John Welbourn

[stef]

In the latest Starting Strength Series interview, Rip talks to 10-yr NFL veteran John Welbourn about training, injuries, talent, recruiting and more.

John Welbourn (http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/video/sss_wel1/)

[pu239]

Good stuff. Thanks for spending the time, effort, and money to produce these interviews.

[hithebeach]

I've just finished watching the whole thing, very interesting stuff.
But a question is still remained unsolved:

If i'm not mistaken, either rip or john promised us a way or a method to translate the strength in the gym to the field, and they didn't provide much, or any information about how to do this. I'd be really really interested in your methods, and if it can be applied to the basic starting strength program and perhaps a 5x5 program. What about speed training? Agility?

I know that John told us in the interview that they did a westside template with olympic lifts and sprinting, but he doesn't get too specific with it. Does he still does that? What about athletes that can progress on linear programs?

I have a few ideas in mind as to have 2-3 days dedicated for strength(in the football preseason, not in the early offseason), 1 for conditioning can be in a form of strongman stuff and 1-2 speed.
The conditioning day was used by a lot of trainers with great success, instead of running the athletes you can make the flip tires, drag sleds, push the prowler, do log clean and jerks and etc'. But how do you put all that in the big picture?

I'm a highschool football player with hopes to play college so i'm really interested in this.

[Aslin]

that guys forearms are massive man.

[pu239]

I had to remember where I originally saw this, but here is a good article about NFL Films - http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2010/02/02/sabol-and-nfl-films/. It's a great story. I'm not a Raiders fan at all, but you can't help but like "The Autumn Wind" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmiVYFueNvQ).

[WaWa Bird]

Good times talking about Veteran's Stadium..

[RobertFontaine]

These just keep getting better. Thanks again for the putting these interviews up.
Living amongst average people it's easy to forget just how significantly more gifted these athletes really are.

I had the experience of going on a downhill skiing trip with an early 30's gentleman who had injured out of an NHL farm team. From having never skiid previously he was chasing a 10 year black diamond skier through the trees (not me). After we got back to the chalet he ran up the hill to go to lift at the gym before it was time to go out dancing.

He was adamant that he was in the worst shape of his life at that point after having had pins in both his ankle and knee.

It is hard to relate to these level of physical talents. While I'm certain he worked harder than I ever will to achieve his worst shape the results that these athletes can obtain from the work is astounding.

Wonderful interview.

[ILiftAlone]

This is probably my favorite interview so far. Im not a big football fan but this helped me to appreciate the level of athletes in that sport. Cant find interviews of this quality anywhere else.

[BigJavs]

fascinating...looking at him kind of answered my question about staying big on paleo.

[johnkuc]

Great interview-dont know whether to be inspired or pack it in. These guys are on such a different plain-genetically-its just ridiculous. Would be nice to see an interview with someone who made it to the top with average or decent genetics-not freak genetics. At 5'7 and 185 pounds I just cant relate to this guy although I thoroughly enjoyed the interview. The Brock Lesnar part was hilarious!!!

[anti]

Awesome interview.

Also, I'm impressed by the rate at which you're putting these out, Rip. Keep up the good work.

[LondonTiger]

As a MMA fan, I didn't really appreciate the Brock Lesnar comment.

Sure John tooled Brock Lesner in a football field, but does that make NFL guys far superior athletes to MMA fighters?? Would like to see John fight Brock Lesner in a cage with MMA rules to see.

I rememever on the ultimate fighter season 10, lots of ex-NFL athletes went into the TUF house and got their ass whopped by veteran MMA fighters.

Other than than, good interview.. felt a bit melancholy afterwards.. here I am squatting 120kg, and there are guys out there who squat 200+ for fun.. and Even if I work hard for years and get to the same squat as them.. I still won't be quick enough, athletic enough, able to recover as quickly enough.. etc..

[xzcion]

As a Rugby fan, I really don't appreciate the focus on american football.

Sure it's what your interviewee has spent his entire life doing, but does that make NFL guys far superior athletes to Rugby players?? Would like to see John take off his pads and play a full game of Rugby.

The point being that if you have 2 big strong guys, then even if one isn't 3 inches taller and 100 lb's heavier, having a lifetime of experience in a chosen field WILL determine the results.

John's expertise is in playing ... (i can't call it football, football is soccer, american football will have to do) american football and his expertise at the top level of competition in his chosen sport is going to tell. John is not as good a strongman competitor as Kaz, we know this because John has never won World's Strongest Man. Brock is a better MMA fighter, once again, the trophies speak for themselves.

The punchline here is the discussion of the 4 year old oly lifting with pvc.

[Patrick]

As a MMA fan, I didn't really appreciate the Brock Lesnar comment.

Sure John tooled Brock Lesner in a football field, but does that make NFL guys far superior athletes to MMA fighters?? Would like to see John fight Brock Lesner in a cage with MMA rules to see.

I rememever on the ultimate fighter season 10, lots of ex-NFL athletes went into the TUF house and got their ass whopped by veteran MMA fighters.

Jesus tap-dancing Christ, he never said anything about beating Lesnar in a fight. At most he said he's better at football and most accurately he said he busted Brock -- a complete rookie -- on one particular play. Also, if it soothes your ass-vag, this is before Lesnar was in MMA.

[TartanEagle]

John's program is Crossfit Football. Just go to that website.


I've just finished watching the whole thing, very interesting stuff.
But a question is still remained unsolved:

If i'm not mistaken, either rip or john promised us a way or a method to translate the strength in the gym to the field, and they didn't provide much, or any information about how to do this. I'd be really really interested in your methods, and if it can be applied to the basic starting strength program and perhaps a 5x5 program. What about speed training? Agility?

I know that John told us in the interview that they did a westside template with olympic lifts and sprinting, but he doesn't get too specific with it. Does he still does that? What about athletes that can progress on linear programs?

I have a few ideas in mind as to have 2-3 days dedicated for strength(in the football preseason, not in the early offseason), 1 for conditioning can be in a form of strongman stuff and 1-2 speed.
The conditioning day was used by a lot of trainers with great success, instead of running the athletes you can make the flip tires, drag sleds, push the prowler, do log clean and jerks and etc'. But how do you put all that in the big picture?

I'm a highschool football player with hopes to play college so i'm really interested in this.

[william jackson]

i dont think john was saying that football players were better athletes than mma fighters. he was just driving home the point that to play at the pro level, you need to have been living the football lifestyle all life. he also illustrated how huge NFL linebackers really are if they are able to knock lesnar on his ass

[butkus]

As a MMA fan, I didn't really appreciate the Brock Lesnar comment.

Sure John tooled Brock Lesner in a football field, but does that make NFL guys far superior athletes to MMA fighters?? Would like to see John fight Brock Lesner in a cage with MMA rules to see.

I rememever on the ultimate fighter season 10, lots of ex-NFL athletes went into the TUF house and got their ass whopped by veteran MMA fighters.


The best athletes in the NFL are head and shoulders, if not knees and ankles, above the best athletes in MMA. This isn't even debatable, it's empirical fact.

Look at the numbers that college football athletes put up in the NFL combine, and these are kids who have yet to fully mature into pro athletes. You'll be hard pressed to find an MMA fighter who can put up comparable numbers to what is in the NFL draft every single year.

MMA has not been around long enough to provide enough incentive to attract top athletic talent the way the NFL does. Maybe in a generation or two once MMA becomes more "legitimate" and the money starts to become more substantial things will change.

Trying to say that NFL players are not as athletic as mixed martial artists because some retired NFL players or some bottom feeder NFL athletes have tried to enter MMA and have not done well is like saying that Michael Jordan was not as good an athlete as Jason Giambi because he failed at baseball.

[stef]

NB: This is about enough on the speculative who's better internet discussion. More on this will be moved to Ends and Pieces.

NB#2: Complaining about "football" is silly for an interview in Texas with an American football player. When in Rome and all. Other uses of "football" have their place, but that sort of "football" would be paired with a different interviewee, quite likely an import. Everyone should be able to handle the fact that there is more than one definition for most every word. Don't tempt me to bore you with the OED.

[hithebeach]

John's program is Crossfit Football. Just go to that website.
no offense, but the program is extremely homo.

why does he start conditioning early in the off-season? for who?
there aren't even real strength training days, it's just a lot of conditioning, sometimes just with barbells. why?
i never understood crossfit anyway, there isn't a point, you're doing something different all the time and you don't have the opportunity to evaluate progress. sure you have that crossfit total day once a month, but i'd rather track my progress workout to workout instead of month to month.

[LaHabra]

John Welbourn eats rugby and shits MMA! GFY. With that said, I think it was a good interview with a retired strong ass football player.

[Kyle5000]

I want to know how much john eats and how much milk he drinks daily. He is a big dude. It seems like to eat paleo and recover from that crossfit football shit you would need to eat A LOT of meat and milk.

[TartanEagle]

no offense, but the program is extremely homo.

why does he start conditioning early in the off-season? for who?
there aren't even real strength training days, it's just a lot of conditioning, sometimes just with barbells. why?
i never understood crossfit anyway, there isn't a point, you're doing something different all the time and you don't have the opportunity to evaluate progress. sure you have that crossfit total day once a month, but i'd rather track my progress workout to workout instead of month to month.

I don't think you understand the program. There is a strength workout (look to the right side of the page) and then a conditioning workout. The strength work is very similar to the novice and intermediate programs seen here, based on squats, presses, deadlifts, power cleans and power snatches. I personally do not do the program, but it looks like a very good option for those looking for both strength and conditioning work.

[Dash]

That was a great interview. Part 3 about 20 minutes in when he talks about kids seeing their parents do these lifts really got me. My son is 2 and he does his version of push ups with me and loves (LOVES) what we call "baby squats". I have been doing them with him since he was about 6 months old, me holding him as weight and squatting down. Now he does them on his own. Thanks for making this. I'll have to look into what John does a bit more when I can.

P.S. I have to say the intro music is, not what I expected.

[lanky]

Great interview.

Notice the positions that score the highest on the Wonderlic Test (aptitude test) given during the Combine. You wouldn't expect the offensive linemen to be some of the smartest guys on the field. Or, would you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderlic_Test

A score of 20 is intended to indicate average intelligence (corresponding to an intelligence quotient of 100; a rough conversion is accomplished via the following formula: IQ = (2WPT + 60).

Offensive tackle – 26
Center – 25
Quarterback – 24
Guard – 23
Tight end – 22
Safety – 19
Linebacker – 19
Cornerback – 18
Wide receiver – 17
Fullback – 17
Halfback – 16



Chemist – 32
Programmer – 29
Journalist – 26
Sales – 24
Bank teller – 22
Clerical worker – 21
Security guard – 17
Warehouse – 15

[msingh]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ye2MV3LayI

average guy vs elite athletes

[ZEvenEsh]

John was awesome.

I woulda loved to hear more about his own training, more on CFFB and more details on his westside / oly lifting / sprint training methods.

Hopefully Part II down the road!

Thanks Rip!

--Z--