Ron Mexico AMA (ask me anything)

[Ron Mexico]

Who is the best athlete you ever worked with?

That's a good question. I've worked with some pretty decent football players and basketball guys. Usually a lot of higher level collegiate football guys are amazing athletes. We used to help guys from BYU mostly and sometimes uofu get ready for the combine. But that was over 10 years ago for me. Austin Collie was a really good athlete. He only trained with us for about two months. We had some triple jump Olympic guys that were pretty good athletes as well, definitely forgot their names. We trained the top college soccer recruit one year. I was surprised how unathletic she was so I won't type her name. I'm sure there are others but I forget most people's names.

More recently working with UFC champion Zhang Weili. She was really strong and smart which tends to be rare especially in China. We started with her and rehabbed her before her first championship. After that we did a little work with her but new sponsors wanted a bigger name company training her. She wanted to stay but didn't really get a choice.

 

[Ron Mexico]

What specific warm up/stretches would you recommend before and after once a week street basketball for someone in their 40s?

I'm reluctant to play ball anymore because almost every time I get injured.

Also I should say. Take it easy when you play. At your age there is no reason to go full speed and try to do your best. Have fun and don't take it too serious. You're too old to be competitive and there is nothing worth taking big risks to get injured. But keep trying to play casually because it's good for your health.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

That's a good question. I've worked with some pretty decent football players and basketball guys. Usually a lot of higher level collegiate football guys are amazing athletes. We used to help guys from BYU mostly and sometimes uofu get ready for the combine. But that was over 10 years ago for me. Austin Collie was a really good athlete. He only trained with us for about two months. We had some triple jump Olympic guys that were pretty good athletes as well, definitely forgot their names. We trained the top college soccer recruit one year. I was surprised how unathletic she was so I won't type her name. I'm sure there are others but I forget most people's names.

More recently working with UFC champion Zhang Weili. She was really strong and smart which tends to be rare especially in China. We started with her and rehabbed her before her first championship. After that we did a little work with her but new sponsors wanted a bigger name company training her. She wanted to stay but didn't really get a choice.

Did you have any involvement with Chinese Olympic Weightlifting? I know they have some insane athletes in that sport.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Also I should say. Take it easy when you play. At your age there is no reason to go full speed and try to do your best. Have fun and don't take it too serious. You're too old to be competitive and there is nothing worth taking big risks to get injured. But keep trying to play casually because it's good for your health.

My problem is I'm not especially skilled or athletic and so I try and make up for it with effort.

Luckily I've found a new run where everybody is either old or not skilled and so I can take it easier. I remember you saying something earlier about static stretching being bad and so I've stopped that. I've only been going for about 2 months now, but this is the longest stretch of basketball I've played without being injured.

 

[Ron Mexico]

Did you have any involvement with Chinese Olympic Weightlifting? I know they have some insane athletes in that sport.

No, that was the team that initially recruited me and I turned them down. They have some very strong guys though. I was told by a co-worker they have nice facilities. But the coaches tend to sit in front of monitors watching a lot of athletes lift and sending instructions from there.

Besides the UFC girl. I mostly worked with figure skating ice dance, hockey, and triathlon at the Olympic level. Then tons of athletes at the youth level or jr Olympic level.

China's system has changed even while I was there. But it's traditionally been poor kids who play sports. The Olympic teams pull kids away from the families fairly young and give them housing, food, and some money to train. So they tend to be not well educated since they aren't really in school and only play the one sport every day. Often sports federations are run by the military, although that has mostly gone away recently. So a lot of the athletes we're actually in the military and their duty was to train for a sport.

Only recently would an affluent parent even think to have their kid play a sport. Basically kids traditionally are studying non stop to pass the college entrance exam that determines your entire future. After that you go to whatever college you go into. Then you can start having hobbies and free time to do stuff if you can squeeze it in when not working. Work tends to be 9am-9pm 6 days a week for a lot of people.

I was hired privately to train rich kids who planned to go to school overseas and wanted them to fit in and be able to play sports. They were the least coordinated unathletic kids I have ever seen.

 

[Ron Mexico]

My problem is I'm not especially skilled or athletic and so I try and make up for it with effort.

Luckily I've found a new run where everybody is either old or not skilled and so I can take it easier. I remember you saying something earlier about static stretching being bad and so I've stopped that. I've only been going for about 2 months now, but this is the longest stretch of basketball I've played without being injured.

I would definitely suggest doing some free weight lifting once a week if you are not. It doesn't need to be heavy but it will help prevent injuries. Especially single leg exercises like box step ups.

You can do static stretching to help with range of motion issues. You can also do it to help with injuries, but that should usually be guided by a professional sports medicine person. But if you are doing it don't do it on days before playing bball. Do in the day after. Do some light aerobics first and then stretch.

Tight joints do help prevent injuries though. Loose ligaments from lots of stretching tend to increase injury risk!

 

[Ron Mexico]

My knees always hurt

Sent from my OPD2203 using Tapatalk

Yeah I've had a few knee surgeries from when I was younger. Having my ACL replaced is definitely causing problems as I get older like it does for everyone. Weightlifting is no issue, but too much basketball or running is too much for me know. I just have to limit it. But definitely add plenty of leg exercises to your weightlifting routine. Especially single leg stuff with free weights. Also plenty of glute exercises.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

No, that was the team that initially recruited me and I turned them down. They have some very strong guys though. I was told by a co-worker they have nice facilities. But the coaches tend to sit in front of monitors watching a lot of athletes lift and sending instructions from there.

Besides the UFC girl. I mostly worked with figure skating ice dance, hockey, and triathlon at the Olympic level. Then tons of athletes at the youth level or jr Olympic level.

China's system has changed even while I was there. But it's traditionally been poor kids who play sports. The Olympic teams pull kids away from the families fairly young and give them housing, food, and some money to train. So they tend to be not well educated since they aren't really in school and only play the one sport every day. Often sports federations are run by the military, although that has mostly gone away recently. So a lot of the athletes we're actually in the military and their duty was to train for a sport.

Only recently would an affluent parent even think to have their kid play a sport. Basically kids traditionally are studying non stop to pass the college entrance exam that determines your entire future. After that you go to whatever college you go into. Then you can start having hobbies and free time to do stuff if you can squeeze it in when not working. Work tends to be 9am-9pm 6 days a week for a lot of people.

I was hired privately to train rich kids who planned to go to school overseas and wanted them to fit in and be able to play sports. They were the least coordinated unathletic kids I have ever seen.

My sister in law is Chinese and she says she was not allowed to get out of her room and stop studying. It's such a unique culture there.

 

[Ron Mexico]

My sister in law is Chinese and she says she was not allowed to get out of her room and stop studying. It's such a unique culture there.

Yeah, it was/is slowly getting better for the more affluent. It makes sense in some ways because to fight corruption for getting into college they have one well protected test everyone takes the same day. But putting that much pressure for your life in one test is a lot. Plus it's really hurts kids for life to be that protected and not doing anything else. The lack of creativity and independent thinking is plain to see.

My wife was pretty rare that her parents let her go okay sports and do other things, mostly because she was way above everyone else at school. She also snuck out of school to play video games and read comics. She used to go to the place Yao Ming played video games at. She got a perfect score on the entrance exam and I think doing other things helped with that.

Hyper focusing is a huge issue for China though. It's terrible for kids to play only 1 sport from a young age and only that sport. Kids shouldn't specialize in one sport until about 16. It makes kids less athletic, less creative, and worse athletes.

 

[Ron Mexico]

Power is out at my house, so I'm sitting on the rooftop drinking wine. It's a house requirement to deal with power outages in the evening. I won't miss daily power outages and water shortages when I move away from Ethiopia.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

How fine are Ethiopian women?

 

[Ron Mexico]

How fine are Ethiopian women?

Haha, most Africans say Ethiopia has the most beautiful women in Africa. There definitely are some very beautiful women.