Wisdom & Insight from a Former Olympian Sprinter with Coach Pow (Round 2)

You asked for it. We delivered. Because after Emmanuel Paris’ first appearance on the podcast, our ‘socials’ were flooded with DMs from listeners who couldn’t get enough of his wisdom and insight. Paris, also known as “Coach Pow,” today made his second appearance.

Coach Pow isn’t your run-of-the-mill fitness expert. He doesn’t just “talk the talk.” He also “walks the walk.” And sprints it too!

As a 2008 Canadian Olympian sprinter and a 2006 Commonwealth Games Bronze Medalist, he knows what it takes to excel in the world of athletics. He’s also a former pro drug-free bodybuilder, proving you can build a strong & healthy body without shortcuts or long-term repercussions.

Nowadays, he “pays it forward,” as a high-performance coach in the fitness industry. Pow shares a wealth of knowledge and experience to help individuals reach their fitness goals.

In this episode, Coach Pow reflects on his evolving fitness perspective. He’s shifted his focus from “getting big” to more refined qualities like agility and joint pain-reduction. He says the new retirement plan revolves around strength, but isn’t limited to just building muscle; rather it encompasses flexibility, mobility, and participation in sports, like sprinting, soccer, and martial arts.

We also talk about how Coach Pow’s path to becoming a running back was diverted by his environment. He mentions that his high school didn’t have a football team. Also, his mom disliked contact-sports, which led to him missing an opportunity to participate in organized football.

In his local community, Pow recalls showcasing his innate talent for football, drawing attention from those around him, especially his friend’s dad, who wanted to take him “under his wing.” But his mom had other plans, steering him toward a school focused on academics and non-contact sports. His high school had Debate & Chess. Despite projecting as an NFL running back IMO, Coach Pow’s journey took a different, more fulfilling turn.

This conversation was packed with valuable fitness insights and life advice. I hope you enjoy as much as I did!

Questions asked:

What do you weigh now?
Do you do anything according to your age?
Do you think about your age relative to how you work out?
What do you think you’ll look like at 50 or 55? Are you gonna be as muscular-looking as you are now?
Do you ever partake in any yoga/salsa classes?
What percentage of men do you think that still work out regularly at 40 years old?
Are you still spending $3,000 a month on food?
Do you think sugar adds weight?
What is your minimum protein intake?
How accurate are you able to gauge your intake?
Are you still staying at Airbnbs here on a per month basis?
How is Edmonton relative to Banff and Jasper National Park?
When you went back to Canada recently, did you get Airbnbs too or did you stay with your family?
How much sleep do you get at night?
Do you find there’s a lot of people out early in this town?
Does it look effortless when you sprint?
If someone like Usain Bolt were to play tennis, would he be the best player ever?
How did you not end up being a running back?
Why do you think there aren’t as many breakaway runs as Bo Jackson did?
Was it a thing for you when your dad was adamant about not working out until puberty?
Did you learn Spanish?
Did you learn French in school?
What is your average spend on Airbnb as you travel?
Have you had to increase your spending due to inflation in recent years?
Why won’t you get a scooter or a bike?
Are you paying people to see your Instagram posts?
Do you take one-on-one clients?
Why is it important to “slow down your reps?”
What ways could the ladies slow down their reps in order to get a booty that sits up high?
What is a superset?
What would be the perfect form for a squat? And are you supposed to squeeze your glutes at the top?
Why do you feel it’s so important to “compete with yourself?”
How many people do you know who make money from OnlyFans? And how much money do they make?
Have you ever talked to anybody who says they pay for OnlyFans?
Would you want to live forever?
One of the ways to live forever, they say, is to reproduce. What do you think about that?
Have you thought about how many kids you want when you’re 74 or 87?
Have you ever seen a beautiful woman here and beat yourself up later that you didn’t go introduce yourself?
Have you thought about starting your own gym here [in Playa Del Carmen]?
Have do you think about charging people different rates based on the economy where they’re from?
Do you think COVID harmed people’s interpersonal skills?
Do you think telling a young man not to look at pornography is unrealistic nowadays?
Did you know Victoria’s Secret is bringing sexy back?
What was it like growing up to become an elite athlete & could you talk about those who were there to encourage you and those who discouraged you?
Wouldn’t having more than one child bring self inflicted pressure?
How were your parents & peers treated because of your accomplishments–positive and negative?
What’s the best kettlebell exercise?
Is fast walking just as good as a light jog?
How many steps a day should we be getting?
Have you watched that interview with the fella who said he had sex with Barack Obama?
Do you look at a woman’s ankles when you’re considering dating her?

Fun questions:

Is not wanting something just as good as having it?
When was the last time you spoke to God?
What is the last note that you have in the Notes section of your phone?
Which Pro sports team do you root for?
If I gave you $100,000 & you had to invest it in one of 3 companies–Amazon, Apple, or Tesla–where would you put the money?
If Michelle Obama were to run for president in the US, do you think she’d get elected?
Would you rather have Justin Trudeau or Gavin Newsom as your president?
When was the last time you drove a vehicle?
If given the opportunity to travel anywhere in the world for the entire month of November, where would you go?
If you could live forever, but retain the look of an 85-year old, would you do it?
Would you rather have a gold medal at 20 years old or $500,000?
Word association:
- Dating in 2023
- Justin Trudeau
- Life before the internet
- Seeking wisdom
- Drug legalization
- Marijuana
- Internet pornography
- Donald Trump
What’s been your favorite part of recording this episode today?