In this episode of the Judd Lienhard Podcast, I sit down with John Welbourn, 9-year NFL starter, Power Athlete founder, and one of the most respected minds in strength & conditioning.

John, a 1999 NFL Draft pick, played 100+ games and made 10 playoff runs with the Eagles and Chiefs before retiring in 2008. He later revolutionized athletic training, working with Navy Special Warfare’s DEVGRU, the Army’s 18th Airborne Corps, and elite NFL, NHL, MLB, and Olympic athletes.

We cover John’s NFL career & lessons from playing at the highest level. He shares how he built Power Athlete, his fallout with CrossFit founder Greg Glassman, and CrossFit's impact on fitness. John also details training Navy SEAL Andy Stumpf after a near-fatal AK-47 injury. We break down athleticism vs. work capacity, performance training evolution, and strategies for strength, longevity, and an elite mindset.

Whether you're an athlete, coach, or performance enthusiast, this episode delivers elite insights, raw stories, and no-BS advice from a proven expert.

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Timestamps:

(00:00:07) – Intro: Honoring Your Parents w/ Richard Sorin
(00:03:45) – From UC Berkeley to the NFL: Eagles & Chiefs
(00:06:47) – Top NFL Players: Barkley, Henry, Kelce, Gronk & More
(00:12:15) – GOAT Talk: Josh Allen, Tom Brady & Michael Jordan
(00:17:25) – Martial Arts to the NFL: The Athletic Journey
(00:28:01) – Jiu-Jitsu & Ego: Learning to Be a Student Again
(00:31:20) – Strength Training: 500lb Bench, 610lb Squat, 380lb Snatch
(00:44:38) – Inside the NFL Combine
(00:49:40) – Military Special Ops & Pro Athletes
(00:58:43) – Combine vs. NFL Training
(01:00:01) – CrossFit Debate: Work Capacity vs. Athleticism
(01:19:06) – CrossFit Football & Its Evolution
(01:42:39) – Defining Athleticism: Movement & Adaptability
(02:10:09) – Power Athlete Training: Primal Patterns & Planes

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

📖 First Blood

📖 A World Lit Only by Fire 

📖 The Immortality Key

📖 Ultimate MMA Conditioning 

📖 Westside Barbell Book of Methods 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the channel and free content creation.

FOLLOW JOHN WELBOURN on INSTAGRAM

🔗 Power Athlete: https://powerathletehq.com/ 

This episode is brought to you by LMNT.

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The Judd Lienhard Podcast delivers unfiltered conversations with elite athletes, military leaders, and top coaches, exploring performance, mindset, and resilience. From NFL vets to Special Forces operators, each episode is packed with real-world lessons on training, leadership, and pushing limits.

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