While players were barred from NFL facilities, DT Linval Joseph worked with his Gainesville, FL personal trainer to leap to a starting job with the New York Giants.

GAINESVILLE, Fla., Aug. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- When the NFL banned its players from training in league-operated facilities during the recent lockout, the players had to find new training homes to maintain their physical competitive advantage.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110831/CG61096)

For the New York Giants' defensive tackle Linval Joseph, that new home became the Gainesville Health & Fitness Centers in his hometown of Gainesville, FL.

A 2007 graduate of Santa Fe High School, the 22-year-old Joseph returned home during the lockout to spend time with his family and train with GHF Personal Trainer Nolle Graham. Graham, coincidentally, had been an athletic training intern with the Giants organization during the 2004-2005 season.

The 323-pound Joseph is known in the Giants' locker room as one of the strongest players on the team, and he's making headlines this pre-season due to his size, power and skill level. He was taken in the second round -- the 46th overall pick -- by the Giants in the 2010 NFL Draft.

"I'm hoping for a breakout year," Joseph said. "I'm looking forward to staying healthy and making plays. I'm stronger, I'm healthier, and I'm ready to go."

Graham said during their lockout training at GHF, Joseph achieved a single-rep max on the bench press of 500 pounds, and he practiced and conditioned as many as three times a day.

Football isn't just a game to him, but a way of life, Joseph said. The voicemail on his cell phone notifies callers that he was unable to answer because he is eating, sleeping, training or doing something to make himself better.

He has a dedication to succeed ingrained into his personality, Joseph said, one he developed as a young athlete and improved during a summer at GHF's gyms, and one he can't wait to release on the field starting in September.

"I think the training has impacted his value as an NFL player because GHF became a place where he could continue to train and get stronger while in his off season," Graham said. "He gave 100 percent for every exercise, even motivating me at times."

Graham had Joseph do warm-ups on the TRAZER, a sports performance-improving simulator with capabilities to measure and train key components of sports performance - reaction time, movement speed, power, acceleration and deceleration and dynamic posture ("athletic stance") over sport-specific distances and directions. The warm ups were designed to improve his agility and reaction time, skills crucial for making plays in what many refer to as "the trenches" of the football field.

Joseph and his personal trainer improved his core stability using different plank variations and worked on his front squats. These exercises will give him a larger engine from which to draw power when he goes face to face with other monsters on the field.

Joseph had a lower back injury his freshmen year of college at East Carolina University that required surgery, and strengthening that area was crucial to his performance this season. He and Graham worked to resolve several issues with that area, making it an asset instead of a liability.

They also worked on his overall strength as well as the flexibility of his chest, hip flexors and lower back, which will improve his force production and decrease his risk of injury.

Joseph has also decreased his body fat as a result of the training, which will allow him to be more explosive off the line.

"I can do a lot more things that I couldn't do last year because my back wasn't as strong as it is now," Joseph said. "It feels good and feels strong, and I am really glad I worked with Nolle."

Joseph said he's been given the nod to replace former starting tackle Barry Cofield, who left the Giants for the Washington Redskins when the Giants declined to offer Cofield more money as a free agent.

In fact, the Giants reportedly took Joseph in last year's draft in anticipation of Cofield's departure.

The organization drafted Joseph based on value alone. They didn't need the depth he offered, but they valued his skill level and playmaking ability.

He played in only six games his rookie season, logging eight tackles and seeing a mere 60-something snaps. But despite the numbers, the rookie's performance has been not been considered a disappointment.

This season, the projected starter has logged six tackles in three preseason games.

He's received praise from teammates and coaches alike for the improvements he's made during the offseason.

Defensive tackle Chris Canty has said Joseph is playing like a third-year veteran in his second year, and Giants head coach Tom Coughlin continues to sing Joseph's praises since drafting him last season.

"Linval has been impressive," Coughlin told The Star-Ledger this week. "As the amount of playing time goes (up) and the level of competition gets better … it's going to be interesting to continue to watch him. I've been pleased."

The Giants' regular season kicks off September 11 against the Washington Redskins.

Joseph said he's glad he spent his summer doing more than just the typical off-season workout, and he looks forward to performing at his best this season, just like he did all summer.

About Gainesville Health & Fitness Centers

Established in 1978, Gainesville Health & Fitness is located in Gainesville, FL. Comprised of three fitness centers, the gyms offer memberships, personal training, small group training, physical therapy, and fitness programs. In 2003, Gainesville Health & Fitness helped lead the area to the title of "Healthiest Community in America" -- a feat that remains unmatched by any other city.

Media Contact: Brian Russell, Gainesville Health & Fitness Centers, (352) 377-4955, brianrussell@ghfc.com

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SOURCE Gainesville Health & Fitness Centers

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