Random Fit: Special Guest DeMarcus Ware

DeMarcus Ware learned quite a bit about caring for and maintaining his body during his 12-year NFL career.

 

Now the Super Bowl champion linebacker and nine-time Pro Bowler is helping others reach their personal and professional fitness goals.

NASM Master Instructors Wendy Batts and Ken Miller explore a myriad of topics with the NFL great-turned NASM-CPT, including the importance of diet, rest, and recovery, what advice he gives to current NFL players he trains through his NASM education, his Driven To Win fitness app which he launched in late 2020, and much more.

 

 

 

Hello, everybody welcome to another episode of "Random Fit." I am Wendy Batts and I'm here with my co host, Mr. Ken Miller. And we are extremely excited about our unbelievable guest that we have today. This individual has played in the NFL for over 12 seasons. He is a four-time, first-team NFL performer, a nine-time Pro Bowl linebacker. He has 138.5 sacks. I had to read that twice when I first saw that because I thought it was absolutely amazing.

 

He is a Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 champion. And last but not least, he is an NASM Certified Personal Trainer, and actually launched his own fitness app called Driven to Win. And that was in December of 2020. So I would like to welcome everyone Marcus Ware, and say thank you so much for being here.

DeMarcus Ware:
Thank you for having me on.

Wendy Batts:
Oh, goodness, I mean, I needed to re-read your intro, I was looking at all your stats, and I couldn't decide which one you are writable. We are so so grateful to have you here. And I'm just gonna get into some questions with you. If you don't mind me just jumping right on it.

 

Oh, let's go.

 

All right, well, I am being a trainer have also worked with multiple athletes and all different types of sports. So I know what it takes to get people game ready, when when they're in season or out of season and try and prepare, especially when they're coming off of injuries.

 

And I know that you personally have had a number of surgeries, you know, I know you've had some issues with your arm and your back. So can you tell everyone a little bit about what you learned about your own body and your experience, especially when you were you know, going through the grind of being a professional football player?

DeMarcus Ware:
You know, over the 12 years, I had 51 injuries, I had just to name a few, back surgeries, to neck surgeries to broken arms, you name it, I had it. But one thing that I really found out from all of the recovery and rehab is how much sleep you get. Like sleep is like the most important thing when you start thinking about, you know, lifting weights recovering. But also, if you have an injury, the same thing, how much sleep you get, because you're tearing your body up no matter what if you're rehabbing.

 

Or if you're trying to you know, build muscle. So no matter what recovery is everything, and it was a challenge, it's always a challenge with day to day schedules. And then you try to get your diet right, what are you putting into your body? So it's a, I would say a true cycle diet, recovering, meaning how much sleep you get? And then what are you actually doing to recover?

 

What type of recovery program I wake up at 6am. I was done at 9pm every single night and a lot of people don't understand that is I had to practice before I even practiced. I mean, meaning that I had to go to rehab first and then go lift weights, have meetings all day actually have to practices during that time. And then have rehab after work where I'm doing dry needling, massage, corrective exercises, you name it, I did.

Ken Miller:
Nice, well, is having spent all that time with with the with the trainers from the teams that you were with. And again, you've had a long, illustrious career. I mean for anybody to last even five years in the NFL is just amazing for you to be a nine time pro bowler and a Super Bowl champion.

 

And that just a testament to all the hard work that you've dedicated to your body over the years. So one of the things that you know, now that you're on the other side of the coin, you have your DTW app, you're on the fitness side of things, you've been certified, you've gotten certified went through the certification process through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, I do have a follow up question to all that. But how was that process for you now that you're on the other side of the equation when it comes to athletic performance?

DeMarcus Ware:
it was a total change because I had somebody teaching me on what I should, what my body should feel like how I can break my body down what I should eat, and I knew how to do it. But the difference is knowing how to explain it and being able to assist someone and explain it 40 different times if you have 40 different clients and that's usually the challenge that you run into. And I did not know when I got into the fitness space. It was one of the biggest challenges for me because you have to create your own identity.

 

And what I mean by that is everybody has their own color. And what they do, there's so much information out there, but what information is going to resonate with you? And once you find that you own it, and when you own it, people start believing in you. And then you start getting the clients that you want. But some people think that, hey, I need to go on Instagram and start just doing all kinds of exercises.

 

What is your methodology? Why are you actually doing it? And that's why I chose NASM. I chose NASM. And it's helped me out so much on what I knew how to do. But now I know how to explain it. And I know how to assess. And that's the great part about it. And no matter what you're always correct, when you get that, that right information.

Wendy Batts:
That's pretty deep. Show that clip to every new trainer. I know what you know, a follow up to Ken's question, you know, what do you what do you find to be the most rewarding thing being an NASM certified trainer, I know working with, you know, different types of clientele.

 

That's always rewarding within itself. But you know, you had made a comment and something that I'd seen online about that you couldn't really walk after you retired. And so can you kind of elaborate a little bit more on that?

DeMarcus Ware:
So my last year, I got a back infection. So I had to have two surgeries, and then a herniated disc, and I had to have another surgery. And then right after that in February, so in December, I had two back surgeries. And then I had one neck surgery in January. And I couldn't walk after that season. And I started thinking to myself, this reason why I retired, but I started thinking to myself, how do I recover and rehabilitate myself back to just feeling good.

 

I just wanted to get out of pain. And so I started learning and maintain muscle activation therapy, what functional movement screening was, what corrective exercise specialist is for NASM, but also started thinking about all of the little intricate things of how to train, are you in a stability phase hypertrophy phase, are you in the strength and power phases, you start figuring all these things out? And you start saying, 'Okay, I'm feeling better.'

 

And then, just from that point, when you said I couldn't walk, I wanted to give that sauce to everybody else. And that's why I created Jevon. And when having a computer science background, I started working with 3d models and augmented reality and motion capture. And I wanted to sort of put a trainer in your pocket, right, and using machine learning with Apple.

 

So it was really cool. building that whole project. And now just being able to make my new locker room in the weight room, which is really fun. I get to talk to people and help people out not not just from from performing, but now them living healthier lives.

Ken Miller:
Awesome. Awesome. Now that you've got, you've got DTW app, that's your main deal right now. You've had your career as an NFL player having reached the highest of all accomplishments there and multiple times as a pro bowler. But as you have learned the NASM model you talked about, you know, you have stability, strength and power, and all the things that go into programming somebody for athletic, or just recreational or just wellness.

 

And like you said, you just want to be out of pain. Now, because you've experienced, I guess the ultimate with when it comes to what your body can go through. How much interaction do you have, if any, with with NFL players now as far as getting them ready or keeping them in the field? Are you are you interacting with with football players that have done what you've done? 

DeMarcus Ware:
Yeah, so I train about five guys every year in the offseason. And then I train them periodically during the bye weeks. So during the season, they have a week off they will come down here our train sorta to freshen up everything but my stuff is more position specific work. It is as a linebacker cornerback defensive end.

 

So it's more about performance, about building the range of motion, and then being able to exert that power out there on the football field. Now when I convert that to now just a client and I'm Personal Training, I asked him what type of results do you want? Are you trying to lose weight? Are you trying to lean up? Are you trying to gain muscle? What do you want? Are you just trying to feel better from this workout?

 

And that's one thing you always got to ask the client. What do you what are your goals? Put that down on paper because I've learned that a baseline is everything. When you start somewhere. You got somewhere where you can move from from this that point. And yeah, working with the athletes. I still work with them in the offseason, not only in gym here also is three volt fitness in trophy club and I have about 250 clients there. So that's a challenge. I just woke up at 415 this morning.

Ken Miller:
Welcome to the world of fitness!

Wendy Batts:
I love it. Well, I'm going to actually change and kind of change the page a little bit. And I'm going to openly admit this so don't let everyone know but I'm a huge huge Tennessee balls fan with an automatic Peyton Manning fan. Now. I love this man. And if my kid I'm telling you was a female where we didn't name him Peyton because my whole house and basement looks like that Just so you know, I've got orange everywhere.

 

But you know, with you being a part of the, you know, Super Bowl 50 in last season, you obviously played a huge role in this accomplishment. So can you kind of tell us about your experience, and then, you know, once you retired, kind of like reflecting back on that moment when you won?

DeMarcus Ware:
Um, I would take you to the game before the Super Bowl. And I remember playing against Tom Brady. And that was one of the biggest games in my career, and the first time we really making the playoffs. And once we made the playoffs, I remember telling the team in that little meeting after the game, I got the game ball. And I said, I want to be up at 6am in the morning, I told you guys, if you put me into the Super Bowl, we are not going to lose his game.

 

And so I was up at 6am in the locker room waiting on all the guys, they thought that I was playing. And long story short, we ended up going to San Francisco Levi's Stadium and winning that game. Peyton Manning was there. I mean, I'll take you back to the locker room a little bit. But usually in the locker room, there's guys playing all the music is really loud. And just this one game, all the guys were quiet. And I thought to myself, we already and everybody thought that we were going to lose that game. But I knew once we went out there, everybody was prepared, we were happy. And at the end of the game, everybody got to hoist that huge Super Bowl trophy up.

 

But I didn't touch it. I was like, I'm gonna load time to myself. Maybe I'll you know, touch it a little later, because I'll just say my feelings, right? But then I went into the locker room. And the Super Bowl trophy was in my locker all clean, all by myself. And I'm looking like this in here. I who knew that I wanted to have a little long time with the trophy. And lo and behold, I grabbed that trophy. It's almost like I would grab me I was I had a baby. I was like, and this was like my moment. And I got a tap on the shoulder. And it was Peyton. I mean, Peyton looked at each other with the eyes of like, man, we made it.

 

Like we did this. I was a defensive guy. He was an offensive guy. And we It was weird. But we hooked the trophy together. You know, like what tears in our eyes saying, this is it? Right? I knew that this was his last year, I maybe had one one year and I tried it, I beat my body up. And then I retired after that. But I never really got an opportunity to enjoy all the time because when I played, I put my head down at the plow. And I just wanted to work, I wanted to compete and be a gladiator in the stadium in the Coliseum right. And once I was done, I created this room at my house as all the Super Bowl trophies or you know, the awards. And that's when I started reminiscing.

 

Once I retired, like man, look at how much you accomplished. Look at what you've done. You never really thought about what you did while you was doing it. But now you get an opportunity to live that over and over again. And it was like new to me. So that's like a really cool thing. And a story. I hadn't really told anyone.

Ken Miller:
I love it. Yes, yes. Makes me all kinds of fuzzies coming my way. But um, well, to piggyback off of off of that again, you know, what, what's, what's next for you? I mean, you've got this, you've got your clients, you've got your gym, you've got your app, you know, I know next year, you're eligible for one of the biggest, you know, honors ever in football, which I'm sure you will make your way in pretty easily. But I mean, what's what's next for you?

DeMarcus Ware:
Um, I think, you know, with me, it's just motivating people. I did that for 12 years, I was a captain for 12 years in the NFL. And I had an amazing platform with changing guys lives and the people that I got to touch, making myself be second and making them feel first to create some monumental change. And now I got an even huge audience.

 

And when you talking about you know, putting that yellow jacket on, that means that you are the best at what you did. But now I'm going to have an even bigger platform on a different team with only about 300 guys in the history of football. And now I get to touch lives through fitness with his jacket on, tell him that I was the best at what I did. But now I have an opportunity to sort of break people's bodies down and motivate them and them have that championship mentality to be healthy, too. feel good.

 

So I'm like, right in my element. Like I love exactly what I want to do. I'm a sponge when I'm in class when I'm learning. And a lot of people said to Marcus, why are you even doing it? I said, why not? Why not learn as much? Because the more you know, the more comfortable you are, the more comfortable your clients are with you. Because you know what you're talking about. It's not about any accolades, or you know how much you did in football. It's about how can you change my life? And how good are you with what you're doing?

Wendy Batts:
Nice. Awesome. You know what I have? I have one question to ask before we close up, but you kind of said some great nuggets right there those last 45 seconds, but you've been a professional at the highest level, you're on the fitness side of things right now. Any words of advice or encouragement for trainers that have made the leap into fitness and helping people with their physical well being,

DeMarcus Ware:
Um, I would say, the fitness space is very, very saturated, right? Um, I would say, build your character, and start looking at characters, start looking at things that you think you want to be, and ask yourself who and what you want to be. And when you own that, that's when you are going to become that person that people can believe in, because you're going to start believing in yourself.

 

But make sure you get the right information. I mean, there's so much information out there. I mean, that's why I just came in. And I keep telling you guys like I went to NASM, because I felt like that was the best. So I went, I played the best in the NFL. So I want the best information so I can tear everything down. So for them, get the right information, build your character on it, and you'll be successful.

Ken Miller:
Awesome, awesome. Hey, we can't Marcus, we can't thank you enough for spending time with us today. On the "Random Fit" podcast. I know you're a very busy man, and you got a lot going. Your app, gym, coaching, all of that good stuff. So thank you so much. We still very much appreciate you being here today on the "Random Fit" podcast through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

 

So for those of you guys listening, we just had a great interview with DeMarcus Ware, Pro Bowler, NFL Super Bowl winner, and couldn't have asked for a better way to start my day here on the west coast. So thank you again to Marcus.

 

Thank you so much. 

 

You take care and you and you keep living that OPC model. Just in closing, so again, if you like what you listen to here at  "Random Fit," like, follow, subscribe and comment and we would love to see you next time. So until next time everybody, take care and be well.