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DeFranco's Gym: 10 Years STRONG!

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I had some time this Thanksgiving to really reflect on all the things I'm thankful for: family, health, friends, and of course I'm thankful for my gym/business. I am truly blessed to be able to provide for my family by doing something I love. But, although I love what I do, it sure as hell aint always easy!! I have had my fair share of sleepless nights, panic attacks, trouble paying the bills and plenty of doubt along the way. But, as Rocky Balboa once said, "It's not how hard you hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." I'm proud of the fact that whenever my business has been "hit hard", I have always kept moving forward and persevered.

As I approach the 10 Year Anniversary of my business (est. February, 2003), I wanted to share 21 "game-changing" events and actions that were critical to its success. I feel these things have shaped the landscape of DeFranco's Gym. For them, I am truly grateful.

I hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane as much as I enjoyed writing it.

DeFranco's Gym Timeline...

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February 2003:

Joe DeFranco establishes DeFranco's Training Systems, LLC with no business background, no money in the bank and no clue what he was getting into. DeFranco's "gym" consisted of a 500 square foot storage closet located downstairs at a local health club. 

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July 18, 2003:

www.DeFrancosTraining.com was created and the first-ever "ASK JOE" was posted. The website received 51 hits that first month and 17 people subscribed to the website's e-newsletter. 

Today, the website averages over 8 million hits per month with over 40,000 e-newsletter subscribers. There has been 250 (plus) blog posts and close to 1000 "ASK JOE" questions answered since that first blog post. 

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November 2003:

Joe DeFranco releases the first-ever VHS tape describing how to "beat" the football Combine tests. Mastering the Football Combine Tests shocks the football community and forever changes the way athletes prepare for football Combines.

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January 22, 2004:

After hearing about the controversy behind Joe DeFranco's "Combine tape", the most popular training website on the internet - T-Nation.com - requests to do an interview with Joe. The Pro-Maker: An interview with Joe DeFranco is posted online and Joe's website and online presence sky-rockets. 

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February, 2004:

Bergen Catholic's Brian Cushing becomes the first DeFranco-trained high school All-American. High school football players from all over New Jersey start calling DeFranco's Gym and inquiring about training because they "wanna be like Cush".

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February 29, 2004:

Joe reveals the training program that he designed for Brian Cushing - as well as many other successful high school athletes - in an article entitled,  Westside for Skinny Bastards: A modified lifting program for hardgainers. The article/program becomes one of the most popular training programs ever written. 

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September, 2005:

DeFranco's Gym out-grows the storage closet and moves into it's very own location - a 2000 square foot warehouse in an industrial park in Wyckoff, NJ. 

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February, 2006: 

Joe DeFranco prepares an "unknown" small-school prospect named Miles Austin for the NFL Combine. Miles ends up "coming out of nowhere" and creates a huge buzz at the Combine with his jaw-dropping physique, speed, strength and jumping ability. After an amazing Combine performance, the Dallas Cowboys "take a chance" on Miles. After two years of "proving" himself, Miles Austin turns himself into an All-Pro wide receiver and the Cowboys sign him to a 6-year, $54 million contract.

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December, 2006:

Joe DeFranco releases his second product: Super Strength DVD. The first batch of these DVD's are ordered from people in all 50 states and 9 different countries, establishing an international following for DeFranco's Gym.

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January, 2007:

Joe DeFranco creates a youtube channel for DeFranco's Gym. The first video posted, Guadango 54 inch Box Jump, turns Mike Guadango into a youtube sensation...and DeFranco's youtube channel becomes an instant success. 

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Today, the channel boasts over 21,000 subscribers and over 16 million video views! 

Mike Guadango went on to become a 2X All-American college baseball player and was featured in the documentary, STRONG. He is now a Physical Preparation coach at DeFranco's Gym, where he developed a baseball training program that attracts high school, college and professional players from across the country. 

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February, 2008: 

NY Giants offensive lineman Dave Diehl - one of the "original disciples" from the storage closet gym - becomes the first DeFranco-trained athlete to win a Superbowl

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May, 2008: 

STRONG: The Movie (a documentary about DeFranco's Gym) is finally released. The movie develops somewhat of a "cult" following worldwide and increases the amount of international athletes that travel to New Jersey to experience DeFranco's Gym. 

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April, 2009:

DeFranco's Gym is featured on NFL Network's, Training for the Future - a show featuring Brian Cushing's preparation for the NFL Combine. Cush ends up being selected as the 15th overall pick in the 1st Round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

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February, 2010:

Three DeFranco-trained athletes (Miles Austin, Brian Cushing, Dave Diehl) are selected to the NFL Pro Bowl. This solidifies DeFranco's as a national power with regards to football preparation by earning the respect of the bigger, more "popular" multi-million dollar facilities.

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July, 2010:

DeFranco's Gym moves into a new, 5000 square foot facility

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August, 2010:

Men's Health Magazine names DeFranco's Gym one of the Top 10 Gyms in America, increasing DeFranco's "mainstream" recognition. 

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September, 2010: 

Joe DeFranco collaborates with Jim Smith of Dieselsc.com to create their first product: Amped Warm-up DVD. The incredible success of this DVD leads to an entire production of international best-selling DVD's and manuals

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December, 2010: 

Tim Ferriss features Joe DeFranco's unique training techniques in two chapters of his NY Times best-selling book, The 4-Hour Body. This further introduces DeFranco's to the "mainstream" fitness world. 

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September, 2011:

Paul Levesque (aka, WWE Superstar "Triple H") and Stephanie McMahon Levesque hire Joe DeFranco to revamp their entire training program. Joe is later featured on WWE.com preparing Triple H for his Wrestlemania 28 match against the Undertaker. During the match, WWE commentator Michael Cole gives DeFranco's Gym a shout-out to a pay-per-view audience that was watched in over 1.3 million homes.

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March, 2012: 

Joe DeFranco is selected by Nike to be one of the elite trainers in their newly-formed SPARQ Performance Network

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September, 2012:

Joe DeFranco and Jim Smith partner to form the CPPS certification course in an attempt to "change the game" in the strength & conditioning industry. The first three courses SELL OUT and 7 new dates for 2013 are already being planned. 

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I would like to conclude this blog post by saying "THANK YOU" to every single person who reads this website, trains at DeFranco's Gym, invests in our products, wears our t-shirts, or just generally supports what we do. Without YOUR support, the first 10 years wouldn't have been possible. For that, I am grateful. 

Stay tuned to see what the next 10 years will bring Wink...


-Joe D. 



HUGE CAREER OPPORTUNITY!

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For the past 2 years I have been training WWE superstar "Triple H" (Paul Levesque) and Stephanie McMahon Levesque. During this time I have developed the utmost respect for the "sports entertainment" industry. (Unless you live under a rock or on another planet, you're probably well aware that the undisputed heavyweight champ of the "sports entertainment" world is the WWE.)

WWE superstars need strength, power, mobility, endurance and personality. They also need to look good in their underwear for an audience of millions and millions of people worldwide!

There is a misconception that WWE superstars train like bodybuilders and are, "All Show, No Go." I can tell you first-hand that nothing is further from the truth! Training a WWE superstar is like training an NFL linebacker, gymnast, boxer and bodybuilder all rolled into one! And to make things more interesting...there's NO off-season! Designing programs for a WWE superstar poses the ultimate challenge for a strength & conditioning professional. 

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So you're now probably wondering what's the point to all this. Here's where the exciting news comes in...

For the first time ever, the WWE is searching for a full-time strength & conditioning coach to take over all facets of physical preparation for their developmental Talent in Orlando, Florida! If that's not exciting enough for you, there's more...

The strength & conditioning coach will be training WWE Talent out of a brand new, state-of-the-art facility! I flew out to Orlando last week to check out the facility and I can tell you first-hand that it's going to be AMAZING! I've had the good fortune of visiting many NFL weight rooms and there is no question in my mind that this facility will be better than any I've seen. If you're wondering how I can be so sure of this, the answer is simple: I know this facility is going to be better than anything out there because I'm the one designing it Wink.

This brings me to the final part of my announcement. I'm extremely honored and excited to announce that the new WWE strength & conditioning coach will be somewhat of an "extension" of my DeFranco's Gym family. We are looking to hire a like-minded coach who is familiar with my philosophies on training athletes. The coach that we hire will complete a 15-hour mentorship at DeFranco's Gym and then take our CPPS certification course before heading out to Orlando to take over the WWE Strength & Conditioning program.

This is a career opportunity that comes along once in a lifetime! 

Here is the official job description and requirements:

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WWE Head Strength & Conditioning Coach 

The Strength & Conditioning Coach is responsible for the administration, management and operation of the strength and conditioning program in the area of Talent Development at WWE.  

[WWE is a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE) that consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 600 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo.]

This position will be based in our new Orlando, FL location and will report to our Senior Director of Talent Development.

Key Responsibilities:

Essential functions and duties of the position include, among others:

  • Design, implement and conduct strength and conditioning programs that facilitate maximum benefits for all 60-100 members of Talent
  • Oversee and manage training area and equipment maintenance
  • Supervise and instruct Talent and coaches in all facets of physical preparation
  • Work effectively with a diverse population and provide a supportive and motivating environment for Talent
  • Develop and maintain Talent training records and monitor progress of training programs

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science, Kinesiology, or a related field
  • Minimum of three years experience with a collegiate or professional strength and conditioning program, or three years experience running a private facility
  • Experience and ability to organize and coach groups of athletes in strength training technique, plyometric training, speed development, flexibility, physique transformation and energy system training
  • Strong understanding of program design, linear and non-linear periodization models and the ability to auto-regulate programs based on injury, travel schedule, etc.
  • CPR, AED and first aid certification
  • Proficiency with Mac/PC computer applications
  • Energetic, efficient, organized, strong written and verbal communication skills, adaptable to fast moving environment

WWE is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action employer and is subject to federal regulations pertaining to employment. WWE does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under federal, state or local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the Company has facilities. WWE also provides reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and any other state or local laws.

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If you are interested in this position, send your resume to: td.strengthcoach@wwe.com 

You must get your resume in before December 31st! The top candidates will be contacted in January. I will then be conducting follow-up phone interviews with these candidates.  

"Opportunity knocks at the strangest times. It's not the time that matters, But how you answer the door." -Steve Gray


-Joe D. 


Joe DeFranco SPEED interview & manual review

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Check out this SPEED interview I did with Erik Rokeach:



For those interested in the specific content of our SPEED manual, here's a page-by-page review:

I am extremely excited to announce that SPEED is finally available and can be purchased here...

SPEED: Practical & Proven Methods for Team Sport Athletes

-Joe D. 

SPEED has arrived!

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I am extremely excited to announce that our SPEED DVD & Manual has finally arrived!!! I feel the strength & conditioning industry (or whatever we're calling it these days) is in desperate need of quality information regarding speed training and this product delivers, BIGTIME! 

The SPEED DVD reveals our favorite drills and best coaching cues for acceleration, max velocity and agility training. Every video of every drill is accompanied by an in-depth explanation as to why we incorporate it into our training and how to perform it properly. In an attempt to make this DVD as educational and useful as possible, we spared no expense with the production. All drills were filmed with 3 different cameras in order to capture different angles, as well as slow motion for better learning.

In addition to the DVD, SPEED comes with a 130-page physical manual that is worth the investment in and of itself.

The manual includes the following topics:

  • Learn about 15 years of recorded data that proved the most effective, time-efficient way to train for speed…guaranteed!
  • Technical considerations when sprinting and proven coaching cues!
  • The role that acceleration and max velocity play in different team sports and how to improve them.
  • Learn how, when and why to train each of the 3 different energy systems and their positive or negative effects on speed.
  • The controversial TRUTH about how to improve agility!
  • Does aerobic training kill your speed training efforts or can it actually be beneficial?
  • Learn how to improve an athlete’s “maximal outputs” and its effect on “game speed.”
  • Detailed speed training Warm-ups and Workouts from the training logs of our pro athlete clients!
  • Learn the benefits of incorporating “tempo work” into your programming.
  • Special Strength Training (SST) methods for Speed revealed!
  • Learn how to integrate speed into “Westside for Skinny Bastards” and “High/Low” programs!
  • Step-by-step tutorial on how to teach our legendary 40-yard dash stance and shave one to two-tenths off your 40 time instantly!


The definitive resource on speed training for team sport athletes has arrived! 

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CLICK HERE to order SPEED NOW!!!

 -Joe D. 

COMING SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!

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The untold 'back story' of DeFranco's Gym

Some of you may remember me talking about a potential reality show/docu-series that was filmed at my gym last summer. I've kept my mouth shut and tried not to "over-hype" this series too much because you really never know what's going to happen with this type of thing. To be honest, I kind of forgot that Class Act Sports Productions filmed us this summer. Although they filmed many of our workouts, interviewed our athletes and spent time at home with me and my family; they weren't a nuisance at all...they were more like a "fly on the wall". They didn't ask us to compromise anything at the gym while they were there. THAT is why I feel they captured the true essence of my gym. 

This past weekend, I was finally able to watch a preview of the premiere episode of Driven Beyond Strength™ and I must tell you...I was blown away! Not many people are fortunate enough to be able to take a step back and actually look at their life/business from an "outsiders" perspective. The pilot episode has been shown to a wide variety of people - men, women, athletes, non-athletes, and "TV production people" - and every single one of them were literally blown away! "PHENOMENAL", "SPEECHLESS", "EMOTIONAL", "INSPIRATIONAL" and "AMAZING" were the most common words used to describe the first episode.

I can't wait for you guys to see it! 

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George DeFranco discusses family and work ethic


HERE'S THE BIG NEWS...

You will be able to watch the pilot episode THIS Sunday! We have decided to launch the show online so the entire world can see it!

During halftime of the SuperBowl, a video of the pilot episode will be posted right here on this blog! Instead of watching some boring halftime show, log onto your computer and watch the pilot episode of Driven Beyond Strength™ right here! (And don't worry, it's only 15 minutes, so you won't miss any of the game!)

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Rumor has it Beyonce is pissed she won't be able to watch DRIVEN BEYOND STRENGTH™ at halftime


FYI, the video will remain online once it's posted at halftime, so you can check out the show any time after the game as well!


See you guys back here during halftime of the Superbowl! 

-Joe D. 

Driven Beyond Strength™ Premiere episode!

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Season 1, Episode #1 - The untold 'back story' of DeFranco's Gym

Episode description: In episode 1 of Driven Beyond Strength™, Class Act Sports Productions takes you behind-the-scenes to find out how DeFranco’s Gym went from a 500 square-foot storage closet to a world-renowned brand. You will quickly find out that DeFranco’s is much more than just a “gym” in this inspirational story about family, work ethic and having an unbridled passion for being the very best.   

Enjoy the show Smile!

*After you press play, make sure to change the setting in the bottom/right of the video box from 360p to 1080p(HD) so you can watch it in High Def...it looks awesome!


Did you enjoy the episode? If so, please share with your friends on facebook, twitter and other social media outlets...it will help us out a lot! Also, drop us a comment below and let us know what you thought! 

Looking forward to hearing everyone's feedback!

-Joe D. 

www.DrivenBeyondStrength.com 

Driven Beyond Strength™ - Episode 2

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Brian Cushing & Dave Diehl - 10 Years STRONG! 

Episode description: Back in 2003, an NFL rookie by the name of Dave Diehl and a high school kid named Brian Cushing both started training at DeFranco’s “gym”. At this time, neither athlete cared that the “gym” they had just walked into was a 500 square-foot converted storage closet. All these two dedicated athletes cared about was being in the best environment possible in order to achieve their lofty goals.

During Dave Diehl’s first meeting with Joe DeFranco, he discussed his goals with Joe in detail. Dave wanted to, “Play 10 years in the NFL”, “Win a Superbowl” and “Become an All-Pro”.

During Brian Cushing’s first meeting with Joe, he discussed his obsession for being the best high school linebacker in the country, receiving a full football scholarship to play for a “bigtime” university, and then playing in the NFL.

The rest, as they say, is history!

Learn more about Dave Diehl’s and Brian Cushing’s story in episode 2 of Driven Beyond Strength™!

*After you press play, make sure to change the setting in the bottom/right of the video box from 360p to 1080p(HD) so you can watch it in High Def...it looks awesome! Enjoy the show :) 



What did you think of this weeks episode? Please drop us a comment below and leave us your feedback! 

-Joe D. 

P.S. Stay up-to-date on this docu-series by checking out www.DrivenBeyondStrength.com

Driven Beyond Strength™ - Episode 3

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Kareem Huggins - "The Comeback"

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Episode description: Kareem Huggins finished the 2010 pre-season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leading rusher. Everything was looking good heading into the regular season for the second year undrafted running back from Hofstra University. That is, until “the hit” happened…

After making a 7-yard catch on 3rd down during Week 3 of the 2010 NFL season, Kareem was hit low by Saints linebacker Marvin Mitchell and didn’t get up after the play. The hit tore Kareem’s anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He hasn’t played professional football since.

After multiple knee surgeries, complications, and over a year of grueling rehab, Kareem’s knee still didn’t feel right. This frustration brought Kareem to DeFranco’s Gym in January of 2012 in an attempt to get his body back to what it once was.

Would DeFranco’s unique and aggressive training methods be able to get Kareem’s knee strong and healthy enough to warrant another shot at making an NFL roster? Would any NFL team even consider giving Kareem another chance after two years away from the game?

Find out more about Kareem Huggins and his incredible story in episode 3 of Driven Beyond Strength™!

*After you press play, make sure to change the setting in the bottom/right of the video box from 360p to 1080p(HD) so you can watch it in High Def!

Enjoy the show...

What did you think of this weeks episode? Drop us a comment below...we love hearing everyone's feedback!

-Joe D. 


Driven Beyond Strength™ - Episode 4

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"The Evolution of Eric Arndt"

What did you guys think of this episode? Do you have a favorite quote from "EA-ALL-DAY", LOL? 

Drop me a comment below...I really enjoy reading your feedback. 

-Joe D. 

Exclusive video footage of Triple H preparing for Wrestlemania 29 at DeFranco's Gym!

New video Q&A to be posted weekly!

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Ask DeFranco's Gym

Episode #1: Teaching the basics of the Box Squat from the "bottom up" 


Joe D. 

September CPPS course to be held at WWE Performance Center!

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I am extremely excited to announce that the September 21-22 CPPS certification course will be held in sunny Florida at the brand new WWE Performance Center

Those familiar with our "Certified Physical Preparation Specialist" course know that it's a culmination of two decades of research, experimentation and real-world experience.

Athletes, coaches, personal trainers, physical therapists, college professors and medical doctors from across the globe have all travelled to New Jersey to learn our proven CPPS athletic preparation model.

This model includes:

-Breathing essentials & pre-movement prep (self-myofascial release, mobility, corrective exercise) 

-Assessments 

-Fundamental movement patterns & Injury prevention

-Advanced Strength training techniques 

-Power & Speed development

-Program design

-Sport psychology

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CPPS class #1

We truly feel that this is the most comprehensive course available in the training world today. When you couple this with our hands-on teaching style, you have a recipe for the best certification course in the entire fitness industry!

Speaking of being the best...

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For those unfamiliar with the new WWE Performance Center, it is a 26,000 square-foot mega-facility that includes seven wrestling rings, a 5500 square-foot gym (very similar to the design of DeFranco's Gym :), Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation facility, Private TV studios, Production Suites, Player's lounge, etc. 

Simply put, the WWE Performance Center is the most innovative, state-of-the-art training facility I have EVER seen. Period. 

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WWE Performance Center Grand Opening 

This is why I'm so proud and excited to be teaching the CPPS course out of this location. I was at the Grand Opening so I can tell you first-hand that the facility lives up to the hype! 

Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get world-class training instruction at a world-class, one-of-a-kind facility! 

SPOTS ARE LIMITED!

Click the link below to register!

September 21-22 CPPS course @ WWE Performance Center

Joe D's "Limber 11" (flexibility routine)

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I can't believe it's been almost five years since I posted my original Agile 8 flexibility routine. For those unfamiliar with how that routine came about, here's the quick story:

At the time, there were the "over-reactors" & "under-reactors" regarding flexibility. The over-reactors promoted very comprehensive flexibility routines, but most of these routines took over an hour to complete or required special equipment. The "under-reactors" were those who said, "F#ck it, I just wanna lift", so they didn't perform any flexibility what-so-ever. As with most things in life, the answer to the flexibility "problem" could be found somewhere in the middle of the extremists. Unfortunately, there wasn't much (if any) practical information out there that covered this "middle ground". 

I pride myself as being a "voice of reason" in the fitness industry, so I wanted to provide a realistic flexibility routine that would help almost anyone. I realized that many people find stretching boring as hell, so if I was going to get them to actually do it, it couldn't take all day to complete. So instead of coming up with the "War & Peace" of flexibility routines, I  decided to provide people with 8 simple stretches/mobility drills that easily flowed together and dramatically reduced low back tightness in under 15 minutes. The end result turned out to be a wildly popular routine that helped (and continues to help)  thousands of people worldwide that otherwise hated stretching! 

I will be the first to admit that there is nothing "special" or "magical" about the Agile 8. But the "secret" to its success and longevity lies in the fact that people actually do it. This can hopefully be a lesson to all coaches and trainers regarding the power of simplicity. You can write up the greatest program in the world, but it aint worth sh*t if no one does it! 

Now that I've explained the history of the Agile 8; I'll explain the reasoning behind this blog post:

Since there are so many people performing the Agile 8 and our audience continues to grow daily, I wanted to ensure that everyone continues to get the most out of the routine. I thought it would be a huge help to make a video of the routine so people can see how to perform each exercise, instead of relying on written descriptions.

So, without further ado, I bring you the updated version of the Agile 8...

The Limber 11!   


The Limber 11

1. Foam Roll IT Band: 10-15 passes 

2. Foam Roll Adductors: 10-15 passes 

3. SMR Glutes (lax ball): 30sec. - 2min. 

4. Bent-knee Iron Cross x 5-10 each side

5. Roll-overs into V-sits x 10

6. Rocking Frog Stretch x 10

7. Fire Hydrant Circles x 10 fwd/10 bwd

8. Mountain Climbers x 10 each leg

9. Cossack Squats x 5-10 each side

10. Seated Piriformis Stretch x 20-30sec. each side

11. Rear-foot-elevated Hip Flexor Stretch x 5-10 reps (3sec. hold) each side

-Joe D.

PS - If you want to learn more about this type of stretching and mobility training, check out these two AMAZING resources:

AMPED WARM-UP: The best selling warm-up product in the world

HARD:CORE: The most comprehensive core training system ever created 

3 Weeks to a JACKED Upper Back

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"Got back?" Stephanie McMahon Levesque does. 

A few weeks ago I shared 3 of my favorite upper back exercises in episode #6 of "Ask DeFranco's Gym". These exercises were unique in that they didn't require any weight to be lifted, but the results they produce are second to none...guaranteed!  

In case you missed that episode, here you go:

After the above video was posted, I received a ton of twitter messages and emails asking me for details. Everyone wanted to know how many sets, how many reps, how often, etc. Obviously, there isn't just one set/rep scheme that is engraved in stone for any exercise or program, but I just couldn't leave you guys hangin' :)  So I decided to offer you a 3-week progression that will improve the muscularity of almost anyone's upper back -- while improving shoulder health in the process. The beauty of this "routine" is that it's super simple to implement - regardless of what program you're currently on. You can literally start right now. It's that simple. 

*I call this routine "The Escort" because it's not replacing anything; it's utilized in addition to whatever you're currently doing - in order to give some extra attention to your upper back Wink.

[NOTE: Because these exercises are "low intensity", you can do them wherever and whenever you want during the course of your workout. You can perform them as part of a warm-up before you train, you can use them as a finisher, or you can superset them with other exercises within your workout. It doesn't matter what program you're on - you can do these exercises on an upper body day, lower body day, or during a full body workout. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ADD ONE EXERCISE PER DAY TO THAT DAYS ROUTINE. On days you don't have a scheduled workout, you can just do the prescribed upper back exercise at home. All that's required is your bodyweight or 1-2 mini bands -- one band if you're doing pull-aparts or 2 bands on days you perform the "triple threat".


"The Escort": 3-Week Upper Back program

WEEK 1

Sunday: *80 total Band Pull-aparts 
*If you have a weak upper back, split the reps up over more sets. Example: Perform 10 sets of 8 reps throughout the day while watching football :) 

Monday: Double mini band "Face Pull-Rotate-Y press" (aka, Triple Threat) - 3 sets of 8

Tuesday: Blackburns on Floor (Y-W-T-I) - 3 sets of 10sec. hold each position

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: 80 total Band Pull-aparts

Friday: Double mini band "Face Pull-Rotate-Y press" (aka, Triple Threat) - 3 x 8

Saturday: Blackburns on Floor (Y-W-T-I) - 3 sets of 10sec. hold each position


WEEK 2

Sunday: 90 total Band Pull-aparts

Monday: Double mini band "Face Pull-Rotate-Y press" (aka, Triple Threat) - 4 sets of 8

Tuesday: Blackburns on Floor (Y-W-T-I) - 3 sets of 12sec. hold each position

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: 90 total Band Pull-aparts

Friday: Double mini band "Face Pull-Rotate-Y press" (aka, Triple Threat) - 4 sets of 8

Saturday: Blackburns on Floor (Y-W-T-I) - 3 sets of 12sec. hold each position


WEEK 3 

Sunday: 100 total Band Pull-aparts

Monday: Double mini band "Face Pull-Rotate-Y press" (aka, Triple Threat) - 4 sets of 10

Tuesday: Blackburns on Floor (Y-W-T-I) - 3 sets of 15sec. hold each position

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: 100 total Band Pull-aparts

Friday: Double mini band "Face Pull-Rotate-Y press" (aka, Triple Threat) - 4 sets of 10

Saturday: Blackburns on Floor (Y-W-T-I) - 3 sets of 15sec. hold each position 


Add these exercises into your routine and get back to me in 3 weeks. I know you'll be pleased with the results!

And remember...Upper back is the new chest! (You heard it here first!) 

Joe D. 

P.S. - If you liked the info provided in this blog post, you'll love the info revealed in these resources... 

-Take your training to the next level with these Never-Before-Seen exercises ==> EXTREME DVD

-The foundation of any program starts with a properly designed warm-up. Click here to check out the best-selling warm-up product in the world ==> AMPED WARM-UP

(NEW) "Combo" exercise will make your hips feel great!

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If you're someone that's pressed for time, I have a great new variation of the Hip Thrust for you. This exercise will help you complete your warm-up quicker by killing "2 birds with one stone".

The "Figure 4 Hip Thrust" will improve hip mobility while simultaneously activating your glutes. This is a great exercise to perform before squatting, deadlifting, sprinting or jumping. Your hips will feel great when you're done!

Check it out...

Give this one a try and let me know what you think by dropping me a comment below! 

Joe D. 


Joe D. reveals his most valuable Business Lessons (video)

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WARNING: If you're expecting the typical information that's found in every book in the Business or Motivation section of Barnes & Noble, you're going to be disappointed.

You will NOT find this type of advice in any business book, college course or "Self Help" seminar. The decade's worth of lessons I share in the video below can only be learned from REAL WORD EXPERIENCE. Hopefully all of the aspiring gym owners reading this right now will benefit from this video. 

Enjoy...


What did you guys think of the video? Do you have any valuable business lessons that you would like to share with my readers? If so, feel free to drop a comment below!

Joe D. 

Joe D. reveals his Top 2 Secrets to "Making It" in the Personal Training Business

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What did you guys think of this video? Do you have any advice of your own that you'd like to share with my readers?

If so, please drop your comment below. 

Joe D. 


The Complete Athletic Development System - Over 40 YEARS of training knowledge and experience packed into one DVD series! 

Idiosyncrasies vs. Flaws in Baseball

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[The following is a guest blog post by Mike Guadango]

Kevin_Brown

Former catcher Jorge Posada knew when Kevin Brown was on the mound, he liked to work very quickly. Jorge’s job was to receive the ball and give it back to Brown ASAP, because he liked to work fast. As soon as Brown got it, he got into his windup.

Brown was a very successful Big League pitcher, and working fast was just part of his game. I suppose you can call it an idiosyncrasy. Regardless, once the ball was in his hand, it was “go time”!

Janis_Lusis_javelin_coach
Interesting Note: Javelin coach Janis Lusis believes the moment the javelin has been put in the hand, javelin throwing begins. 


There’s a mass of coaches that cannot distinguish differences between idiosyncrasies and technical flaws, myself included. How do you do it? I’ll be honest, my only answer is, “It depends.”

-A flaw is a movement that is or leads to a mechanical disadvantage or disturbance, which will lead to a decrease in performance or injury.

-An idiosyncrasy is something the athlete does that is a natural part of their process and does not hinder performance or lead to injury.


So the question is, “How do we distinguish between the two?”

Good question…

A friend of mine who coaches a higher-level baseball team recently called me for some assistance. Their ace underwent shoulder surgery last year, but continued to experience pain. Their coaching staff, PT's, AT's & MD's couldn’t really see what the issue was because there was no sign of any structural incompetence.

Although I knew I didn’t really have to, I evaluated him physically to see if there were any structural abnormalities through general & semi-specific movement patterns, and as I suspected nothing special showed. I then went on to watch him throw. Because I’ve never seen him throw before, I hadn’t a baseline, so I relied heavily on coaches and players eyes.

My list of questions for his coaches:

#1 - Has that always been his arm slot? 

#2 - Is his arm action lagging?

#3 - Does he always work quickly?


He liked to work at a very quick pace even during warm-ups. I suppose it can be considered Kevin Brown-esque.

Then my questions for the pitcher:

#1 - When do you have pain & where?

          a. Before first throw?

          b. First throw? 

          c. End of warm-up?

          d. Beginning of throwing session?

          e. End of throwing session?

          f. After session?

#2 - What are you thinking when throwing? Has your mentality changed since the injury?


Here was my thought process as I was watching him...

I watched him like a hawk until he experienced discomfort and then I started comparing movements, times, efforts, etc., to what he did when he wasn’t in discomfort.

He felt fine during general and specific warm-up. He didn’t start experiencing pain until post-warm-up and into the session.

Why? As the session progressed, mechanics altered slightly due to fatigue. When mechanics altered, parts of the body were placed in disadvantageous positions, which caused discomfort. (Makes sense, right?)

I believed that his fatigue occurred because of his fast pace which was not an idiosyncrasy, but a flaw. Baseball is a sport where if you’re tired, you can simply call timeout and take a breather. The need to work quickly is not there, so to train the system to perform in that manner is illogical. However, the pitcher is fairly set in his ways regarding his mental approach to pitching. Because he has been successful it is not only expected but also encouraged, so I will not attempt to change that at all; that would likely be counterproductive.

Instead, I informed the catcher to hold on to the ball for a few seconds longer to allow the pitcher to recover. The reason why I didn’t have the pitcher hold on to it is because it would change his approach, and I didn’t want to do that. He has a certain mindset once he has the ball in his hand/glove and I’m not messing with that - that’d be irresponsible. So instead, I called upon the catcher to slow him down. I then suggested that the pitcher think about throwing at 90% rather than as hard as he can. I wanted movements to be effortless.

Now some of you may be saying, “But that changes his approach. He’s an 'all go' type of pitcher, you just said if you change that it would hinder performance.”  The key is I did NOT change his mentality; his mentality stayed consistent, the only thing that changed was the percent of perceived physical effort given. With high-speed movements, trying hard and being tight is counter-productive and dangerous.

Charlie_Francis_and_Ben_Johnson
The late, great sprint coach Charlie Francis (pictured above on the right) said, "Sprinting is a very high brain activity; the more you think about, the slower you will go." This same philosophy holds true for pitching; thinking too much and trying too hard is usually detrimental to performance. 

After a few throws at this pace, proper mechanics returned, his stride lengthened, discomfort subsided and velocity went up. In fact, this was the hardest he’d thrown to date since surgery. It seemed as though we found a painless fix to a potentially painful issue.

Unfortunately, I only got to work with him that one day, so there was only so much work that could be done and evaluated. So in this instance, the “idiosyncrasy” had to be tweaked a tad to deliver the desired results.

Simply put, it’s all just trial and error. Anyone that tells you otherwise is fooling themselves. As coaches/trainers, we have to assess every single athlete that walks through our doors. We must then do our best to provide them with the most efficient programs and understandable advice in order to help them reach their goals.

Mike Guadango is a physical preparation specialist and the Director of Baseball training at DeFranco's Gym. If you're interested in learning more about our baseball programming, you can email Mike at: dango@defrancostraining.com 



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Want to improve your potential to throw faster & hit harder? Get this ---> POWER!
Develop true "core" strength & decrease injury potential with this ---> Hard:Core  

The 'Bare Essential' to Preventing Knee Pain

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Article written by Cameron Josse
Physical Preparation Specialist, DeFranco's Gym

Bball_knee_injury2

I feel bad for the knee joint nowadays. It’s often said that we don’t know what we don’t know - and when it comes to the knees, this point can’t be any truer. With the influx of “performance” footwear for different sports, it seems that the good intentions have forgotten the bare essentials.

High tops, ankle braces, ankle taping…the list goes on and on. We have seemingly made athletes overcautious. The problem is that all of these means of ankle support are causing a very negative shift towards ankle immobility which can then have a direct influence on how the knee operates under stress and loading.

high_top_bball_shoe

The Problem with Footwear

Athletes in team sports are very cautious about their ankles because they are key contributors to maneuvers such as sprinting, cutting, and jumping. The fad in basketball footwear is a higher-topped shoe to help with “ankle support” as basketball players must be able to change direction, jump, and land effectively for rep after rep over the course of an entire game. It’s not uncommon for these players to tape their ankles or wear ankle braces (or both) to further aid in the support of their “bad” ankles, while they compete on the court. As a former college football player, I witnessed just about my entire team get their ankles taped before every game (including me).

Let’s be clear for a second. I am not advocating that these athletes go cold turkey and stop with the taping, bracing and the high top shoes. However, what I am saying is that our reliance on these methods of support has gotten a bit out of hand. Having too much support and stability results in all but a complete dismissal of mobility at the ankle joint. The ankle must be able to strengthen and mobilize through function and an over-reliance on these “aids” may, in fact, be one of the primary reasons why the ankle joint begins to degrade over time.

A Joint-By-Joint Approach to the Ankle & Knee

Mike Boyle’s "Joint-By-Joint Approach" is one of the most concise and simple approaches anyone can take to examine how their body operates in a stability/mobility relationship among joints. If you are unfamiliar with the Joint-By-Joint concept by Boyle, I encourage you to take a look at it. It can be found here. What the model shows is an alternating pattern of different joints that either tend to tightness and immobility or instability and weakness.

Joint-by-Joint-slide1

When it comes to the distal lower extremities, the ankle will tend to immobility as the knee will tend to instability. However, because our foundation is built from the ground up and our feet support all of the superior structures, the immobility at the ankle is, more often than not, the culprit in effecting knee stability.

Hunting Out the Kink in the Kinetic Chain

Taking the logic of the Joint-By-Joint Approach, we can create a cause/effect relationship among different parts of kinetic chains. Kinetic chains are segments of the body utilized in sequence to perform complex movement patterns.

When specifically discussing the ankle and the knee, what we can observe is that as the ankles become progressively more immobile, the body will then search and hunt for another location that it can find the mobility that it needs to serve a given function.

Because the ankle is inhibited due to immobilization, the next best stop along the chain is the knee. But here’s the problem: We now have a joint that serves a primary function of stability becoming unstable and weak because it is being forced to absorb the stress that the preceding joint was unable to conquer. Voila – a stable joint slowly becomes a hypermobile joint. The knee is then forced to compensate and do a job that it was never primarily meant to do and knee pain is just the next chapter in the story.

The Sight of Pain vs. the Cause of Pain

As we should all know by now, local pain is often the result of a distant cause. Going along once more with the Joint-By-Joint Approach, we can see that a dysfunction in one area can affect other areas above or below it. Let’s take the previously stated example. The knee progressively develops pain as a result of compensating for an unstable ankle. The pain is felt in the knee but the real cause is the unstable ankle. If the ankle can become mobilized, then there is a good chance that the knee pain will gradually begin to dissipate.

Restoring function to a weak link in the kinetic chain will then allow for the surrounding links in the chain to function as they should. So, restoring full mobility at the ankle joint will allow for the knee to take on its primary role of a stable joint. The ankle will successfully absorb the necessary forces associated with different movements and the knee won’t have to do the ankle’s job.

How Do I Know If I Have Full Ankle Mobility?

Allow me to make a quick comment regarding knee pain. Despite what I have stated above; there are, of course, cases of knee pain in which the ankle is not the issue. Taking the logic of the weak link in the kinetic chain, the pain could be coming from somewhere else or could be trauma-related. However, being able to restore full ankle range of motion can only help alleviate any knee pain that may be present.

So how can you tell if your ankles are well-suited to handle force and stress in different scenarios?

One way could be to visit a clinical specialist who performs a bunch of different tests around your ankle (dorsi-flexion, plantar flexion, supination, pronation, etc.) and measures the degree at which the ankle moves. This is arguably the most efficient way of determining full range of motion around the ankle joint.

"Hey, that sounds great but I really don’t want to make an appointment or go through that kind of trouble just to see if my ankle is working well. Isn’t there just something I can do at home?"

 

Lucky for us, mobility master Kelly Starrett has a quick and easy test to measure the function of the ankle. If you can successfully lower yourself into a pistol squat and maintain that position, then you have full range of motion at the ankle. As Kelly says, “there’s nothing that we do as human beings that requires more ankle range of motion than being in a good, stable pistol position.” Needless to say, if you pass this test then your ankles are pretty solid and ready for movement.

To perform the test, set your feet about one fist width apart with your feet parallel to each other and toes facing forward (see pic below).

Pistol_setup_front_side

Next, lower your hips into a very narrow squat (if your ankles really suck then you won’t even be able to do this part). Then, pick one of your feet up and extend the leg straight out in front of you and try to maintain your balance on the foot that’s on the ground. If you can maintain this position then your ankles have full range of motion and likely won’t be a factor in effecting knee pain.

full_pistol_front_side_

NOTE: If you're a bigger guy who thinks you can’t get into this position just because you're big, take note that the guy in these photos is a 5’10” 275 lb. powerlifter. In other words, "being big" isn't an excuse. *As a side note, it's no coincidence that the above powerlifter displays near perfect squatting technique - even when training with maximal loads. Check out this video clip of Paul squatting 615 (raw) for a triple...

Ok, I Checked My Ankles and They Suck…What Can I Do?

There are plenty of ways that ankle mobility and range of motion can be restored. Taking time to slowly work the ankle through different mobility drills pre and post-workout are common among strength programs and are a great way to help bring the ankle back to full throttle. Another option is soft tissue work to help restore the surrounding fascia and different sliding surfaces around the foot, ankle, and knee. But a very simple and effective way of helping to restore ankle mobility is to simply remove your shoes during lower body training sessions.

HHH_yoke_in_vibrams
One of the very first changes Joe DeFranco made to WWE superstar Triple H's training was getting him to train barefoot (or with "minimalist" footwear). Triple H has stated that training barefoot has been the key to improving his ankle mobility, while drastically reducing chronic knee pain. 

Barefoot training has been used by tons of people who advocate its use and when it comes to foot/ankle function it’s pretty hard to beat. Without shoes, your foot and ankle are able to perform as nature originally intended. It is quite a unique experience to go from squatting or lunging for years with shoes to trying it without them. Most people immediately realize the weakness in the soles of their feet and the immobility at the ankles.

I originally started this trend with my athletes during their lower body warm-ups only, but I have now shifted to keeping the shoes off for all lower body exercises. The exceptions to this notion are exercises of very high ground reaction forces such as sprinting or high-intensive jump variations. But all forms of squatting, lunging, deadlifting, and low-intensive jumping or skipping can be performed without shoes and serve the athlete well. The issues of implementing ankle mobility drills or prehab take care of themselves and it serves as a simple and time-effective way of helping your knees by helping your ankles.

Squatting_No_ShoesCROP
Athlete squatting barefoot

Things to look for when training the lower body without shoes:
  • Foot Positioning: a natural arch must be maintained while performing activities such as squatting or lunging. A foot that is too far supinated can cause the ankle to roll and sprain and a foot that is too far pronated can throw off the entire kinetic chain on the way up.
  • Knee Positioning: a common fault in performing activities with or without shoes is that the foot will tend to pronate which will then cause the knee to collapse inward. Cue the athlete to keep the kneecaps out toward the outer half of the foot which will put the knee in a safer position and will likely result in the foot attaining a natural arch.
  • Hip and Torso Position: Even if the foot and ankle are in perfect positioning, the hips can tend to be lopsided which will then throw off the torso and, consequently, the center of mass. The athlete must maintain proper positioning throughout the entire body, starting with the feet and finishing with the hips and torso.
3_foot_positions_w_TEXT
                                                                                      

Simple and Effective

It’s always a shame to see athletes hindered by nagging chronic pain or injury resulting from years of cumulative stress. The knee is subject to a lot of loading whether you are a strength athlete or a field athlete and it must be kept as healthy as possible.

Without shoes, your ankles are unrestricted in all degrees of movement. Barefoot is the simplest and most time efficient way (training economy) of mobilizing the ankle, which will have a positive impact on the knee.

If we can take small and simple approaches to helping the body function as it should, then we will find ourselves on the right path to fulfilling long, healthy competitive careers. Training can only be effective if it takes place in a sound environment – it should not be adding insult to injury.

Get your ankles right and your knees will thank you!

----------


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COMING SOON.... STRENGTH: Barbell Training Essentials (DVD)

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I am extremely excited to announce that the newest DVD in our Complete Athletic Development System is in the final stages of editing and will be available to you in December! 

This DVD focusses on mastering the technique of the Bench Press, Squat, Deadlift and all of their variations. The thing that truly separates this product from all other strength dvd's and books is that we don't only show you how to properly set up and perform each lift; we show you how to correct your technique flaws if you're unable to execute the exercise properly. 

Is your breakdown in form due to a lack of knowledge?

...Or maybe a mobility restriction?

...Or maybe a lack of strength? 

...Maybe it's all three?!

Knowing how to identify technical flaws and then make the necessary correction(s) to change them is invaluable information for those looking to improve strength, health and performance. 

Check this out...

NOTE TO COACHES & TRAINERS: It's time for us to take a step back and get great at teaching the BASICS again! Far too many coaches get caught up in advanced program design before their athletes can even squat 225 pounds with acceptable form!!! I have news for you... It doesn't matter what program you're on; if your exercise technique sucks, you're not going to get much of a training effect from it - unless getting injured and having to take time off is the "effect" you're looking for! 

It's time to bring back the strength coach that's competent in teaching compound barbell movements to his/her athletes. To me, this is THE foundation for any coach - regardless of the "program" your athletes are on.  

Keep checking back for updates on the release of our new DVD... 

STRENGTH: Barbell Training Essentials

-Joe D. 
#NoGimmicks
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