What Javon Kinlaw did in the Offseason to Find "Superior Confidence" in Himself
As he enters a contract year, Javon Kinlaw finds himself the healthiest and most confident he's ever been after making some changes.
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00:00 >> We've been getting a lot of praise and
00:05 a lot of coaches and teammates just
00:10 the work you put in behind the scenes.
00:16 Just tell us a little bit about what that looked like.
00:19 >> Just a grind, I've been grinding, but I've been grinding, nothing new.
00:24 Only thing I added differently, I focused on a lot of mobility, a lot of stability
00:29 and a lot of body mechanics, just trying to make myself a better athlete as a whole.
00:33 And it's paying off, so I've been grinding, that's what I do.
00:38 That's what got me to this point, so.
00:39 >> How does that pay off?
00:41 I mean, what ways are you kind of seeing the results of that?
00:45 >> Leverage, just getting off the ball, just being able to take a bigger first
00:50 step if need be, just playing way more explosive, more violent, just everything.
00:57 The power level comes down, I don't believe nobody can stop me, so.
01:00 >> You think that was an issue previously?
01:02 >> For sure, just not being able to play as low as I needed to.
01:07 But that's why I went to the lab and I really focused on my body mechanics.
01:13 >> I've seen some of the Pilates work, how difficult was that when you first
01:17 started it as opposed to after you kind of acclimated to it?
01:20 >> Well, my instructor does a good job of really making you work the small muscles.
01:25 And when you see a lot of Pilates studios,
01:28 they don't really emphasize keeping a neutral spine.
01:31 So we do a good job of emphasizing a neutral spine and
01:34 just fine tuning the little muscles, no big movements.
01:38 When you make the small movements, that really helps the small muscles kick in and
01:42 you really feel it and notice it on the field, so shout out to her.
01:45 >> Was it harder than you thought it would be when you first started it?
01:49 >> I mean, nah, I kind of went into it with an open mind, but yeah.
01:53 But it's like the better I get at it, the more tougher it is,
01:56 cuz I know exactly what I need to do.
01:57 >> How much more confidence do you have on the field playing now that you got
02:02 more minutes in your mind?
02:03 >> I mean, a whole bunch, playing with one and a half leg is no good.
02:08 You think about it every snap versus, you got two legs, two good legs,
02:12 body is improving as a whole.
02:15 Just able to do some things I've never been able to do, so
02:17 it gives me superior confidence.
02:19 >> Can you be on the field without thinking about maybe serving?
02:23 >> Most definitely, every play, I don't think about it at all.
02:25 >> How much of a feed off of our Grave and what's he kind of showing you?
02:30 >> Well, right now I'm playing behind two of the best interior defense linemen in
02:34 the game right now.
02:34 So I'm just soaking in as much information as I can, like I always do.
02:39 And I'm blessed to be in the position that I'm in.
02:41 They just do a good job of leading, setting the tone every day.
02:46 Grave is a special player, change of direction, just natural leverage,
02:52 just nobody can stop him.
02:54 When he gets into him, he's able to work edges too, slice people up.
02:59 You know Eric, just a wrecking ball, so I'm really blessed right now.
03:03 >> Did you know much about Hargrave before?
03:05 >> Of course, of course, I knew about Hargrave since he was in college, so.
03:09 >> You got a snap at defensive end and one of those one on ones early in camp.
03:15 Is that just kind of experimenting with some new moves or is that something?
03:17 >> No, bro, I'm really a freak, though.
03:19 We're all gonna see, point blank, period.
03:22 >> What about diet, have you changed that up at all?
03:26 >> I mean, I was dieting last year a lot, but I dove deeper into it.
03:30 A lot of less carbs, a lot of vegetables, a lot of protein,
03:35 those type of things, not really eating as much,
03:39 cutting off at eating around like 7.30 at night, so.
03:42 >> How did you manage to save the team?
03:45 >> I mean, financially, it just let me know I got those small muscles to use along with
03:50 the big muscles, so I can tap into a different power source than everybody else.
03:55 So that's what it's about right now.
03:57 >> Well, what gives you, I mean, obviously the knee issues have been, something that's
04:02 just been consistent throughout your career that held you back.
04:06 What gives you confidence that maybe that's all over, you put that behind you?
04:12 >> Cuz I work at it every day.
04:13 When you work at something every day, you get superior confidence over it.
04:17 It's all mind over matter.
04:18 And right now I'm in a great mental space.
04:21 Nothing gonna stop my knee cuz I work at it every single day.
04:23 It's a must.
04:24 I don't go a day without working on it.
04:26 >> Do you have a perfect attendance, spring and
04:31 summer practices that you wish to practice?
04:34 >> No, I haven't.
04:34 >> That's good.
04:37 >> We saw you after D-line drills, you walked over to the softball,
04:43 so we kinda casually picked you up and started juggling.
04:46 How long has that been a challenge?
04:48 >> I've been juggling since I was like seven.
04:50 My mom bought me a little Clutz book.
04:52 And I only had three bags, but it had up to five.
04:55 Luckily, I ain't have five bags.
04:56 I'd have been juggling like five of them bad boys.
04:59 No, but yeah.
04:59 >> What was it like stepping into that cooling tent, the cooling box?
05:04 >> I didn't go in there.
05:04 >> You didn't go in?
05:05 >> This ain't nothing to me.
05:06 You know where I'm from.
05:06 Come on, man.
05:07 >> [LAUGH] >> You know where I'm from.
05:09 >> Do you do anything else other than just stop, meditate, and talk to your family?
05:12 >> I just pray a lot.
05:14 I pray a lot.
05:16 I mean, overly sometimes.
05:18 That's what I was grew up.
05:20 I grew up in that kind of background.
05:21 Church like three, four days out the week.
05:24 So I'm always giving thanks when it's needed or when I'm down,
05:28 might have a dog day, I'm always giving thanks to the man up high.
05:31 So.
05:32 >> You know the church is hotter than this.
05:35 >> You feel me?
05:36 >> [LAUGH] >> Appreciate it.
05:40 >> All right, Charles.