-writing-haunted-house-day-one-finger-push-ups/


Take care, 
Alex

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Little Angels

Angels in our day and time!

Little Angels!

This week at Celebrity English we are fortunate to be able to interview Tammy Armstrong.  Tammy is a highly educated expert from the field of “education and training for individuals who are severely disabled” and serves as the Director of Developmental Training at the world class Little Angels Center for ExceptionalCare in Elgin Illinois.

"Love, care and support, just like Family!" is one of the motto's at the Little Angels Center for Exceptional care.   Let’s take a look inside the world of Little Angels

Interview

Alex Graham: Please tell us a bit about ‘Little Angels’ and the story behind this phenomenal center.

Tammy Armstrong: In 1958, Pat Wasmond, a registered nurse and mother, began her life’s mission to help children who could not help themselves — and to always love them like her own. Her passion began simply by opening her home to a prominent doctor’s child who required 24 hour care and support. It didn’t take long for word to spread about the exceptional care this child was receiving and soon others came to Pat for help. Pat, along with husband Bob opened their home to several disabled children in need. And with that, Little Angels was founded. Now, over 50 years later, Little Angels has grown into a 57 bed skilled care nursing facility caring for children and young adults with complex physical, developmental and medical needs. Our residents are all in wheelchairs, require total assistance for all activities of daily life and are in need of 24 hour nursing care.

Alex: The Little Angels Developmental Training Program has implemented the most modern and up-to-date training techniques for young adults. Can you give us some specific training methods or techniques used to create the best possible environment for the participants?

Tammy: First you need an environment and activities that address all 5 senses. Our residents learn best through a variety of sensory experiences, due to the physical and cognitive challenges they face. Our Snoezelen room is a perfect example of providing a multi-sensory experience through modern technology. (Pronounced Soo-zlen. This is sensory stimulatory equipment that was created, in Holland, specifically for individuals with severe sensory impairments.) We can customize the experience to meet a variety of individual needs. Secondly, you need to make use of the technology available now through a variety of adaptive devices and communication systems. These adaptive devices can give an individual independence and control over their environment with a small movement of an arm, leg or head. There are communication systems that will “talk” for individual using body movement and even just an eye gaze.

Alex: Also, Could you give us a general example of the day in the life of a Little Angel?

 Tammy: Our resident’s days are not unlike yours and mine. They wake up and face the same activities and events we all do. School aged residents get ready for school in the morning. Eat breakfast, get dressed, and get primped and beautified… True, they need assistance with all these activities, but they help to the best of their abilities. Then it’s out the front door to their school bus. Our residents who are over age 21 get ready for their Day Training Program with the same morning activities. This program is adjacent to the Little Angels residence so they can just be pushed in their wheelchair directly to their program. At the end of the day they all come back home and have group activities, eat dinner, have quiet time to watch TV and listen to music and get ready for bed.

Alex: Having a child is a life-changing event for parents and sometimes children come into this world in need of some pretty complex medical needs. If a new parent is facing this type of life challenge what advice would you give them.

Tammy: Learn how to look for and accept help and support. You know the saying “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well with a child with severe disabilities and health issues, it takes a large, compassionate, loving village. There are many folks out there who either have gone through similar experiences and can help you or who are put on this earth to help people like you. You may have to search a little bit, but there are many people out there who are able to and want to help you.

Alex: What are some of the biggest misconceptions you hear from people on a regular basis?

Tammy: People assume that our resident’s lives are sad or that our residents are sad. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Our residents are who they are. This is the life they have been given and the only life they know. They can’t walk, but they have fantastic, comfortable wheelchairs in which to get around; they don’t talk but they sure do communicate; they have likes, dislikes, they love and are loved in return. They lead happy, fulfilled, loving lives.

Alex: What have some of these wonderful ‘Little Angels’ taught the people around them?

Tammy: Unconditional love – these individual love their families and caregivers, regardless of who they are, how much money they, where they come from or what they do. They demonstrate great perseverance. They work diligently to make best use of their skills and abilities, despite the many challenges to accomplish goals. How to simply just enjoy life!

Alex: I saw on The Little Angels website a very unique button called ‘Angel Songs’. What is ‘Angel Songs’?

Tammy: Angel Songs is a gala that we hold annually. It’s a fundraiser, but just as important, it’s a celebration of Little Angels. We celebrate our resident’s lives, their accomplishments and we celebrate the staff and friends who love and support these individuals.

Alex: For people who want to get involved or help out, what can they do? How can they connect with you?

Tammy: 

 Please check out our website at www.LittleAngels.orgSign up to receive our newsletters. If you live in the Northern Illinois area we’d love to give you a tour of our facilities and introduce you to our wonderful residents and staff. For questions or information please contact Mary jean Adkins at 847.741.1609 x 101.

 

Alex: Thank you Tammy Armstrong for this wonderful, informative interview! 

Tammy: You are welcome and thanks again for this opportunity.

Alex:  Special thanks to Mary jean Adkins, Director of Development at Little Angels, who was an indispensable part of this fantastic interview!

I am Alex Graham of Celebrity English and privileged to be blessed by the "Little Angels" today! Best wishes and love to these extraordinary people!

Never met an Angel?

Here is the Little Angels Family Video

 See you next week!

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Celebrity & Healthy Lifestyle Consultant SASHA!

Highly sought after ‘Healthy Lifestyle Guru Christopher Sasha’ is transforming and inspiring Billionaires, CEO’s, Celebrities, and people across North America.   With a chiseled physique of Adonis coupled with an extraordinary personality, this brilliant and tremendously focused author is destined to become a household name within the next few years. 

Interview

Alex: Can you please tell us about yourself?

Sasha: I’m Christopher Sasha, the leading healthy lifestyle consultant to Chicago’s CEOs, celebrities, and billionaires. I’ve been a healthy lifestyle consultant for over 14 years. Somehow, I earned a finance degree from prestigious DePaul University ready to conquer the financial world only to land in the health and fitness arena. I was fully armed with the financial knowledge needed to make a splash in the trading markets yet my heart didn’t accept my career decision. For some reason I kept straying from the financial industry into the fitness industry.

Alex: What sparked your interest in health and fitness?

Sasha: It wasn’t so much the health and fitness career opportunities that sparked my interest. I lived a few of my adolescent years in a housing project where I would get beat up almost every day because I was small and weak. I started working out and used “strength” that I attained from the gym to help better my situation with the neighborhood bullies. My nascent interest in health and fitness was only to build a facade to protect myself. And as I transformed my physique, other gym-goers would pepper me with health questions like what they should eat or what the best abdominal exercise is to get a set of six-pack abs. I began to understand that I wasn’t just answering peoples’ questions – I was helping them overpower their individual demons. Most of us don’t have to become more fit to protect ourselves from pernicious bullies. Through the years I’ve learned that there are a plethora of reasons why people want to be more fit. I became aware that I was helping people with my knowledge, which gave me a tremendous sense of gratification, leading me to delve deeper into health concerns. And this yearning I have to help others eventually brought me on the path to publish my book, Transforming Your Lifestyle One Belief at a Time.

Alex: What are the benefits of working with a fitness trainer?

Sasha: The benefits of working with a fitness trainer are as unique as the individual fitness trainer. Each trainer should know the basics of physiology and kinesiology. But once you get past the basic education of a fitness trainer, each trainer’s style is very diverse. The advantages of a fitness trainer vary from being taught how to perform each exercise with proper form so you don’t hurt yourself to reaching personal health goals quicker to accountability, and many times a confidant.

Alex: What is the biggest misconception about health and fitness that you hear from beginners?

Sasha: I’ve heard scores of health and fitness misconceptions over the years but the one that pops up over and over again is that dietary fat consumption makes us fat. It’s true that an overabundance of dietary fat can make us fat; but so can too many carbohydrates or proteins. Fat per se does not make us fat. This is a misconception that was reinforced by the media when low-fat diets were the craze in the 1970s. Our current obesity epidemic isn’t from eating fat. America is the 7th wealthiest country in the world and the 3^rd fattest country in the world. We are the leaders in fast food, processed food, manufacturers of high fructose corn syrup, and the list goes on. And these are major culprits that can lead to obesity. Learning how to eat properly (including fat) and moving your body will drastically reduce body fat and improve your health.

Alex: What are some of the more popular training styles you implement?

Sasha: My training style is more on the body building side. This is the foundation that I build on to create each individual’s exercise program. I mostly use a method called periodization which forces the body to use both types of muscle fibers (slow- and fast-twitch fibers), all three types of contractions (isolation, concentric, and eccentric), and giving the body the appropriate amount of rest so it can do what it does best – recuperate and grow stronger. But I also use strategies to help slow down the aging process and enhance energy levels. One of my clients, for instance, found that his testosterone levels were too low, which was contributing to his lethargy and muscle loss, resulting in weight gain! I decided to increase the intensity level and shorten the rest periods between exercises. By doing this, the body will naturally boost its testosterone levels, increase human growth hormone production, burn body fat, and increase muscle mitochondria. All of these factors will increase energy levels and help slow the aging process.

Alex: You are a favorite trainer and coach to celebrities and the corporate elite, what is it that keeps them coming back and recommending you to their friends?

Sasha: It isn’t just one thing that makes me a favorite lifestyle consultant to my veritable Who’s Who list of clients. It’s a collaboration of my scholastic and personal knowledge, practicing what I preach, inspiration, eagerness to take things to a higher level, continuation of learning more about health and fitness because I know the human body is a systemic machine – everything is intertwined and no knowledge about nutrition, supplements, sleep patterns, exercise programs, hormones, or personal beliefs about our environments are trivial. I’m willing to do things that others are not willing to do. For example, one of my clients was prediabetic and worried about becoming a full-blown type II diabetic. He heard that most of diabetes can be reversed without medication and asked me to find a program that will reverse his condition. I read about 10 books on reversing diabetes, created a program, worked the program with him, and reversed his prediabetes to normal blood sugar levels. I add as much value as I can for my clients, whereas most fitness trainers consider their job to spend one hour with their client, and that’s it. I know that I’m a replaceable commodity so I do more than my competitors, which has separated me from the mass of fitness trainers that have deluged the market since the economy has tanked.

Alex: You are a big supporter of charities for kids and the homeless, what made you select these particular charities?

Sasha: Today’s kids are tomorrow’s leaders. You never know what insecure, low self-esteem child will blossom into a leader in his/her industry if the right guidance is provided. I had dangerously low self-esteem, no confidence, and no self-respect growing up. At age eight, I was bounced from foster home to foster home for a few years when my mother died. I later moved into a housing project with my brother and sisters and abusive, alcoholic father only to be kicked out of his house when I was 13 years old - and I was uneducated. It was a long, arduous journey with many encouraging people that helped me transform my life from being broke and in jail almost every week to a well educated leader in the health and fitness industry. I was blessed to have met so many incredible people who cared and wanted to help me succeed. As I’m living proof that people can change if given the right opportunities, I want to do what I can to help others that come from my same background become successful, happy people.

Alex: What can we look forward to from Sasha in the next few months?

Sasha: Diabetes is a chronic disease that kills hundreds of thousands of Americans each year, with the death toll exponentially increasing every year. And it’s not just America – it’s worldwide, including Great Britain and India. Diabetes is a disease that can be cured without medication 95% of the time. It’s a matter of educating the general population about proper nutrition (and what foods are killing us) and encouraging people to put their bodies in motion. I’m currently testing a program that I put together to help reverse prediabetes and type II diabetes. I have already proven that my program can reverse prediabetes with one of my clients. His A1C result was 6.2. An A1C is a blood test used to determine if an individual has prediabetes or type II diabetes. Generally, a person is diagnosed with type II diabetes when two consecutive A1C test results are 6.5 or above. My client received his latest A1C test reading at 5.6 a few weeks ago, which is in a normal range. Now I’m eager to prove that my 3-month program can get type II diabetics off Metformin (Glucophage), which is the first medication doctors prescribe to type II diabetics to help control their blood sugar levels. If any reader has been diagnosed with type II diabetes, and on Metformin (Glucophage), please contact me.

Alex: If people want more information about any of the topics or answers above, what is the best way to connect with you?

Sasha: Anyone interested in more information can connect with me via:

 Website -   Fit Bodies by Sasha 
Media Rep. Beatrice Davis 

 Email -  sasha@fitbodiesbysasha.com

Facebook

Twitter

  LinkedIn

Alex: Christopher Sasha, Thank you for the interview and all the great information on Health & Fitness! I wish you well.

Sasha: Alex, Thank you so much for this chance to interview with you.

Again, thank you!

  ~Sasha

NEW 2013 Updates!

Christopher Sasha 

Spokesperson for Makayla for Women!

 http://www.makaylaforwomen.com/

Ambassador for IAM4KIDS!

http://iam4kidsfoundation.org/

More about the I AM 4 Kids foundation!

Celebrity Author & Motivational Speaker Mark Papadas!

http://celebrityenglish-alex.blogspot.ca/2012_10_28_archive.html

Alex-Celebrity English

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