Reader feedback & "BADASS" Q&A!

Reader Feedback

My trainer and I are going thru the pre info / max weight stages today so that we can start the 'Built like a Badass' program on Monday. I am extremely excited about the new program. While on your "Westside Part III" program I lost a total of 271 lbs. as of this past Monday. My starting weight in October of 2007 was 478 lbs. and 64.2% body fat. As of Monday (11/9/09) I weighed in at 207 lbs. and 18.6% body fat. I still have a little way to go, but I feel amazing. I can never thank DeFranco Training enough for inspiring me everyday to work hard.
THANK YOU JOE D FOR EVERYTHING.

Edward B.

NOTE FROM JOE D: Edward, please don't thank me. I would like to thank YOU! After seeing your pictures, YOU have inspired me! What you have done with your body and your LIFE is amazing! And trust me, you just inspired the hundreds of thousands of people that are looking at your pictures RIGHT NOW on this site! Attack the BADASS Program with the same passion and intensity that you attacked the WS4SB Program; and in 12 weeks, you will truly be THE epitome of a BADASS!!! Please keep all of us posted on your continued progress and success!!

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Q: Hey Joe. I'm really liking the Built like a Badass e-book. Nice work! I just had one question. Are you suppose to stick with your original 1RM for all of the percentages throughout the entire 12 weeks or do you bump the weight up on the percentages after the Week 5 deload? Thanks!

A: Stick with the same 1RM throughout the 12 weeks (even after the Week 5 deload). As you get stronger, you should just perform more reps on your last set of barbell bench presses and squats or deadlifts. (Remember that the final set of your main lift isn't "engraved in stone" all the time on this program.)
After you complete the 1st 12 weeks on the program, start the program over again using your new 1RM's.

Q: Is 135 pounds the prescribed weight for the barbell complex prescribed during the 1st 4 weeks of the program?

A: No! Just because the guy in our video was performing the complex with 135 pounds; this does not mean that you have to use this weight. Everyone has different strength, conditioning and skill levels. Start light during Week 1 and then choose a weight that's best for you during the following weeks.

Q: To whom it may concern - I have a question and a comment: First of all how the hell did you know exactly how many reps i can perform with 82.5% of my 1RM??? When I first skimmed over the program i thought the percentages were more for show but they were right on!!!! That sh#t was almost freaky!! For that, i tip my hat to you guys..

Now my question- i know you guys marketed this book to washed-up meatheads (like myself) but I was wondering if it can be used for competitive athletes as well? My nephew plays basketball at a junior college and i really think he would benefit from this program. After performing the first 2 workouts myself i immediately thought of sharing it with him. The workouts were like nothing i've ever experienced...hands down the most challenging yet interesting workouts ive encountered during a lifetime in the iron game. Before pushing it on my nephew i wanted to get the advice of the professionals who wrote the book. Thanks guys.. Dan

A: Dan,

The percentages and rep schemes in the ebook were finalized after approximately 15 months of experimentation. (Trust me; this wasn't something we just threw together!) I truly believe that the percentages and rep scheme that we devised are THE best combo for size and strength gains that you will find anywhere. The data from our gym, as well as the initial feedback this week from around the world, seems to support my claim. Gone are the days of going to the gym and aimlessly throwing random weights on the bar; we just made life a hell of alot easier (and more productive) for gym rats across the globe!

As far as your nephew is concerned; yes, he can definitely benefit from this program! You are correct in that we originally designed this program with "washed-up meatheads" in mind. But, many of our athletes are currently on the BADASS program and are experiencing incredible results. Think about it; this program combines strength, plyometrics, bodyweight movements and conditioning - sounds to me like athletes can benefit from it, doesn't it? Obviously, there are many factors that determine what program an athlete should be on. But, the BADASS program is - without question - a valuable option during certain times of the year for many different athletes.

Q: Joe - does your built like a badass ebook have any application for bodybuilders or guys who are just interested in aesthetics? I'm interested in purchasing the ebook but not sure if it applies to me.

John from Miami

A: John,

If it's aesthetics you're after, you would ABSOLUTELY benefit from our "Badass" program! In my opnion, if more people trained like athletes, there would be a hell of a lot more lean and muscular people walking around! And as a "side effect", they would actually have some "go" to go along with their "show"! And let's not forget the fact that they would be healthier!

Q: Joe D, I just purchased the ebook and it looks great! But i didn't see anything in the book about nutrition. I remember you saying something about providing sample meal plans in the book. Am i missing something?

A: We originally were going to incorporate a small section with one or two sample meal plans in the ebook. But in the end, I decided to pull the meal plans and keep the focus of the ebook on the 12-week program. I started to think that providing one or two meal plans may end up doing more harm than good. For example: one of the sample meal plans was designed for a 200-pound man looking to keep his bodyweight steady while gaining muscle and losing fat. I envisioned a million emails from overweight guys looking to lose weight, skinny guys looking to gain weight, carb cycling questions, food allergy concerns, supplement recommendations, etc., etc., etc. Simply put, giving away a "little" nutritional information would have opened up a can of worms and I didn't want that. I wanted the 12-WEEK PROGRAM to be the "star of the show". Plus, I don't like "throwing the kitchen sink" at people all at once because then you never know what's working and what's not. I really want people to try the BUILT LIKE A BADASS program without making too many other drastic changes at the same time. This program is that good! In other words - just by adding the program alone - you should see incredible changes in your physique and your conditioning. Once you're able to judge how the program is working for you; you can slowly add more components (like changing your diet, etc.). With that being said, a "BADASS NUTRITION" ebook (that will include the actual meal plans of our professional athletes and washed-up meatheads) is in the works. An ebook dedicated entirely to nutrition and supplementation will be much more beneficial than a "half-assed" nutrition section in a training ebook. Trust me, it will be worth the wait!

SPECIAL BADASS ANNOUNCEMENT!

I want to strongly encourage anyone who will be performing our BUILT LIKE A BADASS program to take some "before" pictures of yourself upon starting this program, as well as "after" photos once you complete the initial 12-week cycle. Besides featuring 'BADASS Success Stories' on this website on a weekly basis; the photos will be used to crown the "Baddest Badass"! (I can't speak too much more about this right now.) All I can say is: Get your copy of BUILT LIKE A BADASS. Take a picture of yourself. Follow the BADASS program like your life depends on it. Take a picture of the "new you" after you complete Week 12 of the program.

Wait until you hear what we have in store...more to come on this topic SOON!!!

-Joe D.

15 Comments

Quick Q&A with Joe D.

Reader Feedback

Q: Hi there,

I currently suffer from Patella tendinitis which stops me from heavy deadlifting and squating. Have you had anyone with Patella tendinitis at your gym before? If so what can I do to speed-up recovery and get it sorted. The British health care is pretty poor and just shrug me off with taking 3 Ibuprofen a day. I stretch in the morning and evening as well as putting ice on my knee's but it's not got any better. As it's quite common I thought there'd be alot of it in the NFL.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers Loz

A: Loz,

You are correct, patella tendonitis is probably the most common “injury” you will find with NFL athletes. Dealing with this issue basically becomes a way of life for these guys. Of all the exercises and treatments we’ve experimented with for patella tendonitis, I gotta say that TKE’s are hands down the best exercise for alleviating pain. It still amazes me that TKE’s (Terminal Knee Extensions) aren’t more of a “mainstream” exercise in the rehab setting, or with athletes in general! This closed-chain exercise almost magically reduces knee pain during squatting and deadlifting when you perform it during your warm-up. Every single one of our NFL guys performs 3 sets of 15-20 TKE’s before every single workout…you should start doing the same!

Below I have provided you with an old video of Buddy Morris explaining the TKE to Dave Tate and Jim Wendler. At 4:45 into the video, you will also see a more advanced version of the exercise…

Continue to stretch before and after training…and ice your knees after physical activity, regardless if they’re sore or not!

Joe D.

Q: Joe,

Congrats on being one of the top 10 gyms in the country. One question though, I've looked at that list and it seems that most on that list have a connection to Perform Better, Ryan Lee or both. I'm quite sure your gym is awesome from what I've seen in pictures and video, but it's awfully coincidental that these gym and gym owners are connected in one way or another.

Sincerely,
Joe (from the West Coast)

A: Thanks Joe. Although, I gotta tell you, the reason why we were so proud of our Men's Health “Top 10” status was because we have absolutely no connection to Men’s Health Magazine, or their advisory board. I also have no connection to Perform Better, besides buying a couple plyo boxes from them about 6 years ago…and I’ve never met or spoken to Ryan Lee in my life (although I know who he is). So I’m not quite sure what “connection” you’re referring to or what you're trying to say???

Q: Joe,

When incorporating 5/3/1 into your program, do you have a deload every 4th week? How often do you rotate exercises when doing this?

Thanks.

John

A: John,

Yes, I recommend deloading every 4th week if you're going to incorporate Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 with our template. I suggest rotating accessory lifts every 4 weeks (after the deload), but stick with the main lift for at least three or four 4-week cycles of 5/3/1.

Q: Joe, I just wanted to thank you for FINALLY providing us females with Defranco workout wear! I’ve been waiting for you to show us ladies sum love lol. I’ll be promoting you on the west coast :) Thanks for providing your readers with the truth about training.

Megan

A: Thanks for the support Megan. And don’t worry; I won’t be ignoring the ladies anymore! Trust me, I know how you chicks can get when us guys don’t pay enough attention to you…I hear it everyday from the girl below

GET YOUR RINGER TEE HERE!

Q: Coach D - I’m a washed up meathead I guess, looking to gain muscle, lose some fat and just get back to feeling healthy and athletic even though i dont participate in competitive sports anymore. My main problem is I workout in a gym that you and your camp would dispise - no prowlers, sleds, chains, dumbells only go up to 90 and britney spears plays on a loop all day. As much as I would love to train in a gym like yours my work schedule along with the fact that i live in PA doesn't make this possible. My question to you is do you have any specific advice or even just a general template that you guys recommend to poor bastards in my situation?? I know you specialize in athletic performance but I'm sure there are thousands of washed up meatheads out there that would die to hear from you regarding this topic. Any info you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read this coach.

Jordan

A: Jordan,

First of all, you are definitely NOT alone with your "dilema". Saying that you're sure there are "thousands of washed-up meatheads" in the same situation as you is actually a HUGE UNDERSTATEMENT! During the course of this past year, I have received more questions similar to yours than any other topic. Basically, what I've realized is that there are a hell of a lot of "washed-up meatheads" out there that want to be strong and athletic, even though they may not be a competitive athlete anymore. The problem for most "washed-up meatheads" is that they train at "regular" gyms that aren't equiped with all the "bells and whistles" that we have at my facility; and because of work and family obligations, many guys don't have all day/everyday to train. Well, I have good news and bad news for all you frustrated "washed-up meatheads"...

The bad news is that I'm not giving you a workout or template right now...sorry.

The good news is that the reason I'm not going to slap together some quick template for this Q&A is because for the past 6 months, we've been creating and testing an extremely simple, practical and EFFECTIVE system of training for people just like YOU! The masses have spoken and we have listened! Basically, I think we've created a system of training that will do for washed-up meatheads what Westside for Skinny Bastards did for athletes! I know that's a bold statement, but trust me, the dudes that have been on this program have transformed their physiques. Without giving away too much, this system entails training only 3 days a week, it builds muscle while melting fat, and the main template does NOT require ANY "special" equipment! As long as you have access to the "basics" at your gym, you can do this program!

OK, so there you have it. I have "dangled the carrott stick" in front of you. I didn't do this to tease you or piss you off...I gave you this little "teaser" to let you know that there is help on the way...and it's coming SOON! I finally feel comfortable talking about this project because we are now only 30-60 days away from having a completed program.

Anyone looking to gain muscle, lose fat and feel like an athlete again (without living in the gym) is going to love our "Built like a Badass" program!

Stay tuned!

Joe D.

6 Comments

STRONG feedback comes pouring in!

Reader Feedback

The feedback that we have been receiving regarding STRONG has been overwhelmingly positive. I am very proud of this movie and all the hard work that went into it; I would like to take this time to share some of the emails that have been sent to us during the past 2 weeks…

Joe,
Strong is badass!
I just wanted to thank you for putting out such an inspiring and motivating video. It is one of a kind. The athletes and clients you highlight in the video make it even more personal than just a video showing training.
Thank you.

Hey Joe,
I just have to tell you what an awesome job you did with STRONG! I just got done watching it for the third time in a row…Fantastic! I've followed your teachings for a few years now and have always had the utmost respect for you, for what you do, and how you do it. But I have to say, after watching STRONG my respect level just grew to an immense level; and not only for you, but for your Mom and Dad as well. There's a reason you're as successful as you are - your foundation is strong; no pun intended. There are a lot of things in STRONG that hit home for me and I'm sure for a lot of others. Just a great job with the whole thing and I can't recommend it highly enough…A must see!
Thanks Joe D!!
-Ken S.

I just got my copy of STRONG, today. It was awesome and inspiring. The part about Mitchell McDonald was particularly great. Just wanted to let you know how special it all was.
-Chad Smith

*To learn more about STRONG, or to purchase your copy today, goto www.StrongMovie.com!

1 Comment