RossTraining.com Blog

Perhaps the greatest of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson is a boxing legend.  To those interested, Comcast has a documentary available through HBO ON Demand. 

For those who cannot view the documentary, you can enjoy the two video tributes below.  Ray Robinson was the perfect blend of strength, power, speed, and skill.  He is living proof that fancy training programs are not necessary.  Nothing beats the fundamentals of sparring, bag work, and mitt work. 

Part I

Part II

Enjoy,

Ross

Considering that today is Valentine’s Day, it seems fitting to share the article below:

Colombia Flower Farms Rely on Pesticides

One quote of particular interest is listed below:

“Every time we look, we’re finding out these pesticides are more dangerous than we ever thought before and more toxic at lower levels,” said Philippe Grandjean, who led the Harvard study published last year.*****Unfortunately, these pesticides are often used on fruits and veggies which are then purchased by health conscious consumers.

I am not trying to scare anyone, but we should all be aware of the chemicals that are added to our food supply.

If organic produce is available, I highly recommend it.

Ross

Those familiar with my training style know that I am a big supporter of interval training for conditioning and fat loss. 

Many of my conditioning workouts include a timing element, where you perform a certain exercise for a specified time period.  For example, this article includes a Tabata interval example using the sledgehammer. 

For those looking for a personal timer, you may be interested in the GYMBOSS timer.  The GYMBOSS is ideal for Tabata interval timing (as well as any other interval duration).

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If you are interested in timing rounds (ex. 2 or 3 minutes), you may find the Everlast timer useful.

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If you workout by your computer and prefer an online option, check out this link.

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Another option is to create a CD that plays music for specific time periods (ex. 2, 3, or 5 minute rounds).  Ringside sells CD’s that are set to 2 or 3 minute rounds.

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If budget is not an issue, you may prefer a higher end model such as this timer.

As you can see, there are several options for interval timing.

Ross

I receive emails on a daily basis from aspiring fighters who believe they are too short, too old, too skinny, etc… 

Basically, these athletes are convinced that they do not have the perfect body type to compete as a fighter.

This is a myth.  There is a fighting style for almost every body type. 

But rather than taking my word, why not view the video below for a live demonstration.  Who said you need to be 6 feet tall to become an effective fighter?

Enjoy,

Ross

Following our recent discussion regarding diet pills, it is nice to see that the industry’s deception will be penalized. 

Marketers of popular weight-loss drugs misled consumers

As stated:

“The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday fined the marketers of four weight loss pills $25 million for making false advertising claims ranging from rapid weight loss to reducing the risk of cancer.”

Unfortunately, $25 million is pocket change to an industry that rakes in over a billion dollars a year.

Ross

In several recent posts, I’ve stressed the importance of a “natural” nutritional plan.  I use the term natural to denote those foods which are common in nature (ex. fruits, veggies, meat, fish, etc.). 

If a packaged product must tell you that it is natural, it probably isn’t.  For example, a piece of fruit doesn’t need to tell you that it is natural.  A candy bar however that claims to be “all natural” is obviously ridiculous.

A manufacturing plant is not a farm.  Packaged items which are manufactured do not belong in the body.  We did not evolve on manufactured items. 

Unfortunately, many food manufacturers use deceiving marketing tactics to fool the uneducated consumer.  Two recent examples are highlighted below:

7UP Drops “All Natural” Claim

Cadbury-Schweppes will no longer market 7UP as “All Natural” according to a statement put out by the company. Rather, the company will highlight ingredients “for which there is no debate” over whether they are natural, which will obviously exclude the controversial factory-made sweetener known as high-fructose corn syrup. 

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Kraft is Sued for Falsely Calling Capri Sun Drink “All Natural”

Kraft Foods, the maker of Capri Sun—foil pouches filled with a solution of water, high-fructose corn syrup, and small amounts of juice—is being sued by a Florida woman for deceptively marketing the product as “All Natural.”

I couldn’t have asked for a better script leading into today’s blog entry. 

First, we discussed society’s growing dependency on pills. 

Next, we identify the rise in childhood obesity, and how parents must become more responsible (and held responsible).

So, what does our wonderful Food and Drug Administration (please note the sarcasm) decide to do…

FDA approves orlistat as OTC diet pill

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Let’s not FIX the problem that caused obesity… let’s instead encourage even more pill popping to mask the REAL cause of the problem.  Forget about going after the cause… that would actually require that people did something (sitting on your ass doesn’t count).

People are too busy to exercise.  Too busy to take care of themselves.  Too busy to eat healthy.  Too busy to go grocery shopping…

Everyone is too busy for everything… aside from eating and pill popping.  And to top it off, the FDA has even supported the pill popping frenzy. 

And to those who label me a food Nazi… I’m actually the opposite.  I love good food, but good food doesn’t need to be JUNK.  I recently read a nice description regarding junk food. 

As quoted within the link above:

There is no such thing as “junk food”; there is junk and there is food.

This simple line speaks volumes for the simplicity of healthy eating.  If we all simply ate REAL food, there would be no such thing as a diet and no need for an overpriced nutritionist. 

It really is THAT simple.  I’ve worked with pro fighters and summed up their training camp diet in less than 30 seconds.  My advice is always similar, something along the lines of eat real food, such as fruits, veggies, meat, fish, nuts, eggs, etc.  If man made it, try not to eat it.  Drink non-calorie drinks such as water and green tea. 

That’s about it… and believe it or not but REAL food tastes great.  I love food.  There is nothing like sitting down to a nice dinner with family and friends. 

When you eat crap, you can expect that it will taste like crap.  If you eat real food, you’ll enjoy your food and you won’t feel like crap afterwards… and you won’t need any FDA approved drugs to go along with desert!

Ross

A new report suggests that more and more children are resorting to weight loss surgery.

More kids having weight-loss surgery

As quoted below:

For decades, the number of kids trying weight-loss surgery has been tiny. The operations themselves were risky, with a death rate of about 1 in 50. Children rarely got that fat, and when they did, pediatricians hesitated to put the developing bodies under the knife. Only 350 U.S. kids had such an operation in 2004, according to federal statistics.

But improvements in surgical technique and huge increases in the number of dangerously obese children have begun fueling a change of heart.

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So, now that more and more kids are obese, our solution as a society is to put these children under the knife?  Opting for surgery is just as bad as opting for the magic pill.  Neither “solution” (and I use this term VERY lightly) will solve the real problem.  Surgery and pills simply mask the symptoms, with no concern over the true cause of the problem.

Why are more and more children dangerously obese?  Is it something in the water?  Are these children gaining weight in their sleep? 

Do Food Genies force these kids to consume unhealthy meals in excess? 

Isn’t it about time that we put some pressure on PARENTS to begin leading from the front!  I’m puzzled that a parent is willing to put his or her child under the knife, but can’t find it in them to say NO when their child asks for junk food?  They will risk the dangers of surgery, but can’t assume the role of a PARENT, which is to TEACH their children how to live and function in this world.

What is wrong with our world today? 

Being a parent is a privilege!  When you bring someone into this world, it is YOUR responsibility to take care of the child.  Letting your child eat his or her way to surgery is NOT going to win you a Parent of the Year award. 

I am still shocked at the crap that so many parents fill their grocery carts with when shopping at the local supermarket.  No one is forcing you to buy junk food for your children.  No one forces you or your children to eat crap. 

We need to take responsibility for our actions, as well as the actions of our young children.  Stop looking to place the blame elsewhere.  It is so much easier to look in the mirror!

Ross

Per request, I have posted a link to the old York Handbalancing courses below.  I had posted these to the message board a few months ago.

York Handbalancing I and II 

Enjoy!

Ross

Lance Armstrong: Patience running thin with D.C.

With the recent discussion regarding pill popping and conventional medicine, I thought it would be useful to share another side to the story. 

Lance Armstrong makes some very good points (within the link above).  A lifestyle that prevents disease/sickness is certainly the best action (for everyone).  With that said, there are times when disease will strike.  It is during these times that we will rely on advanced research and breakthroughs in medicine.

It’s about time that our political candidates put these REAL issues at the top of their priority lists.  I’m sick of the verbal assaults and false promises.  Let’s focus on the real issues that impact us at the ground level.

Ross