Joe DeFranco's Industrial Strength Show

It took Joe six months to create a program that only lasts nine weeks. In this episode, he explains why. Joe pulls back the curtain on the creation of Lean Bastard, sharing the behind-the-scenes decisions, setbacks, rewrites, and coaching philosophy that turned this project into a six-month obsession. From scrapping an entire finished program and starting over, to explaining why he chose full-body workouts, zero barbell work, and six unique performance standards, this episode reveals the thought process behind what Joe believes is the best representation of his 30+ years of coaching and problem solving. If you've ever wondered what goes into creating a truly results-driven training program — this is an episode you won't want to miss! *For a full list of Show Notes & Timestamps goto www.IndustrialStrengthShow.com.
 
IMPORTANT LINKS
Lean Bastard program & recipe guide
DeFranco's Nutritional Supplements
Joe D's new website

Joe is back from vacation and he's got a lot of catching up to do...but he's only got an hour to do it! He kicks off this fast-paced "return episode" with a vacation recap and a Lean Bastard update before diving into today's main topic: The 5 Blood Markers That Every Lifter Needs To Understand. If you lift weights regularly, certain blood markers can become temporarily elevated after a hard workout, making it appear as though something is wrong when, in reality, your body is simply recovering and adapting. In this episode, Joe breaks down the five blood markers that are most commonly affected by strenuous workouts: ALT & AST (liver enzymes), Creatine Kinase (CK), Creatinine/eGFR, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and White Blood Cell Count. He explains what each marker measures, why intense training can affect the results, and what you should do before your next blood draw to ensure your labs reflect your true baseline health. Whether you're a competitive athlete, recreational lifter, or simply someone who trains hard and values your health, this episode could save you from unnecessary worry — and help you have a more informed conversation with your doctor. *For a full list of Show Notes w/ Timestamps visit www.IndustrialStrengthShow.com.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Follow Joe D. on Instagram

After receiving many requests, Joe finally opens the garage doors and gives listeners a complete rundown of the equipment in his home gym. But this isn't just another garage gym tour… In this episode, Joe rates every major piece of equipment in his gym - from his EliteFTS Collegiate Half Rack and Freemotion Dual Cable Cross to his Technogym BioStrength Chest Press, Arsenal Reloaded Incline Fly, EliteFTS Signature Seated ISO-Row, Nautilus Glute Drive, NÜOBELL Adjustable Dumbbells and more. Along the way, he shares what each piece costs, whether it's actually worth the money, what he'd buy again (and what he wouldn't), plus the specialty bars, accessories and "hidden gems" that have earned a permanent spot in his training over the years. Whether you're building your own home gym, looking to make smarter equipment purchases, or you're just interested in knowing more about Joe's home gym - this episode is a MUST-LISTEN! *For a full list of Show Notes with Timestamps visit www.IndustrialStrengthShow.com.
 
IMPORTANT LINKS
Lean Bastard VIP List [LAST CHANCE!]
Elitefts Collegiate Half Rack
Free Motion Dual Cable Cross Lite
TechnoGym Biostrength Chest Press
Aresenal's Reloaded Incline Flye
Elitefts Signature Seated ISO-Row
Nautilus Glute Drive
Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbells
Elitefts 0-90 Incline Bench

After training in his 100-degree garage gym for weeks, Joe decided to do something he hadn't done in over 25 years — join a commercial gym. What happened next completely caught him off guard. In this episode, Joe shares how one air-conditioned workout turned into an accidental self-experiment that changed the way he thinks about heat acclimation, conditioning, and recovery. He explains the science behind why training in the heat may improve your body's cooling system, lower your heart rate during exercise, and help you recover faster between sets — all in easy-to-understand language. He also discusses why years of free-weight and bodyweight training made machine exercises feel surprisingly easy, and why he still believes that transfer doesn't work nearly as well in the opposite direction. Whether you train in a garage, a commercial gym, or somewhere in between, this episode is packed with practical lessons that may change the way you think about your workouts. *For a full list of Show Notes with Timestamps visit www.IndustrialStrengthShow.com.
 
IMPORTANT LINKS
FREE Live Workshop for Gym Owners [Save Your Seat!]
Team Forever Strong [Free Trial]
Lean Bastard VIP List

A longtime listener recently dug through his collection of Joe's old Ask Joe Q&A's, T Nation articles, and EliteFTS posts from over 20 years ago… and he challenged Joe to critique his own advice! In this episode, Joe revisits five classic topics - including box squats, vertical jump training, free weights vs. machines, strength vs. hypertrophy principles, and full-body training splits - to answer one simple question: "Would 2026 Joe D. give the same advice as 2006 Joe D.?" Some recommendations stood the test of time almost exactly as Joe originally taught them… while a few have evolved after two more decades of coaching thousands of athletes, lifters, and everyday clients. It's an honest, entertaining look at what experience reinforces, what research has refined, and why the best coaches are never afraid to re-evaluate their own beliefs. *For a full list of Show Notes with Timestamps visit www.IndustrialStrengthShow.com
 
IMPORTANT LINKS
Lean Bastard VIP List
DeFranco's Nutritional Supplements