“His way of telling you that you did something wrong was hitting you in the head with a phone book in a shopping bag.”
– Triple H (Paul Levesque) on learning from Killer Kowalski [10:05]
“Why would I be wound up? I’m either ready, or I’m not. Worrying about it right now ain’t gonna change a damn thing.”
– Floyd Mayweather, Jr. just before a fight, as recalled by Paul Levesque [34:20]
Paul Levesque, more popularly known as Triple H (@TripleH), is a 13-time World Heavyweight Champion in World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE). Not only that, he is also the Executive Vice President of talent, live-events, and creative at the WWE.
In this episode we explore everything, including the teachings of Killer Kowalski, how he avoids and repairs injuries (even if on the road 200+ days of the year), pre-game rituals, and habits developed with the support of trainer Joe DeFranco, The Undertaker, and even boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr..
This podcast is not limited to athletic performance. We dig deep into Triple H’s inspirations, and how he manages his responsibilities as a husband and father of three daughters.
[Also, if you missed it, I’m giving away a once-in-a-lifetime zero-gravity flight! If you’ve ever wanted to float like a astronaut, this is your chance. Click here for details.]
Enjoy!
You can find the transcript of this episode here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.
- Listen to it on iTunes.
- Stream by clicking here.
- Download as MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as”.
Have you heard my previous blockbuster episode with Tony Robbins? — Triple H listened to this episode while preparing for our interview. In my episode with Tony, he shares his bizarre morning rituals, thoughts on punching Barack Obama, and how to master the game of money (stream below or download by right-clicking here for part 1 and right-clicking here for part 2):
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QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received for injury prevention or repair? Please share (or read) in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Enjoy!
Selected Links from the Episode
- Watch The Wrestler, which partially inspired me to chase down this episode
- Learn more about the WWE and the WWE Network
- Here are a bunch of warm-up drills that Paul’s trainer, Joe DeFranco, taught me for The 4-Hour Body.
- Learn more about the International Sports Hall of Fame
- Connect with Triple H on Twitter
Show Notes
- How Paul Levesque answers the question, “What do you do?” [05:10]
- Common misconceptions of Triple H and the WWE [6:30]
- Important lessons learned while training with Killer Kowalski [9:40]
- Emotional story telling: the critical factor behind each WWE event [12:45]
- Why a regimented daily workout schedule is critical for longevity as an athlete [16:25]
- Training as mediation [21:55]
- Pre-game rituals with the help of Joe DeFranco, The Undertaker, and Floyd Mayweather [23:05]
- Learn about Triple H’s models of success [35:10]
- Insights on fatherhood [40:55]
- Describing the first 60-90 minutes of every day [43:25]
- Triple H’s current role in the WWE and his responsibilities as Executive Vice President [47:45]
- Rapid fire questions:
- Most played band/song [52:39]
- If you could only do 1 or 2 exercise movements for the rest of your life what would they be? [53:00]
- Advice for your 20-year old self [53:40]
- The story of meeting Tony Robbins [55:15]