2010 WSA Video Highlights & Final Standings!

Tuesday, 31 August 2010 21:41

FINAL STANDINGS

HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION

1. *Pat Cole - Hasbrouck Heights High School (Track & Field)

2. Travis Woods

3. Michael Lisi

4. Matt Heyman

5. Jake Haddock

6. Kevin Bless

7. Joe Gallina

8. Sean Doherty

9. Chris Guido

10. Jon Wozney

11. Anthony Torchia

12. Jack Meussner

13. Joseb Baik

14. Vinny Asclese

15. Dominic Savittieri

POLICE/FIRE/MILITARY DIVISION

1. *Kevin Kelly - New Jersey State Police

2. Greg Cyrwus

3. James Muir, Jr.

4. Mike Rossi

5. Gary Webb

6. Mark Lemanski

COLLEGE DIVISION

1. *Andrew Sklover - Monmouth University (Football)

2. Brian Pascal

3. David Kennedy

4. Brandon Glyck

5. Pat Hashey

6. Frank Spinelli

7. Cameron Josse

8. Derek King

9T. Tom Ottainano

9T. David Sinisi

10T. Nick Goodling

10T. Matt Lowney

11. Paul Drake

12. Chris Orzechowski

13. Josh Wade

14. Frank Franco

15T. Zac Belair

15T. LaSalle McDonald

16. Dan Wenclewicz

17. Zack Moore

18. Mike Gregory

19. Andre McCalmont

20. Tyler Metauro

21. Nic Peterson

22. Brian Oberther

23. David Drake

Once again, I want to thank all of the athletes, parents, sponsors and supporters of this incredible event. The growth of this event has been astronomical! Last year, we raised $1400 for the National MS Society. This year, we will be presenting a check for over $10,000 to the National MS Society! Next year's goal is to DOUBLE this year's donation and we're confident we will accomplish our goal!!!

SPECIAL THANKS to our Title Sponsor, Sica Wealth Management, for stepping up on short notice and making the incredible growth of this years event possible!

Keep yourself "in the loop" for next year's event by checking out WorldsStrongestAthlete.com throughout the year! This will be the "home base" for sponsorship info and details regarding the 2011 World's Strongest Athlete Contest!

-Joe D.

3 Comments

Gym bag essentials!

Saturday, 14 August 2010 14:56

Q: Defranco - my dream is to train at your gym but it looks like that ain't happening do to a lack of money and i live about 4 hours away..i would seriously chop off my pinkie to train with you guys, you have no idea!! This leads me to my question- a couple of days ago i read an article on elitefts about things you should carry in your gym bag. my question to you is what should i have in MY gym bag if i want to have a Defrancos gym kinda workout at my local (shitty) gym?? any suggestions?? -Frank

A: Frank,

I feel bad that you don't have enough money and you live too far away to train with us, so I'm going to help you out by taking you up on your offer! Here's what I'm going to do for you...

Fed-Ex one of your pinkies to: 750 Braen Ave., Wyckoff, NJ 07481. When I receive your pinkie, I'll know you're really serious about training with us, so I'll shoot you an email so we can schedule your sessions...

I'M JUST KIDDING!!! DON'T CHOP OFF YOUR PINKIE LIKE RONNIE LOTT!!!

(And for those of you who are shaking your head right now and saying, "No shit you're kidding, Joe. You didn't actually have to spell it out!" -- YES I DID have to 'spell it out'! TRUST ME on this one; nobody knows my audience better than I do!)

Ok Frank, time to get serious...

Before I tell you how to fill your gym bag, I want to make one thing very clear: There is NO piece of equipment that "defines" my gym or the style of training that takes place at my gym! In other words, buying a pair of chains doesn't mean you "do the same stuff that DeFranco's does"! (My biggest pet peeve is when kids say to me, "Hey coach, we do your exact same program at my school...we 'do' chains!") Anyway, the foundation (equipment-wise) for any program should be your body, barbells and dumbells! We proved this with our wildly popular "BUILT LIKE A BADASS" program! The Badass Program is one (of many) programs that produce unreal results without the help of any "special" equipment. With that being said, utilizing "special" equipment is a great way to add variety to your program, while helping you break through sticking points! So without further ado, here are a bunch of "hidden gems" that are small enough to fit in your gym bag, yet they help produce BIG results...DeFranco-style!!!

#1) LACROSSE BALL - Every athlete should have a lacrosse ball in their gym bag! Period. The lacrosse ball should go hand-in-hand with foam rolling before every workout in order to improve the "quality" of soft tissue, decrease pain associated with "trigger points" and increase flexibility. Personally speaking - with the complications from all my back surgeries - stretching actually hurts me unless I "soften" the tissue first by foam rolling or performing some "self" myofascial release movements with the lax ball. I get MUCH more out of my stretches and mobility drills if I perform them AFTER foam rolling and/or using the lax ball. Simply put, using the lax ball and foam roller is the 'warm-up' before my warm-up! Most gyms now have foam rollers available, so I keep a lax ball in my gym bag because it takes up less space and they're "less available" when traveling, etc.

#2) TRAVEL STICK - The "stick" is another "must-have" for serious athletes and workout warriors. It can be used pre-workout to help loosen muscles, improve tissue quality and decrease pain; it can also be used as a post-workout massage tool to help speed up recovery between sessions. Although the stick can be used on every single muscle, I personally focus on my forearms and calves. These are two muscle groups that I feel the stick "gets" better than the foam roller and/or lax ball. The "travel" stick has all the benefits of the original stick, but the added bonus is that it's short enough to fit in just about any gym bag!

#3) AMPED WARM-UP Manual - YES, I'm plugging my newest product! Hey, it's my website so I can do whatever the hell I want ! But seriously, the AMPED manual is really in my gym bag! (I didn't just take the picture to make my bag 'look' cool.)

There's a reason my first two gym bag "essentials" were "warm-up" tools; the longer you're "in the game", the more you realize the importance of the warm-up for longevity and peak performance! Smitty and I invested a ton of time on education and research regarding the best, most efficient, way to warm up. And I honestly feel that AMPED is an instant "classic" that should - and will - be a staple in every serious athlete or coach's library (or gym bag)! Think about this: Every serious athlete or washed-up meathead carries their program or workout journal in their gym bag, but what about their WARM-UP? Is that written down with their program? Usually not! This is because most people either don't warm-up, or they just kinda do some "stuff" that pops in their head once they get to the gym. But AMPED has now "changed the game"! After reviewing the AMPED DVD, throw the manual in your gym bag and keep it there...forever! This way you will ALWAYS have a plan...it doesn't matter who you are, or what workout you're performing; AMPED is like having your own coach in your gym bag!

Let's say you had a long day at work and you're beat by the time you get to the gym...NO PROBLEM; turn to page 21 and perform the "Bitch-Slap Your CNS" warm-up. Or maybe you're fired up for a max-effort squat workout, but your low back is tight as hell from sitting behind the computer all morning; instead of stressing out and having to spend time and energy thinking about what the hell you should do when you get to the gym - just turn to page 22 and do the "Loosen Your Low-Back" warm-up. It's all spelled out for you - every exercise, every set, every rep, every situation. It's that simple! Having AMPED in your gym bag just may be the best "training partner" you've ever had!

[GRIP ACCESSORIES: Anyone who reads this website knows that I'm a huge advocate of training with "thick-handled" barbells and dumbells to improve hand and forearm strength! I truly feel that athlete's that don't train their grip will never reach their true strength potential -- in the gym or on the athletic field! Unfortunately, you'll be hard-pressed to find any thick-handled equipment at most "regular" gyms. Instead of purchasing a thick barbell or two, most gyms would rather invest a couple thousand bucks on another elliptical machine (because apparently having 30 of them isn't enough)!  The good news is that I've found two extremely effective tools that fit in your gym bag and will help you develop a vice-like grip at virtually any gym!]

#4A) FAT GRIPZ - These bad boys are a must-have! They attach to virtually any barbell, dumbell, pull-up bar or cable attachment and immediately make the bar twice as thick! They are made from military-grade, high-density compound so they don't compress at all! They are also extremely easy/convenient to use - you can literally clamp them and remove them in seconds if you're performing supersets, circuits, etc. Wanna know how much I like these things? I have every thick barbell and cable attachment known to mankind at my gym and I still have 6 pairs of these (for when I'm training larger groups)! Get a pair for your gym bag NOW!

#4B) GRIP 4ORCE - These are also a must-have for your gym bag! They can also be used on all barbells, dumbells, cable attachments and pull-up bars; simply adding Grip 4orce to any bar will further stimulate your CNS, recruit significantly more muscle (throughout your entire body), and develop a bone-crushing grip! The unique aspect of this product is that they have an opening so you have to squeeze them together throughout the exercise! They are a BEAST! I highly recommend getting these - even if you have a pair of Fat Gripz - to prevent adaptation and improve several physical grip qualities simultaneously! Get a pair for your gym bag NOW!

#5) BLAST STRAPS - When you have a pair of blast straps in your gym bag, you will never get bored...or weak! If you're really serious about training, you're definitely going to want to incorporate some kind of unstable, "suspension" training into your program. The blast straps attach to any power rack, pull-up bar or cable cross-over unit and can be used for countless exercise variations to develop strength, conditioning, balance and stability in "three dimensions"! If you're serious about your training, these things are a no-brainer!

#6) MINI BANDS & LIGHT BANDS - Unless you've been living under a rock for the past decade, you probably already know how valuable bands can be when incorporated properly into a strength & conditioning program. From rehab/prehab exercises to developing maximal strength and explosive power; bands are definitely an ALL-STAR in the strength & conditioning game! You can use the bands alone by performing exercises such as pull-aparts, triceps pushdowns, good mornings, etc. For advanced trainees, you can attach the bands to a barbell when performing such exercises as bench presses and squats to develop maximal strength & explosive power. Unlike chains, bands are much more practical to carry around in your gym bag and they don't create the noise (so you won't get kicked out of your health club)! If you want to add a TON of variety to your health club workout, as well as get brutally strong, GET SOME BANDS NOW!!

ALL of the above items can easily fit into any gym bag with plenty of room to spare! No more excuses. With these 7 items in your gym bag, you should never be bored - or weak - again!

-Joe D.

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FOCUS FOOD PRE-ORDER INFORMATION!

I am extremely excited to announce that the first batch of FOCUS FOOD protein-energy bars are being manufactured as I write this! We are almost there! Check out the video below to learn more about what's been going on regarding this incredible product...

PRE-ORDER INFORMATION

Due to the overwhelming amount of interest in this product, we've decided to take pre-orders for our loyal followers. Here's the deal: We will start taking pre-orders on Monday, August 16th at 1:00pm EST! To place your order, you must goto the following website...

www.PreOrderFocusFood.com

All pre-orders will ship on September 1st, 2010! After September 1st, all FOCUS FOOD orders will be placed through the GI NUTRITION website.

Hope to see some of you guys at the UFC FAN EXPO in Boston on August 27th & 28th!!!

-Joe D.

3 Comments

AMPED WARM-UP is HERE!!!

Sunday, 08 August 2010 23:57

It's time to set PR's & feel better instantly!!!

I can't begin to tell you how truly AMPED I am about this product! It is, hands down, the most comprehensive resource you will ever find on the topic! I truly feel that this DVD/manual package will "change the game" forever with regards to warming up! Gone are the days of skipping your warm-up because it's "boring", you're "pressed for time", or you "just don't know how" to perform a proper warm-up; AMPED will also shed light on the "overreaction" that has occurred over the past couple years regarding the warm-up...AMPED will actually supercharge you for your workout (in a time-efficient manner), as opposed to taking all day to complete and frying you out before you even start to train!

WHAT IS AMPED? HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM OTHER WARM-UP PRODUCTS?

AMPED is a DVD/Manual package. The DVD includes over an hour of warm-up exercises that are demonstrated and fully explained by myself and/or Smitty from the Diesel Crew. We break down the warm-up exercises into upper body, lower body and full body. We further categorize them by distinguishing between activation exercises, mobility exercises and self-myofascial release exercises. The DVD alone is worth the investment in this product, but the manual is what really brings everything together and puts AMPED in a league of its own!

Along with the AMPED DVD, you will receive a 300-page manual that has pictures and bullet points of every single warm-up exercise that's explained in the DVD. We did this because we realize that not everyone will remember every single exercise (or the techniques) that are explained in the dvd. We figured having a physical manual that you can throw in your gym bag and bring to the gym would add a TON of value to this product! This enables you to look through the manual and "remind" yourself of some of the exercises and key points while you're actually at the gym.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE...

The manual doesn't only provide pictures and descriptions; we included 10 sample warm-ups for 10 different situations/workouts! The reason we did this was because we know that people want to be told what to do! Most of our followers are athletes, businessmen and Average Joe's who don't want a bunch of "fluff" or "filler"; they want us to cut to the chase and just tell them what exercises need to be done in order to achieve their goal. And THIS is where we feel most other products on the subject are lacking; most DVD's will show you 30-40 warm-up exercises and then... the dvd just ends without providing any information on how to organize the information into a program/routine! Smitty and I did everyone a huge favor and we took the guesswork out of the equation! Amped DVD explains the "how's" and "why's", while the manual gives you actual warm-ups for almost any workout or situation!

Here are the TEN warm-ups that are provided in the AMPED manual...

#1) Upper Body Warm-up

#2) Lower Body Warm-up

#3) Full-Body Warm-up

#4) Post-workout/Gameday Recovery

#5) "I Hate Warming up" Warm-up

#6) The Porn-Star Warm-up (extra hip mobility)

#7) Pre-Combine Warm-up

#8) 225-pound Bench Press Test Warm-up

#9) Bitch-Slap Your CNS Warm-up

#10) Loosen Your Low-back Warm-up

Although I can write all day about the performance increases we've witnessed with our athletes once we started incorporating AMPED; I couldn't end this blog post without touching upon the TRUE value of AMPED...and the true value lies in getting healthy and/or staying healthy! Because as we all know, you can't train if you're injured!

Ironically, I'm writing this blog post after spending all day at the New York Hospital for Special Surgery with my dad. We were there for my dad's shoulder replacement consultation. Yup, you read that right; Big George D. has to have his shoulder replaced next month. The sad thing is that the severe damage in my father's shoulder could have been completely preventable if he "knew then what he knows now." Although my dad has done a million things RIGHT during his weightlifting career; it's the one thing he didn't do that he's paying the price for now. My dad will be the first one to tell you that he has NEVER stretched or performed a mobility exercise a day in his life! The second he stepped foot in a gym he lifted hard and heavy - and he did this day in - and day out - for over 40 years! As we were driving over the GWB on our way home, we discussed the irony of AMPED being released the same day that my dad was told he had to have his shoulder replaced...a surgery that he himself will tell you could have been prevented by spending just 5-10 extra minutes each time he stepped foot in the gym -- warming up, performing some simple stretches/activation exercises and/or utilizing a foam roller/lax ball on occasion.

Whether you choose to purchase AMPED or not; hopefully my dad's story will be the "wake-up call" some people need in order to take this aspect of their workout much more seriously! The warm-up shouldn't be overlooked anymore; in fact, it CAN'T BE OVERLOOKED!

To learn more about AMPED, or to purchase this product, goto www.AmpedWarmup.com! This is the official AMPED website and the only place you will be able to buy this product!

BUY AMPED NOW!!!

There's no more excuses for not warming up; AMPED provides quick, unique warm-ups that will actually have you looking forward to this aspect of your workout, instead of dreading it! Get STRONGER, Get FASTER, Get HEALTHIER, Get AMPED!!!

-Joe D.

2 Comments

"Behind the Scenes" - World's Strongest Athlete VIP Charity Dinner & Contest!

Sunday, 18 July 2010 14:33

I have to be honest. I've been sitting behind my computer for three straight hours, trying to write my recap of this years World's Strongest Athlete Contest & Charity Dinner, but I just can't do it. There is no way I can capture everything that's gone down during the past 5 days; I'd literally have to spend about a week straight in front of the computer. So what I've decided to do is provide my readers with one of my "Behind the Scenes" features.

So for those of you who didn't attend our VIP Charity Dinner or our World's Strongest Athlete Contest this year; you're now a "fly on the wall". Here are some random highlights from this past weeks events...

To raise more money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society this year, we added a VIP Charity Dinner at the Brownstone three days before our World's Strongest Athlete Contest. Words cannot describe what an incredible evening it was. Two hundred of our closest friends, family members, clients and sponsors came together to help us raise awareness - and money - for Multiple Sclerosis research!

Although I was going to keep this private; I've decided to share my opening speech at the VIP dinner with the world. Hopefully this helps raise more awareness to the MS SOCIETY & people living with MS...

One of the things that made the Charity dinner very special was the support we received from my NFL clients. ALL 8 NFL players that are staying in NJ right now to train with me, showed up and contributed to the charity! Auctioning off Dave Diehl's Pro Bowl Jersey & Brian Cushing's jersey's alone raised $3000 for the charity!

In the photo (standing, from left to right): Anthony Cotrone (formerly w/ Jacksonville Jaguars), Kevin Brock (Dallas Cowboys tight end), Brian Cushing (Houston Texans linebacker), Vinny Ciurciu (Detroit Lions linebacker), Joe DeFranco, David Diehl (NY Giants tackle), Mackenzy Bernadeau (Carolina Panthers guard), Kevin Walter (Houston Texans wide receiver) IN FRONT: Lucy DeFranco, Brian Witherspoon (Carolina Panthers punt/kick returner)

WORLD'S STRONGEST ATHLETE CONTEST!

The charity dinner on Wednesday definitely set the tone for a great event on Saturday...and a GREAT event it was!

We had professional photographers & videographers covering the event, so I don't want to show too much footage or pics right now. We will be providing the professional, in-depth footage & results on this blog as soon as we receive them! But, I know people are dying for the results, so I'll hold you guys over by revealing the winners now. I've also provided a quick "teaser" video of the event so you can get a feel for just how intense it was on Saturday!

Kevin Kelly - NJ State Police

Andrew Sklover - Monmouth University, football

Pat Cole, Hasbrouck Heights HS (New Jersey) - Track & Field

Check out this video teaser...

In case you were wondering; the clips of the prowler sprints at the end were from the High School Division's tie-breaker! Patrick Cole & Travis Woods from Edison, NJ, were tied after the four events so they did a sudden-death "prowler push-off"!

Here's a still shot of the finish line during their first "overtime"...

If you look closely, you'll see both kids are AIRBORN! Talk about giving 110%!

It was WAY TOO CLOSE to call - and we didn't have conclusive video or photo evidence - so these two young warriors had to do it again...DOUBLE-OVERTIME after a grueling 3-hour event in the brutal humidity!

Double-Overtime goes to the 16-year-old manchild, Pat Cole!

Stay tuned for more pics, videos and in-depth highlights from this years World's Strongest Athlete weekend!!!

Leave us your comments below and let us know your thoughts on this year's event highlights!

-Joe D.

9 Comments