Be Like Water 01.29.09

Pool day, and I have to say I’m kind of thrown off by how many kids skip this day. Pool has always been everyone’s favorite day. Well, I won’t harp on it, or get all nostalgic about what used to be. I talked to my best friend Dats today and he made me feel better about you guys being afraid of water… lol

So Thomas, Adam, Larry, Demetrius and Sean, (yeah, Sean, he bounced back miraculously from that debilitating calf injury that kept him from running the hill yesterday… way to come back, Sean!)

You know, guys, practice is just the Discipline that helps unveil the talent it takes to bring your dreams into fruition. But you need that Discipline!

Once we got into the water, I noticed the same old trait. Everyone trying to muscle their way through water. It’s amazing how this generation of athlete believes so strongly in weight lifting that they attack every exercise like a bench press. As if somehow tightening up their muscles and making a straining face is going to accomplish the drill. So no sooner had we started, I stopped the workout and asked if we could try to let go of the external effort and just “Be Like Water!” I love that line; it’s my famous Bruce Lee quote. It got a chuckle from the guys and they understood. After that they were fluid, relaxed and efficient through the rest of the water work.

We went to treadmill next and ran “strikers” from 7mph to 14mph and back. Sean only went to 12 and I believe that was enough… lol I was really impressed at the way Thomas was able to hold stride at 14mph. It was impressive until he broke the treadmill and almost went flying across the room. (I’m not laughing at you, Thomas!... You handled that mishap like a pro!)

What was even more awe inspiring was to see Larry striding with Demetrius at 14mph and holding his stride stronger than D. Larry of all people, can you believe it? He is not at all the same southern kid that walked through our doors three weeks ago, and even better, he knows it.

It was funny how after treadmill everyone started walking back to the locker room as if practice was over. I let them get to the door before I told them otherwise. I love those priceless scowls I get when I do that. Mind readers would blush at the thoughts running through their minds.

Adam left after pool because he has practice tomorrow with the semi-pro team he is on. (Did I just say Semi-Pro?)

Sean was the most baffled, but he remembers what that is like. I heard him say to one of the other guys, “That means we got about an hour left!” About right since we had been going for about two hours already.

We went upstairs into the aerobic room and knocked off abs and lunges, then the fun began. After the lunge routine, (I know the guys are all laughing 'cause I said that like it was part of a Jane Fonda workout, “Lunge Routine”…lol) anyway, after that the guys are just done. So if I introduce another exercise then it would probably cause a mutiny. So at this time you have to introduce something that makes them go, “Hmmmm?” Introducing Jack Rabbit starts. I won’t go into them at this point because not all the guys were there and I plan on doing them again soon. But just know we had fun and got a lot accomplished. All part of the discipline.

DISCIPLINE ~ application
To master what is taught
Practice what is learned
Application of this art
Brings rewards that are well earned

Blinders On! 01.28.09

Well, it’s hill day again, or should I say mountain? It should be a piece of cake for the group who are on their third week, but for the rest it should be interesting.

Got to the hill, and it turns out Sean is feeling his calf a bit, so we will not have him run. Instead he will get the Norwegian spa treatment and get worked on in the foothills of Berkeley. Also, Cecil is working out for a team on Saturday so he will do the jog and the warm up and then get oiled up as well... lol



Today we are sprinting the hill as best we can but we will be working off a time limit. The big guys get 90 seconds while the smaller guys get 60. We have 5 hills today, but four if everyone makes the time. I will take some video on the last one for you guys to look at. That way you will see the difference in their development.



During one of the sprints, Demetrius and Julian (did I get it right this time?) were neck and neck for about a quarter of the way up and then D began to pull off. Julian reached out to try and grab him to slow him down, but the reach itself was enough to take him out of his stride and completely remind him of the hill he still had left. In other words, it broke him! Crazy thing about the distraction is it took Demetrius out of his stride and almost broke him as well… he ran his slowest mountain, 66 seconds.

When all the guys got back down, we talked about Commitment. In this case, commitment to your stride - the power of totally blocking out everything else and focusing only on your stride. I told them how I used to keep a beat in my head and try and stay on tempo all the way up. I would refuse to even look up to see how much I had left until I knew I was at the end.

Everyone agreed that losing your focus for any reason kills your momentum, and how on the hill the momentum is everything.
Me, being the wise old sage of the group, said the same holds true in life. We must commit ourselves to our endeavors if we are to realize them. This means blinders on.

In a gym once, I was asked why I was so rude to everyone. As I took off my ear phones to hear what the person was asking, I just laughed. “Focused to the point of being rude!” It became my mantra for life. The person was simply asking why didn’t I engage like everyone else. Well unlike everyone else, I was training for the Olympic Trials and didn’t see how talking to anyone while doing that could get me closer to my goal.

So today, the hill became our metaphor for committing ourselves to our dreams. Blinders On, Boys and Girls!

COMMITMENT ~ dedication
The glue to the patchwork
That binds you to your dreams
Keeps you on your program
Repairs the broken seams

Yeah, they thought that was the end as well….lol No, off to the steps, we have four sets today.





By the way, I have to say how proud I was of all the guys' efforts today. They killed that hill and smashed the steps. We are ready to step it up!… That’s if they get past pool work tomorrow!…lol

Newcomers 01.27.09

So Steve showed up for his first day. I have to say I was impressed. He looked quick and crisp and his mechanics were very clean. He has obviously been training.

I had some other guests attend tonight’s practice. Carolyn and Tamara joined our combine group. Tam was pretty impressive through the warm ups, but then they took their toll. Carolyn made it through the entire workout, and though she might be sore tomorrow, she deserves a lot of credit for being able to finish! Nice job, you two.



As far as practice went, we moved at a very rapid pace and worked legs. We pushed to make the kids focus harder. We shortened the breaks to see how well they held their Concentration. The newcomers, Steve and Sean, were taxed a bit, but everyone else came through well. Big Ron returned today and it looks as if the rest he got served him well.

CONCENTRATION ~ focus
Directed sight, guided light
That illuminates your goal
Eliminates distractions
'Til you sense your very soul

The kids joined us again today and they had a blast. Plus they are making great improvements, and it showed when they went up against the older guys on the ladder.

Nutrition & Forgiveness 01.26.09

Back in sand today, and I have to say it was quite telling. The guys ran very fast yesterday and all of them were out of sorts today. So right off the bat I addressed two things: Nutrition and Forgiveness.



First I stressed the need to eat the right foods after burning that kind of fuel yesterday, and the fact that complete recovery the next day is only physically possible with a steroid... So I stressed that they shouldn’t beat themselves up about their performance - that it is completely natural. So we focused on the two agility drills they must learn and kept the drills short and quick. Still the work was hard, and everyone was sluggish. Especially newcomer Sean Young. But the effort he gives is tremendous, and it is easy to see his gifts.

FORGIVENESS ~ clarity of mind
No reason to hold on
To mistakes we cannot change
Every wrong done
Can be forgiven in His name

Joy Right on Schedule 01.25.09

I thought we were going to have to scrap the 40s today because of rain but it stopped and we got outside anyway. It was a little colder than usual so we didn’t pull out the bungee cords, our normal move at this time. Today we are going to stress the art of letting go. Most of the guys, because they have no real sprint training, are trying so hard to run fast. They apply the mechanics of lifting to sprinting, as if it is a weight-lifting exercise. So today is the day we work the technique in the quickest, most relaxed state possible. It’s also the day where the kids learn volumes about themselves.

My philosophy is that I create nothing, just help each athlete uncover what is already within. But to do this, we must relax - don’t struggle, just allow, and have fun. Joy is the principle for today.

JOY ~ emotion
The fuel that propels you
Toward your dream's end
The key is to release it
As soon as you begin

We had a new kid arrive from San Ramon today - a wide receiver by the name of Danny. From what I hear, he has fantastic hands, but is very slow, evident by the 5.34 forty-yard dash he ran on his first try. But right off the bat I loved the kid's build and stride. More long and lanky, but stride had no control. He was working against himself as he tried to run hard. I corrected one aspect of his run and he dropped to 5.00 in the forty. I worked with him on his start and then asked him to only work two of the three sections of the race and he dropped to 4.91.

His whole demeanor changed. After his last run he came to me, and before I could tell him his time, he said, “I know I can run a 4.8!” That you will, Danny, that you will.

Sean came out today, but was late, and nervous, I might add. I made him immediately warm up and then run. He was so scared of running a poor time he jetted out of the blocks, even though I asked him to run three-quarter speed. He ran a blazing time and was shocked by his own performance. This kid is golden. The trick will be getting him to KNOW it.

Our athletes were amazing today and all of them ran exceptionally well. We are right on schedule.

Vision 01.23.09

We start to really bridge the work we have done today. More strength and explosive work for our initial movement in each drill. We also included more strength work around our core development. It’s time to begin to sculpt the physiques more, as well. We had a great day today. Lots of smiles and laughs. Today is the last day for Big Ron - he leaves for Omaha tonight. Not sure if he will be able to return anytime soon. I hope so, 'cause he brings so much light to each workout.

Talked to Steve Singleton today of the Minnesota Twins organization. He will be returning to train next week. Also Sean Young, wide receiver for Cal. Both we worked with as a children through high school. Sean will start his first day on Sunday. I’m looking forward to it 'cause these guys bring more speed to camp.

My conversations inspired me to preach the Vision in practice today, so we stressed the ability to see the dream - to envision what you believe. Whether it’s a drill, or your dream, you must be able to see it clearly in your head before you set out to accomplish it.

VISION ~ imagination
Allows you sight when times are dark
And reason when they’re bad
Creates the path by which you walk
When there’s no map to be had

Three in the Pool 01.22.09

Thursday the pool day is becoming very unpopular. Only three athletes showed up so it was a very quick day. Larry, Thomas, and Adam. For Adam, it was pool only because he is now at practice on Saturday and needs a day of rest.



For the others it was a day of remembering the Goal. Thomas, who is a marathoner, wants to move to 7:30 miles. He’s running a 5k Sunday to test his new speed work. Larry wants to return to his school for his protesting date, a completely different athlete, then make the impact necessary to get drafted.



We talked in great detail today about the goals and what that clearly looks like to each athlete. Adam has a concrete date for his regional workout in his quest to make the June NFL Combine. Little do sports fans know there are two Combines held each year, so the NFL doesn’t overlook anyone. Adam has his sights set on the second one. Having a specific goal is the next step in bringing it closer to you. It’s the principle that lays the foundation for the dream.

GOAL ~ constructive thought
The first thing that you own
The form your desire was given
Yours and yours alone
The quest that keeps you driven

We took some more photos of Larry so he can see his own progress. Oh hell, so everyone can see his progress... lol

Desire 01.21.09

So what we are going to do today is to recall the initial desire that brought us all to this place at this time. Why are we training and what are we training for? We are going to remind ourselves of the impulse that started it all, our Desire, the very first principle in manifesting our dreams.

DESIRE ~ thought
Infinite source of the driving force
Direction from the spiritual being
Reminds you of your steady course
And guides you toward your dream

I can’t think of a better place to do that than on the hill. So it’s off to Strawberry Canyon and we are going to start sprinting, straight up with no stops. I will make it easy on them in that regard by partnering them up.



Only six athletes showed today; very interesting. Well at least we are getting to the ones with the real desire - that’s perfect. The run up went well and it seems easy, great improvement. I decided to partner up Cecil and Ron in the first group. Ron has the best wind I believe of everyone here besides Cecil. Cecil is the strongest athlete all around.



The next group will be Demetrius and Larry. Demetrius has really kicked in after two weeks and he is beginning to feel himself. He is going to be a force to be reckoned with after this week and that will be perfect because I will be bringing in other athletes with incredible speed. Larry has improved greatly, but this work still gives him a hard time; still his recovery is fantastic.



The last group will be Julian and Adam. Adam still has the most difficulty with the hill because of all his muscle mass. His legs burnout quickly. He is improving, but I think the willingness to travel through this kind of pain is still not there. The guys did very well and I am proud of the effort and the recovery. We will travel to the steps next and see how well we get through those.



Adam came up to me and said, “You know, when you first told me you could make me stronger by taking me off weights I didn’t believe you. But yesterday I went to bench and hit my max, 460 lbs, twice, easily. I am a real believer now!"

I thought that was very interesting, that he went into the gym and didn't just try to get in a bench workout, but tried to reach his max. (Damn weightlifters….lol) Don’t get me wrong - I believe in weights... I just think that functional strength is just as important, if not more, for sport.



The pushups were easy for everyone except Julian, who is nursing a weak shoulder. All of this made me very happy. So instead of abs at the end of the workout, the kids got a lecture.

I talked about pain and the willingness to travel through it. Not just that, but to expect it. To see it as your daily challenge and to be able to transcend it. I hope it got through.

Day of Truth 01.20.09

Being the day of the Inauguration, the principle we will use today is Truth, because starting today, America is going to have to face some very harsh ones. We can no longer keep our heads buried in the sands of consumerism. We as human beings have a greater responsibility than to acquire stuff. We have a responsibility to one another. We all will need help in the future, help getting through, dealing with, and overcoming some of these harsh truths. Today we will deal with Truth, and we will offer our hands in help.

TRUTH ~ power
No matter what we try
It always comes to light
Like the daybreak ends the darkness
And replaces wrong with right

Though a lot of people would believe we had the day off because of this special day, we honor today by getting to work. Every year we allow special groups to come and train alongside the college and professional athletes. Today we had a small group of youngsters join us. The key is they have to try and do as much as the older guys. Some of the young kids can go as hard and as long as the older guys. Some of them have better technique. All in all, it’s a lot of fun and it gives the guys a chance to make a friend and give a helping hand by being an inspiration to a young hopeful.

It’s more of a core strength day for the combine athletes. I call it my Jane Fonda day, and as Larry Beard said, “This Jane Fonda stuff can kick your ass!” Though it is a lighter day, there are still some very intense drills we have to get through. The youngsters were the real champs. They performed beautifully and handled themselves like professionals. Very proud of you guys! Plus Isaac, Isaiah, and Daniel already have "star" written on them.

I noticed Demetrius sweating up a storm today and congratulated him on the work. But someone let me know the sweat was coming from the FlexPower he rubbed over his entire body before practice... lol Boy you are crazy! He was sweating like he had jalepeno juice in his water bottle. That’s one way to warm up!

Another Beach Day 01.19.09

Twelfth day of workouts and we have transitioned into a more explosive, quick routine, except for the opening warm up jog - 15 minutes out, then return. By time the players returned, you would think that they had already worked out for three hours. Larry was soaking wet when he returned. Maybe the weekend got to him. Congratulations, by the way, Larry, on being named team captain and Honorable Mention All-American.

Though we were in sand today, our drills were shorter, quicker and to the point. The plan was to begin directly increasing the explosive endurance of each athlete. Amazing enough the times for each drill were very close, though our athletes ranged from about light to very heavy in weight. Good sign at least for the big men….lol. No, each drill has an optimal time limit, so we know if the kids are competing at a high speed.

Demetrius and Cecil showed it’s going to be an interesting battle for fastest man this year. Their times in the drills were excellent. Every time Cecil dropped a fast time, Demetrius followed up with something close or better.

At the end of practice, veteran Big Ron lost his keys. Turns out he had been training with them in his pocket all morning. After having us all down on our hands and knees looking for them. Julianne kicked the sand and said, "It’s a wrap!"

When he walked away, I noticed the keys in a pile of sand. Thank goodness!

Playoff Sunday 01.18.09

Today’s practice was almost perfect. Demetrius, Cecil, Chris, Thomas, Daniel and Big Ron all improved in their forty times. Kaylea came to practice today, and her intensity ended up bumping heads with some of the guys. She's fiesty, that’s for sure! (But that much attitude needs some serious kung fu behind it!…lol)

Adam, couldn’t do much because he sprained his ankle in practice yesterday. He’s playing semi pro this season for the film and the practice. He negated his last year of eligibility and decided to make a run at the pros this way.

It’s such a beautiful thing when the kids start to physically change and begin to adopt the new technique. Big Ron was most impressive to me 'cause for the first time in years, I actually saw knee drive and incredible stride length.

Tomorrow will be two weeks…right on track!

9th Principle 01.16.09

Well we had a better showing today and everyone had an excuse, which I told them to tell me while on the trampolines... but grab a pair of dumbbells first! Those who have trained with me before just silently mumbled under their breath. We did a fifteen minute warm up with the weights in hand. Before walking stretches, we did a 30-minute chest circuit.


Demetrius and I stretched before practice and it went well. Probably the stiffest athlete to come through these doors. Just go back to the day on the turf field and look at the picture of the three guys doing walking stretches. It will be easy to find the stiff guy. I’m proud of him cause he is making great progress and I know it ain’t easy!

We worked different techniques for the start today. One was about incorporating the back foot for power as well as the front. It was harder than I thought. So we spent a great deal of time trying to get the guys to experience the Knowledge. For my female reader in Berkeley, this would be the principle we worked on today. The principle comes from my book the Path to Magic, The 19 Principles of Transformation. These 19 principles are written on the wall around the entire gym.

KNOWLEDGE ~ understanding

The key to life’s struggles
Infinite source of empowerment
Without it there’s no freedom
From the cage of Ignorance

We introduced a few new drills to get them to really feel the movement. I’m sure we overdid it a bit, but I was not getting the desired result. The knowledge to change something is only good when it is “insperienced,” meaning you feel the difference within your body, which then, if applied properly, becomes wisdom.



Julianne, being a baseball player, had to be strapped to a vertimax to simulate his start. Jermaine didn’t make practice because he is leaving on Saturday for Miami. He has a workout with the Dolphins. Good luck, Tito! (our nickname for him)

Demetrius Owens came in to visit today. He is a previous client who moved here from Ohio. He now plays football and basketball for San Leandro High. He’s almost 3 inches taller than when we trained, so it was a shock. They are playing San Lorenzo tonight - good luck D! And we sent Larry off for the weekend - he's going back to school for their football banquet. Have fun...we'll be waiting when you get back...lol.

No Shows... 01.15.09

Well, I spoke too soon. Only three guys showed up for practice today. Ouch! Major setback for such a good beginning. Thomas, Daniel and Larry - good job!

Larry is really starting to cut up. He’s never been a muscularly ripped kid, meaning low body fat, so this is going to be a whole new physique for him. But I’m a little too disappointed to write.

Back to the Hill 01.14.09

We are working Strawberry Mountain again today. The hill will be broken up into 7 intervals of about 30 meters or so. We will attempt three sets and then one full sprint the entire way up. Afterwards, we will try 40- and 20-yard sprints. I went by the gym on the way to the hill to pick up kids who needed to travel with me or follow me.

Larry was a no show, but by the time I got to the hill, he called to inform me he was in front of the gym waiting on me….oops. Ann went to pick him up. He arrived at the connector as we were beginning to start the intervals. No stretching for Larry. He jumped right in and attacked the hill. Lasted for about four cones…then the monkey jumped on his back again….lol... You have to watch the video… Sorry Larry, but I had to.


All in all, this was a tremendous day - everyone did fantastic! I was very happy about the performances. They all got through the entire day…and so much stronger. It brought smiles to everyone. They are starting to get in shape!

Box Jumps 01.13.09

Back in the gym today and everyone is a little broke off. My first question as I walked through the door was, “Whose hamstrings are sore?” Everyone raised their hands.

“Trampolines!” I shouted. “Let’s work it out!”

Today after the warm ups we will begin the explosive drills, but only after our box jumps test. I use the box jumps as a way to thoroughly warm up the body for the explosive movements later. I have three large sturdy boxes that are 13 inches high and 29 inches wide. I had them enforced at each corner to handle 400 pound linemen easily. The tops are layered with rubber matting so no one slips. I will give each group 90 seconds to do lateral jumps onto and then off the box, back and forth. Before we start I tell them that 80 jumps in 90 seconds tells me you are in great shape. Then I tell them of a high school kid preparing for college at Cal by the name of Kyle Kirst, who did 108 jumps in 90 seconds….then I blow the whistle.

No one went over 70 jumps. After the first time through, we reduce the time to 60 seconds. I then tell them Kyle’s record…88 jumps, and blow the whistle. Demetrius pulls off 62. After that set, we go to 30 seconds and this is where I make it mandatory that everyone get at least 30! My lowest was 28. I think we are ready to jump.

Three Hours of Sand 01.12.09

I tell all the players that the most difficult part of the training will always be the first two weeks. There will be mental adjustments around the new drills and exercises we do. Then there will be the physical discomfort from the amount of training required. But if you get through the first two weeks, you will be golden.

Well, today was the beginning of the second week and it is in sand, three hours worth. So this will definitely let me know where we stand. The drills are shorter and more intense (more about speed). But at the same time, the practice will be longer.


Jermaine McGee returned today. He spent last season with the Chiefs on the practice squad. He’s a linebacker who loves to lift weights, so I’m always teasing him about being a body builder. He's 6’3” and 251 lbs, with a huge chest. I tease him every year about trying to cover his insecurities by lifting so much. Really, I just want him to match the weights with the speed and endurance work that would make him a better player. It’s nice to have him back because he will add a little more fire to the practice, 'though I seriously doubt he will bring much fire today.

After yesterday's practice, we will use a couple of drills to emphasize the push phase at the start of the forty. After that we will begin working both the 20-yard shuttle and the 3-cone drill. Each is required at the NFL Combine and the individual workouts. We will make the kids do a succession of 5 drills each, and five reps through.

At the very end, we will complete the ab workout and our push-up drills in the sand, and at the end of practice we have 21 forty-yard sprints, 30 seconds from start to finish and return to starting line.


Oops, only three guys finished the forty drill… Jermaine was not one of them...lol. But neither was Larry. This is going to be an interesting week.

The Field 01.11.09

Saturday is our only day off, and I’m sure the guys welcomed it with open arms and epsom salt baths…lol


Today we are out on the turf field and working on our 40 yard sprints primarily. It is also the first time I will let the players run all out. I like to give them a week of training under their belt before they do, so I’m more comfortable doing it. Years ago I let Takeo Spikes sprint on the first day he arrived, and he strained his hamstring. Since then, I don’t take it for granted that the kids are prepared to run.

The guys all ran well, but it was very clear that none of them except the athletes who have trained with us before really knew the technique of the forty. What I usually do is divide the forty into three parts so that they have three phases to perform in. Then we give them a specific technique to perform in each phase. On the first 40 we count the strides to understand better the stride length compared to the height of the athlete. Turns out that the player taking the most strides to complete a 40 was Larry…oops that is not the way it’s supposed to work, seeing that he is one of the taller guys.

The first day 40s are great 'cause we get the greatest single day improvements. Most football players will just get up and start running. So today we worked on “pushing” out the blocks for the first phase. This way the guys create the most momentum and are in the correct position for the second phase. I won’t post the guys times today, but I will say they were very good for the first day, and pretty much dead on with what the kids' junior day times were.


Lorenzo Alexander made a cameo visit today and checked out the new young talent. His prodigy, offensive linemen, Ron Jackson, is an arena league baller who Zo has high hopes for. They have been working together for the past two years in the off season. By the way Ron is the best conditioned athlete in the group. Surprise, surprise. ZO didn’t come alone - he came with beautiful wife Manjanique and new baby girl Zoie.

Stretch 01.09.09

Today is the day we spend on our core and flexibility. The guys hate this day, though it’s the most relaxed of all the practice days, mainly because of the deep flexibility work that we do with each of them. We have some serious issues with limited flexibility with some of the guys. Demetrius can’t touch his toes, and Larry is battling a severe cramp syndrome. Ann Manatt and I do individualized stretching on all of them. Each stretch is done in conjunction with Ann realigning the muscle group. It is a lot more painful than it sounds.

We lost Francesca - she is due for surgery this week. Good luck with that, Cesca - we wish you the best!

Pool Day 01.08.09

This is probably the players' favorite part of the training program - pool training. The water training is tough, but being in water always adds a bit of playfulness to the endeavor. Julianne Benivedes, independent baseball player, who spent the last six years with the Giants organization, joined today for the next 8 weeks. I trained Julianne before the draft in 2003 and he was selected in the third round by the Giants. From the players' point of view, this is the best day to start training.

The pool allows me the chance to get another explosive conditioning day without the negative tear on the muscles. With some of the muscular frames in this group, this is exactly what they need to open up a little more. After the pool work was done, we met in the cardio room. We did what I call “strikers” on the treadmill. It’s a series of interval sprints, to help integrate the pool work.
After the strikers, which everyone did very well, we headed to the plyometric room for abdominal work and a routine of lunges and a view plyo drills. All in all I was very impressed with everyone. Julianne especially, being his first day back in six years….lol

The Hill 01.07.09

We traveled to the mountain by caravan, and surprisingly didn’t lose one participant. When we got to the bottom of Strawberry Canyon in Berkeley, the kids left their water and keys with me. I would drive to the top while they made the three quarter mile jog to what is called, “The Connector," a pretty tame name for a 200 meter hill at about 22% grade. Because it is also in the wooded hills of Berkeley, it makes it seem a lot longer than it is.

This is really one of the greatest mental challenges of the program. Regardless of how many times you do it, it still gives you butterflies when you run up on it. The first one to the top was a female soccer player from Boise State, Kaylea Perenon. Kaylea and I have been working together since she was about 13 or 14 years old. She’s now 21 and a senior in college.



To my surprise the second one to reach the top was Demetrius. After they all arrived, Daniel Stoops, an offensive lineman, said, "You were right, I used the bathroom before I left and soon as I saw that hill I had to go again."


Larry walked over to me and asked, "Is there a bathroom up here?"

"Yes!" I replied, "there are lots of them," and I pointed toward the woods.

We warmed up with walking stretches as usual and then prepared for interval hill work. I have cones every 20 meters or so on the hill. On the whistle, an athlete will sprint to the first cone. Each athlete will repeat the process on the whistle until they have all reached the top. The whistle doesn’t blow until they have all arrived at their prospective cones. This is a painful process if there is a slacker in the group. The football players have to greet each cone in a three point stance. It only took one hill for the vomiting to begin. By the third repetition of the drill almost everyone had thrown up at least once.

This was a very difficult drill for Larry. There wasn’t much tiger in his tank after the first set. It was painful to watch at times.

Tramps 01.06.09

We were indoors today at the Training Ground facility. The entire crew was feeling the beach work in the sand. Larry was all smiles and just a little sore. We made sure he had a good supply of FlexPower, the anti-inflammatory sports cream we use with all our athletes. As we got started, James Sims, a sports agent from Oakland, brought a young man by the name of Demetrius Crawford. He was a running back from Montana State. As I talked to the young man and his father, the others began their warm up. They started on trampolines. I use the tramps for cardio and to teach the proper sprinting techniques without tearing down the body. Afterwards we had walking stretches and I could see the joy experienced from being far more graceful than on sand.

Demetrius and I talked about his goals, his situation and his chances of reaching the NFL. I repeated the strength of our program, but also the difficulty of it. We talked about other programs and bells and whistles that are being offered rather than the transforming work we are doing here. He and his father were impressed and have agreed to return tomorrow for practice. Maybe I should have warned him that tomorrow is our day on the mountain! For anyone who has been through our program and understands the significance of that earthly obstacle, I’ll give you a minute to run to the bathroom and we’ll continue when you get back….lol

Our goal for today was foot speed and hip flexor flexibility and strength. The drills aren’t super demanding, but they are continual and give the athlete very little chance for rest. It’s more explosive endurance, but on a smaller scale.

One of the athletes, Adam, a very muscular fullback, walked by me with a big grin and said, "Thank you! Compared to yesterday, this is just a walk in the park."

I replied, "You aren’t ready to die two days in a row…..yet!"

First day of Combine Training 01.05.09

First day of Combine training is always fun. The guys know it’s going to be difficult 'cause the first day is always in sand. They just aren’t quite sure what that entails, so the looks are precious when they arrive at the beach. It was raining this morning so I got a text from Ann asking if we were meeting indoors. I text back, “Beach!” which made her laugh 'cause she was at the gym and I know the guys were hoping I would be nice about it.

I got to Alameda shoreline beach early and set up a 20 yard by 20 yard perimeter in sand for the guys' warm up. As they began arriving, it looked like there would only be one or two who weren’t familiar with the sand work. Ann brought with her Larry Beard, a defensive end from Georgia Southern. It was his first day, so I hadn’t even met him yet. He stands 6’3" at 260 lbs. with a smile that’s a mile wide. I liked Larry immediately.

After all of the introductions and a brief pep talk from me about what all of them had embarked on, I pointed off to the end of the beach and yelled, "Ten minutes!" My veterans took off jogging, and as the rest began to look around, I screamed, “Follow them!” The warm up starts with a ten minute jog out, then the return as fast as you like.

Each year we invite special clients to participate with the athletes preparing for the NFL Combine. Some are athletes themselves, others are actors, musicians or celebrities trying to get in shape for one reason or another. This year we invited Thomas, a marathon runner, to participate with us. In the couple of years he’s been running marathons, he has dropped his time by more than an hour and is now on a quest to qualify for the Boston Marathon. What makes Thomas so unique is he is a cancer survivor. Last year he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, like Lance Armstrong. And like Lance, Thomas is a powerfully magical presence.

Needless to say, it was Thomas who returned first. We both got a nice laugh out of that one. The last guy to return was Mr. Beard. Not a good sign.

After they were all back we began our walking stretches. Twenty yards of forward movements to stretch the body out and prepare it for more explosive movements. The stretch is followed by a high-knee run back. After the stretches, we move to sprint drills and then transition drills to time them all together. As soon as we are done, the veterans take off and the rest turn to read my expression. I smile and give directions, “Follow them!”

After each drill, I make the players jog in the sand about 600 yards to prepare them to catch their breath while moving. When they return, they will get something to drink and then the first drill will commence.

After about 90 minutes into the workout, Larry goes down with severe cramps in his calf. He had been slowly falling further and further behind, so I have the trainers take him back to the facility so he can be worked on. Not bad for the first day.

Funny thing, the strongest finisher was not Thomas the marathoner. Guess this is another kind of endurance training...