RossTraining.com Blog

I’ve had a lot questions come in from people interested in a fitness (training) based career path.  I typically welcome the enthusiasm, but it seems that more and more people are asking these questions for all the wrong reasons.  The questions often have nothing to do with training, and are instead focused solely on money, money, and more money.  How much can I make?  Can I get rich?  What’s the fastest way?  The list goes on and on…

Now, I’m not suggesting that earning a living isn’t important.  I too have a wife and son, with another child on the way.  I need to provide for my family.  I also need to look my children in the eye however and teach them valuable lessons such as the importance of honesty and integrity.  There is only one way to raise my children and that is by leading from the front, and leading by example. 

In the video below, Jack Lalanne delivers a powerful message.  You can literally feel his enthusiasm.  He honestly cares about helping others achieve their goals.  

As I said in my most recent article, if you are looking to get rich, find another industry, as this isn’t the right (or best) place for you.  If money is your only driving force, join the finance industry.  If you want a part of this industry, please share Jack’s passion.  If you don’t, do us all a favor and don’t waste your time, as your entrance will only make others more leery of an already shady industry.  It’s gotten to the point that many people will automatically assume that you are just another snake oil salesman.  You must continually prove that you are not, as someone will always question your motive.   

Now, if you love what you do and are passionate about your work, it won’t faze you. You’ll become successful without trying.  Look at Jack Lalanne for the perfect example.  I’m guessing that he’s done pretty well for himself financially.  He did so by staying true to his word and honestly caring about the success of others.  We can all learn from his example.   

Focus on becoming better at what you do and the financial aspect will eventually take care of itself. 

Ross

In a past entry, I suggested that children imitate their parents.  My son follows my lead.  If I do pushups, he does pushups.  If I hit the bag, he hits the bag.  He loves every minute of it.  He runs around the gym laughing, and loves being inside the ring.  Troy associates the gym with play.  He wears a smile from ear to ear.  The only downside to his regular visit to the gym is when it is time to leave.  He’s never happy when it’s time to pack up.

Now, as much as Troy enjoys the gym, it’s important for me as a parent to realize that he is only 22 months old.  If he comes to the gym, he is coming to play.  This isn’t work to him.  It’s fun time.  He views pushups, squats, and bag work as endless fun.  He’s grown up in the gym since he was an infant.  He is around this lifestyle day in and day out.  Fighters often train right at my house.  Troy always wants a piece of the action.  If boxing is on TV, he runs over and throws punches.  He laughs and giggles the entire time.   It’s fun, and as a parent, I’ll make sure it is always fun.  This isn’t work.  This isn’t training.  This is play.

Unfortunately, not all parents understand that exercise and sport must be fun.   I’ve had parents brag to me that they push their children harder than adults.  Last week, a parent emailed me, bragging that his three year old son has the heart of a champion.  How the hell does a three year old have the heart of a champion?  How do we come to this conclusion?  Has the three year old fought through championship rounds?   

Some parents need a wake up call.  Kids need to be kids.  As a parent, it is your job to make this happen.   Don’t try to live your dreams through your child.   You had your own life.  Don’t try to live out another.  I can’t count how many young fighters that I’ve seen excessively pushed by their fathers.  The kids become teenagers who are already worn out physically and mentally, and end up losing all interest sports and physical exercise. 

It’s our job to lead from the front, but this doesn’t mean abandoning our responsibility as loving parents.  Let’s all get our kids involved in exercise and sport, but never push the children too soon.  They will have plenty of time to be pushed as they grow older and more mature.  The infant years are not the time however.  No one becomes a champion at three years old.  Let the kids have some fun, whether it is at the gym, out in the yard, at the beach, on a walk with your dog, etc. 

Let a kid be a kid…

Ross

Who said you need a fancy gym to get in shape?

Pumping Iron In Haiti

Julien Spencer trains at home with scrap metal, car batteries, and disassembled car engines. 

Obviously, I’m not suggesting that you open the hood of your car in search of exercise equipment.  There is a message however that one can take away from this story.  You do not need a state of the art facility to improve physical fitness.  A little creativity, coupled with perspiration, will go a long way. 

Julien Spencer is a living example of this simple idea.  And as far as I know, there are no JYEC’s (Junk Yard Exercise Certifications) available at this time.  Believe it or not, but you don’t need a fancy certification to get up and exercise. 

Go visit a prison if you want another example.  Many convicts get up and exercise, and become tremendous physical specimens.  They exercise without all of the nonsense that litters today’s fitness industry.  They don’t have top level coaches guiding their every movement.  They don’t have access to luxury gyms.  Their diets are far from optimal.  The list goes on and on. 

Now, I’m not knocking all cert programs, nor am I glorifying prison, but it seems like a new certification hits the market every week.  Before you know it, there will be certifications on how to become certified.  Years ago, these programs didn’t exist.  It didn’t stop anyone from getting in shape.  Go to the Sandow Site for more examples than you’ll ever need.  You could literally spend all day and night reading up at the site.

Sandow and The Golden Age of Iron Men

Bookmark ^ this site! 

I’m not sure how a discussion of car batteries turned into a discussion regarding convicts and the Sandow site, but these things happen after a long day. 

Ross

My last entry (the obesity map) generated some heated email responses from many regulars on the site. The common reaction was that obesity was directly related to laziness. Therefore, this hypothesis suggests that our world first became lazy, and then obese. Thus (in theory), as the world shifts towards an indolent lifestyle, obesity gradually appears, spreads, and intensifies.

This theory is weak however. Fat does not equal lazy. There are certainly obese individuals who classify as lazy, but there are also many hard working adults who are obese. Contrary to popular opinion, there is not always a direct relationship between obesity and laziness. More often than not, several factors contribute to obesity. Laziness may or may not be present.

Earlier in my life, I may not have recognized this fact. As a father, husband, and business owner however, I now understand how certain individuals get caught up in the game of life, and slowly put fitness and health on the backburner. Clearly, I do not support such actions, but I do see how it could happen.

For example, consider the parent who works all day and must then care for the kids. This could be a mother or father who is literally working all day. An infant may even call for his or her assistance in the middle of the night. Sleep is therefore limited, and before you know it, the alarm is ringing to start a new day. There is little time to exercise, so fitness is all but forgotten. When a parent in this situation becomes obese, it is not because he or she is lazy.

On the contrary, these are hard working, loving parents who are simply misinformed regarding their exercise options. For example, many assume that a fully equipped gym is necessary for exercise. The gym owner who is trying to pay his rent will do his best to sell this story. He doesn’t want you training at home. But when driving across town to the gym doesn’t fit into the schedule, no other options appear to exist. The result is inactivity. After all, what else can you do?

Clearly, misinformation is a problem, but it is a problem worth fixing. Unfortunately, I often see fitness professionals who spend more time scrutinizing the obese, rather than offering simple solutions to the problem. Peruse a few fitness message boards and you’ll likely come across members who find it humorous to criticize the obese. It is as if you must start out already in shape to receive any kind of support or assistance. This kind of behavior is ridiculous. What good comes out of criticizing someone who is different from you?

No one is born with knowledge. Like it or not but the fitness industry is loaded with garbage. How you can blame someone for being misinformed? Look at all the ridiculous infomercials and ad-copy that litter the web. It should come as no surprise that the world is obese. It isn’t easy to sort through the nonsense that exists within the industry.

As for where I’m going with this blog entry, I wish I knew. I suppose the real message is that if you know someone who is misinformed (and we all do), take a minute to explain some options. Most do not realize what can be accomplished in 20 or 30 minutes. You don’t need a marathon session to improve physical fitness. Less can be more if you put forth an honest effort.

Make time for fitness, as you will never find time. Wake up earlier, or find a break within the day. I personally wake up at the crack of dawn while the rest of the world sleeps. I put in my own workout, and then start the day running my business and training my athletes. If I didn’t put in the early morning workout, I’d likely fly through the day without finding a break for exercise. Some days are literally non-stop with no time for myself.

Ultimately, laziness is a problem in the world today, but it isn’t always the cause of obesity (somtimes, but not always). Don’t be so quick to judge the obese. Many are hard working adults who do not know how to proceed. No one is perfect, and we’ve all made mistakes. I know that I’ve made plenty in my time. Fortunately, we can all learn from our mistakes and improve. Being obese isn’t a death sentence and it sure as hell doesn’t give anyone the right to poke fun at the condition.

If we all spent more time trying to fix the problem, rather than cracking jokes about it, we’d all be better off.

Ross

The Internet attracts both good and bad.  Some seek and share knowledge, while others spread garbage… 

Unfortunately, the fitness world often operates in the latter half. 

Those who spread garbage violate a unique set of commandments.  Not the classical Ten Commandments, rather a list created by the honorable folks at St. Wilhelm’s (a worldwide sponsor of STRENGTH and POWER):

http://www.saintwilhelms.org/Commandments.htm

#5 is one of my favorites…

Don’t expect me to believe what you can’t prove.

Despite the simplistic nature of this commandment, it is often ignored in cyberspace.  Anyone can create a webpage.  Anyone can create a blog.  Keyboard warriors hide in anonymity as they feverishly peck at the Google search engine.  Perhaps they believe in an imaginary Google-Bot Trainer certification. 

Such Google-Bot Trainers (GBT’s) are easy to find.  They often throw out insults on Youtube, or perhaps Google for answers to message board queries.  Their responses are easy to identify, as they are often copied word for word from another source. 

The GBT reminds me of the youngster who cannot figure out a basic mathematical equation without a calculator.  They don’t actually understand math, but can find an answer when offered the calculator.  Google-Bot Trainers operate in the same fashion.  They don’t actually know anything, and may not even train.  Give them a search engine however and they can fool many unsuspecting readers.   

Oddly enough, these keyboard warriors would all but disappear if everyone followed the 5th commandment per St. Wilhelm’s.  If you are really such a big shot, come out and show yourself.  Stop pretending to train people that don’t exist and stop pretending to perform feats that you’ve never attempted.

Think about it, would you hire a surgeon who never performed an operation?  Hell no!  So why should anyone listen to a so-called coach, trainer, or athlete who doesn’t know jack about jack! 

For example, I recently had someone (attempt to) critique a fighter’s conditioning program that I had created.  I later learned that the individual had never fought, never coached, and had never even worked with ANY fighter from ANY combat sport.  He had never done anything, yet proudly appointed himself as a subject matter expert. 

On the Internet, people get away with this kind of rubbish.  In real life, it would be a different story.  Think about it… 

Can you imagine a stranger entering your boxing or MMA gym?  Upon entry, he tells the trainer that he is doing everything wrong.  The trainer would then glance over and say, “Who the f_ck are you?” 

The stranger would then announce himself as a Certified Online Blogger, and may even flash his Google-Bot Trainer card. 

At this time, the stranger would likely find himself laid out on his back, or perhaps thrown through the door.  It wouldn’t be pretty. 

But hey, Google-Bot Trainers operate with a different set of rules.  They don’t actually train, they just talk about training.   The don’t actually train athletes, they just talk about training athletes.  They don’t actually know anything, they just talk about knowing something. 

So, if you come across one of these certified specialists, it is always useful to reference St. Wilhelm’s 5th commandment. 

And ask yourself this simple question.  Where would the Google-Bot Trainer be if the Internet vanished?  I know that I’d still have a gym full of athletes waiting for me to train them.  Can the Google-Bot say the same?

Ross

Below is a link to a recent study related to fitness and longevity:

Finding The Fit in Fat

A quick summary of the research suggests that cardiovascular fitness proves useful even to those who are carrying excess body fat.  This research IS good news.  Even those who currently have weight problems can realize the benefits of exercise. 

This does not mean that we should overlook the dangers of obesity however.  Do we really need Captain Obvious to save the day.  Those with excess weight must still strive to lose it!  Let’s not fool anyone and suggest that obesity is no longer an issue as long as you put in a little cardiovascular exercise. 

Unfortunately, soon after this report was released, catchy articles have appeared with titles such as:

Being Fat Is Okay As Long As You Are Fit

This is a problem, and I’ll explain why.  Many readers glance the headlines.  They don’t take (and may not have) the time to read through each line referenced within the research material.  A quick glance at the headline above suggests that being fat is okay.  Suddenly, all of the problems related to obesity vanish as long as you engage in some cardiovascular exercise.  If life were only so easy…

We as a society need to stop coddling the obesity problem.  If you care about your health, you need to recognize that being overweight is a problem.  There are several problems associated with obesity.  Let’s not try to hide these problems and make excuses for those who won’t lose the weight (note the word choice won’t as opposed to can’t).

Our society has grown soft.  Society needs a kick in the ass and a wake up call.  If you want to lose weight, lose weight.  Start eating better and start busting your ass in the gym.  No one said it would be easy.  It’s not easy for me to wake up at 4AM to train before work.  I do it.  No one holds my hand or forces me to wake up.  No one forces me to make healthy food decisions.  I make the decision for myself. 

I’m not special.  I’m just a regular hard working adult.  If you want something, go get it.  This simple truth applies to almost anything in life.  Want to get in shape?  Go get in shape!  Want a better job?  Go get a better job!  Want to eat better foods?  Eat better foods! 

We need to stop babying those who don’t want to put in the work.  We all make choices.  It’s about time that we were held responsible for these choices.  If you want to abuse your body, don’t blame me or anyone else.  If you want to nourish your body, there are plenty of us who are willing to help.  You need to make the choice for yourself however. 

Rant over

Ross

As a follow up to the previous blog entry, please do not confuse what I have said.  I will always encourage athletes to challenge each other (or yourself) in the gym.  The point of my statement is that these challenges should contribute to improved performance in your primary event (assuming you compete in one). 

Hard work in the gym will always be important.  The lesson to be learned is that this hard work must also classify as smart work.  Keep your eyes on the prize.  As a competitive athlete, success in your event is the most important prize.

Ross

I’ve had several emails come through questioning ”fitness standards” in regards to elite athletes.  This topic has also become popular on the message board.  For example, one individual asked how many pull-ups an “elite” athlete should be able to perform. 

Clearly, the individual was looking to challenge himself by striving to achieve a certain status.  I respect his dedication, but feel the need to clarify what appears to be some confusion in terminology.

Athletes don’t compete on a pull-up bar.  Whatever you do in the gym should contribute to success in your specific event.  As a New Englander, I can use a few local examples… 

Tom Brady is the quarterback for the New England Patriots.  He has led his team to three Super Bowl championships.  Tom Brady is an elite athlete due to his success on the football field.  I’m sure that Bill Belichick (head coach for the Patriots) doesn’t care how many pull-ups Brady can perform. 

Another local example comes from the Boston Red Sox.  Pitcher Josh Beckett was dominant on the mound this year. 

Beckett is an elite athlete.  He isn’t elite however because he can bench press the most weight or crank off the most pushups.   Beckett is elite because of his pitching dominance.  He has a tremendous fastball, among other tools.  He is paid to pitch, so everything that he does should contribute to his success on the mound.  There is no fitness standard that he must achieve. 

The same can be said of a professional fighter.  The fighter is paid to fight.  He isn’t paid to lift the heaviest loads or run the fastest mile.  Sure, his work in the gym is designed to improve his performance, but gym work is not the actual event. 

In summary, don’t get lost in the gym.  Use the gym to better yourself as an athlete. 

Train hard, but also train smart… 

Ross

Also see - Part II

I’ve learned a few things from my weekend deadlifting experience.  Unfortunately, what I’ve learned is probably not what you are expecting.  Here comes a rant…

I received a ton of email from people who wanted to know how my back was feeling.  It is as if they wanted me to be injured and unable to walk (thanks by the way), so they could somehow justify the use of bodyweight exercise over free weights.  Here is one message that I received on Tuesday.

I still can’t believe that someone actually wrote this…

“I appreciate that you walk the walk, but haven’t you learned by now that deadlifting is dangerous.  I would have thought you were more intelligent.  I hope you are not out of action for too long after this careless experience.  It is people like you who keep chiropractors in business.  When you wake up stiff and sore, please learn from this experience.”

******

Sorry folks, but my back feels fine.  I woke up fresh and ready to run.  I actually put in a solid interval workout with Matt Godfrey, ranked #2 by the WBC and the current NABF cruiserweight champion.

******

Now, back to the topic at hand.  If you are ever wondering why our world is so out of shape, here is one reason.  We live in a world where everyone wants to tell you what to do.  The bodyweight exercisers want to diss weights, and the weight lifters want to diss bodyweight exercise.  The newbie who is uncertain of what to do sees nothing but hostility between the exercise community, and decides to opt out.

Why don’t we become more open and receptive to other ideas?  In all honesty, why does anyone care what someone else does in the gym?  I’d rather see people pumping out high rep bicep curls rather than eating donuts and Bic Macs.

But no, so many people in this industry would rather see someone crippled from a deadlift, so they can somehow justify their own system.  What gives?

Look, I’m all for exercise.  I do a little bit of everything.  I don’t care if you lift weights, sandbags, paint cans or people.  I honestly don’t care.  As long as you are doing something, you are doing more than most of the world.

And here is a news flash to those interested, deadlifts are not dangerous.  Ignorance is more dangerous than any exercise.

Ross

After posting the last blog entry (regarding the 63 year ‘young’ woman), sh*t hit the fan.  I actually posted the link on my message board first.  Someone immediately chimed in that it was impossible to lift this kind of weight from the floor (which is ridiculous of course).  You can catch up on the thread at this link (it starts to heat up around the 8th page). 

What started as a joke, then turned into an out of control thread.  Considering that the thread has been posted on several other message boards, I’d like to explain…

First, I have no hard feelings against the individual who made the comments.  He manned up and apologized to everyone on the board.  Initially however, he tried to call me out (as a liar) for stating that I could lift the weight.  He then threw out a monetary challenge.  I responded by posting this video clip:

I must say however that I am sick and tired of keyboard jocks.  I bust my ass in the gym every day.  I don’t get to spend as much time with my wife and son as I’d like, as I’m always in the gym testing something or working with one of my athletes.  It’s how I pay the bills.  I am working with a fighter now for an up-coming pay-per-view bout, so the last thing that I should be doing is declaring war on the keyboard brigade. 

I respect anyone who busts his or her ass in the gym.  I have no respect however for those who have nothing better to do than criticize or doubt those who really do put in the work.  What is wrong with these people?  Why not spend the time improving yourself, rather than trying to hate on others?  This is essentially what happened on the message board, as this individual had called out several athletes.  Basically if he couldn’t do something, everyone else must have been lying. 

Look, I’m far from a powerlifter.  These guys would blow me away.  I have never trained for powerlifting and probably never will.  I tip my hats to these athletes for doing things that I cannot do.  We are involved in different sports, but my respect carries over to any sport where others are busting their ass.  If someone does something that I can’t do, I’m going to tip my hat to them and offer my congrats.  I’m not going to start calling someone out as a liar.  Those who do need to find other things to do with their spare time. 

Life is too short already, so why waste it hating on others. Spend the time working to improve yourself, and we’ll all be better off.

Ross