As Youtube video clips become more and more popular, it appears that there has been a simultaneous increase in self-certified exercise form freaks. It is officially time for the form police to return their crack jack badges. I am calling for a worldwide recall.

Just recently, the following video clip was posted to my forum. Within the clip, you will see an absolute beast (Matt Kroczaleski) perform rows with a three hundred pound dumbbell.

Matt Kroczaleski is an accomplished powerlifter with some incredible lifts. He’s squatted over 1000 pounds, benched over 700, and deadlifted over 800. You can read more about him here.

Most members of the forum were blown away by his strength display. Anyone with any experience in any strength related activity will realize how impressive Kroc’s strength truly is. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before the form police came out from hiding.

I had someone email me asking what was so impressive about the video. Rather than offering a written response, I wish I could have instead strapped three hundred pounds to his arm and let him find out for himself. He ridiculed Kroc’s form, and of course had his own suggestions. Such a response is typical from the form police. They almost always include a line such as, “What I would do is…”

No One Cares!

Do these people ever stop to think that no one cares what they would do? I don’t mean to sound rude or offensive, but if someone wanted your opinion, I’m sure they would ask for it. I find it particularly amusing when members of the form police hold down other positions such as armchair quarterbacks or 120 pound 15 year olds who struggle to carry in a few bags of groceries.

These self-appointed know-it-alls are quick to offer advice and suggestions on topics that they don’t understand. If knowledge is power (as suggested by Sir Francis Bacon), these people need to buy a generator.

Despite what some might like you to believe, working out isn’t a sport. Unless you compete in a specific lifting event, no one is keeping score. You don’t get judged on how you pick up a piece of iron or how you perform a pull-up. There are times when you need to go for broke. You bite down and use everything that you have to lift the weight or complete the exercise. Yes, there are benefits to this kind of training!

Just for example, did you ever play tug of war as a kid? Did anyone judge how you pulled the rope? Did your parents comment on strict pulling form? Did they offer advice on controlled pulling to maximally target the latissimus dorsi? Of course not! There was only one thing that mattered and that was pulling as hard as you could to ensure your side won. You clenched down and pulled with every ounce of strength that you had. No one had to tell you to do it. It’s just what you do. You naturally wanted to win!

I knew this even back in the 1970’s at age 3! (I’m pictured in the middle)

And I still know it now…

If you’ve never lifted a significant load the way that Kroc demonstrates, how can you comment on potential pros and cons? It doesn’t make sense. I don’t offer advice to NASA on how they should improve their space shuttle design. I don’t know what I’m talking about. My opinion on the subject is about as useful as pissing into a windstorm.

And please don’t misunderstand this entry. I’m not suggesting that we disregard form entirely and seek out ways to injure ourselves. Conversely, we all need to realize that others often do things for specific reasons that we may not realize or understand. For example, in the video below, Kroc discusses his use of the row and how is has benefited him significantly in terms of improving his deadlift:

Clearly, his use of heavy rows has benefited his performance significantly. Whether the resident expert on a fitness message board approves of his form is irrelevant. No one cares. Improved performance is what truly matters to the competitive athlete. The results don’t lie. Kroc’s results speak volumes to the effectiveness of his training.

Talk Is Cheap

No one wins an argument on the Internet.

To the former form police officers (who have returned their badges), we don’t hold your past against you.  We’ve all made mistakes.  I simply encourage you to focus your time and energy on yourself.  Worry about your goals and needs, and realize that others are likely doing things for different reasons.  There is a good chance that you won’t understand these reasons.  You don’t walk in another man’s shoes, so you have no idea why another man does what he does.  Whether or not you understand doesn’t matter.  Athletes don’t do things in the gym to satisfy the form police.  Athletes work in the gym to better themselves for specific events.  Competition is specific, and working out isn’t a competition.

Athletes don’t argue with each other on the field or inside the ring.  Athletes compete.  What you do in the gym is often unknown by all spectators.  No one cares.  Fans come out to see you compete.  Differences are settled not through verbal insults, but instead through live competition.

When it comes to training, the ends often justify the means.

As mentioned here recently, I believe that training should be fun. If you enjoy what you are doing, you’ll bring more passion to the gym. If I truly dislike an exercise or routine, I won’t do it. Why bother? My competitive days are over. There is no reason for me to do something that I dread. There is almost always an infinite list of options that are equally useful.

Fun for me is often a moving target. I regularly shift gears towards new goals. Doing so helps keep the training fresh and challenging, as opposed to dull and monotonous. Considering that I’m only 32 years old, I am hoping to have at least another 50+ years of exercise in me. I can’t imagine doing the same thing day after day for the next 50 years. Variety for me isn’t just about avoidance of plateaus, but perhaps more importantly avoidance of boredom. This isn’t to say that I randomly knock my routine down and start from scratch, but I will make subtle adjustments and changes. I may target a new exercise or perhaps a new variation to an old exercise. I may also reintroduce a movement that I’ve used in the past. For example, I haven’t flipped tires in a few months. There has been too much snow and ice on the ground. I’m itching to use the tires again, but I’ll need to wait until spring. Tire flipping isn’t new to me, but taking a break from the exercise has rekindled my interest.

The shift in gears is similar to the weather here in New England. No matter what season it is, there will always be people waiting for the next season to come. During the cold winter, you can’t wait for the spring. During the spring, you can’t wait to hit the beach in the summer. During the humidity of August, you can’t wait for the fall. After raking leaves in the fall, you can’t wait for the first snowstorm. We are always looking forward to a new season. I often feel the same way about training.

One of my recent additions has been the parallel grip deadlift (using what is often referred to as a trap bar or hex bar). I unexpectedly received the bar as a Christmas gift a little over a year ago. At the time, I had never used such a bar. It was brand new to me. I initially used it for a few weeks, but then put it aside after leaving for training camp with a boxer who was preparing for a bout last year. I was away from home, so didn’t have access to the bar.

I started getting the itch to use the bar again last year however. It’s been an on and off thing for me. I then mentioned using the bar on my forum, and was bombarded with private messages asking why I used the bar. What was the reason? It’s as if there had to be a functional, highly classified, spec-op, Spartan warrior secret for me using the bar.

Wrong!

All I could muster for a response was just because. I’ve been using the bar because I’m enjoying it. It’s new and different for me. I can’t say that using the bar has or hasn’t made me better at anything. I don’t know. I didn’t wake up the day after using the bar with super powers. I work hard no matter what I’m doing, so I rarely notice a major difference from a single movement. All that I know is that I’m better at lifting the bar than I was before I lifted it. Does that even make sense?

Some people didn’t like this response. They needed a reason. WHY ARE YOU DOING IT! Why aren’t you using a regular barbell!

Meanwhile, all I can think is why do you care? Is it really that big a deal? My wife bought me the trap bar as a gift. I picked it up and liked how it felt. You may like red cars and I may like blue cars. I’m not going to run you off the road because we have different preferences. You may like the feel of a barbell, while I personally like the feel of my trap bar. Who cares?

In a few months or years, I may take an interest in traditional deadlifting. I honestly don’t know. I’m sure the time will come when I get bored with the trap bar. It’s just happens to be something that I’m enjoying at the moment. I’ve never spent much time deadlifing, so I’m sure the deadlift bug will hit me again at some point. Perhaps next time it will be with a traditional barbell. If it does, the reason will surely be just because. There is a primal feeling to picking up a heavy weight from the ground. I can now see why people really do enjoy it. It’s fun. My son even enjoys watching it. He says, “Daddy, pick it up.” That’s all the motivation I need!

As for the trap bar, one unique feature (at least the model I have) is that there are two handle options. Below is a video of me pulling 585 pounds. I flipped the handle over on the bar which shortened the range of motion by a few inches. This really made a difference for me. Last week, I had failed on 585 with the handles turned the other way.

My bar holds 6 plates, plus a collar. I can load five 45’s and one 25 (totaling 545 pounds), but the next step up is 585 (six 45’s). I don’t have any 35 pound plates so I can’t jump to 565. Last week I pulled 545, but failed on 585. This week, I turned the handle around and 585 went up nicely. I suppose this means that I need more work on the bottom of the lift. I’m hoping to pull 585 soon with the full range of motion.

I’ve watched some monsters on Youtube pulling 800+ pounds with the trap bar, so that’s motivation for me! I can definitely see how pulling heavy loads can become addictive. And if it isn’t for you, I respect that too. We all have unique interests, and that’s something no one should attempt to change.

Even good old Dr. Seuss could tell you that…

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

And in the words of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (one of my favorite quotes, that I often reference):

“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases.”

If only more people listened to Jung’s advice…

Below is a link to a past Fortune Magazine article that discusses the topic of greatness.

Secrets of Greatness

Within the article, the author shares what he believes are the secrets to greatness. A few excerpts are highlighted below:

You will achieve greatness only through an enormous amount of hard work over many years. And not just any hard work, but work of a particular type that’s demanding and painful.

He goes on to say:

The first major conclusion is that nobody is great without work. It’s nice to believe that if you find the field where you’re naturally gifted, you’ll be great from day one, but it doesn’t happen. There’s no evidence of high-level performance without experience or practice.

He continues by discussing a particular type of practice:

The best people in any field are those who devote the most hours to what the researchers call “deliberate practice.” It’s an activity that’s explicitly intended to improve performance, that reaches for objectives just beyond one’s level of competence, provides feedback on results and involves high levels of repetition.

For example: Simply hitting a bucket of balls is not deliberate practice, which is why most golfers don’t get better. Hitting an eight-iron 300 times with a goal of leaving the ball within 20 feet of the pin 80 percent of the time, continually observing results and making appropriate adjustments, and doing that for hours every day – that’s deliberate practice.

The author concludes by explaining (in his opinion) why many do not find greatness.

For most people, work is hard enough without pushing even harder. Those extra steps are so difficult and painful they almost never get done. That’s the way it must be. If great performance were easy, it wouldn’t be rare.

My Thoughts

I agree with much of what the author has stated above, and I make this statement with the realization that certain individuals are more naturally gifted than others. It’s also worth noting that certain traits are fixed regardless of effort. For example, no matter how hard I work, I’ll never become a 7 foot tall basketball player. Yet despite these facts, there are many more people who have (or had) more potential than they ever realized.

In many cases, this is an opinion (or truth) that is hard to swallow. No one wants to admit that they didn’t work hard enough, or perhaps they didn’t work smart enough. Many people take comfort in believing that they didn’t have the genes to be successful.  But let’s not attack these people…

Many who live with these beliefs were often led to believe this way.  Some are surrounded by naysayers, and others are misled by so-called authorities.  Just look at the marketing tactics of many fitness establishments.  They promise the world with just 20 minutes of exercise each day.  People buy into these marketing campaigns and then do not understand why they fall short of their expectations.  The truth doesn’t sell.  No one wants to hear that they will need to bust their ass for years if they wish to become great at anything.  Consequently, large groups of people end up believing that they didn’t have what it takes.  These are often the same people who sling mud at others who have become more successful.

If you don’t believe me, head over to Youtube and look through the comments of almost any impressive physical feat.  It will take but a few seconds to find armchair quarterbacks dismissing the ability of others.  These people believe that anyone who is stronger or more talented than them must be taking drugs or have freak-like genetics.  They conveniently glance over the years of hard work that came before such feats were performed.  They need to hear that famous line from A Few Good Men

You can’t handle the truth!

The truth is that being great at anything often means you’ll need to work harder than you could ever imagine, and then repeat this process year after year.

And don’t get me wrong, I’m not naïve enough to believe that everyone can be great at anything. I do however believe that most of us have the potential to be great at something if we so choose. One must realize though that the choice to be great is often filled with sacrifice. The amount of sacrifice is often more than most are willing to make. No one can be forced to put forth such an effort (hence the importance of passion).

I’m not afraid to admit that earlier in my life, I didn’t live up to my potential. Not even close. I didn’t take the training serious enough and made many poor decisions outside of the gym. I can’t blame anyone or anything, other than myself of course. You won’t find me moping about the past however. Sure, I wish I knew what I know now, but life goes on. I made mistakes and I’ve learned from them.

I’m not here to tell you to stop enjoying your life and dedicate every waking hour to achieving greatness. I’m simply telling those who are interested that if you want to be great at something, you probably have a better chance at achieving it than you (and others around you) may realize. In many ways, it does boil down to just how bad you want it. No one wants to admit that their own definition of hard work may fall short of others. Different people push themselves harder than others, and different people work smarter than others. To hear someone say that they worked as hard as they could doesn’t mean a whole lot. There is no single definition for hard work. We all have unique interpretations.

I’ve mentioned here before that I’ve seen novice boxers enter the gym who appeared to have the coordination of a puppet with broken strings. Some of these fighters proved me and everyone else wrong however. They may not have had the natural ability of others, but they made up for it with relentless desire and dedication.

I’ve also seen top level athletes struggle with basic tasks (from other sports), which indicates that their coordination and ability are specific to the tasks that they have repeatedly practiced over many years. For example, I played basketball with a top ranked fighter who recently fought on a major pay-per-view bout. Inside the ring, the fighter moves around with grace and balance. He’s got all the moves of a natural. On the basketball court however, he looked like the kid that no one would pick in gym class. He couldn’t hit the backboard, never mind make a basket. He moved like he had three left feet and dribbled the ball like he was handcuffed. I couldn’t believe he was the same person who moved around the ring so gracefully. Therefore, hard work and specific work is clearly important.

Educated work is also important, which is where good coaching comes into play. One great example of this concept comes from Roy Jones Sr. (often known as Big Roy). Most will recognize the name based on his son’s achievement as a boxer, but very few realize the work that his son went through as a youngster. Not only did he work extremely hard, but he also had a knowledgeable boxing coach at his side since the day he was born. Roy Jones Jr. was pushed to the extreme day after day throughout his entire childhood. The work was hard, but he also had top level coaching (smart work).

Most consider Roy Jones a natural, but few realize that his father developed four champions from scratch, meaning that these four people started boxing with him. Derrick Gainer, Roy Jones Jr., Vince Phillips, and Arthur Williams all became champions. These were unique athletes with unique styles and abilities. It wasn’t as if one style was forced on each athlete. Big Roy developed these champions, which highlights the importance of good coaching. It’s also worth noting that Pensacola, FL is not a huge city.

I was fortunate to visit the home of Roy Jones Sr. several years ago with John Scully (who had trained with Roy previously). The fact that 4 champions came from this small country environment certainly points to the effectiveness of Big Roy’s ability as a trainer.  We arrived at his home one evening to find him coaching a group of amateur fighters in his driveway. This is the same home where Roy grew up and trained. Big Roy drills the fighters repeatedly, pushing them to their limits. Going through this day after day for every day of your life validates much of what the Fortune Magazine article suggests.

I’m not suggesting that Roy Jones Jr. didn’t have natural abilities, but I believe it is safe to say that he wouldn’t have become the fighter he was (in his prime) if he grew up elsewhere. This same phenomenon can also be seen on a smaller scale. For example, in my state of Connecticut, there are a few towns and cities that always have good football teams. It isn’t as if certain geographic locations are more likely to develop football specific genetics. There is much more to the development of talent than pure genetic makeup. The same is true for other sports as well. Back in my day, amateur boxing was much more popular than it is today. There were many gyms in this small state. Certain gyms and trainers always had good fighters however. If you fought in a tournament, you knew which areas to look out for. Certain trainers put out good fighters year after year. It wasn’t as if they had a better genetic pool to choose from.  Good trainers know how to get the most out of their athletes.

Final Thoughts

Greatness is a complex subject. There are not specific rules, and many factors contribute. Hard work is imperative. Good coaching is also critical. Individual factors must also be considered (including patience and passion).

And yes, I do believe that there are natural athletes, but I also believe that many have more potential than they realize.  There is a large middle area where athletes have the potential to become special (at certain tasks) if they choose.  It will not be easy, and many sacrifices must be made along the way.  This journey isn’t one that lasts a few weeks.  More often than not, it is one that takes many long years of hard work.

No one should be forced to travel this road, but if it is what you truly desire, you must know what you will face.  The industry as a whole needs to stop sugarcoating the truth.  Greatness doesn’t happen because you buy a book, follow a certain routine, or lift a particular piece of equipment.  Countless factors contribute on the long and arduous road to the top.

Just when I thought I had seen it all…

There are now people willing to take your money to test your child’s genetic potential (supposedly).

Born To Run?  Little Ones Get Test For Sports Gene

I strongly suggest reading through the full article at the link above.

After reading through it, I am happy to see that I’m not the only person who has several issues with this kind of test. For example, Dr. Stephen M. Roth, director of the functional genomics laboratory at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health, had the following to say:

“The idea that it will be one or two genes that are contributing to the Michael Phelpses or the Usain Bolts of the world I think is shortsighted because it’s much more complex than that… Athletic performance has been found to be affected by at least 200 genes.”

Dr. Roth makes an excellent point. Athletic performance is an infinitely complex subject. It is not something that we can determine based on a single genetic test. There are countless factors to consider (such factors could fill an entire book).

Perhaps more importantly however, parents need to lighten up and let kids be kids.  My problem isn’t necessarily the study itself or those involved with the study, but rather the message that it potentially sends.  Why would anyone need to genetically test a 2 year old to determine his so called athletic potential? Would you actually stop your child from playing a sport that he enjoys because a genetic test says he will not excel?

Can you imagine telling little Johnny that he cannot play basketball this season as he is not genetically suited for the sport? What happens if he isn’t genetically suited to play ANY professional sport? Should we discourage him from participating in all sports? What happened to PLAYing sports because we enjoy them?  Remember, PLAY is fun!

My son is 2 and a half years old. He is already in his second year of gymnastics. My wife does not take him to this class in hope that he’ll be a future Gold medalist however. He happens to enjoy the class, which is more important than his future in the sport! He also has a chance to interact with others his age. It’s a win-win situation in that it is fun and useful for his development (physically and socially).

As the kids get older, we won’t need a genetic test to know who is the fastest runner on the playground or the best baseball player on a little league team. Dr. Carl Foster (director of the human performance laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse) outlined a much easier way to determine if a child will be good at sprint and power sports. In his words,

“Just line them up with their classmates for a race and see which ones are the fastest.”

Did we really need a doctor to come to this conclusion?  As a kid, we held races at recess almost every day.  That is what kids do!  In the 4th grade, we had already figured out what it took a doctor to realize in the article above!

Simple observation is all that is necessary, but once again, kids shouldn’t play sports with the sole mission of becoming professional athletes. Sports are fun. Physical exercise and activities should be encouraged. Not everyone on the little league team is going to play major league baseball. We shouldn’t dissuade our kids from playing simply because they don’t have what it takes to perform at the professional level. If professional potential was a prerequisite, there wouldn’t be any youth sports teams. We’d be lucky to find a single player within each city.

It’s also worth nothing that 2 year old children are not old enough to specialize in a single sport. Perhaps the most important aspect of childhood development (athletically) is to play a variety of sports. Not many baseball players can run like Usain Bolt, but all baseball players need to run to first base after hitting the ball. Running is part of the sport, whether you are a slow first baseman or a swift footed centerfielder. Kids should run, jump, kick, throw, catch, and play! The time will come when they are old enough to specialize, but they will be much better off (better prepared) if they were allowed to participate in several sports as youngsters.

Defy The Critics

And let’s not forget that many athletes have disproven science. For example, the New York Times article above references one long jumper from Spain. According to genetic testing, he shouldn’t be able to compete, but surprisingly enough, he is the best jumper in his country. As one researcher said (when commenting on the jumper),

“We don’t yet understand what combination of genes creates that kind of explosiveness.”

Could it be that we aren’t as smart as we like to believe?

Wouldn’t it make more sense to instill a relentless work ethic within our youngsters? I’d rather have my son believe that he has the ability to defy his future critics (refer back to this entry on Conventional Wisdom for a related discussion). As has been said before, we often become what we believe.

Unfortunately, I won’t be surprised when certain parents who didn’t “make it” pass on their own failures by telling their children that they too cannot make it. They put all of their trust in science, and never even attempt to go against the grain.

As a trainer and coach, I have personally seen young fighters walk into the gym on their FIRST day who were everything but natural athletes. Any genetic test would have put these athletes at the bottom of the totem pole. But guess what, I’ve seen some of these very “unnatural” athletes become dominant fighters at both the amateur and professional level. They refused to believe the naysayers.

And please note, I’m not suggesting that certain athletes are not genetically superior. Usain Bolt is clearly a gifted sprinter, but there is still a very large middle ground for many sports (not all sports, but many). Many from this middle ground can become something special with a truly relentless work ethic, proper coaching, etc. These factors have nothing to do with the genetic hand that you are dealt. Regardless of what science suggests, we still have the ability to write a considerable portion of our future. It has not yet been determined and is entirely up to you (the individual).

As a parent, I will certainly pass this belief on to my children, and can only hope that others do as well.

Ross

In a recent entry, I referenced a new study from the American Heart Association.  Within the study, researchers identified that young children may have a “vascular age” that is 30 years older than their actual age.

After reading the initial study, I had feelings of disgust and disbelief.  I cannot grasp how so-called loving parents are able to fill their kids with enough garbage to cause health problems.  The obvious response to my reaction would be that the parents did not know the consequences of their actions.  Perhaps they do not realize what is contained within certain food products.  Perhaps they have been victimized by the food industry’s powerful marketing force.

Is Ignorance An Excuse?

Should we let these parents off the hook?  Does ignorance now serve as a viable excuse for poor parenting?  Is that really the state of our world today?  Does anyone else find this to be a tad bit on the pathetic side?!?!

Yes, the food industry is deceptive, but that’s no excuse to fall victim to its nonsense.  What happened to due diligence?  My wife and I were not given step by step instructions on how to raise our children.  We actively sought out our own answers.  Whether it was food related, vaccine related, social development related, physical development related, and so on, we read everything that we could get our hands on.  We searched the Internet, read books, watched videos, and continue to do so today.  We don’t take anyone’s word for anything.  We take the time to perform our own research so we can at least attempt to make informed decisions.

And don’t give me the excuse that you do not have time to perform research for your children.  Whether you are homeless and unemployed or a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, you have 24 hours a day.  Busy people do not have 36 hour days.  We all have 24 hours a day, and what you do with your time is your decision.

Putting the welfare of your children at the top of the priority list should be a no brainer!  Why does it appear to be so uncommon?

Just last year, Time Magazine referenced research from Stanford University regarding the preferences of three year old children.  At age three, many kids are already hooked on McDonald’s fast food.  At age two, children have already formed beliefs about certain brand names, logos, and packaging.

How does a 2 year old already know about McDonald’s?  Did he drive his tricycle up to the drive through window?   And how does a 2 year old watch enough television to start identifying logos and brand names?  Do parents ever think to turn off the television and instead spend some time trying to develop the child’s brain!

What happened to working on the alphabet?  Numbers are also fun!  How about puzzles and other BRAIN stimulating games?   And what about getting outside and playing!  Ya know… real simple activities like running in the yard, throwing the ball, learning how to pedal a tricycle, and so on.

I may not be a perfect parent, but I sure as hell try.  My son is two and a half and has never stepped inside a McDonald’s restaurant.  He wouldn’t know the difference between a Big Mac and a hot dog.  He has never tasted either.

Is he deprived?  Hell no!  I don’t consider nurturing the child and putting HIS welfare first to be any form of deprivation.  It may be unusual based on modern statistics, but I’ll happily be the odd man out if it means raising healthy children!

Parents need to take their parenting roles more seriously.  If that means staying up late to read a book, it looks like you’ll be staying up late.  Loving parents make sacrifices for their children.  Turning on the television to distract your kid isn’t a sacrifice.  It’s a damn shame.  Regularly filling your kid with fast food isn’t a sacrifice.  It’s pathetic.

Oddly enough, until I was a parent, these topics never really mattered to me.  Now that I have children, I cannot imagine living any other way.  My kids mean more to me than anything in the world.  It is difficult for me to offer anything but disgust to those who neglect the health and well being of their children.

Ross

New research from the American Heart Association suggests that obese children as young as ten have  arteries similar to that of a 45-year-old adult.

Fat kids founds to have arteries of 45-year-olds

As stated within the link above, Dr. Geetha Raghuveer (of Children’s Hospital in Kansas City):

“wanted to see if early signs of damage could be documented. She and colleagues used painless ultrasound tests to measure the thickness of the wall of a major neck artery in 70 children, ages 10 to 16. Almost all had abnormal cholesterol and many were obese.

No one knows how thick a 10-year-old’s artery should be, since they’re not regularly checked for signs of heart disease, so researchers used tables for 45-year-olds, who often do get such exams. The kids’ “vascular age” was about 30 years older than their actual age, she found.”

A Simple Solution

The article goes on to suggest that 1/3 of American children are overweight and 1/5 are obese.  It then states how the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended cholesterol-lowering drugs for kids.

The fact that drugs are recommended as a solution isn’t a surprise, but that doesn’t make it any less pathetic.  Do we really need to give our kids drugs to solve their weight problems?  How about telling the parents to stop buying the junk that is causing the problem?  I don’t know any 8-year-olds who do their own grocery shopping.  When I was eight, I was outside playing until the sun went down.  We rode bikes, played basketball, football, baseball, etc.  I cannot remember any kids that were my age in the neighborhood who were obese.

How about we prescribe some commonsense to the parents, rather than feeding drugs to their kids?   Is that too much to ask?

I’ve seen parents smirk and chuckle to themselves when they see my son eating fresh vegatables or fruit.  We were at an aquarium a few weeks ago and we brought sliced veggies and apples to eat as snacks.  It was as if we were the odd folks since we weren’t buying the overpriced fried food that was available for purchase.

Since when did health become such a rarity?  Since when did eating a fresh piece of fruit make you the odd man out?   Since when was it rare to get up off your ass and play outside with your children?  Is that really too much to ask of a parent?  If you can drive to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription, why not use that time to go outside and throw the ball with your kid?  Guess what, they just might enjoy it, and you just might have some QUALITY time with your kids.  Doesn’t that mean anything to anyone anymore?  Shouldn’t parents care about the health of their children?

My son will pick playing outside or tagging along at the gym any day over sitting in front of the television.  We don’t force anything on him.  He is more eager to go to the gym than I am on most days!  He would stay all day if he could.  Kids learn from and imitate their parents.  Parents need to lead from the front.

Pumping Little Johnny full of crap isn’t a sign of love.  It’s a sign of ignorance and poor parenting.  Many parents in today’s world need to wake up and get a clue.

Ross

In the past few years, I’ve noticed a common theme emerging amongst many athletes and exercise enthusiasts. Day after day, more and more people seem to believe that they must follow a specific system EXACTLY as it is presented. Perhaps it is something they find in a book, DVD, website, or a combination of each. These people become so dedicated to a single training system that it isn’t uncommon for them to spend hours and hours defending their “way” of training.

Never before have I seen so many people care so much about what someone else wants to do with his or her time. There have been some truly epic (and nasty) discussions on even my own message board, where different folks spend all day arguing over different strokes.

I believe it was Mark Twain who said there is more than one way to skin a cat (meaning there is more than one way to get what you want).

Twain was clearly a wise man, yet why is it so difficult for some people to abide by his simple advice? Does it really bother you to see someone do things differently than you? Why spend so much time worrying about what or why someone else chooses to do what they want to do? Did it ever cross your mind that different people have different interests and opinions?

Fans of the old Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) movies will appreciate his quote below.

“Opinions are like assholes, everyone has got one” -Dirty Harry

Does anyone ever really win an online debate? How are online debates scored? Does the force with which you bang on your keyboard equate to effective aggressiveness? Does post count on a message board account for extra points on the scorecards? Or perhaps the number of 3+ syllable words included in a single response? Are style points added up for effective sarcasm?

Give me a break! I know WORLD champion fighters who couldn’t tell you the difference between periodization and a quadricep. They couldn’t win an online debate with an orangutan, but they could kick the asses of most who are much craftier behind the keyboard. They have better things to do than argue with someone who trains differently. Their sole concern is improving their own ability, using those methods that work best for them specifically (News Flash: what works for one may not work for another).

So, the next time you feel inclined to slug it out with your keyboard, why not simply worry more about yourself instead? Why not focus on REAL results in the competitive arena with real (not make believe) athletes?

When I’m working with a fighter, the only competitors that we are concerned with are those standing across the ring from us in the opposing corner. The athletes don’t bang it out on a message board. They don’t have time for such nonsense. Their fights are packed with real punches, real blood, and real pain.

As for the RossTraining system, there is no such thing and never will be. Take a look at the link below for more information:

What is RossTraining?

Ross

Most will agree on the importance of goal setting, as it allows you to focus on specific, measurable objectives. When setting a goal, you are reminded of what you wish to achieve. You can then focus your energy towards activities that are relevant to the specific goals, while minimizing distractions that throw you off track.

Note the use of the word YOU when discussing the significance of goals. YOU are able to focus on those things that YOU wish to achieve. Goals must be personal. We all have unique goals. Whether your goals focus on education, career, finance, fitness, or competitive events, these are YOUR goals. It is your life, so it’s natural that you have plans in place to achieve YOUR goals.

Sounds good, right?

While setting goals can be useful, there is a fine line between enough and too much. If you only focus on future goals, it is easy to overlook the present time. You may find yourself lost in the “someday” mentality. Someday I will do this, someday I will do that, someday I will become this, someday I will become that…

It’s as if you are constantly waiting for a future day that will change your life. You become certain that “someday” will bring happiness, but as soon as you reach one of your “someday” wishes, you shift gears to a new “someday” goal.

Don’t fall into this trap. Goal setting does not mean that we should forget about today. You should enjoy yourself as you work towards achieving your dreams. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. There will be a time in our lives when tomorrow does not come. This may sound gloomy, but it shouldn’t be. Don’t worry about something you cannot control. Instead, focus on making the most of today. We all live in the present, so we need to enjoy it.

A wake up call

I tend to get wrapped up in my work. Once I have an idea, I often find myself going overboard trying to get it done. I constantly need to remind myself that the work will be there when I wake up in the morning. Yet, even with my own reminders, there are still times when I find myself getting wrapped up in my work. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), life then comes around and throws out a harsh wake up call, which helps to put things back into perspective.

Two weeks ago I went to pick up some food at a local shop in Manchester (CT). We had family over and decided to order out at one of the new restaurants. Those local to me will know the downtown Main Street area. It is a fairly busy road, with cars traveling at a decent clip.

It was a Friday evening, so traffic was busy. I waited for the crosswalk light and started making my way across Main Street. It’s a multiple lane road so it takes a moment to get all the way across. As I was walking, I looked to my right and noticed a car traveling faster than it should have been considering the red light. In what was probably a 1 or 2 second incident, I found myself suddenly sprinting out of the way of a speeding automobile. It seemed like everything was in slow motion. The driver had blown through a red light and missed turning me into a hood ornament by just a few feet.

I jumped to the sidewalk and didn’t fully realize what had just happened. A man walking his dog then stopped and summed it up nicely with the following, “Holy sh*t , that was close!”

Ten minutes earlier, I had said goodbye to my wife and kids. If I wasn’t paying attention, I could have been hit by a car. Maybe I would have been fine, but maybe it would have killed me. I honestly don’t know. It doesn’t really matter, as it is over and done with, but it did serve as a reminder that life can come and go in a flash. No one knows when their time will come.

Life is unpredictable. Tomorrow is filled with uncertainty. There are no time machines, so no one knows what the future will bring. I’m all for setting goals, but it’s nice to be reminded that we also need to cherish today. I won’t let my future goals get in the way of enjoying my life today, tomorrow, and every day after.

Cherish the moment as you work towards the future.

Ross

Within my last entry, there were several excellent responses posted to the comments section. Readers from all walks of life explained why they exercise. Most offered several reasons, and many of us shared similar responses. A few common examples included health benefits, performance improvement for a specific sport or physically demanding career, enjoyment of the actual training experience, and the simple joy of living an active lifestyle.

Oddly enough however, very few listed physical appearance as one of their reasons. One reader who did, worded it as such,

I would be lying if I didn’t say vanity was one of them.

The reader had to almost confess to the vanity aspect. At least one other responder worded his desire to look good in a similar fashion.

Such responses leave one with the impression that we are not supposed to exercise to improve appearance and feel better about ourselves. Has the modern functional fitness era caused a shift in purpose? Do people honestly exercise with no consideration for physical appearance? If so, would these people continue to exercise if it made them ugly?

I don’t believe there are many who would answer YES to these questions. But I also don’t believe that one should need to answer YES to such questions.

Why should one be forced to conceal the fact the he or she exercises to look and feel better about themselves? What is wrong with doing something that boosts self confidence? Confidence is very important in this world. Ample research suggests a positive relationship between confidence and performance (performance in business, at school, in sport, etc.).

Why must we hide the fact that physical appearance matters? And please note the following… I’m not suggesting that one stand in the mirror and admire their physique all day. I am simply stating that one of your many reasons for exercise may be the fact (and likely is) that you enjoy the physical appearance that comes through regular exercise.

Even competitive athletes often share these same feelings. One common example comes from the combat sporting world. As a young fighter, I wouldn’t feel that I was in top shape until I had a ripped midsection. Whether or not the six pack did anything from a performance standpoint was irrelevant. Once I had the six pack, I believed I was in shape. It may sound crazy, but I know that I’m not the only person who has felt this way. I’ve spoken to many fighters, at all levels, who have shared similar stories. They see their abs come in during training camp, and suddenly feel like a Spartan warrior.

I realize that it sounds ridiculous, and it probably is. That isn’t the point however. The point is that who cares if something is ridiculous if the individual benefits from it in some way. If you feel better about yourself, don’t be ashamed of it. You have the right to feel good about yourself. No one should convince you otherwise. You shouldn’t need to hide the fact that you are proud of the work that you’ve performed and the physical results that have followed.

And to those who adamantly state they physical appearance doesn’t matter, why then do you bother to match your socks and shoes in the morning? Why not grab a blue sock and a yellow sock, along with a white sneaker and a black boot? Why bother matching anything if appearance means nothing? Why bother washing the tomato sauce stain from your dress shirt? Why not leave it, considering that appearance does not matter? Why not cut your hair while wearing a blindfold? Who cares if you miss a few spots? Appearance doesn’t mean anything, right?

What about your house and automobile? Do you care if I spray paint both? Does it really matter, considering that appearance doesn’t mean anything? Who cares about some random graffiti on the hood of your car or perhaps the front door of your home?

Does It Really Matter!

What’s the big deal about admitting that you may in fact care about appearance? Admitting that you care about how you look doesn’t mean that you don’t care about getting stronger, faster, and so on. It also doesn’t mean that you admire yourself in the mirror all day. It doesn’t mean that you are stuck up and shallow. Perhaps it means nothing other than the fact that you possess self confidence and are not afraid to admit it.

Even many of the modern functional training fanatics have a certain “look” to them. They may blast the bodybuilders for their look, but the functional superheroes often have their own unique look as well. Who the hell said that one is acceptable but the other is not? Who believes they can actually decide how anyone else can or should look?

And as crazy as this all sounds, there are people who deliver such a message, perhaps inadvertently or perhaps not.

My advice is simple. Don’t let anyone decide anything for you. You do you and I’ll do me. After all, aren’t we all busy enough with our own lives? Do we really need to be concerned over what someone else may or may not do? Does it really matter why someone else does what he does?

If your own life isn’t keeping you busy enough, I suggest finding a new hobby.  Worrying about what others do isn’t a productive use of time.

Ross

Do you enjoy the time you spend training?   For example, you may enjoy the actual training, enjoy the challenges associated with it, or enjoy benefits derived from it.   What do you enjoy about exercise?  What motivates you?  I’d love to hear what everyone has to say (in the comments section).  I am particularly interested in hearing what those from the non-competitive crowd have to say.

For those in this crowd, I believe it is important to enjoy your exercise time.  Life is too short already.  Why not enjoy the time spent exercising?

Personally, I train because I enjoy it.  My competitive days as a fighter were over a long time ago.  I am not training for a specific event.  I train for the fun of it.  I do what I want to do.  I train in a way that I enjoy.  The hour or so that I spend alone in the gym is a nice escape for me.  I thoroughly enjoy myself during this time. I work very hard but I enjoy every minute of it.

And while I do spend time experimenting with different protocols in the interest of my athletes, I am not paid to exercise.  I am paid to train athletes.  These athletes (and their managers or promoters) do not care what I can do at the gym.  I am paid to improve the athlete.  That’s it.  My own personal accomplishments don’t mean anything to them.

Therefore, I include a fun factor within each workout.  My workouts are fun for me, and if I start to become bored, it is time for a change.  The workouts that I do this month will surely be different from the workouts I did last year, and the year before that, and so on.  I always mix things up in the interest of fun.  Perhaps I am working on a new challenge.  I enjoy the challenge and find joy in overcoming the challenge.  I will never work with a protocol that I dread.  Why bother?   There are so many ways to become stronger and better conditioned.  Why not work with a system or program that you actually enjoy?

Too many people in this world want you to believe that their way is the only way.  Don’t buy into the nonsense.  It simply isn’t true.  There have been successful athletes who have engaged in an infinite number of training styles.  Almost anything that you do will work if you are passionate, diligent, and consistent with the work.  Often times, it isn’t the individual workout that is most important, but how you attack the workout.  How much passion and intensity do you apply to the work?

As for the competitive athletes, your training is a job.  You are training to perform in a specific event.  There will be certain parts of training that you may not enjoy. It isn’t a hobby, it is how you earn a living.  When I’m training a fighter, I’m not looking for a smile.  We do what we need to do to win.

And please don’t mistake this discussion to say that non-competitive trainees will not or should not push themselves at the gym.  I no longer compete in a sport, but I still push myself as hard as anyone. The difference is that when I train on my own, I choose what I want to do. I do not have a crazy coach (such as myself) yelling at me to suck it up and continue!

Even my most intense session is a session that I chose to perform.  I am not being told what to do.  I picked the workout that I wanted to perform.  I must either enjoy it or will enjoy the benefits produced from the session.  The “fun factor” is an important element to the workout and overall training program.

Some may call me crazy, but exercise is fun.  I’d much rather be in the gym than sitting on the couch watching television.  Even the best action flick cannot replicate the adrenaline rush that I experience while training.

In my opinion, more trainers should encourage others to do what they enjoy.  The “do it my way or else” mentality is about as useful as pissing into the wind.  As Swiss psychologist Carl Jung once said,

“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases.”

Jung was a wise man.  His words can be applied to many facets of life.  Unfortunately, many ignore his wisdom.  I hear from so many people who are miserable while training.  They dread their time in the gym.  This is a HUGE mistake.  Why force yourself to do something that you dread?  Who told you that exercise had to be boring and miserable?

And what about those who feel it is their life’s mission to convert everyone in the world to train exactly as they do.  Did they ever stop to think that someone else just might have different goals and interests in life?  Remember the words from Carl Jung…

I can’t count how many times I’ve seen one exercise enthusiast argue with another simply because the two had different preferences.  If you’ve been on an online forum, you will know exactly what I’m talking about.  Internet message boards can really bring out the worst in people.  Here is a common scenario.  One member expresses an interest in bodybuilding.  He will then be chastised by someone who believes his training lacks functionality.  Both members may have desk jobs, yet one believes the bodybuilder will not be prepared for his daily elevator ride to the office.  Perhaps the anti-bodybuilder also believes the other man will not be prepared to encounter aliens from outer space?  Even if this were the case, does it really matter?  Why waste time griping over such trivial topics?  If aliens invade my neighborhood, I will reach for my shotgun, not my weighted vest and jump rope.

If you want to be a bodybuilder, I commend your efforts.  If you want to be a marathon runner, I commend your efforts. In fact, I’ll commend your efforts no matter what you are training to accomplish.   I commend anyone who gets up and exercises in a way that they enjoy.  Who am I to say what you should enjoy?  No one has that right.  The only people that I tell what to do are those who pay me to prepare them for a specific event.  Then it becomes my job.  Other than that, why not have some fun while you are training?  You don’t need to satisfy anyone but yourself, so do what you want to do.

Ross