From NFL Runningback to Strength Coach: An Interview with Ryan Englebert

John Cortese — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:37:25 +0000

Heyyyy guys, it’s Wednesday afternoon here in CA and it’s STILL feels like it’s summer.. I guess I shouldn’t complain, BUT it is almost November!!

When I was younger, I wish I had the guidance of someone who had actually played football at the highest level possible to guide me, who had the physical capabilities that I wanted, and TRULY cared about making every athlete that they work with FREAKS. Don’t get me wrong, my coaches in high school were GREAT- But to have someone who knows so much about performance enhancement training for athletes on your side is a great weapon in your arsenal to have. That’s why I decided to grill Ryan Englebert, a former NFL running back and now a performance enhancement specialist who works with athletes looking to get BIGGER, STRONGER, and FASTER for their sport!

*Oh, did I mention he ran a 4.31 40 yard dash and bench pressed 225 lbs x 39 reps at a body weight of 218 pounds?! Well he did, and he’s about to tell you HOW he got there..

Ryan in his College Days

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John: Tell the readers a little bit about yourself, your background, how you got started, etc..

Ryan: Athletics and Fitness in general has been a HUGE part of my life for as long as I can remember. Being involved with organized sports since the age of 5, I learned the value of teamwork and dedication at a very young age. Through athletics I’ve been able to develop leadership qualities that have made a significant positive difference in my professional life.

In 2003 I was involved in a life threatening car accident that left a “world re-nowned” hip specialist saying I would never walk again. With a burning desire to prove him wrong and eventually reach my childhood dream of playing in the NFL, I took the challenge head on. Though I faced many obstacles through my rehabilitation, I never lost sight of my goal and eventually signed an NFL contract with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2006. I went from being told I’d be stuck in a wheel chair the rest of my life to running a 4.31 40 yard dash, and bench pressing 225lbs for 39 reps at 218lbs of body weight. With that being said I like to believe that I am living proof, that you truly can achieve whatever you put your mind to.

If there is ONE thing in this world that I understand better than anything, it is how to make an athlete as strong, explosive and injury resistant as genetically possible. My saying is, you may enter as just an athlete, but when you exit, you WILL BE A FREAK.
In the past few years I’ve worked with hundreds of different high school, college and professional athletes from the various sports; football, soccer, hockey, baseball, basketball, softball, volleyball, swimming, wrestling, track and field, and mixed martial arts. Through the years I have experimented with and invented numerous different training methods for athletes of all ages.

Ryan in the NFL

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John: What made you realize that strength and conditioning was so vital in competitive sports, and at what point did you conclude that you wanted to train athletes?

Ryan: I was very blessed growing up, having two very supportive parents along with two older brothers who were also heavily involved in athletics. Being the youngest I always looked up to my brothers and learnd at a very early age how important a good work ethic along with a positive attitude was to being the best at what you do. One thing I always prided myself in was never backing down from a challenge. Having brothers 2 and 4 years older than me presented a lot of challenges that I had no business taking on, but being the stubborn and fearless I usually went after each challenge full speed ahead.. And though I may have lost more than I won, I truly believe having that kind of attitude along with two brothers that always pushed me definitely helped mold me into the man I am today.

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John: What was your training like growing up? Did you experience any “myths” or common errors with training (I think we all have!) and how has that molded you today?

Ryan:I defnitely had an advantage growing up over most kids my age. My oldest brother Cory, took great interest at a young age in studying different training methods to utilize an athlete’s performance. So having him design me workouts through high school and college was definitely a huge reason as to why I ultimately reached my childhood dream of playing in the NFL. The one obvious error in my training as a youngster is the same thing I see with most young athletes today. Everyone wants to focus on their bench press.. Growing up, I focused more on getting my bench press up than other, more important exercises that obviously would have translated better to my performance on the field. Don’t get me wrong I still believe that developing an athlete’s strength and explosiveness through the bench press is important, however it definitely should not be the most important part of an athlete’s program.

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John: What was your experience like playing college football and eventually the NFL, and what advice would you give to young aspiring athletes wanting to play college and eventually professional sports?

Ryan: My college and professional football career was definitely unique to say the least. Having transferred schools, suffering life threatening injuries in a car accident that left the doctor saying I’d never walk again to ultimately running a 4.3 40 yard dash 2 years later and getting signed by the Cincinnati Bengals are 3 examples of some of the ups and downs I experienced through those years. Through those times, both good and bad, I always believed that everything happened for a reason. I know it’s cliche, but it’s amazing how everything usually comes full circle in the end. Having wonderful teammates, great friends, a loving family and a very strong relationship with the man above, I always believed I could handle whatever obstacle were thrown infront of me. If there is one thing I can get across to other athletes, or youngsters aspiring to be the best, would be to never listen to anyone who tells you you can’t accomplish something. Put your mind and body to work as a unit and prove those people wrong. “With Passion and Desire, Comes Success.”

Above, one of Ryan’s athletes jumping through the roof!

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John: You just launched your E-TEST Drop 2 Training System, can you tell us a little bit about that and why you feel an athlete looking for increased strength, speed, and power would benefit from it? Where is it available?

Ryan:Yes, The E-Test Drop 2 Training System is now available at http://ryanenglebert.com/e-test-drop-2-system This is one of the systems of training that I use with my high school, college and professional athletes. There are 3 levels to the program which are truly applicable for any athlete of any age or ability level. Each 12 week training program will focus on the following: increasing strength and explosiveness, increased energy system capacity, flexibility, injury prevention along with gaining more self-confidence. This is a program that includes detailed information on why I have athletes do the various exercises and explains in great detail how developing strength in those will dramatically improve each athlete’s sport specific performance. It is loaded with options for each coach or athlete to customize it to fit the needs for their particular sport

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John: What does the future hold for Ryan Englebert?

Ryan: That is a good question. As you probably know by now, I’m not the type of person that is ever satisified with what he’s accomplished in the past. Each day brings on new exciting challenges and opportunities. If I’m not trying to get better or enhance my knowledge on Sundays, and my competition is, I’m losing out.. So with that being said I’m going to continue working around the clock to ensure that every athlete I work with now and in the future are getting the best, most cutting edge training they can possibly get their hands on. My ultimate goal is to be recognized around the country as one of the top Performance Enhancement Specialists, and truthfully even if or when that happens, I still won’t be satisfied and will continue trying to improve. Where that will take me, who knows??

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John: Where can we learn more from you, and where are you located just in case a reader is close by that may want to train with you?

I am currently training out of a 20,000 sq foot facility in Milwaukee, WI where I’m the Director of Athletic Performance along with the Owner of the newly formed Englebert Training Systems. Anyone interested in taking their athletic or lifestyle performance to an all new level, give me a call!!

Yours in Performance Enhancement,

Ryan Englebert

President/Owner ENGLEBERT TRAINING SYSTEMS, LLC

Former NFL Runningback

(715) 441-1253

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Ryan, Thanks again!! For more information on Ryan Englebert and how he turns his athletes into FREAKS, visit his website at RyanEnglebert.com

If you’re an athlete, you owe it yourself to check out his new product!

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From NFL Runningback to Strength Coach: An Interview with Ryan Englebert