RossTraining.com Blog

I couldn’t have asked for a better (worse actually) follow up to my last entry.  Nine-year-old Jericho Scott (pictured above) was recently told by the Youth Baseball League of New Haven, Connecticut that he is too good to pitch in the league (full story here).  The eight league team, with approximately 100 players has decided that Jericho throws the ball too fast for the rest of the league.

This story hits home (for me), as New Haven isn’t far away.  Connecticut is a small state.  My own state is kicking kids out of little league because they are too good!  What the hell is going on?  What kind of message are we sending our kids?  Let’s all play nicey nice, but let’s not try to be good at anything.  Should we all get together in a group hug and start playing with foam baseballs instead?

Pure Nonsense

The league’s attorney Peter Noble had the following to say regarding Scott’s pitching ability:

“There are a lot of beginners. This is not a high-powered league. This is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport…  Facing that kind of speed is frightening for beginning players…”

How is kicking a 9 year old boy out of the league promoting the sport?  As for the comment about beginners, Jericho is only 9 years old!  It isn’t as if he’s been playing baseball for 10 years.  He is just as young as everyone else, and he’s never even beaned another player while pitching.  It seems like the league has enacted a ban-him-just-in-case law.

And for those who are not familiar with New Haven, it is a rough city with gang violence and more than its share of drug activity.  Cities such as New Haven need more kids on the baseball field! We can’t turn kids away because they are too good.
The parents who made this decision should be ashamed of themselves.  After all, it isn’t as if the 9 and 10 year olds had a meeting and decided to ban Jericho from the league.  It is obvious that the parents got together and made this decision.  What message is a parent sending his or her own kids?  They can play sports, but they should never face an opponent who might be better?  Should we pretend that everything in life is fair and even?  Should we pretend that there are no challenges in the world?  Is that the message we want to send our kids?  Is that going to help little Johnny become a better person?

When I played little league, there wasn’t a 9 and 10 year old league.  We played with the 12 year olds.  At 9 years old, a 12 year old is an imposing monster on the mound.  That was part of the fun.  There was nothing better than a base hit against a pitcher who was a few grades above you in school.  That is what we called bragging rights!  Sure, we all had moments of nervousness when an older pitcher threw some high heat, but that was just part of the fun!

No one was kicked out of the league for being too good.  We busted our ass for playing time.  No one wanted to sit on the bench.  Playing baseball wasn’t about being fair.  It was about working hard to earn more time on the field.  Working hard to become a better player.  Working hard to give your team a better chance at winning.  These are lessons that carry over into the real world.

Sooner or later your kids will figure out that life isn’t all fun and games.  I’m not suggesting that we throw our children to the wolves, but little league baseball shouldn’t be confused with a rabid pack of wolves.  Let kids be kids!

Ross

Below is an excellent article about safety and kids, and the potential problem that one has on the other.

Why Safe Kids Are Becoming Fat Kids

The author discusses several modern safety measures that didn’t exist when we were kids.  The world has changed however.  Kids no longer are encouraged to get outside and play.  There is no freedom to explore and do the things that kids would naturally do.  There are even certain school districts that have banned running at recess.  Running has been deemed too dangerous!  What the hell is wrong with our world!

When and why did the world become so soft?  What happened to letting a kid live a little?  Is it really that bad?  As kids, we grew up outside.  No one wanted to sit inside and play video games.  We grew up playing baseball, tackle football, pick up basketball games, etc.  We would have stayed out all night if sun didn’t go down.

Sure, there were times when I came home with bumps and bruises, but that was just part of growing up.  Life isn’t supposed to be cake walk.  Why fool kids and pretend that it is?  If you never learn to take calculated risks as kids, how can you be expected to take calculated risks as adults?  No one is suggesting that we all live recklessly, but there are times when it makes sense to go against the grain.  Almost every successful person in this world did just that on his or her way to the top.

Today, we preach safety and sameness.  Kids are always being reminded to take it easy.  Don’t do this, don’t do that, be careful with this, be careful with that, etc.  The outdoor fields are empty.  When I take my son to the playground, we are usually alone.  No one else is outside playing.  Should it come as a surprise that adults in today’s world struggle with obesity?

What will come next?  Will our kids be banned from going outside?  Is it too dangerous?   Should we all walk around with safety masks?  Should we live inside protective bubbles?

The world needs to lighten up.  A few bumps and bruises are the end of the world.  There are much bigger problems faced by millions of people around the world.  Let your kids live a little and get outside with them.  Leading from the front is the only way to lead, and your kids will learn by watching you!

Ross

PS - Here are two related entries (here and here)

PPS - Yes, the image above is of me at age 9.  What isn’t shown is me crashing into the floor after jumping off my bed in an attempt to look like I could fly.  My brother was the remarkable camera man who was able to jump out of the way before I crashed into him.  Nothing beats the good old days!

Can you imagine biking for 112 miles, swimming 2.4 miles, and running 26.2 miles, all in a single day?   At first glance, many would view this challenge as physically impossible, regardless of their training and preparation.

Fortunately, one woman can change your mind. Her name is Sister Madonna Buder.  She didn’t start exercising until she was 50 years old.  She has now been setting Ironman records for the past 20 years.  At age 77, she is still going strong!

Can you imagine approaching a 50 year old man or woman with no exercise experience, and explaining to them the possibility of competing in a triathlon?  Most would consider us crazy for even suggesting the idea.

But who is crazy?  Those who believe that the body is much more capable than others realize, or those who never try to find out for themselves?

If pushing past commonly perceived limits makes us crazy, I’ll live happily crazy for the rest of my life!
Ross

Below are two video clips from the legendary Jack Lalanne.  Within each, Jack shares several tips for those interested in gaining weight.  Don’t expect a detailed discussion of molecular science, but do expect several easy to follow suggestions.

One of the reasons that I enjoy Lalanne’s old clips is his ability to simplify those topics that others try so hard to complicate.  Why must others make exercise out to be so complex?  As E.F. Schumacker once said,

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius—and a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction.”

Unfortunately, many in this industry would rather leave your head spinning.  They strive to create confusion in topics that a 5^th grader could easily comprehend.   They’ll throw together a few basic movements and then create a fancy name that “defines” the workout, as if a fancy name somehow adds another level of sophistication.  After all, if you are confused, you’ll become dependent on the guru and his advice.  If you become self sufficient, you offer nothing in return.  How can the guru purchase a new sports car if you don’t need him to hold your hand at the gym?

I’ve read articles where it seems like the author is competing in a 4+ syllable word contest.  How many 4 or more syllable words can he include within a 1000 word article?

And please do not confuse the meaning behind this entry.  I have nothing against 4 syllable words.  I am not being fastidious with my repugnance for provocative word selection, if such verbiage is both appropriate and conscientious.  Yet, the superfluity of words must not intentionally stray from elementary concepts such as simplicity.  Such intentional and incorrigible overuse of 4 syllable words would be deemed inappropriate, irrepressible, and perhaps indecipherable, even to those with unsurpassed intelligence acquired at the most magnificent universities.

Now, moving on from my moment of sarcasm, let’s get back to the subject of simplicity.  Look at the Jack’s picture above from 1954.  Jack was in top shape long before most of us were born.  He achieved his strength long before the latest and greatest breakthroughs were revealed online.   Many of my former coaches were also in top shape long before the Internet.  And please don’t take this as a knock against education or science.  My wife is a teacher and I’m a science junkie.  I’m not against learning.  I just happen to be in support of Schumacker’s advice (listed above).

The Internet has changed the fitness industry.  Never before has getting in shape been made out to be so complex.  I’m only in my 30’s, but even we didn’t have the Internet when I was in high school.  I didn’t learn of the Internet until my freshman year in college.  Back in the day, no one assumed that a degree in rocket science was required to build strength in the gym.  I know groups of guys who may have had one brain between the entire group, yet were monsters in the gym.  Not many athletes and gym rats were in contention for valedictorian.  I’d be willing to bet that our high school valedictorian didn’t know the difference between a pull-up and a chin-up.  Fitness wasn’t his gig.  Exercise wasn’t thought of as one of the lucrative fields to pursue.  There were still loads of strong and amazing athletes however.  The difference was that no one was trying to confuse them with irrelevant bullsh*t.  Athletes went to the gym and busted their ass.  The results followed.  That’s it.  Nothing fancy.

Oddly enough, many of our old gym class workouts are now thought to be revolutionary.  I just wish my old gym teacher knew the goldmine that he was sitting on as we ran suicides on the basketball court. He could have retired early…

Final Thoughts

Now that I’ve rambled on longer than expected, let me close with an old saying.  Those involved in this industry need to start applying this simple advice.

“Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime.”

Unfortunately, many in this industry want everything but for you to learn how to exist on your own.  Don’t let them confuse you.  Keep it simple, bust your ass, mix things up, and have some fun.  Simple often equals superior.

Ross

PS - For a related article, refer to The Endless Search

Last month, I posted a video of Barbara Guerra.  It had been emailed to me, and I was obviously impressed and inspired by her abilities.  To my surprise however, there is much more to her story.  A reader of the blog recently emailed me another video of Guerra. To say that I am impressed is an understatement.  I am in awe over how this woman has adapted to the cards that she has been dealt in life.

Her daily life is a walking and talking demonstration of human potential.  It also confirms my beliefs from a prior entry (regarding the power of choice).  When choice is removed from the equation, we as people become far more capable than many could ever imagine.

After watching this video, I found another from a few years earlier.  Within the older clip, she demonstrates her ability to change a diaper with her feet.  I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve had troubles when my daughter is squirming around and I’m using two hands!

I’m literally blown away at Guerra’s ability to move past surviving and move on to thriving.   There really is so much that we can all learn from this story.

Ross

After a recent blog entry, I received several suggestions to create a more comprehensive FAQ.  I do have a brief FAQ on the main site, but it is admittedly scant.

I’ve taken your advice and have started with a book related FAQ.  It is available within the message board, and will be updated regularly (as needed).  Please refer to the link below:

Book Related FAQ (Pre and Post Purchase)

I am also in the process of creating a training related FAQ that will hopefully answer some of the more commonly received message board and email questions.  I hope to have it completed within the next week or two.  I will update the forum when it is finished.

Thanks to everyone who has offered their suggestions for improving the site as a whole.

Ross

The videos below tell the story of Richard Jensen (full story here).

As a former methamphetamine addict and ex-convict, Jensen is now a 37 year old college student, and a member of the Clackamas Community College wrestling team.

As stated in a past entry, we’ve all made mistakes in life.  No one is perfect, but we all have the opportunity to change our lives and improve.  Each day presents that opportunity.  Some wake up and go for it, while others sit back and let the days pass.

Jensen is a real life example of human resilience.  It’s one thing to wrestle competitively at age 37, but it is entirely more impressive when you consider his mistakes over the 15+ years beforehand.  We all have bad days from time to time.  Some may have bad weeks, or perhaps even a bad year.  But how many have had 15 year stretches of hardship, including serious drug addiction and prison?  I’ve made my share of mistakes, but these are two that never made my list.

And please don’t mistake the message behind this blog entry.  Jensen has clearly made mistakes in life.  I’m sure he’s hurt people over the years, perhaps without even realizing it.  I’m not here to overlook his mistakes or to suggest that they are okay.  He paid his debt to society however, and has shown that we all have the ability to turn things around.  That is the message that I hope to share through this entry.

Like Jensen, I too am in my 30’s.  I know men in their 30’s who I knew as kids.  Many have done nothing with their lives.  Jensen’s story shows that it is never too late however.  How many 36 year old former drug addicts wake up one day and decide to enroll in college?  Many would have assumed that it was already too late.  After periods of hardship, many unfortunately give up on life.  They honestly do not believe that change is possible.

Fortunately, most who make such decisions have never gone through half of what Jensen has endured.  This isn’t to say that one problem is better or worse, as our problems are our problems.  Nothing hurts more than a problem that is our own.  Yet, with that said, seeing Jensen turn his life around should give hope to others who currently see no hope in their future.  No matter how bad it has been, it can always get better.  Sure, it can get worse, but we all have the power to write our own future.  It won’t be easy, and the decision isn’t one that you make one time.  You’ll likely need to make the decision day after day, or perhaps hour after hour.

If you want something, go get it.  It is yours for the taking.  Often times, the only thing that can stop you is you, just as the only thing that can start you is you.

Ross

PS - the full video of Jensen’s story can also be seen here 

With the Olympic Games underway, it is a great time to focus our attention towards an Olympic powerhouse.  And while the story alone is interesting, there are important lessons that can be realized by studying the success of one small island nation.

Cuba is without question the most dominant force in amateur boxing.  This small island of 11 million people won its first Olympic boxing medal in 1968.  In the time since, Cuba has captured 32 medals, including 26 gold.  These astounding numbers are slightly deceiving however, considering that Cuba boycotted the 1984 and 1988 games.  Their totals would have likely surpassed the 40 medal mark (through 2004) if they had competed in the 1980’s.  In 1992, they came back and won 9 medals, including 7 gold.
So, how does this nation of 11 million people create so many champions?  New York City alone has over 8 million people.  Cuba isn’t competing with New York City however.  Cuba has dominated the United States, along with the rest of the world.  An entire world of boxers cannot compete with an island of 11 million people.

How can it be?

Many will read of Cuba’s success and assume that the nation has the most sophisticated training methods in the world.  They must have dedicated PhD’s, sports scientists, nutritionists, certified trainers and specialists, etc. all working around the clock, right?  After all, our industry promotes the message that one cannot excel in today’s sporting world without highly sophisticated methods.

Yet, to your surprise, Cuba’s methods would be considered rudimentary by many in our world.  Their athletes are not successful because of a state of the art facility.  Their coaches didn’t become successful by paying thousands of dollars on Internet certification programs.  Their small island isn’t blessed with a superior genetic pool.

So, what is the secret?

There really is no secret. Cuban boxers begin training as youngsters.  There is a boxing academy in each of Cuba’s 14 provinces.  Children have access to the sport, and take pride in becoming champions.  Within the video clips below, you’ll see how the Cubans advance through their system.  One of the young fighters makes the following statement:

“To become someone, you have to make sacrifices.  If you don’t, you can’t become what you want to become.”

These young fighters are raised with this mentality.  They train hard and become active as youngsters.  The combination of hard work, consistent work, pride, and experience is instrumental in their success.  Boxing is one sport where experience is a must.  No amount of bag work in the basement can substitute the need for real competitive experience.  Cuban fighters commonly rack up well over 100 amateur bouts, often much more.  This amount of experience is worth its weight in gold (literally).

Take some time to watch documentary below.  There is a related story at this link.

The Cuban story highlights many truths regarding athletic preparation.  Successful coaches know their sport.  Their knowledge wasn’t developed in a laboratory.  It comes through years of involvement in the actual sport. Speaking from personal experience, many of my own mentors would be considered uneducated from a societal standpoint. Their knowledge of the sport however is as refined and advanced as the most educated professional.  There is absolutely no substitute for experience.

There is also no substitute for hard work, just as there is no substitute for pride in your work.  The fact that a nation of 11 million people can continually dominate the international boxing scene shows us that there is much more to athletic success than simply having superior genetics.  Hard, consistent work with experienced coaches is the only real secret, and this is the message that we should all be preaching.

And no, this isn’t a knock against sports research and science.  A week doesn’t pass without me actively studying new material.  There are times however when we must fall back on the most simplistic definition of science.  Merriam-Webster lists the following definition:

Science - the state of knowing

Cuba knows how to develop champions, which makes their methods as scientific as any.  As a coach, it is useful to learn from those in the trenches, who continually produce champions.  Spending time in an archaic gym that produces champions then becomes just one more step in the “scientific” process.

Ross

Most who are familiar with Randy Pausch first learned of him through his Last Lecture.  The Youtube video of his speech has received almost 6 million views already.  If you haven’t yet made time to watch the speech, I encourage you to make time (make, not find) to watch it in its entirety.  Many think nothing of wasting 60 minutes to watch a weekly reality TV show.  Skip one week and instead watch Pausch’s lecture.

But don’t stop at the last lecture…  I also encourage you to watch a lesser known video from Pausch.   This video includes his thoughts on time management.  If there was anyone who knew how to make the most out of limited time, it was Randy Pausch.

I’ve always considered myself competent in terms of time management.  Yet, over the years, my business has grown, my family has grown (wife, 2 kids, 2 dogs), and the days just seem to be shorter and shorter.  There are definitely moments when I don’t know how I can get everything done.

When I first started my website in 2001, I decided that I would personally respond to every email.  Perhaps it helped that I was only responding to 3 or 4 emails.  My email duty took about 5 minutes a day.  Things have changed however.  A day doesn’t pass without less than 100 emails.  I still respond to everyone personally however.  In my opinion, if you run a business, you better be there to answer questions.  If you can’t respond, hire someone who can.  If I walk into a store and have a question, I expect someone to help.  Many online businesses seem to have dropped this simple courtesy however.  I recently purchased a piece of training equipment and haven’t heard from the company in several weeks.  I’ve sent emails regarding the supposed shipment and have yet to receive a response.  I still don’t know if my order was processed.  And in case they are reading, I can gladly list your company name for thousands to see on this blog

Anyways, back to the subject of time management.  I once had a customer call and ask to speak with customer support.  I told him that he was speaking with customer support.  Before I had a chance to say “This is Ross,” he cut me off and asked to speak with the billing department. He wanted to add a book to a shirt order, and wanted to change the shirt size from medium to large.  I told him that he is speaking to billing.  He then asked if it was possible to speak with the shipping department.  Once again I told him he is speaking to the shipping department.  He then thought I was joking, so asked if I knew how to get in touch with Ross.  I told him that he already was.  In the time since, I’ve received several similar calls.  I also receive emails with messages such as “If Ross sees this, can you please ask him…”

I typically respond by saying that if anyone but Ross is seeing this, we both have a problem.  I’m the only one here, so don’t expect anyone else to read anything.

In addition to responding to emails and shipping orders, I’m also in the gym each day working with athletes, often for several hours at a time.  If we are traveling to spar, it may fill the better half of a day.  When someone emails me however, they don’t care about where we traveled for sparring.  They have a question and are looking for an answer.  I make the most of my time and get back to everyone, one by one.

Perhaps one day I’ll need to hire someone.  I honestly don’t know.  Regardless of what happens however, I will continue to make the absolute most out of each minute of every day.  And if the time comes when I no longer enjoy my job, I will make a change.  In my opinion, these two simple elements should be a part of everyone’s life.  Love what you do and make the most of your time.  Without time management skills, this wouldn’t be possible (for me).  I don’t know if I would love my job if I couldn’t keep up and was stressed out 24/7.  It would be difficult to find joy in such an environment.

Fortunately, the video above includes many useful ideas regarding time management.  If you find yourself struggling in this department, set aside some time (a one time investment in time) and you’ll likely pick up on several valuable tips.  I certainly learned some new ideas that I’ve already started to implement.

Anyways, that’s enough for this sleep deprived blog entry.  I’ve gone off on a few tangents and may not have made a whole lot of sense.  Hopefully my original message is heard however.  Make some time to watch Pausch’s video.  The more I watch from him, the more I realize that we can all learn something from Randy Pausch.

Ross

I have been training for most of my life, and started my first website in 2001.  I finally began filming workouts in 2003.  Since that time, I’ve posted several videos to the rosstraining.com site.  Up until now, each video has been associated with a specific article or blog entry.  Within each Youtube video description (the “More info” link at Youtube), there is a link back to the article.

Articles that include video are labeled at the link below:

http://www.rosstraining.com/articles.html

I prefer to write articles that correspond with videos, so the reader can actually learn something, rather than simply seeing a few sample movements.  I have made one exception however (below).  After receiving several requests for a compilation, I have finally gotten around to putting one together.  The end result can be seen below.

For those who are new to the site, it may be useful to read this quote from a past article:

I post video clips to the site to help readers spice up their own training routines. These videos offer a brief glimpse of what we do in and out of the gym. The clips are not meant to serve as complete workouts. I have read several message boards where readers misunderstood the video clips to be full workouts. They were under the assumption that the exercises should be performed one after the other, in the exact sequence. This assumption is incorrect. The videos simply offer readers with ideas to liven up their own workouts. Nothing more, nothing less.

Furthermore, no three or four minute video can summarize or do justice to hours of training each week, year after year.  The videos offer just a brief glimpse at some of the many things we do at the gym.

Lastly, if you ever have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.

Train hard,

Ross Enamait