Fitness gimmicks

Damn I'm getting old. This year makes my 35th year since I started training and I'm 47....do the math. I've played AA baseball. I've been a nationally-ranked bodybuilder. I've held an unofficial powerlifting record. I have trained with the best and most knowledgeable people in world of bodybuilding, strength and conditioning and powerlifiting. Some of who are legends with the likes of Bill Pearl, Dave Shaw, Gus Rethwich, Bob Ward and Chris Carlisle, just to name few. I have trained some of the best athletes in the world and in my 35 years of training the one thing that has always stood out is, they all trained there asses off to get to their goals and knew how to train to get to their goals.

The fitness industry has done well to accomplish just the opposite. What do I mean you ask? Gimmicks! Gimmicks piss me off to no end. Crap you see on TV for example to get you the "best abs you ever had without ever having to do a sit up or crunch". Damn! And to think I've been doing it all wrong for 30+ years, all I had to do was strap this muscle stimulation unit around my waist, crank it up, turn the TV on with a beer and some popcorn and just wait for my abs to come even if I've never had them before. "6 minute abs", not 4, not 8 but 6. "Drop 3 pant sizes in a week, lose 20lbs in 3 weeks". "All you need is 21 minutes a day 3 time per week", or how about this one, "The Iron Gym Get Strong...Get Ripped...QUICK" in case you don't know that is, it a f**king pull up bar......enough all ready!!

These gimmicks have made naive people think that you don't have to train hard to get the desired results. Therefore they will never learn or obtain the discipline to train hard and if they ever do, they don't know what it feels like!! Go to a "fitness" center that will do anything to sell you training packages along with the membership, get hooked up with 18 year old pimply faced "trainer" that's barely strong enough change the pin in the "selectorized" machine stack, have you do 3 sets of 10 on the "bench press" machine then the second you start to say it hurts, stop. They could basically care less about the client as long as it adds to their bottom line.

Look people, with all of the BS gimmicks, the "fitness" centers with all of the pretty, shiny, "state of the art" machines (most machines are gimmicks in themselves) I don't care what you train on, if there isn't serious effort put into your training, adding all of the components of your success like being consistent, have a good eating program, commitment and most of all, HARD WORK, your not going to get very far....PERIOD! And more than likely, quit. Getting in shape is hard and if anyone tells you any different, they're just blowing smoke up your butt. It's not going to happen overnight and there are no secrets. People are going to have to learn and accept the fact that it's going to take a good period of time to get to the goals they want. You get what you put into it.


No matter how much BS is out there telling people that there's an easier way, there is not. I feel like I've damn near seen it all and that being said, there is no substitute for old school, hard core training to get results. I have to respect guys like Joe Defranco, Zack Even Esh, Jason Ferrugia and guys like that are putting the word out similar to mine. They are bringing back old school training traditions that are the root of how it should be. Now, this is not said as a blast but as a compliment to them. I've been training for 35 years, I have basically seen their style of training in one form or another over the years, nothing really new only new to the one's who haven't seen it. I'm pretty sure they know the commercial fitness industry is complete bullshit compared to what I like to refer to as "real world" training. I'm not a marketing genius, but the way they have marketed and capitalized on bringing back the old school traditions is a great service not only to themselves but to others, so huge props to them.

Stay tuned for part 2!

Alot has happend

Well it's been a awhile since my last post and it's about time that I get a little caught up, so my apologies.

Since my last post quite a bit has gone on. Since then Rampage Jackson has (if you haven't already heard) got the part of playing B.A. Baracus in the upcoming A-Team movie due to be released in June. After the shoot, Rampage will be returning to the MPF team sometime in January.

August 15 was a another win for Jay Silva and MPF as he successfully knocked out Ray Lizama in the 3 round at the Call to Arms in Ontario, Ca. Two Weeks after that he got the call to make his debut in the UFC for UFC Fight Night in Oklahoma City against CB Dollaway. Jay lost by a point due to take downs, but came out unscathed compared to his opponent Dollaway who had to be carried out of the ring and had to have a gash stitched up with 27 stitches due to a couple of flying knees by Silva. For Jay's efforts he was rewarded with a 4 fight deal with the UFC. Huge!!

MPF Training Systems was named as the head Strength and Conditioning coach's for the Calvary Chapel JV and Varsity wrestling team that consists of 25. If you know nothing about their team, know this, at present they are ranked #5 in the state with 2 current National champions on the team. My goal is, of course, to help them be #1. It's going to be a great year!

Beginning Saturday October 17, we will be starting our ongoing "Strongman" camps. If your not familiar of how this works, let me break it down a little. It's one of the most physically demanding workouts around consisting of movements specifically designed for explosivness, strength and overall physical conditioning. We use implements such as tractor tires, sleds, thick ropes, kegs, sand bags, sledgehammers and whatever else I can think of too get my athletes bigger, stronger, faster and the best conditioned athletes around.

Now I know there are alot of so called "personal trainers" around that do this, but the difference is I have got results out my athletes and clients that very few can duplicate. Being a "personal trainer" and training an athlete the same way you would train the general public are the complete opposite. This program will not only kick your ass, but it's guaranteed to get the best possible results.......and yes, you WILL burn a ton of calories and fat!!

We have, however designed a similar, toned down type of "Strongman Camp" for our capable general public......This in NOT your typical "boot camp". Both camps are designed to get serious results.

Very successful weekend

Well it was a long week and weekend. Thursday, after a flight and drive in to Lac Du Flambeau, Wisconsin 13 hours we finally got to our rooms, rest about an hour, grab something to eat and watch my fighters do some light sparring to loosen up an finally crash. I was a little worried about Dave because his weight was a little more than I wanted it, but after a few adjustments to his diet and water intake it quickly became a non-issue all without suffering or losing strength.

The next day at weigh-ins, he made weight with room to spare. Time for more well needed rest and some food. Myself, Dave, Rampage, Torre and Thao had a blast, Rampage cracking jokes left and right helped take the tension and our minds off the fight for awhile. Fast forward to Saturday night.

Torre Reames was the first to fight, first time in the cage in almost 6 years and making his pro debut and what a debut it was, he wound up winning his first pro fight in the second round with a rear naked choke submission. Awesome. One down one to go.

After a few more contests, it was Daves turn, I started working with Dave on his strength and conditioning a little over a year ago and his progress has been tremendous, the strength that we built when he was 230lbs remained at 185lbs his conditioning was off the charts and lean as hell. No surprise he submitted his opponent with a rear naked choke after destroying him with his stand up as well.

In short, it was a VERY successful weekend not only for Team Rampage but MPF Training Systems as well. Couldn't be more proud!!

Also big props to former NFL wide receiver Michael Westbrook, great person and an honor to be able to help him out!

Youth Training; When is the right time to start?

I seem to get this question at least once or twice a week so, here goes. A lot of kids who are playing sports nowadays started playing at a very young age, around 5-6 years old. For the first year or so, it’s a fun learning process. They run, learn how to catch and throw a ball, learn some rules of the chosen sport, etc. Although it’s still fun for most, as they get older, the sport also becomes more competitive. By the second and third year, the play gets more intense. In baseball, kids are swinging the bats harder and faster, throws become more frequent and further. The same applies with football. Kids are hitting harder. There are more frequent practices. This increase in intensity and demand on kids bodies goes on and on with all sports.


With all of these factors working, kids are, without a doubt, going to be prone to more frequent injuries. The simple reason is because their strength is not up to par with the skills demanded by their coaches and the game. By the time kids reach the ages of 10 or so, you start to see injuries such as, sore throwing shoulders, knee and low back injuries, hamstring strains, foot and ankle problems and so on. How can we help prevent these injuries from occurring parents should ask? Strength training of course! So, when is the right time for kids to start strength training?
Through my experiences and research, I would have to say the age of 10 is about the right time for kids to get involved in a moderate strength training program. At that age, muscle hypertrophy (size) will not develop, but strength in the muscle and connective tissue will. And that strength plays a significant part in injury reduction. As an added benefit, strength training will help increase sport performance.

So, what do I mean by “strength training”? One of the myths that’s often heard when you hear of a kid participating in a weight training program is that “it’s going to stunt his growth”. The truth is a moderate strength training program will do quite the opposite if the program IS PROPERLY DONE. What a proper strength program means is the right exercise protocol, correct exercise mechanics and, most of all, a trainer who knows what he or she is doing. A strength program will actually stimulate growth. Look at it this way, as you see a kid playing you see them jumping off walls, benches or whatever. They pick up things that might be awkward in size or even too heavy (things that generally scare the hell out of parents). Yet, they seem pretty resilient when it comes to doing those things, right?

In a protected environment in which they are taught to perform exercises in the right way, the chance of injury goes down greatly. On the down side, if training is not done the right way then there is a chance of growth plate injury to long bones, toe joints and soft tissues. Such damage could cause stunted growth, acute or chronic pain or impaired motor functions.


Our youth programs are carefully monitored. Even before a weight is ever touched, we make sure there is at least a 20 minute dynamic and mobility warm up to get kid’s bodies ready to strength train. The beginning weight training exercises start with mostly with bodyweight. Then, they slowly progress using small loads of weight. The load progresses, increasing approximately 10% each week. In my opinion, joint integrity must be strengthened before any significant loads are added. By joint integrity, I mean the stabilizers of the rotator cuff, sub-scapular (shoulders), hip rotators, psoas, transverse-abdominis, ACL, MCL and PCL (knees). It takes a certain amount of knowledge and experience to properly train kids and reduce the risk of injuries. If done right, the rewards far outweigh the risk and the reduction of preventative injury almost guarantees a long time of competitive fun!

It's all in your head!!

Well we have one week before we leave for Wisconsin to help corner for one of my fighters. Kids got it all, speed, we got him strong as hell, came down almost 45lbs to make his weight class while actually getting stronger as he dropped, quick feet, etc,etc. The only thing that's holding him up and will keep him from winning is in his head. I'm not a psychologist, but if he doesn't get it together, he may have problems. He's trained with the best in world and actually hurt them. I need to convince him that he HAS hurt the best in sparring but now it's time to carry that over to the octagon. I have nothing but faith in him, but NOW's the time to get it together!!

Observed a high school football practice today

Today I took some time out of my schedule to go to a practice so I can observe some of the athletes I train. I was a little taken back by the lax efforts of the team of slowly moving from one area to another. Over the past year I spent quite a bit of time with the USC Trojans, Strength and Conditioning coach Chris Carlisle and observed alot of practices. That being said, Coach Carroll's practices were tight. Sprinting from one station to another, not jogging, not walking but running.

One thing that sticks out from what Coach Carroll told me was, "we do very little in the way of conditioning because they are always running from one place to another"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51DbsSkarSA&feature=channel_page

Program design

Program design an exercise selection are simple concepts that some trainers and coachs make much more difficult than necessary. When it comes to training my athletes in their strength programs, I always begin with power (explosive) movements first. When you start your training with power movement when the CNS (central nervous system) is fresh, you excite the CNS thus reducing the risk of injury while also preparing for the supplimental exercises.