martin
Martin, I just finished going through the new Strength Training for Speed DVD and it was amazing. Again you have made a better DVD than each last one you come out with. I was impressed not only with all the exercises and the content, but also the workouts you perform on there while you are talking. I had to play it back to make sure that was really 405 for 12! I especially like the attention to the adductors with the sled. I just did it yesterday and I feel it. I was missing that. Why do you think this area is underworked? Thanks for a great product! Jeff Biehler
Pictured is Parisi Trainer and one of the stars of the Strength for Speed DVD, Ryan Ojeda working on some adductor pulls in the facility. This is an overlooked area of the body to train, that is, until you have your first groin pull!
Jeff,
Thanks for writing in and thanks for the feedback on the DVD. We put a ton of work into them from planning to shooting to editing to design to production so when I get kind words like that it makes it all worth it. This newest DVD has exploded and is our fastest seller and set a record for the number of DVDs we ever sold in a month last month! Yes, all the exercises I do on there are real and as I state during the DVD, they are also all right in a row with no real warmup. It was tough, but you have to put on a show when the camera is on. A lot of people can talk the talk, but here, we like to show we can walk the walk too. I actually like the clips of Ryan and me running more than the lifting.
I am glad that you are taking the info and putting it to practice. The adductor group is a commonly untrained area in the athletes I work with. Usually when I test this area, even high level athletes have poor recruitment patterns and resultant decreased ROM and tightness. Working this area is not just important for injury prevention (and anyone like myself that has had a torn groin knows you never want it again) but also for performance on the field. Just look at the shot of past Parisi Athletes Rashad Holman and Dunta Robinson and ask yourself if you think the adductors are needed here. In each case, the adductors are shown working concentrically and eccentrically. Now just imagine that area is injured or untrained and imagine the results.
So the take home message here is that in both your strength and speed training, this area of the body needs to be addressed. That means specific work for the adductors and lateral movements that at least encompass the positions seen above.
I hope this help and good luck.
Martin Rooney
Comments Closed
Mr Rooney,
I read your "Through the core" article in Gracie magazine but can't figure out how to do the unilateral side bend. Do you have an image of this exercise? If not maybe you can answer these questions:
- Is the bas positioned on shoulders like you would with squats?
- Do you bend to the side of the bar where the weight is or the
side without the weight?
Thanks,
Samuel
Pictured is Pride and IFL fighter Daniel Gracie performing the unilateral side bend. This is a great exercise for the development of core strength, but you definitely have to start off slow.
Samuel,
Great to hear from you and thanks for writing in. I thought I would included a picture of a Gracie to go along with the Gracie Mag article. During this exercise, you hold the bar on your back just like during a squat. Since the bar is unevenly loaded, it is going to feel very awkward at first and you will see how the core muscles on the opposite side of the weight are really going to fire to keep the bar parallel with the floor.
At first, the key is to just remove the bar from the rack and stand and control the weight. From here, you tilt your body to the side of the weight and then return to the original position just like in the pictures shown above. I suggest that you start with only a 5-10 pound difference at the end of the bar. Dont start with the 25 pound plate that is pictured. Since this is a new exercise for most people, start with 6-8 reps and make sure to perform the exercise on each side. If you are stronger on one side than another, make sure to attempt to develop even strength on each side to prevent imbalances.
I hope this helps give you that bulletproof core!
Martin Rooney
Hi there, great site. I look forward to purchasing your mobility, vertical jump and strength training for speed DVD's. I have only been introduced to your site just recently.
I've always wanted to increase the number of chins that I can do. I could do 10 straight chins before at a body weight of 145. Now, I've been inactive for a few months and my weight has increased to 155 lbs. i don't mind the extra weight since I'm 5'8 and play basketball. But I'm having problems moving the way I usually a, accustomed to on the court. It seems that the added weight and inactivity has affected my mobility. And now, I jus learned I couldn't do 10 chins anymore. I have a hard time even reaching 6 reps. Do you have a program that can help me improve? I usually do 10x3 reps M-W-F. Should I just put on a weighted plate when I do it so as to increase my max strength? Thank you! ZAR
Pictured is world jiu jitsu and submission champion Roger Gracie working on his chins in the facility. Roger knows, two of the secrets to chin up success are consistency and variety.
ZAR,
Great to hear from you and thanks for writing in. I am sorry to hear that the numbers have gone down, but in your question, the answer is there why it occurred. By taking a few months off, you will obviously get weaker, and then by gaining 10 pounds, you got 7% heavier than before as well. Add these two points together and you can see why the number has dropped down to six.
In my point above under Roger's pic, the first key is consistency, but then the second of variety will help you to stay consistent. What I mean here is that we all know that chin ups and pull ups are not fun. Especially if you are doing them the same way 3 times a week for years. Now, if you can add a bunch of variety into the exercises in terms of exercise selection, weights, reps and sets, you are on your way. Then, if you can find real purpose behind why you are doing them whether it is to look good, be healthier or help in a sport, now you have the combo that will make sure you stay consistent.
My advice would be to make sure you get to the right body weight, decrease the frequency and add variety to the training. I think 2 times a week is enough so that you make sure you are getting the recovery and healing that you need to make improvement. On each of those 2 workouts, change the type of chins or pulls you are doing to and not only will you see improvement, it will keep you fresh.
I hope this helps and best of luck.
Martin Rooney
Martin, I am in my senior year of college and I want to get into sports performance enhancement when I graduate. Although I think my school has prepared me for the basics, I have learned so much from different websites and DVDs like yours. What would be your advice for getting into the Speed and Strength field? Carl Czernkowsky
Pictured is Martin and Kyra Gracie, Renzo Gracie, Marcio Feitosa and Ricardo Almeida looking over the computer readouts of the workouts over the last 2 months and the data that was collected. Without being open to new ideas and adaptations, that system would not have been developed.
Carl,
Great to hear from you and that you are looking to get into the field. I think that any field, just like life can be anything you want it to be if you believe in yourself and your vision. Many people may not think that there are a lot of options in the industry, but I am living proof that if you have a passion, a vision and a willingness to work until you see it through, anything can happen.
A concept that I got from Bruce Lee's writings may be a good bit of help here. When he was developing his own art, he had 4 tenets that he followed: 1. Do your research and find what you think is true. 2. Absorb what is useful. 3. Reject what is useless. 4. Add some things that are your own. I think this is great advice for anyone in any field. Right now, you need to spend a ton of time in #1 and then eventually hit 2, 3, and 4. I spent over 10 years of consistent study before I wrote anything. Doing your research, and then producing your results with it will be key.
Below is an article written by a young trainer that has spent time with me over the last couple of years. I think his story is tailor made to help you on your quest:
A Young Trainer’s Journey
I am lying on the floor of the Parisi Speed School after an 18 minute workout. My heart feels like it is about to come through my chest, the lactic acid buildup is about to make me puke and this crazy guy named Martin Rooney is standing over me telling me that I have just finished a level 3 Hurricane workout. There are 5 levels to Martin’s new system and it will take some time for me to get to the level of some his Olympian Judo warriors. That was the last and most challenging workout of my strength and conditioning journey to the east coast.
After a long summer of banging 55 sessions a week, I felt I needed to take a little time off. I flew back to New Jersey, my home state, to attend a college buddies’ wedding. After a fun weekend of partying my two weeks on the east coast were just getting started. My plan was to visit as many gyms and learn as much as I could from the experts. At 27, I realized that there might not be another time I would be able to take a 17 day trip. My passion for knowledge about sports performance training grows everyday. The chance to learn directly from guys like Martin Rooney, Mike Boyle and CJ Murphy really excited me.
My first visit was to Chelsea Piers in NYC. This is the most unbelievable facility I have ever seen. If you have any interest in fitness this is your Disneyland. There is a quarter mile track around the entire complex. Inside of the track there is everything you could imagine: a boxing ring, basketball courts, weight room, Pilates, pools, several places to eat including a restaurant right on the water. There was even an Olympic platform. I warmed up on the heavy bag and then started doing power cleans. A trainer came over and asked me to not drop the bar and let it down in a controlled manner because I was disturbing the people around me. I guess I forgot to read the sign.
From going to several conferences I have kept in touch with some of the presenters. This is something I recommend to any trainer out there who wants to get to the next level. They are just an email away. Next stop was my first of two grueling workouts with one of my mentors, Martin Rooney. He is the director of the Parisi Speed School in Fairlawn, NJ. I told Martin I would be in the area and he invited me to train with Joel. Joel is at the Olympic level in Judo and is making a push towards the upcoming Olympic games. Joel was about 6’4’ and every bit of 300 pounds. It was an honor to train with one of the world’s greatest athlete’s. I did not want to just go to different places and watch. The fact that I was actively involved in the session made it totally different experience. Actually training yourself is where you will understand what you are doing, why you are doing it and then you can implement the techniques to your own clients. The following was the workout we did.
- Dynamic Warm-up (Parisi Style) 30 minutes
- 16 lb Hammer Chops 3x16 (Chop on a tire, switching sides every hit)
- 12 lb Hammer Rotational hits 2x 5 high 5 middle and 5 low each side
- Tire Flip 2x15 (5 flips with 3 different weight tires per set, went from 400 lbs to 300 lbs to 200lb tires as fast as possible)
- Hand over hand thick rope sled pulls (4 sets, each set was the length of the rope 4x)
- Sled Dragging: 140 yards forward, 140 side walk, 140 backward drags, and 140 forward. (No rest between sets)
Martin demands perfection on every rep and every set. Training in that type of competitive environment is a world of difference. Joel and I competed during the Tire flips and rope pulls. I came close to beating him on the flips but he destroyed me on the rope pull. “Attention to Detail is what separates us from being good and being great” –Martin Rooney
Next trip was to the New England area. I dropped my little sister off for her freshman year of college and visited my old college football coach who was now the head coach at this particular school. I asked him if I could spend some time with his head strength coach. We walked into the weight room and the non-travel squad was doing some agility ladder work. He introduced me to the head strength coach and that was the most contact we had. He didn’t seem like he wanted me in his weight room and made it very clear. I observed the workout and asked him a question or two; he answered me in a one word response while he walked away from me.
My next two visits were awesome. The next day I traveled to Massachusetts to see CJ Murphy at Total Performance Sports. I knew Murph was a good guy when he spent 15 minutes on the phone with me trying to give me directions. Boston is the worst city in the world to drive in. TPS is a strongman facility with everything from Atlas stones to 700 pound tires. Murph invited me to train with him and his buddies. I can’t remember everyone’s name but this is who I trained with: Murph, Junior Beef, a 50 year old female champion power lifter, and two other enormous dudes. Metallica was blaring, Murph was throwing things around and we were all getting ready to train hard. This was the workout we did:
· Deadlifts(sets, reps and weight varied according to who was lifting)
· Chain Suspended Good Mornings
· Glute-Ham Raises
· Backward Anchor chain drag
· Core Work
Murph sat with me after the workout and offered his advice on everything from business to training. He is a very smart guy and gets an enormous amount of respect from his members and clients. The chance to see the variety of people under one roof was amazing. Some pearls of wisdom from Murph “Stop talking, that bar isn’t going to lift itself” – CJ Murphy
My Final visit to the New England area was to the Boston University Hockey Weight room. I had seen Mike Boyle speak several times and was excited to meet him and get a chance to pick his brain. I was a little nervous not knowing if Mike would throw me out of his weight room because I asked a stupid question. It was the exact opposite. He was very happy I came to visit and sat down with me for almost two hours. I had about 20 questions I wanted to ask him written down on paper. I set up a tape recorder and just listened to everything he said like it was gold. Mike has a way of making you understand things you never thought you could. I walked out of that place like a kid on Christmas morning. I can not tell you how much that visit to Boston university meant to me. Here was a world famous strength coach who did not know me from a hole in the wall, sit down and answer my questions.
My middle sister works out with a personal trainer in New York City. I drove in and joined her for a workout. The roles were a little reversed in this situation as I felt I knew a little more than this guy. I offered him advice on different people to learn from and how to prepare for the CSCS exam he had coming up. I learned a great lesson on this trip to the city. Her trainer was not the most knowledgeable, but he has helped my sister change her body and improve her quality of life. That is what training is all about. Are you getting results, do people like you and do they keep coming to you. I thanked him for helping her and told him to make sure he kept her on the right path. We then ate at some little eatery called Pump. It was a health food joint with pictures of every famous athlete and bodybuilder from New York on the walls.
I even ran down to my former High School, New Providence. I still keep in contact with the coaches so I walked right into the office. Coach was so excited to show me the new weight room. When I went to school back in 95-98 there was huge universal jungle gym, a bench press (of course), a hack squat, and a leg extension/leg curl machine. Wow, have times have changed. There was no equipment, just 8 power racks with platforms and a glute-ham raise. Maybe now they will win State.
The last visit of the trip was back to the Parisi Speed School. Martin wanted to put me through a new system he has been working on. Before we trained we talked about everything from training to relationships. Martin is a very motivational and positive person. In his combine training video, which is the best one out there, he not only talks about training and how you have to be perfect, he talks about mental preparation and how you need to bring yourself to a level of unconscious competence. At this level nothing will get in the way of what you need to do. This is what we did; there was no rest at all during this workout, excluding the warm-up Hurricane level 3 lasted 18 long minutes.
Dynamic Warm-up (parisi style)
Hurricane Level 3
Set 1 (3 times through)
25 second Incline Treadmill sprint 9.0
Dive Bomber Pushups 10
Pull-ups 10
Set 2(3 times through)
25 Second Incline Treadmill Sprint 10.0
Band Pushdowns 10
Standing Pulldowns 10
Set 3 (3 Times through)
25 second Incline treadmill sprint 11.0
30 lb MB Crunch 6
30 lb MB V-up 6
10 lb MB Rotations 30
I did not write this story to bore you about my trip back to the East Coast. I simply wanted to send a message to all trainers who want to get to the next level. I want to share some of the lessons I learned. First, the relationships I built. I did not know any of these people a few years ago and now I feel that I have made some contacts with some important people. Get yourself out there and talk to everyone. You do not know where it will take you. I am confident that if Martin Rooney was asked by an athlete who he should train with in San Diego, my name would pop up in his head. I learned some coaches will be more than available to help you and others will just treat you as if you weren’t there. I experienced both on this trip and I am sure it is not the last time that someone will not be willing to help. Hopefully, there are more people like Mike, Martin and CJ, if there are than our industry will get that much better. Lastly, when you do visit a facility jump in and train if possible, as mentioned above this will greatly enhance the experience and will more effectively contribute to your learning.
For the last 5 years I have read countless articles, books, have seen many DVD’s and went to every conference I could. Do not stop there, if you ever have the opportunity to take a trip like this one, jump on it. As I am flying back to San Diego I am chomping at the bit to get back to work and implement some of the things I learned. We need to have passion in our business, passion to learn, passion to train yourself and finally have passion to make a difference in someone’s life. The people mentioned above all made a difference in my life simply by spending a couple hours of their time. I hope down the line I will have the opportunity to do that for some young, hungry, motivated trainer. A special thanks to Martin Rooney for giving me the idea to write this story.
Vince Gabriele is the Director of Football Development at Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego. vincentgabriele717@hotmail.com
I hope this helps and keeps you on the path
Martin Rooney
Martin, what are some good exercises for strengthening the low back? I think that this is my biggest weakness. I will not lie and say that I work more upper body than lower and need to work it. Any suggestions are appreciated Will N.
Pictured is Pride fighter Daniel Gracie working on his low back this week at the facility. Daniel knows that today's fighter and athlete has to have a strong back not just for performance but also injury prevention.
Will,
Thanks for writing in and thanks for being honest too. All too often, athletes lie to themselves with little lies like, "I'll get to it the next workout" or "I run so I dont need to train my legs". You have to learn to shut that little voice inside your head down when it is not telling you what you know deep down is best. I think the best athletes out there have this ability and do the right things at the right times.
Now that you know that lower body (and core too) training is essential, it is time to get in there and work. The first step is taking one into the gym and starting. I would recommend some form of deadlift (we prefer the trap bar dead lift at first) as the initial exercise to hit this area. Below is Daniel hitting this lift and showing why it is called the "Trap" bar.
After this, I would hit either a form of lunge or step up. The reverse hyper (if you have one) is another great choice too and the regular hyper that is pictured at the top. I recently read a study that found that although most people will experience low back pain at some time, the severity and length of the symptoms were a lot dependent on low back strength. After I read that, it gave me just another reason to hit this area. I suggest our new Strength Training for Speed DVD. It has all of this and more inside.
Now it is up to you to do the tough part: the work! Best of luck.
Martin Rooney