Questions & Answers 3-27-08

Question:

Hi, I was wondering when you'd be getting an interview up with Joe Defranco or if you were going to expand on how you implement WS4SB. Thanks, Tom.


Answer:

Tom,
There is going to be a bunch of really good interviews in the near future, hopefully including one with Joe D. I'm going to be seeing him in the beginning of May and hope to have something up on the site no later then the middle of that month. As for the WS4SB Code II, I might put that up next month. I have had a lot of inquiries about this. Thanks for checking out the site. If you have a particular question about how I implement the program with my athletes, let me know. If you have a particular question that you would like to address to Joe DeFranco, let me know as well,

Joe Rossi


A Side Note:

In case you have been living under a rock, Joe DeFranco has a highly anticipated documentary coming out. From what I have heard, it's the "Pumping Iron" of the sports training world. It is good to see great things happen to good people. Take a look:




Another Side Note:

Questions & Answers: 3-7-08

Question:

YESS Training/Joe Rossi,
I'm a little confused. I have read conflicting advise about where to place the thumbs while benching. I noticed in your video you have the thumbs tucked behind the bar. Isn't that dangerous? Which way is better for gripping the bar?
Thanks,
Daniel, Vancouver Canada

Answer:

Daniel,

When I posted that video, I knew some how, some one, would call me out with the grip I used! I should have known better. With that being said, I teach everyone who trains with me to "Lock" the thumbs around the bar and squeeze the living ! @ # $ out of it! This is the only way to properly bench. Very similar with how a fighter would make a fist for a knockout punch. Like a punch, the thumb secures the entire hand enabling the fingers to remain tight. You have a less chance of breaking your hand. When benching, the thumb locks the bar in the hand, decreasing your chances of a broken face! This is the safest and most effective way to bench press. Notice the picture above. You should do the same.

A Side Note:

Most of my benching is performed with submaximal weight using the grip you have seen in the video. This is the only way I can perform the traditional bench press. Quick Story... A few years back, I found myself recovering from what was supposed to be arthroscopic surgery on my right elbow. A "Clean Up" was the exact term. When I woke up, my surgeon informed me that they had to do a little more. Here is a distorted version on how the conversation went:

Dr. Kevorkian: Joe, we did a little more than a "Clean Up", but it went well.

Anesthesia Joe: What does more than a "Clean Up" mean?

Dr. Kevorkian: We had to cut through the entire muscle belly of the elbow, but it went well.

Anesthesia Joe: What does "went well" mean?

Dr. Kevorkian: We were able to locate and retrieve all the calcium deposits that was causing your elbow to lock up.

Anesthesia Joe: Ok, great. It's going to be a relief to have full range of motion in my elbow again!

Dr. Kevorkian: With a surgery like this and cutting through the muscle in the manner we did, the surgery should give you back most of your range of motion.

Anestassia Joe: Most? Why am I feeling like I traded in a used car for another used car?

Dr. Kevorkian: It's imperative that you immediately try to make a fist through the recovery process. If the muscle tissue heals before you gain back a full range of motion, you will never gain back the range of motion you once had.

Anesthesia Joe: Didn't I see you on the news trying to justify the reason why you kill your patients?

Dr. Kevorkian: No no.... We just look alike.

Anesthesia Joe: ............ I think the anesthesia is still working because I see you smiling, looking like Mr. Rogers, hooking me up to something that looks really weird.

Dr. Kevorkian: (Silence)

"You Mean Killing People Is Wrong?" - Dr. Jack Kevorkian



Another Side Note:

Well, Kevorkian never killed me, but my elbow hasn't been the same since. When I tuck my thumbs behind the bar, it's so I can bench without shredding my elbow! After surgery, my wrist and thumbs haven't been the same either. If I had to duck tape the bar to my hands so I could still train, I would...

Mr. Rogers from Mr. Roger's Neighborhood:

Unlike Kevorkian, Mr. Rogers was a good man!

Get Strong,

Joe

Bench Press: Set-Up

Getting under the bar and "Hoping for the Best" isn't going to cut it. Before you even think about adding weight, work on setting up. Start with the bar and work your way up to a desired weight. The weight on the bar may change, but your Set Up shouldn't! Take a look:



The Set Up:


1) Lay on bench sliding head and shoulders past the bar.


2) Place feet into position by planting toes into the ground.


3) Keeping feet in desired position, grab the bar to adjust by sliding head where eyes are in line with the bar.


4) Hips are tight, back is arched, shoulder blades are pinched together and down.


5) With a tight grip, squeeze the bar and fill your belly with air, unrack bar and position bar in line with the lower portion of your chest (nipple line). Without losing position, lower bar to chest and lock out.


It may feel uncomfortable, but get used to it! Setting up in this manner will save your body in the long run. So much strength is lost when you do not stay "tight" under the bar. What you want to do is decrease as much "unwanted" movement, enabling the body to use as much strength as possible from every muscle group in order to maximize the lift. Plus, by eliminating as much unwanted movement as possible, you decrease your chances of an injury especially in the shoulder girdle. If your shoulders are not squirming around under a loaded bar, there is less chance for compensation and shoulder impingement. Read Pressing For Another Day. It's simple science.


Every time you get under the bar ask yourself:

.Where should my feet be?

.How should my hips be?

.How should my back be?

.What position are my shoulders in?

.Where are my eyes at?

.How's my grip?

.How's my air?


Remember, the bench is a good thing in your training when you do it right. Stay tight and practice your set up!


A Side Note:

Barbell Bench Pressing has gotten such a bad rap for fighters/athletes. Many "So Called" experts claim their is minimal carryover from the bench press to strength needed in the boxing ring or on the athletic playing field. My question to them is A) How much have you benched in your life? B) Name another pressing movement that will overload the prime movers the way the bench press does. In most cases, the same "So Called" experts have a crappy bench because they are weak and would rather refer athletes to training movements which they can perform. The answer to B) is that there is no other pressing movement (not counting the overhead press with bar/dumbbells) that can overload the prime movers the way the Barbell Bench Press does. With the training programs I design, I incorperate all forms of pressing. The Barbell and Dumbbell bench press (with all it's variations: Maximal Effort (ME), Dynamic Effort (DE), Reapeated Effort (RE) Methods with Fat Bars, Chains, Bands, Boards ect.) are the cornerstone pressing lifts. This does not mean that I leave out, in an fighter's training program, other variations of pressing such as push-ups, unsupported cable presses, stability ball dumbbell press, ect. It's all reletive to the needs and goals of the fighter I am working with at that particular time in their athletic training. What is universal is that every fighter/athlete needs to acquire a solid base of strength and condition for all other athletic qualities to be developed. When all is said and done, train the bench!

Another Side Note:

It doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to figure out that the Bench Press makes you strong as hell. Have you ever seen big time benchers up close? They will tear a hole through you! Just ask these guys:

YESS Goes To School 1-10-08

On Thursday January 10th, I had the opportunity to speak to the entire eighth grade class at Bolger Middle School in Keansburg NJ. It was a privilege and honor to talk to the kids about the importance of strength training and how it's OK to start dreaming about doing something you love. Other speakers I was along side presenting was an NCAA D-1 Football Referee as well as the head Wrestling Coach of Rutgers University.

Thank you, especially to the Principal, Teachers, and Staff of Joseph R. Bolger Middle School for asking YESS Training to speak to the eighth grade students.

A Side Note:

I brought along some training toys for the kids to check out including the "Trainer" and "No.1" Captains Of Crush hand grippers. These grippers are a staple in our training program for grip strength and over all hand health. If anyone is familiar with the "Captains Of Crush" grippers, they are the best grippers on the market. The "Trainer" if closed, gives you 100 lbs. of crushing grip while the No.1 is 140 Ibs. which most can not close.
Another Side Note:

With the incentive of a free T-shirt, an eighth grade male who never touched a weight in his life, came within a hair on closing out the No.1 "Captains Of Crush" gripper. This caught my eye and immediately proceeded to tell the kid to hit the iron, as he had the potential to be a force to be reckoned with!

No Excuses

What's Your Excuse?

It's January 2008. Your New Years Resolution may have been to lose weight, gain muscle, or make the team, but you found an excuse. A way out. Something you can blame or point the finger at and say "That's why I can't!" or "That's why I haven't!" Excuses...


The Other Side!

Did you ever wonder why most people never finish what they set out to do? If you have then you must have also wondered about the other people who actually accomplish what they set out to do. What's different about them? I will tell you one thing, they didn't make excuses. Just ask this guy:

A Side Note:

When you set out to lose weight, gain muscle, or win a fight, you do it! No excuses. The thought of not being able to fulfill the promise you made to yourself should not even enter your mind. That type of thought doesn't even exist. It can't. You can "Will" yourself to do anything. Anything. In life, it's all about how bad you want something. If you want it bad enough, sooner or later you will make it happen, but no excuses.

Another Side Note:

Instead of making excuses, make solutions! If the scale is laughing at you and you are having trouble with your fight weight, before you smash it against the wall, work on creating a lifestyle (or just a different way to do things) that will decrease unwanted body fat. Try to:

1. Only Water. Make water the only beverage you drink through out the day. Cut out drinks that pack in the calories as well as the fat such as beer, soda, and sugary fruit juices. Water keeps you hydrated, helps you recover from training sessions, decreases toxins out of the body, and assists in digestion. If you are digesting better and consuming less liquid calories, you are one step closer to decreasing body fat.

2. Create a Calorie Deficit. If you are taking in more calories then you are using, fat will increase. If you are burning more calories then you are taking in, fat will decrease. Keep it simple. Eat frequent, eat less at each meal, and train!

3. Cut Out Late Night Eating. If you are pounding food like nobody's business before you go to bed, you can bet any amount of money that the fat around your mid section is here to stay. Try having your last meal at least an hour before you go to bed. Keep your last meal light. Whey protein shake with a mixed green salad, Yes. Wendy's triple burger with fries and a frosty, No!

Give it a shot. Make it part of your life. Those abs have been dying to come out. Body fat slows you down and doesn't help toward increasing your speed. It certainly will not help you punch faster and move around the mat better. Strong muscles+low body fat=faster you!

Tire Patch Training Part 1: Dumbbells

After training in a garage most of my life, I didn't have access to the best equipment. I had to make things up as I went in order to get stronger. At times I was at the limit for barbell and dumbbell weight and would have to utilize anything I had access to in order to make strength gains. I would hang left over cinder blocks onto my barbell, even loading up a book bag full of bricks as a cheap alternative to a weighted vest (I think I saw that one in an old 80's horror movie which I can not take credit for!). I guess you can call what I'm about to tell you as a "Quick Fix" and not necessarily a solution. Think of this advise almost like a "Tire Patch". It's doesn't take the place of a new tire, but this patch will temporarily get you to where you need to go. Tire Patch Training is going to be part of an ongoing series for your training dilemmas. This may very well help with your current situation.


Training in a weight room with missing dumbbells? OK, you just spotted a 65lb. dumbbell in the far left corner of the gym floor (as if it were left for dead like road kill on a deserted highway), but you need the other 65 pounder in order to perform your dumbbell chest presses.

(I don't even think there is a 65lb. dumbbell on that floor.)

Here's a better scenario for you. After busting your "Kahonnas" for the last six months in your training (at the local gym), you are finally ready to increase your one arm dumbbell rows. As complete excitement pumps through your veins, you suddenly realize you are at the gym's 100lb. dumbbell limit. The excitement is quickly replaced with hostility and most likely profanity knowing your personal record will have to wait another day.

(Your Local Gym)

Keep in mind: If you are training at a gym that has dumbbells which only go up to 100lbs., the gym is saying two things to you. One, you will only be as strong as those 100's. Two, no one stronger then those 100's trains here!

(Have you seen this guy at your gym? Maybe he was auditioning for Terminator 4.?.)

You might be asking yourself "What the hell can I do?" For starters, try practicing your acceleration mechanics by sprinting to the front desk and cancelling your gym membership. Finding a gym that offers more weight and stronger members is always an option. Unfortunately this may not be practical for your current situation. A kid in high school may only have access to their schools weight room or like most gym memberships, you are locked in a contract and unless you pay your way out, you ain't going nowhere! Here's what to do:

(Every good business starts with a great name!)

Go to your local sporting good store as in Sports Authority, Modell's, Dick's, ect. and pick yourself up a pair of adjustable 20lb ankle weights. You will probably spend $50.00 bucks at most. The adjustable ankle weights are usually slotted with 1/2 pound increments of weight with a secure velcro strap. These ankle weights will give you the ability to utilize half pound increments all the way up to 20lbs. Do you know how many options this gives you for increases with dumbbell weight that you currently do not have? Note: (It's like having adjustable dumbbells from a half pound all the way up to 20lbs. in half pound increments). Better yet, your current gym may have them laying around in the designated "Functional Equipment Area" and this, my friends, is free!

(Notice the slotted 1/2 lb. increments.)

For your first training dilemma, in order to make up for the missing weight, get the next weight you have available to you. Hopefully it is a 60lb. dumbbell and all you will have to do is strap five pounds of ankle weights around your wrist to make up for the missing 65lb. dumbbell you do not have.

"The Patch"

Your second training dilemma is much easier. Strap on the desired weight around your wrist to increase the load of the movement. For your one arm dumbbell row, throw on anywheres from 2-10 lbs. of weight to "break through the chains of repression" that your gym's 100lb. capacity is holding you at! This video will give you an idea on another way the ankle weights can come into use. Notice that they are on both wrist:

Remember "Tire Patch". This is a "Quick Fix" and does not take the place of dumbbells. I gave examples of why and how this can be used. I would hate to see a gym full of guys using ankle weights around their wrists as if it were the way to go. Always choose dumbbells over this method. Only use this if you do not have access to the real thing. Happy New Year! Good luck and get strong.



A side note:

Although the ankle weights are in fact extra weight which can be added in the absence of dumbbells, it does not fully carry over to grip and wrist strength. If it did, then the extra weight would have to be held in the hand instead of around the wrist. In the end, nothing is better then the real thing.



Another side note:

Always place the ankle weight around your stronger arm. You want to attack your weaker links in the gym so your weaker side should always use the working dumbbell weight. This way grip and wrist strength will not be compromised on your weaker side.

YESS Training on YouTube

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A side Note:

If you are visiting this site for the very first time then I would like to welcome you to the YESS Training Blog. YESS Training prides itself on helping fighters and weekend warriors prepare for their sport and athletic endeavours. Through our proven methods of strength and conditioning training, we have and continue to be successful training fighters at the amateur, high school, college, and professional level. Sign up and check back with us as we continue to spread the good word of strength and condition training.

Another Side Note:

YESS Training stands for "YES to Strength Training". It's not training unless you are using weights! Hope this clears things up.

Joe Rossi