Interview with Lance Corporal Joshua Gideon Fulton
Marine Corps Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, NC
What did the Protocol do for you?
It gave me the ability to join the Marines within two weeks as opposed to three months because I was in shape and ready for boot camp. I was in stellar physical condition. I ran the mile and a half in 9 minutes and 30 seconds. I did 16 pull-ups and 100 set up in two minutes. Normal people are slower and they usually do 3-10 pull-ups with about 70 setups as an average.
Before the protocol, I was running the 60 in 7.2. within three months it dropped to 6.8. It helps me with long distance running because the sprint program builds the muscles so that I do not fatigue as quickly as I would have without participating in the sprints. It gave me the mental ability to push myself because you see results in the first week.
The Protocol gives me vitality because I am in such good condition that I do not need to rest and the muscles have been stimulated to be active 24/7. I feel better about myself because I feel like there is nothing in front of me that I cannot accomplish. Once you do the protocol the word, “Can’t” exits your vocabulary.
How does the protocol relate or compliment your workout regiment now that you are in the special forces of the Marine Corps?
We do stuff a little bit different but we use the same concept of developing all muscles everyday. For instance, we do 7-ton tire flips. This resembles the dead-lift program and the core program. We lift “HumVee” Tires off our chest and this duplicates the bench program of the protocol. We use the whole body and we do not focus in on using isolated lifts for certain muscle groups.
You say that the running in the Marines is easier because you did the protocol. Why is that so?
When I run, a long distance I do not get fatigued and my muscle do not get as sore as they could be. I learned how to be more explosive with my body in running. This explosion process carried over to my long distance running. Now I have more muscle ready to engage if I need them.
(Winter 2010)
Lukas Egetmeyer, First International Protocol Athlete, Louisburg JC, Mannheim Tornadoes
What did you think of the Protocol Philosophy?
I think it is exactly right compared to conventional weightlifting. Conventional weightlifting tells you how to get bigger but it does not tell you how to get stronger. Getting bigger does help you get stronger but there is a price. You have to tear down the body, there is longer recovery time, and the body could breakdown and risk injury.
So is conventional weightlifting a quick fix versus a sustained development of strength via the protocol?
NO. I think the protocol is a quick gain with a long term solution. It is beneficial in the short and the long term and better than the conventional.
Why is it better?
You strengthen the body and you get good results. You do not get sore, you only spend a little amount of time in the weight room, and you achieve more by doing less!!!!! It is so important to play the game without soreness and the protocol allows you to build your power base without being sore during game time.
How did it affect your baseball play?
I was much more light-footed and my legs were much stronger. I felt like I was gliding when I ran instead of running with heavy feet. I felt stronger and quicker at the plate. Instead of hitting singles just past the infield, I was turning singles into doubles because the ball was jumping off the bat into the gaps.
When you left North Carolina and went back to the German League, how did you adjust the protocol to your national career?
I had lots of time during the summer and I did not have to go to school until the fall. Therefore, I had the opportunity to continue the program. It kept me performing at my best level.
How did the team do?
We made it to the German National Championships and we took it to the fifth and final game of the series. We lost 3-1 to Hildesheim Heideköpfe. I joined the team in June. This is when the playoffs started in Germany. We beat the defending National Champions to make it to the finals.&Lukas I caught 11 of the 14 playoff games.
What are you plans for the fall and winter?
I will start a new career at the Technical University of Darmstadt and I will continue to do the protocol during the fall and winter. I plan to play again in 2010 with Mannheim.
(Fall 2009)
Notes on Lukas Egetmeyer: Lukas is a 6’4”, 195-pound catcher who came to the United States to play baseball at the collegiate level. Maintained a 4.00 GPA at Louisburg JC, NC, and he played the Hurricanes posting a .291 Batting Average in 2008 and a .409 Batting Average in 2009
