
#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 worksWhat creates elite athletes and high performersThe importance of joint mobility, speed, and explosivenessWhy discipline and environment shape young athletesHow visualization and mentality impact performanceThe biggest mistakes modern athletes makeFollow Marlon “Champ” Ross:https://www.instagram.com/trainlikeachamp/Train Like A Champ Gym:https://www.instagram.com/thegym_trainlikeachamp/Follow Nate:https://www.instagram.com/natebiltz/Need more Protein in your diet, Creatine, or Energy before your workout? | BUCKED UPhttps://bckd.co/WacAly520% OFF Code: NateBiltz1 Biltz Different Apparelhttps://www.biltzdifferent.com/mercha...15% OFF Code: NBP15Struggling with Focus, Motivation, or Energy? Thesis Supplementshttps://app.devotion.club/brand/thesi...20% OFF Code: natebiltz Best Bartending Equipment | A Bar AboveIG: @abarabovehttps://shop.abarabove.com/?sca_ref=5...10% OFF Code: BILTZLooking for energy and focus without the jitters? | MUD WTRhttps://mudwtr.com/MUDWTRNATEBILTZ (20% OFF automatically applied at checkout)ASHMAN ATHLETICS@ashmanathleticshttps://ashmanathletics.com?sca_ref=4...5% OFF Code: NBP BRUTE FITNESS SELTZER@bruteseltzerhttpS://www.brute-seltzer.com20% OFF Code: Biltz20Timestamps00:00 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













