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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:
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David Diehl, N.Y. Giants tackle – 6’06”, 315 lbs.
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Vinny Ciurciu, Carolina Panthers linebacker – 6’0”, 240 lbs.
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Augie Hoffmann, New Orleans Saints guard – 6’01”, 317 lbs.
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Jay Nerys, N.Y. Jets guard – 6’03”, 300 lbs.
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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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We will list past questions here so that you can go back if you miss any advice Joe has given
