#163 – Marlon “Champ” Ross – The Lost Art of Building Elite Athletes

Marlon “Champ” Ross is the founder of Train Like A Champ, a sports performance coach, former speed coach, photographer, and former music industry professional. In this episode, Marlon shares the philosophy behind building one of Los Angeles’ most unique training facilities and why he believes old school discipline and mentality still create the best athletes.

The conversation dives into athletic development, speed training, recovery, mindset, and what truly separates elite performers from everyone else. Marlon also shares lessons from his journey through music, photography, coaching, and decades spent studying greatness.

Expect to learn:

• Why old school training still works
• What creates elite athletes and high performers
• The importance of joint mobility, speed, and explosiveness
• Why discipline and environment shape young athletes
• How visualization and mentality impact performance
• The biggest mistakes modern athletes make

Follow Marlon “Champ” Ross:

https://www.instagram.com/trainlikeachamp/

Train Like A Champ Gym:

https://www.instagram.com/thegym_trainlikeachamp/

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Timestamps

00:00 Intro at Train Like A Champ
 00:35 Old School Gym Inspiration
 01:10 Why Vintage Machines Are Different
 03:00 Building The Gym From Scratch
 04:15 Old School vs New School Training
 05:20 Training Hard Without Breaking Athletes
 06:30 Why Athletes Need Specialized Equipment
 07:20 Building Confidence As A Gym Owner
 08:05 Marlon’s “Healthy Delusion”
 09:10 Studying The Craft Every Day
 10:05 No Caffeine, Just Energy
 11:00 Motown, Sony Records, and Music
 12:30 Photography, Kendrick Lamar, and Lil Wayne
 13:05 Bodybuilding, Nutrition, and Recovery
 14:10 Developing Confidence Over Time
 15:15 Why Sports Should Lead To Education
 16:30 Measuring Athleticism
 17:15 Joint Mobility and Movement Angles
 18:15 Staying Pain-Free At 53
 19:30 Nutrition, Raw Milk, and Fitness Cultures
 20:00 Learning From Every Discipline
 21:00 Why Marlon Learns Visually
 22:00 Creativity in Coaching and Business
 23:20 The Reality of Running a Gym
 24:45 Why Train Like A Champ Feels Exclusive
 26:00 Parents, Boundaries, and Athlete Independence
 27:00 The Problem With Modern Discipline
 28:00 Marlon’s Athlete Assessment Process
 28:45 “Elite Kids Have Elite Parents”
 30:00 Kobe, Steph, and Obsession
 31:00 Why Marlon Quit Drinking
 32:00 Speed Coaching and Running Mechanics
 33:00 Strength, Mechanics, and Sprinting Faster
 34:00 Single-Leg Power and Explosiveness
 35:10 Skill Work Comes First
 37:00 Training Athletes While Fatigued
 38:15 Visualization and Mental Toughness
 40:00 Why Sports Teach Life Skills
 41:30 Pulling Greatness Out of Young Athletes
 42:45 Coaching Boundaries and Energy Management
 44:15 Developing D1 Athletes
 46:00 Why Marlon Builds Athletes Instead of Collecting Them
 47:00 Quick Fixes, Weight Loss Shots, and Doing The Work
 49:00 Social Media, Results, and Word of Mouth
 50:00 Selling Through Real Belief
 52:00 Why Long-Term Development Wins
 53:00 Why Marlon Needed His Own Gym
 54:00 The Hardest Part of Owning A Gym
 55:00 Finding The Right Partners
 56:45 Training Older Clients
 57:10 “Life Is Athletic”
 58:00 Longevity, Quality of Life, and Pacing Yourself
 01:01:00 Music Inside The Gym
 01:02:00 Raising His Son Around Great Music
 01:06:00 Distractions, Talent, and Wasted Opportunity
 01:08:00 Marlon’s Biggest Inspiration
 01:09:00 Lessons From His Mother
 01:12:00 Turning Upbringing Into An Advantage
 01:13:00 Trauma, Resilience, and Staying Calm Under Pressure
 01:14:00 Training The Brain Under High Heart Rate
 01:15:00 Why Competition Feels Different Than Practice
 01:16:00 Pushing Athletes To Their Limit
 01:17:30 How To Find Train Like A Champ
 01:18:00 Closing Thoughts