2009 Diamond Gloves Champion & Lake Placid, NY

Like the saying goes-"Better Late then Never"! I have been a bit behind on the YESS Training Blog updates, but for some really incredible reasons (Trust Me). Kevin Hernandez is one of them.

Not too long ago, I spoke about Kevin in a previous Blog Post. He was the kid who would text message me at 1:00 am on a Friday night because he had nutritional questions. The reason why I wrote about that was to convey that winning starts with the person you are. How passionate you are, how much desire you have to be the best athlete you can be, and your willingness to do what ever it takes.

I get it from all angles. People and athletes telling me that they want to achieve a certain something or they want to be the best at something. Most do not achieve what they set out to do and there are reasons for that.

Over the years, time and experience has taught me to spot the ones who are gonna get the job done and actually finish what they started. These individuals are:

1) Passionate
2) Have undying desire
3) Disciplined
4) Consistent
5) Willing to do what ever it takes

Notice I did not mention in that list of five- how strong you are, how powerful you are, how flexible you are, and how much God given skill you have. Don't get me wrong, These are very important physical attributes (It's what I develop for athletes. It's how I make a living), but accomplishing what you set out to do starts from the inside out, not the outside in.

Like another saying goes-"If you want what others don't have, then you have to be willing to do what others don't do"! Notice the word 'Willing'. Will and Desire go hand in hand.

When an athlete like Kevin lives at the gym (Passion), wants to be the best he can be so much so, he contacts me on a Friday night/Saturday morning about nutrition while other kids are out partying (Desire), does not neglect the training he needs to perform on his own time (Discipline), never misses a training session (Consistency), and does whatever his coaches ask him to do (Willing To Do Whatever It Takes), it breeds the results that he is achieving because he is willing to do what others don't. Check out Kevin Hernandez's last two fights below.

The first video is Kevin winning the 2009 Diamond Gloves Championship:


This second video is Kevin winning in February of 2010 where he will now fight in Lake Placid, New York. He will represent his weight class on a Grand Stage in the Junior Olympic Division:


A Side Note:

On the night of the 2009 Diamond Gloves Championship fight, Kevin was sick with a very bad cold. We were blowing his nose before the fight and in between rounds.

Another Side Note:

Our next two blog updates will be on Gerald "Lil'Bomb" Javier's MMA Debut & Some Big News on the YESS Training Gym!

Joe Rossi

4 Quick Tips For Young Fighters

Here are four quick weight room tips for young fighters. Just random thoughts to pass along that will bring you closer to where you should be. If you are a young up and coming Boxer, Wrestler, Kick Boxer, or any athlete, then read this. A lot of times, it's the little things that help contribute to the bigger picture!

Looks Always Follows Performance. Not The Other Way Around.

Don't Be A Bunch Of "Mirror Athletes". It's not how you look, it's what you do. Training hard in the gym for performance gains in the ring is what should matter to a fighter. When you focus on physical appearance and how good you look in the mirror, this does not equate to better performance. It's usually a distraction from what you really should be focusing on. What does equate to better "In The Ring Performance" is practicing your sport (Practice Makes Perfect!), becoming stronger, explosive, flexible, forming healthier eating habits, and putting more effort toward being more disciplined in the weight room. When you do this, it will improve your physical appearance, but you will have also improved your athleticism and physicality. Remember, Weight Training for a young fighter (or any athlete) is preparation (GPP) for your sport. Put the discipline and time in the gym & less mirror time and watch your "In The Ring Performance" and muscular looks improve. Isn't that what it's all about? If not, then become a model.

(Insert Male Model Pic Here)

Post A Male Model Pic To Make A Point? One Can Only Go So Far.

All sports should focus on a year-round strength & conditioning plan. This is still not the case in a lot of weight rooms across the country. Why is the strongest kid in school always the football player? Maybe because football is just awesome, but that is another story... Actually, football is one sport that keeps a kid in the weight room more times than not.You shouldn't be any different. If you fight (Lets Say) you are a high school kid that decided to take up boxing instead of football, get your ass in the weight room and train! You will be amazed what more strength, flexibility, and speed will do for your fight game!!! If you are not the most physical in your weight class, then work toward it. Strength makes everything else better. Especially when you hit harder.

All Show & Even More Go

Com'On... If you are in the weight room, you know you are Benching, or at least-you want to! Despite bull-shit belief, fighters CAN Barbell Bench Press. As long as your shoulders are presently on the healthy side. Do your shoulders a favor, regardless and save 'em by "Popping Your Chest Up" and pinching your shoulder blades together and down. This simple, and yet most effective way to keep the shoulders strong and healthy will also make you a lot stronger while benching too. Try it!!!

Chest Up, Shoulder Blade Pinched, & Arch.

Nothing mind blowing here, just common sense. Be smart in the weight room and take it serious no matter what type of athlete you are. As a fighter (young or old), you have to always realise that your training should be built around your performance, and not how "Jersey Shore" you look. Trust me. I seriously live at the "Jersey Shore", so I should know...
Joe R.

The Barbell Complex

Like the 'Snuggie Blanket' of 2009 (Come on, you know you got one as a gift this past year!), the Barbell Complex is becoming the new craze for fighters looking to take their conditioning to a whole other level. The Barbell Complex is really nothing new, but I do believe athletes and coaches are rediscovering this type of training because of the positive results it yields. That's why we use 'em. They DO NOT take the place of heavy weights and the traditional Barbell Movements though. It has more to do with what and why you use them. That's where you can go wrong with this. I have been using complexes for years as finishers for our fighters. We have used Dumbbells, Kettlebells, Sandbags, Heavybags, even Bricks, but I have to say that I love the Barbell. The Barbell is my favorite.
In this video you are about to see is a quick intro about how you don't need a Barbell to perform Complex Training followed by Lil'Bomb performing a Barbell Complex with half his body weight. We use this as a full body conditioner. A complex meets the metabolic demands of fighting. For our fighters we have seen huge improvements with increased hand speed, besides the increased work capacity within strength and power endurance.

In Lil' Bomb's fight last month, he completely destroyed his opponent in a second round TKO. Besides other Barbell Strength Training we have done, We both believe that the complexes he was performing leading up to the fight, put his hand speed and power over the top. We will be posting that video A.S.A.P. Until then, enjoy the 'Snuggie' video:

A Side Note:

In case you are wondering, I did receive a 'Snuggie Blanket' for Christmas. Whether I use it or not is between me and the blanket...

Joe Rossi

Motivation for 2010 - Start With Your Mind

"If you think you are beaten, you are,

If you think you dare not, you don't

If you like to win, but you think you can't,

It is almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost

For out of the world we find,

Success begins with a fellow's will

It's all in the state of mind.

Life's battles don't always go

To the stronger or faster man,

But soon or late the man who wins

Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!!!"

Your reality is what you make it. This starts with the thoughts you think, the words you say, and most importantly, the actions you do! I'm not preaching here, just sharing some thoughts on what I have noticed from those who win and those who don't. Accomplishing your goals in the gym, and in your life begins with what you believe to be true. So I ask you what do you believe? This is what I ask every athlete who walks in to train with me. Do you really believe that you will one day be great in your respective sport? Yes? Great, keep believing in that and you will. No? Here is a trick that has worked with many: Tell yourself a lie enough times and it becomes a reality. Why is it a lie? Well, at first you don't believe in what you are telling yourself to be true. In the beginning it's all bullshit to you. As you keep telling yourself what you want to be, even though you do not believe it to be true, eventually it becomes a reality. It has to. If not, well then you did not want it bad enough. It's all about what you make your reality to be, it's all about the state of your mind! Winning and losing in sport has more to do with what you believe to be true than how strong and fast you are. If you want it bad enough, you will make it a reality. Now That's No Lie!!!

Happy New Year Everyone,

Joe Rossi

Prowler Fight Prep

The only way to become a better fighter is to fight. With that being said, I believe this is one of the superior ways to condition a fighter who is nearing their fight day.
This video was taken on the very first day we had ever trained in this fashion. What you see here is a group of Gladiator athletes really not knowing what to expect. They are familiar with the prowler, but not like this. The only "Active Rest" they get is bouts of pad work between prowler sprints. Although this was completely off the cuff, I suggest you give this a shot in your training and you will see, in a short period of time, how effective and devastating this type of training is. Since this video, we have had some amazing results from training this way.
I will take credit for using the prowler in this manner, but I would like to thank EliteFTS.com for a well built Prowler. These Prowlers are built for punishment. Kind of like our fighters!

Sacrifice For Reward: Gerald & Kevin

On behalf of YESS Training, I am proud to announce some very big accomplishments that have been made by two of our Gladiator Athletes- Gerald Javier and Kevin Hernandez :

Gerald With The Bling

Gerald won the Gold and Silver Medal for his weight class in the famous Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament known as the 2009 Grapplers Quest for GI/No-GI competition. All of his bouts were performed in succession, meaning after you win, you go and fight again (sometimes with no rest). I call Gerald the real "Karate Kid" as he is a Golden Gloves Boxing Champion, holds a winning Muay-Thai record, and now has his sights set on getting in the cage for his first Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight.

Gerald is a well conditioned Gladiator Athlete and it has been an honor to train him. Between the time he puts in on his own and the brutality that I provide for him, he will continue to get stronger, more powerful, and better conditioned as the training progresses. Check out Gerald "Getting To It" in competition below:

A few weeks ago, Kevin Hernandez won the Long Island Amateur Boxing Championships at the age of 15. He is a dedicated hard worker who eats and sleeps the sport of boxing. He will only improve and you will be hearing a lot more about Kevin in the future. When a 15 year old kid text messages you on a Friday night at 1:00 A.M about training and nutrition, you know he has something to prove.

Kevin Hernandez With The Belt

Check out one of Kevin's fights below:

A Side Note:

This has been one of the busiest summers of my life. I have been working toward the "Grand Opening" of the YESS Training Gym, preparing our athletes for their respected sports and the up and coming season, traveling all over the East Coast to be at our guys fights, helping some of our own who have been suffering from tragedy in their lives (while trying to keep them focused and not give up), and preparing for the birth of our second child. A lot has been put into perspective for me in a short amount of time.

I write about this because it all means so much to me. I'm not trying to preach here, or spread a bunch of fluff. For starters, I take full responsibility for those I train and if they win then I win, and if they fail, I fail. I'm not separate from them. I'm not doing this just for a pay check. I don't know how to not become personally invested with those around me. Both in and outside of training.

Yes, I give a shit about who I train. I care about their progress as an athlete, and as a human being. I'm not another jerk-off trainer and I want nothing to do with jerk-off trainers. Even if they are rich and famous. Keep your fame and keep your money. Both hold no value to me. Their ego will always blind them from seeing truth in all things. I find truth in other things, things and Ideals that appear to be fleeting these days.

I value Heart, Passion, Love, Loyalty, Friendship, Brotherhood, Self Sacrifice, Doing the Impossible, Rising Up after Falling Down, Good Human Beings with Good Values, Those Who Would Give You the Shirt Off Their Back, Those Who Believe, Those Who Can Be Happy For You and Not Envious or Jealous Of You, those Who Never Give Up, and those who take no pride in tearing you down!

If you find yourself surrounded by people who don't give a shit, ego driven, selfish, and jealous, GET AWAY FROM THEM! They are like a disease, a disease that will spread to you. They will infect you and hold you back, even hurt you in the long run.

My sister said something to me not too long ago, something that has been burnt deep into my mind that holds so much wisdom and truth. She said that jealousy is a form of hatred. Being jealous of someone is the next best thing to hating them. If you are around those who are jealous of you, you are around those who are close to hating you. She is a bit younger then me, but these words of wisdom were spoken beyond what I could of ever put together. Why am I writing this? To help and share. How can an athlete benefit from this? Keep reading.

Behind every great champion you will usually find a good foundation of people supporting them. A good wife, parents, family members, friends, training partners, coaches, or trainers. They will help raise you up if you have been kicked down, tell you the truth even if you don't want to hear it, and die for you if they had to. These are the people you want to surround yourself with if you want to succeed in the gym, sports, or in life. These are the people you want by your side in battle. You don't need a lot of these people. Quantity is not what matters here. Like a good buddy of mine said: "I would rather have one or two people around me who I trust with my life and are of quality, then a lot of people claiming to be my friends, but really don't give a shit about me." How can you apply this to your life? How could this make you better in the gym, as an athlete on the playing field, and as a person? Build your foundation. Surround yourself with quality. It's there, trust me. You just have to look for it. This will help you in ways I can not explain. It's all about becoming better.

To summarize the Immortal Bruce Lee: "Take and Use what is Useful and Discard What Is Useless".

Another Side Note:

With over 100,000 training web-sites that use Bruce Lee quotes to hammer home points, make my blog 100,001. I have logged over a million hours watching his films growing up as a kid. This man Bleeds Passion and that is why I too will continue to quote him. Ohh, and in case you haven't noticed, we are now on FaceBook under Rossi's Gym. Check us out.

L.E.F.T. Finisher

In this month's video, you will see us perform the standardized L.E.F.T. Test which stands for Lower Extremity Functional Test. Who would of thought this could be adapted into a Gladiator's training as an anaerobic finisher for fight athletes preparing for war. In case you are wondering, everyone in this video who had an upcoming fight either in Muay Thai, Boxing, or Grappling won!!
You want to know the secret? The drills do not matter as much as the time you perform them for, the effort you put into them, and the ability to improve on them from week to week. Raise the bar in your training and set no limits. This is how we do it. Check it out:

Did you ever train so hard that you lost your clothes along the way? This is a phenomena that happens when you train with us. I couldn't make this up if I tried!

More to come...