The Man Yao Ming Most Likes and Fears

pryuen · May 15, 2006

Interesting interview of Anthony Falsone by Coco Yi Xiaohe on how he trained and transformed Yao Ming.

http://sports.tom.com/2006-05-15/08LG/00550120.html

Reporter Yi Xiaohe reports

Perhaps he is the person Yao Ming most likes and also the one he most fears. Most like, because he is the guy that had put on 50 pounds (22.7 Kilograms) onto Yao Ming within the past 4 years but at the same time maintain only 6% fat contents. Most feared, because he did not let Yao Ming off the hook even during those very rare vacation of Yao Ming. Yao Ming and Liu Wei (Note: Yao Ming’s best buddy and point guard of the Chinese national team) had to jog and sprint to exhaustion on those beautiful beaches of Hainan Island (Note: that was during last year’s summer when Yao Ming spent his 24th birthday at Sanya in September right after the Asian Championship before returning to Houston USA). Yet he was so proud of his own achievement, and he was so happy that he had the chance to work with one of the most hardworking and self-motivating players in NBA. And he is Anthony Falsone.

The question now most perplexes the world is when Yao Ming can recover from his surgery; and Anthony Falsone is shouldered with the daunting responsibility of how to help restoring Yao Ming back to his best physical strength and competitive form and shape. If Yao Ming can really return to normal training by June, then how is he be able to recover his strength, form and shape, and how to gel with the national team in the shortest time span possible considering there is only less than 2 months (before the World Championship) ? (When asked about this), Falsone shook his head and said: “Nothing will be certain until the final minutes.”

The reporter was surprised to see Falsone in Beijing, because this time round, he was on his own and not accompanying Yao Ming. Falsone explained: “There are many things a Strength and Conditioning coach needs to do; but that is restricted to working with healthy players. So there is not much I can do for Yao Ming now since he has yet to recover from his injury.” Yet, prior to his leaving Houston, Falsone had passed to Yao Ming an instruction list of things that Yao Ming had to abide to.

According to Falsone, the optimal weight of Yao Ming should be maintained at 305 pounds (138 Kilograms); this was arrived at by a scientific formula, but the fat contents will need to be maintained at 6%, the same fat contents when Yao Ming first arrived into NBA. “This is very important to Yao Ming; this also explained that all the weight gained so far were muscles, and that is also the reason why Yao Ming has become physically much stronger, but his mobility and agility had not been affected.” Falsone said.

Actually, as soon as Yao Ming joined NBA, everyone said: “You’re too thin, and you need to gain weights.” Even Rudy T insisted Yao Ming to gain weight as much as possible immediately, preferably to put on some 30 pounds. But Falsone thought otherwise at that time. “Take Shawn Bradley for example. He was also very thin when he entered NBA. He had to eat unceasingly and to train vigorously on his strengths, but that somewhat adversely affected his performance on court. Sometimes there are things that you simply can’t rush.” At that time, Yao Ming did not train on his strength that frequently; maybe just 2 times per week. “As far as Yao Ming is concerned, if we had put onto him several dozen of pounds all of a sudden, then most probably we would have a slow and clumsy Yao Ming. My plan at that time was I would have to take it easy; just add a few pounds to Yao Ming should be okay. Therefore Yao Ming only gained 15 pounds in his rookie season.”

Then some times later, Jeff Van Gundy came; and coincidentally, he held the same views as Falsone on Yao Ming’s physical strengths. “Jeff came, and he and I had the same consensus that durability and maintenance of the optimal weight should take priority; this is an all-important point.”

Then, how Yao Ming has achieved what he is today? Falsone has kept an eye and monitored Yao Ming’s diet. In Falsone’s eyes, Yao Ming is a person who knows how to enjoy and like eating, but he also understands what is most advantageous to himself. “Per my advice, he eats a lot of high energy stuff like beef or chicken, but stays away from anything with high fat contents. He eats a lot including rice and bread.” Gradually, the effect on the diet control showed.

Falsone believes the ideal composition of food/nutrition should be: 60% carbohydrate, 30% protein, 10% fat. "Yao Ming is willing to eat anything he knows that can be beneficial to himself. At that time he even forced himself to eat some high energy content food and drink some high energy content drinks before competition.” The reporter said she once saw Yao Ming unwillingly ate some chocolate-like bar; Falsone smiled; “Well, that is only chocolate look-alike stuff that can enhance energy level, but the taste and flavor of those bars sucks.”

Next, it is also very important to maintain an orderly process to enhance Yao Ming’s physical strength. For instance, at this time of the off season, if Yao Ming is healthy, Falsone will forbid him to do the strength exercise excessively. “As far as Yao Ming is concerned, now it is just too far away from the regular season; there is a different schedule for strength exercise at different times; he does not need a lot of strength exercise/training on a daily basis during the off season. Just some basic physical exercise will do. But as the regular season approaches, then he can step up the frequency, and do more of the strength exercise/training until he restores and resumes the optimal strength and competitive form and shape.”

To have to jog and sprint on beaches during vacation and to be under close remote control of his weight while he was in China…….”Compared to his early NBA days, Yao Ming is doing much better stamina wise in the past season. This is direct results of what we did in the summer as well as his determination to enhance his own physical strength.” Falsone said. Yao Ming is actually making continuous progress, first his body weight, and then his physical strength. "Yao Ming has indeed bumped into the physical strength wall in his sophomore season; he did not have such problem in his 3rd season; the major problem for his 3rd season was how he could stay away from his foul troubles and stay on court for longer play minutes. According to his current physical strength and body condition, he definitely can play longer minutes on the court.” Jeff Van Gundy had hoped that Yao Ming can sustain 35 to 36 minutes on the court; now he is averaging 35 to 38 minutes, and he does not feel tired; sometimes he even plays more than 41 minutes. In the past, he would feel exhausted after 30 some minutes. This is also indication that he has improved on his durability, physical strength and stamina.”

“Now Yao Ming can press bench up to 300 pounds (136 Kilograms). This is already some awesome numbers.” Falsone happily commented. "Actually it is not just a matter of enhancing one’s physical strength so as to compete physically at the low post; Yao Ming may use lots of other of his weaponry to score: his jump shots or his mid range jumpers. He is extremely intelligent and studious.”

Yao Ming usually recharges himself; just like during his recuperation last year right after his toe surgery, Yao Ming just kept on recharging himself, watched a lot of video recordings of the various teams and to study and analyze his opponents. “Possibly that was precisely why when he returned right from his injury, he shifted gears and moved to a newer and higher level.”

There should be emphasis on each stage of development of a player. Falsone’s theory is at Yao Ming’s current age, the emphasis should be placed on durability, consistency, and flexibility. “In NBA, he is extremely nimble given his heights. He should maintain his weight, but improve his speed.”
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pickymen · May 15, 2006

Thanks for the translation.

Yetti · May 15, 2006

Another excellent and informative post by Pryuen. Great Photos!!

m_cable · May 15, 2006

Great job as always Pryuen. Thanks.

adamlam · May 15, 2006

I think that Yao is not as flexible as 3 years ago..

fa7999 · May 15, 2006

Who is that chick sitting next to Tony? She is a cutie.

pryuen · May 15, 2006

fa7999 said:

Who is that chick sitting next to Tony? She is a cutie.
Click to expand...

She is Coco Yi Xiaohe, the reporter that wrote this article.

RocketForever · May 15, 2006

Most like, because he is the guy that had put on 50 pounds (22.7 Kilograms) onto Yao Ming within the past 4 years but at the same time maintain only 6% fat contents.
Click to expand...

Is it true? IIRC Yao was 300 lbs when he joined the league. So he would be 350 lbs now if he has gained 50 lbs. But Falsone also said his optimal weight is 305 lbs.

lloyde8 · May 15, 2006

RocketForever said:

Is it true? IIRC Yao was 300 lbs when he joined the league. So he would be 350 lbs now if he has gained 50 lbs. But Falsone also said his optimal weight is 305 lbs.
Click to expand...

I think she means 15 lbs

RocketForever · May 15, 2006

lloyde8 said:

I think she means 15 lbs
Click to expand...

I think you are right and I can understand that. For someone whose first language is not English, sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between fifteen and fifty during a conversation.

BigFish · May 15, 2006

It was on Sep, 2004, not last year, when Yao spent his 24th birthday in Sanya. I happened to be there and saw him jogging on the beach topless with LiuWei and another guy. I don't know if it's Falsone.

bfunw · May 15, 2006

BigFish said:

It was on Sep, 2004, not last year, when Yao spent his 24th birthday in Sanya. I happened to be there and saw him jogging on the beach topless with LiuWei and another guy. I don't know if it's Falsone.
Click to expand...

It tells you something that the first word I saw in that paragraph was "topless".

user · May 15, 2006

RocketForever said:

Is it true? IIRC Yao was 300 lbs when he joined the league. So he would be 350 lbs now if he has gained 50 lbs. But Falsone also said his optimal weight is 305 lbs.
Click to expand...

This report shows that He was 255lb at 2002. But most other report said he was 296lb around the draft time.

http://english.people.com.cn/200204/20/eng20020420_94420.shtml

blazer_ben · May 15, 2006

user said:

This report shows that He was 255lb at 2002. But most other report said he was 296lb around the draft time.

http://english.people.com.cn/200204/20/eng20020420_94420.shtml
Click to expand...

There is noway he was at 255. he would have been a walking beam pole at the wheight and height ratio. 295 sounds far more realistic.

Thanks for the Translation. yao is a ledgend.!!

pryuen · May 16, 2006

BigFish said:

It was on Sep, 2004, not last year, when Yao spent his 24th birthday in Sanya. I happened to be there and saw him jogging on the beach topless with LiuWei and another guy. I don't know if it's Falsone.
Click to expand...

BigFish

Thanks for correcting my careless mistake.

Of course, after reporting on YMM and other basketball websites about Yao Ming for the past 3 years, sometimes I made such silly mistakes.

That guy had to be Falsone. I have the photos to prove it. Yao Ming was there in Sanya for a week with his girl friend, Ye Li, and his best buddy Liu Wei, and a couple of other friends......and Anthony Falsone was with them.

It was during their stay there that Yao Ming spent his 24th birthday on September 12.

maopaopao · May 17, 2006

thanks!

pryuen · May 19, 2006

Can anyone familiar with the Houston Rockets advise the name of this guy ??

He is supposedly the assistant Strength and Conditioning coach of the Houston Rockets last 2 seasons; he works together with David Macha, the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, who joined after the departure of Anthony Falsone 2 seasons ago. He was introduced to the Rockets by Anthony Falsone, right after Anthony Falsone got fired by the Rockets for punching a bell boy.

This guy just resigned from the Houston Rockets to work for Anthony Falsone. Recommended by Yao Ming, this guy and Anthony Falsone were jointly appointed Strength and Conditioning coaches of the national team. It was reported in some of the Chinese websites that Yao Ming paid out of his own pockets the salary of these 2 coaches for the Chinese national team.

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