Regardless of who you are, where you train, or what your goals may be; you should be performing band pull-aparts. The long list of benefits that this exercise provides can't be ignored. Unfortunately, most people absolutely butcher this amazingly simple movement. So I felt the time was right for me to take a stand...

In this episode of Ask DeFranco's Gym, I show you how to drastically increase the effectiveness of this awesome exercise.

Joe D. 

PS - After a year of collaboration and (original) content creation, Smitty and I have finally completed the DeFranco Insider membership site! Our goal was to create a "one-stop-shop" training resource for athletes, coaches, lifters, gym owners, therapists and weekend warriors...and we think we accomplished our goal! From the Monthly Workouts, to the Premium Training Logs, the members-only Contests and Challenges, the huge video Exercise Index, and the members-only Forum -- there is literally something for everyone! We truly feel we have created the #1 training resource on the internet. I'd love for you guys to go check it out for yourself. Click the DeFranco Insider pic below and I hope to see you on the inside! 

This article was written by Jennifer Turner and originally appeared on the Onnit Academy website. 

DeFranco’s Gym at The Onnit Academy opens doors to the public this month, combining the world famous performance training methods responsible for producing top NFL and WWE stars like Brian Cushing and Triple H (Paul Levesque) with Onnit Academy’s unrivaled unconventional training expertise.

Onnit Academy Gym is a 10,000 square foot operation located adjacent to Onnit headquarters a few miles from downtown Austin, Texas. The flagship facility has two uniquely outfitted spaces ideal for expression of both Joe DeFranco’s and Onnit’s preferred modalities.

What the Onnit Academy Gym Offers

The main hall boasts the actual training equipment from Joe DeFranco’s legendary New Jersey gym, voted by Men’s Health to be one of “America’s 10 Best Gyms”. Complete with 90 feet of high quality turf, 4 professional squat/bench platforms, unique performance equipment, and enough weight to train an NFL team, many of the nation’s top athletes are expected to train alongside athletes of all walks of life.

The second hall is fully loaded with the full range of Onnit’s unconventional fitness equipment, featuring kettlebells, sandbags, steel maces, steel clubs, and more. Offering individual, small group, and large group training, the Academy promises to be the epicenter of a new paradigm in peak performance training, regardless of where anyone is starting from.

“I couldn’t be more excited to relocate my gym to the Onnit Academy in Austin, Texas. With DeFranco’s Gym & Onnit Academy under one roof, we now truly have a one-stop-shop for anyone to achieve their fitness or athletic goals. The combined knowledge and passion of both teams, coupled with the state-of-the-art equipment and recovery modalities, puts this facility in a league of its own. I can’t wait for athletes and fitness enthusiasts from across the globe to come experience this amazing facility,” commented Joe DeFranco.

In addition to the training available, the Onnit academy is one of the first public gyms in the nation to offer full body cryotherapy, which has a multitude of well documented benefits including enhancing the recovery cascade and helping reduce inflammation response. Myofascial release and massage, along with unique yoga offerings from Black Swan Yoga are also a part of the plans.

Other amenities include infrared sauna, locker rooms and showers, as well as a flagship smoothie, coffee, and supplements bar, the first of it’s kind for Onnit. The objective of the Onnit Academy is to provide not just the physical training, but a comprehensive, holistic approach to total human optimization.

“Before I founded Onnit, I had a dream of opening up a gym that combined the relentless enthusiasm of a warehouse gym, the scientific rigor of a world class peak performance facility, and the knowledge of the functional methods that had existed in warrior culture throughout history. What is coming to fruition at the Onnit Academy is beyond anything I could have ever imagined,” remarked Onnit CEO, Aubrey Marcus.

Mark de Grasse, Chief Fitness Officer for Onnit went on to add, “It’s amazing to see the physical manifestation of this new fitness paradigm. I believe that there is going to be a major shift in the way people view and practice exercise in the near future, and the Onnit Academy Gym is going to be ground zero for that change.”

When to Train at the Onnit Academy Gym

The launch will kick off November 21, 2014 with a star studded grand opening party and live podcast hosted by Aubrey Marcus and Jason Ellis of the Jason Ellis Show.

The party is a private event for Onnit and DeFranco’s Gym VIP’s and media only. Onnit Honor Roll Athletes in attendance will include UFC trainer of the year, Mike Dolce, UFC Champ TJ Dillashaw, UFC athletes: Tim Kennedy, Danny Castillo, Andrew Craig, Paige VanZant, Joseph Benavidez, Luke Barnatt, Olympian Trey Hardee, entrepreneur Lewis Howes and many more.

For more information or to request a press pass to the grand opening event please contact jennifer@onnit.com.

To contact DeFranco’s Gym and Onnit Academy gym call 855-787-7269 or email info@onnitacademy.com.

Triple H & Stephanie McMahon revolutionize the

“Celebrity Workout DVD” industry!

^{Let’s face it - most celebrity “workout” DVD’s suck. They are filled with fluff and pseudo-science provided by celebrities who most likely never even performed “their” own workout! But because they are “famous” [usually in an industry that has absolutely nothing to do with fitness] millions of DVD’s are sold and millions of people end up being misinformed. (This drives fitness “purists” like myself crazy.) The end result is a society of overweight, unhealthy people who claim they can’t get in shape even though “they’ve tried everything”.} 

Enter Stephanie McMahon & Paul “Triple H” Levesque – WWE’s ultimate POWER COUPLE!

^{Rest assured, these are not your mamma’s celebrity workout DVD’s! I know this first-hand because I helped design them and I was on-set for the filming of them :)}  

^{I’ve been training Triple H & Stephanie for almost 5 years now and I can tell you that the workouts shown in these DVD’s are actual workouts that both of them have been performing for years. I’ve also used these workouts with other professional athlete clients of mine who travel a lot. They are my “go to” workouts whenever someone is on the road, staying in a hotel, or if they’re pressed for time. They are also great for people who just don’t like training at commercial gyms. (All you need to perform these workouts are your own body and one or two pairs of dumbells. That’s it.)} 

Here's a little sneak peak…

Saying “you don’t have enough time to train” will never be an excuse again. If you’re reading this right now, I guarantee you’re not busier than the two people in these DVD’s! Regardless of the day, time, or location, both Triple H and Steph consistently get their workouts in. THAT’S why they look the way they do and THAT’S one of the reasons they are both so successful! 

^{The workouts in each DVD are challenging, yet their unique nature makes them fun to perform. To quote my wife, “I feel like Stephanie is actually in my living room training with me, so it makes it so much easier to push myself. The workouts seem to go by really quickly as well.”}

^{The workouts in each DVD range from 6 minutes to 30 minutes. (That’s right – the longest workout in either of the DVD’s only takes 30 minutes!) And are you ready for this?... They only cost $14.99!! (To be honest, I was shocked when I saw the price.)} 

^{I'm looking forward to hearing and seeing the positive impact that these DVD's are going to have on the lives of people from across the globe.} 

The celebrity workout DVD game has indeed changed. And I can't tell you how proud I am to be a small part of it.

WWE FIT SERIES: Stephanie McMahon DVD <---- BUY IT NOW

WWE POWER SERIES: Triple H DVD <---- BUY IT NOW

Joe D. 

-Joe D. 

TOP 6 [practical] TRAINING BOOKS

Part 1 of 2

Here's a recap of my favorites:

1. Dinosaur Training - Brooks Kubik  (review starts 1:32 into video)

2. STRENGTH - Joe DeFranco & James Smith  (review starts 3:10 into video)

3. SPEED - Joe DeFranco & James Smith  (review starts 5:05 into video)

4. Ultimate MMA Conditioning - Joel Jamieson  (review starts 6:54 into video)

5. Becoming a Supple Leopard - Kelly Starrett  (review starts 8:41 into video)

6. High Performance Training for Sports - David Joyce & Daniel Lewindon  (review starts 10:52 into video)

BONUS EBOOK - 12 Years: 12 EPIC Workouts (limited edition)

See you back here tomorrow when I reveal my Top 6 [most practical] Business books in Part 2 of this review series!

Joe D. 

TOP 6 [most practical] Business Books

Part 2 of 2

Here's a recap of my favorites:

1. The E-Myth - Michael E. Gerber  (review starts 0:36 into video)

2. CRUSH IT! - Gary Vaynerchuk  (review starts 4:30 into video)

3. Raving Fans - Ken Blanchard  (review starts 9:40 into video)

4. Essentialism - Greg McKeown  (review starts 12:08 into video)

5. The Starbucks Experience - Joseph A. Michelli  (review starts 14:20 into video)

6. The Secret to Success - Eric Thomas  (review starts 16:55 into video)

BONUS E-BOOK - 12 Years: 12 EPIC Workouts (Special Offer!) 

Hope you enjoyed my Training & Business book reviews! If you did enjoy them, please feel free to share them with your friends, family & co-workers! 

Joe D. 

The barbell deadlift is one of the all-time great exercises for developing full body strength. Unfortunately, it's butchered by 95% of the people who perform it. Hence, its association with screwing up your low-back. Because of this, I wanted to make an instructional video that anyone can easily reference at any time. You'll find this video to be quick and extremely practical. Please do yourself a favor and invest 4 minutes of your time to watch. This will enable you to start experiencing the benefits of this great lift, as opposed to the all-too-common drawbacks (caused by improper technique). 

Proper Deadlift Form - 7 Steps

Step 1: Take your sneakers off. Most sneakers have a heel on them which pulls you forward, and pulls you out of position.

Step 2: Close your eyes and do a vertical jump. Wherever your feet land is where you want to position your stance. This is usually about hip width, or slightly narrower.

Step 3: Place your shins close to the bar, but not directly on the bar. Place your shins around an inch behind the bar and perform a hip hinge until your hands can grab the barbell.

Step 4: Before you pull the barbell off the floor, you are going to "pull the slack out of the bar". Example: If there is 135 pounds on the bar, only pull with 134 pounds of force. (This will put your lats on tension.) Also, make sure your chin is tucked (as if you were making a double-chin); this will ensure you maintain a neutral spine.

Step 5: Force your knees out against your arms. This will create torque at the hips.

Step 6: To initiate the movement, act as if you're "leg pressing" the floor and stand up straight. Do NOT over arch (hyperextend) your low back at lockout. Your body should be in a perfectly straight line at lockout, while focussing on flexing these three specific muscles - lats, glutes, quads. 

Step 7: To return the bar to the floor, perform an RDL. Once the bar reaches just below your knee caps, you can drop the bar straight down. 

-Joe D. 

Joe DeFranco's Industrial Strength Show - episode #1

On today's podcast, Joe discusses the following topics:

• The back story behind the show's Intro
• The GROUND RULES regarding show sponsorship
• WHY Joe decided to start a podcast
• WHO is the target audience for the Industrial Strength Show
• The BENEFITS of listening to the show
• How this podcast will be DIFFERENT than others in the same category
• Joe D. answers YOUR questions during the final 40 minutes of the show!

Q&A TOPICS INCLUDE:

• How to increase ankle ROM while maintaining reactive/elastic stiffness
• Optimal (baseball) base-stealing start technique
• Joe D‘s most effective self-care therapy for low-back pain & tightness
• How to deadlift WITHOUT injuring your low-back
• Dynamic-effort training guidelines (sets, reps, percentages)
• Does Joe D. really eat nails for breakfast?!
• CPPS online certification announcement!
• Joe D’s Top 5 lifts to build the Bench Press, Deadlift & Squat
• Why do so many great athletes have skinny calves?
• Joe D’s secret (stimulant-free) supplement stack revealed!

**LISTEN to Joe DeFranco’s Industrial Strength Show**

To listen, click the link of your preferred method below:

Click here to subscribe and listen via iTunes. 

Click here to subscribe and listen via Stitcher.

LINKS from the show:

www.onnit.com/defranco - Use the coupon code “defranco” to get 10% off your order!

www.cppscoaches.com - Become part of our global network of coaches, personal trainers, and fitness professionals!

www.NovakAttack.com - The official website of the man who created Joe D’s BADASS podcast Intro. (Specializing in music composition and production for digital media and film.)

www.defrancostraining.com - Sign up for my FREE e-newsletter (underneath my pic on the Homepage).

Wanna become a SPONSOR?

If so, email: Ashley@defrancostraining.com and write “podcast sponsor” in the subject line.

Do you have FEEDBACK from today’s show? If so, email info@defrancostraining.com or hit me up on Twitter @DeFrancosGym!

If you liked the show, I’d truly appreciate it if you can take 60 seconds and write a short review (1-2 sentences is fine) on iTunes. It would help us out a lot! 

Thanks for listening! 

Joe D. 

_{After only 1 week in the podcast world, we're already makin' some noise...and it wouldn't be possible without YOU guys! Thanks for all the downloads, sharing, social media buzz, and overall support. I truly appreciate it! I'm more motivated than ever to make this podcast bigger, better and more informative each and every week for you guys. Let's keep the train movin'!}

_{-Joe D.} 

_{PS - We just launched episode #2! Check it out...}

-------------------------

   Joe DeFranco’s Industrial Strength Show – episode #2

SHOW NOTES (episode #2)

On this week's podcast, Joe discusses the biggest obstacle he had to overcome when opening his storage closet "gym". This leads to an epic rant about his first encounter with "Mrs. Jones". [You gotta hear this. FUNNY & INSPIRING.]

OTHER TOPICS INCLUDE:

•  In-season training philosophy
• The importance of having “Indicator exercises” in your program
• Where to start if you want to be a successful Sports Performance trainer
• Most efficient ways to develop aerobic & anaerobic capacity
• A new way for boxers to perform their “road work”
• The very first Industrial Strength Show guest REVEALED!
• And much, much more!

LISTEN to Joe DeFranco’s Industrial Strength Show

To listen, you can click either of the links below:

Click here to subscribe and listen via iTunes.

Click here to subscribe and listen via Stitcher.

Important LINKS from the show:

www.onnit.com/defranco - Use the coupon code “defranco” to get 10% off the best supplements in the world!

www.onnitacademygym.com/strongman - Come join us for a FREE Strongman training session at the new DeFranco’s Gym at the Onnit Academy!

www.irelandstrengthandconditioning.com/dinny-stapleton/ - Learn more about Dinny Stapleton’s journey from Ireland to New Jersey. 

www.defrancostraining.com - Sign up for Joe D’s FREE e-newsletter (underneath his pic on the Homepage).

Football Conditioning – The RIGHT WAY! – This article demonstrates the practical application of Joe’s discussion on anaerobic capacity training.

If you liked the show, we would truly appreciate it if you can take 60 seconds and write a short review (1-2 sentences is fine) on iTunes. (This helps us out a lot! And FYI, we will be sending FREE t-shirts to those who write the best reviews :)

Thanks for listening!

We are in the process of a major website upgrade, so I will be posting minimally (if at all) on this blog during the next few weeks. If you're interested in continuing to get the podcast show notes and important links, subscribe to my [free] e-newsletter. All podcast updates, along with the show notes, will be sent to newsletter subscribers each week.

*You will see the newsletter sign-up on the sidebar of this web page.

NOTE: New episodes of the Industrial Strength Show podcast will be posted each week on Thursday. 

To listen to the podcast, choose any of the following: 

iTunes

Stitcher 

Podcast website (Libsyn)

You can also stay up-to-date on everything that's going on in the world of DeFranco's by following us on Twitter! 

Joe D.