03.11.05
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Click
here to Ask Joe about training. If you send a
question, it may appear on the website. Please do
not submit a question if you do not want the question
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reasons.
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Congratulations
to Jimmy St. Louis! After getting screwed out of an
NFL Combine invite, Jimmy moved to New Jersey to train
with Joe DeFranco and prepare for his Pro Day at Murray
State. The 2 ½ months of intense training paid
off. Jimmy currently has the fastest recorded 40-yard
dash time of any tight end in the country. He ran
an official 4.57 on March 4th for the NFL scouts.
Not bad for a 6’05”, 261 lb. tight end,
huh? Congratulations, Jimmy!
Jimmy St. Louis squatting 500 lbs. in training
Jimmy St. Louis running a 4.57 for the NFL
scouts!
*Check out Jimmy’s
player journal on nfldraftblitz.com!
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Q: Joe, I'm
weak and I know it! My posterior chain is a candy
bracelet. I'm 36 years old, 6'0" and weigh 205.
I've hurt my low back before using poor deadlift form
- the Trap Bar has been much better for Deadlifts.
My squat is
atrocious and my stinkin' back hurts during the set,
even with light weights. I need some serious focus
on my back and hams, not just strength but stretching
as well. Somewhere I read you should stretch your
hip flexors daily. Is this true and if so what are
the best stretches to achieve this?
Thanks Joe,
you've got a great website.
A: Having a candy bracelet
for a posterior chain must really suck!
A strong posterior chain, in conjunction
with adequate flexibility, is essential for a healthy
back. Trust me; this just may be the most important
part of your training. You don’t want to suffer
from back problems for the rest of your life because
of something stupid that you did in the gym!
I’m going in for my 5th back surgery
on April 6th (and I’m only 29 years old). Unfortunately,
my back problems weren’t preventable. Your (potential)
back problems can be prevented by choosing the proper
exercises, mastering their form and participating
in a flexibility/mobility program. Take it seriously!
Although I can’t outline an entire
flexibility/mobility program for you in this Q&A
(not to mention it’s 1:30 A.M. as I write this),
try doing the below 2 stretches 2-3 times throughout
the day. Perform 2 sets of 30-60 seconds for each
stretch. I have found them both extremely helpful
in preventing “low-back tightness”.
Hip Flexor Stretch
Hip Rotator Stretch
Stay strong. Stay flexible. And don’t
sacrifice your form just to lift more weight!
Joe D.
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Q: Hey Joe, Congrats
on the site. It's become a daily read for me and I've
learned a lot. I just checked out the Westside for
Skinny Bastards article and wanted to know if you
think it would be beneficial for someone who's not
necessarily a beginner. I've been lifting for a few
years, but using a pretty standard 3 day split, 3x5,
5x5, etc. I'm about 185 lbs., so I’m not that
skinny, but a far cry from where I'd like to be. What
do you think?
Best,
Ben
A: Ben,
Here are just a few people (besides myself) who are
currently on my “Westside for Skinny Bastards”
program:
-
David
Diehl, N.Y. Giants tackle – 6’06”,
315 lbs.
-
Vinny
Ciurciu, Carolina Panthers linebacker
– 6’0”, 240 lbs.
-
Augie
Hoffmann, New Orleans Saints guard –
6’01”, 317 lbs.
-
Jay
Nerys, N.Y. Jets guard – 6’03”,
300 lbs.
-
Brandon
Short, Carolina Panthers linebacker –
6’03”, 250 lbs.
As you can see, none of the above people
are beginners; nor are they skinny bastards!! My point
is that you shouldn’t be fooled by the name
of this program. You DON’T have to be a skinny
bastard and you DON’T have to be a beginner
to benefit from it! As I’ve said time and time
again, this is a great program for adding size and
gaining strength even for the most advanced trainee.
Give this program a try and let me know
what you think,
Joe D.
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