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NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS!
I know that it’s been a couple of weeks since I had a website update, but as you will see, we haven’t been sitting on our asses doing nothing! Below are some upcoming events & announcements that I want to share with everyone. It’s been a very busy couple of weeks here in Jersey. Check it out…
1) 1st DeFranco’s Training seminar at our new facility!
DATE: Saturday, December 10th.
TIME: 9:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
COST: $150 per participant (limited to 15 participants)
How do I sign up? All participants must register by phone. The deadline for registration is Monday, November 28. You will need to reserve your spot with a credit card. Your card will not be charged until the day of the seminar. Call 201-444-2260 to reserve your spot today. Space is limited!The information covered in this seminar is intended for strength & conditioning coaches & personal trainers who are looking to learn about Conjugate Periodization & its practical application towards beginner to intermediate athletes. Topics of the seminar will include:
Morning – 9:30-12:30 - The DeFranco Strength Method for High School & College Athletes
Afternoon – 1:30 – 5:00 - Proper technique & periodization of special exercises / Open Q&A
2) On Friday, November 4, I will be speaking at the final SWIS Symposium in Ontario, Canada. My topic of discussion is going to be “The Ultimate Speed Development Program.” Rest assured, this won’t be your average discussion on speed training! There will also be over 20 of the most well-respected lecturers in the world in the field of performance enhancement, nutrition & injury prevention speaking at this event. If you haven’t registered for this incredible learning experience, I would highly recommend that you register now! For more info go towww.swis.ca.
3) I have finally finished writing the 2nd Edition to my original manual, “The 40-Yard Dash, Advanced Speed & Strength Methods.” Since I don’t know where the proceeds of the original manual are going, I just decided to write a better version of the friggin’ thing! This 60-page, information-packed manual is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand what it takes to run faster. I have added new sections and kick-ass pictures to the manual & look for it to be on sale next week on this site!
4) Myself & N.Y. Giants fullback, Jim Finn, will be featured on FIT TV’s Insider Training with Gabrielle Reece on Thursday, November 10 at 8:00PM (EST) & again at 11:00PM (EST). Mark your calendars!
5) IT’S COMING! Protein bars will never be the same… The first product in the DeFranco’s Sports Nutrition, LLC supplement line is done! We have put the finally touches on our pre-workout energy bar, the name is trademarked and it’s PHENOMENAL! Look for our MoJoe Energy Bar to start selling on this site and in gyms & health food stores on the east coast very shortly!
First & foremost, this thing tastes GREAT! It’s soft & chewy and doesn’t take 3 hours to choke down! The iced chocolate cake flavor that we came up with is going to be a world-wide hit…and this isn’t just some glorified candy bar either – although I don’t want to reveal all the details just yet, I will let you know that we packed 28 grams of quality protein into a bar that has less than 300 calories in it & the “energy blend” will be the first of its kind in a protein bar! Stay tuned for more details!
We’re looking for the MoJoe Energy Bar to hit the market by January 1st!!!
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Q: Joe, I know that you must have a lot of people kissing up to you, but I feel that it’s well deserved. I was brought to your site via the Westside barbell site & I must say that I am extremely impressed – not only with your knowledge base, but your writing ability. Your style is easy to read, entertaining, and most importantly – informative. Just wanted to thank you for the quality, FREE info!
Now my question, I noticed your female training pics. Looks like you guys really have your female athletes hit it hard. How do you prevent them from putting on unnecessary bulk? They look lean & athletic despite your “hardcore” approach to training?
Thanks for your anticipated response.
Bobby
A: Bobby, it is true that we “show no mercy” to our female clientele! The bottom line is that female athletics are increasing in popularity everyday & they must prepare their bodies for the demands of their sport just like any other athlete should. In my opinion, strength training is the most powerful training tool that a female athlete can perform! Not only does strength training help to improve their performance, but more importantly, increased strength drastically helps to prevent inherent injury risks in females.
Strength development is especially important for females because they have an increased risk of ACL tears & knee problems due to their hip to knee “Q-angle”. A strong “core”, hips, quads & hamstrings can drastically decrease stress on the knee joint when female athletes land from a jump & when they change direction on the athletic field.
Research has also shown an increase in musculoskeletal and joint injuries during a female’s menstrual cycle. This is due to increased relaxin levels and increased flexibility and elasticity of connective tissue, such as in articular joints. Again, strong muscles can act as a “support system” to the female’s structure during this time of susceptibility & joint laxity.
Females also posses a common imbalance between their hamstrings & quadriceps; this imbalance is yet another contributor to their growing incidence of knee injuries. Correcting this imbalance with proper exercise selection is yet another way to drastically reduce a female’s risk.
In my opinion, strength training, more than any other form of training, can greatly reduce these inherent risks in females. I can go on and on regarding this topic. Check out my short article entitled, “Should Females Train Differently Than Males?” in the articles section of this site for some more information on this misunderstood topic.
As far as our female athletes getting too “bulky”; this is the least of my concern! Check out the pics below. These are 3 of our long-time female athletes. Do any of them look too bulky due to our training methods? I think not!!!
Jenn
Mueller – track standout
Jenna
Corrado – All-state
softball athlete
Jill
Hartung – soccer standout
Hopefully we will someday be able to put this topic to rest! Bottom line…all females should lift weights…period!
Joe D.
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Q: Coach, I’ve been following your in-season training template for football players and I’ve been having great success. My question is do you ever incorporate bands during the in-season? I read that you like to use chains, but not bands during the season because they are tough on the body?
Also, what are some good max effort exercises to perform in-season? I’m pretty healthy besides my shoulders get really sore after the game (I’m a fullback.)
Thanks coach – Jeff
A: Jeff, I’ll keep this short & sweet (it’s 2a.m. as I write this & I’m exhausted). Below you will see players from St. Joseph’s Regional high school of Montvale performing in-season training at our facility. About 8 players from this New Jersey football powerhouse come in and train with us every Tuesday during the season.
The first picture is of Chris Dellafave performing a reverse band bench press. This is a great in-season max-effort exercise because it helps you off the chest which is where your shoulders are at their most vulnerable. Using the bands in this manner actually is much easier on the joints, yet you’re still overloading your triceps & working on your maximal strength. This exercise is a great in-season choice.
The second picture is of team captain, Terrance Klein, performing a heavy set of 5 reps in the safety bar box squat. In my opinion, every football team should invest in a safety bar. It is my favorite in-season lower body max-effort exercise because it drastically reduces stress on your shoulders when squatting.
Finally, you will see fullback/linebacker, Jason Velazquez, keeping his shoulders healthy with standing scarecrows. The “scarecrow” exercise is one of our favorites, yet it’s still not that popular in most gyms. (We specially made the chain attachment for this specific exercise.)
Chris Dellafave 465 lbs. X 3 in
the reverse band bench
Terrance Klein 345 lbs. X 5 in the
safety bar box squat
Jason Velazquez performs standing
scarecrows
Give these in-season exercises a try and stay strong & healthy!
Joe D.
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