Action star Jean-Claude Van Damme has revealed he has found a new tool to enhance his workouts – a shot of whiskey.

The Belgian martial arts expert, 62, best known for films such as Kickboxer, Double Impact, Timecop and Street Fighter, said he exercises every day but has recently discovered a new way to enhance the effectiveness of his training.

He told the PA news agency: “One shot before training – I’m not talking about a glass now – one little shot before training, it dilates your arteries. Some people do it with vodka and stuff like that.

“Sometimes when I train, I take a little shot of whiskey before training, don’t tell that to people, but basically, if you talk to a cardiologist, they will tell you it ain’t bad. Better that than Coca Cola, Fanta and all that stuff.”

Jean-Claude Van Damme with his Irish whiskey Old Oak (Old Oak/PA)

He added: “If you take some omega-3 before training, half an hour, and then five minutes before training at the gym, take one shot of whiskey, and compare to the morning before that and you’ll see what’s going to happen.”

Van Damme, who is launching his own Irish whiskey, Old Oak, said his training has had to change as he has got older.

He said: “When you train and you are getting older, it’s good to stay very flexible, that’s the most important thing.

“Being flexible, being able to take a shower, go down there, wash everything, to balance and to do cardio at least three or two times a week.

“And if you train with weights, be very correct in your position, very correct, back straight, hips tilted forward. Always straight and train very light, like one kilo.

“And slowly the muscle will take over. You start with one kilo and you don’t feel anything, but you do the correct movement.

“You feel the correct movement and suddenly the muscle will become a mind and the mind will take over and will say today I want a little more weight and this is how it works.”

Action star Jean-Claude Van Damme with his new Irish whiskey (Old Oak/PA)

Van Damme has been weight training since he was a teenager but said there are still days when he cannot be bothered to go the gym.

“I have it sometimes but I have a remedy to that.

“Sometimes you don’t feel like training and those days are becoming the best days of training.

“You go to the gym no matter what, but think ‘Ok, I am not going to train today’.

“So already in my mind, I’m not training, but I’m going to go into the gym, and I’m going to take no weights and just do a thing for opening up my cage (chest).

“I just want to open my cage today. So when I come out of the gym in 10 minutes, I just opened up my cage.

“So you do the moment, and after 80% of the time, you stay in the gym, and you have your best training.

“Because you put a fear between you and the gym – the travelling, the parking, this and that, because we live in the future.”

The official launch of Old Oak whiskey will take place in Belfast on October 18.