| NFL players are individuals by nature, and | | | | skills has a distinct advantage over those |
| each position and scheme demands different | | | | that don't. |
| physical and mental capabilities in order to | | | | |
| maximize success. As such, offseason training | | | | Boxing |
| that used to be a matter of running a few | | | | |
| miles per day to stay in shape has become its | | | | During this offseason, Chargers LB Shawn |
| own cottage industry. We'll take a look at | | | | Merriman is making a name for himself with |
| some different things players do to stay in | | | | his teammates by working with a boxing coach. |
| shape and to get bigger, faster and stronger | | | | He has replaced many pounds of fat with |
| during the offseason. | | | | muscle, and everyone at the team facility |
| | | | noticed the difference immediately. Boxing |
| Cardiovascular Training | | | | works every muscle in the body, and the sport |
| | | | by design pushes its participants beyond the |
| Perhaps the oldest form of training in the | | | | point of fatigue. |
| NFL, every player needs to be able to keep | | | | |
| his wind if he's to play football. In recent | | | | Yoga |
| years, however, innovations within this | | | | |
| discipline have grown increasingly popular. | | | | With the rise in the popularity in weight |
| Some players just run for long distances. | | | | training came the simultaneous collective |
| Others run wind sprints ad nauseum. Many | | | | loss of flexibility in players all over the |
| combine the two, and other legendary cardio | | | | NFL. Flexibility is a crucial element in |
| routines include Jerry Rice and Walter | | | | avoiding injury, and core strength, many |
| Payton, who famously ran up and down their | | | | feel, is the fundamental basis of all |
| chosen hills near their offseason homes | | | | conditioning. Yoga is also a mental form of |
| religiously. | | | | preparation, and it grows in popularity every |
| | | | offseason. |
| Weight Training | | | | |
| | | | Ballet |
| This is a staple of nearly every player, and | | | | |
| like cardio training, weight training has | | | | Although this form of training is generally |
| grown much more specialized in recent years. | | | | not publicized by players, several prominent |
| Gone are the days when players would do a few | | | | players have worked within this discipline to |
| sets of bench presses, squats and arm curls | | | | improve footwork. Former RB Herschel Walker |
| and call it a day. Every player and every | | | | famously touted his routine, and very few |
| position now has a particular routine | | | | players in recent history could boast of |
| designed to maximize muscle development, | | | | better footwork than Walker. Quietly, ballet |
| strength and explosion that fits the needs of | | | | is part of many players' routines. |
| the individual player and position. Strength | | | | |
| coaches are paid very well to put together | | | | Although there are many choices for players |
| and manage these programs. Without strength, | | | | to train during the offseason, one common |
| balance and explosion, players will have no | | | | denominator is that all players need to do |
| chance. | | | | something, and do it diligently. Coaches and |
| | | | management teams expect every player to |
| Martial Arts | | | | report for training camp bigger, stronger, |
| | | | faster and healthier every season, and many |
| Martial arts in and of themselves offer | | | | players' contracts contain incentive clauses |
| several choices in regards to particular | | | | for staying in shape and meeting certain |
| routines. Regardless of the chosen | | | | training requirements. |
| discipline, many players train with martial | | | | |
| arts masters to improve balance, quickness, | | | | For the players, there is no more offseason |
| mental focus and the ability to use their | | | | in the NFL, and they all know this. That's |
| hands as weapons. Many linemen use this form | | | | why you may see some familiar faces from time |
| of training to learn to defeat the player in | | | | to time as you head to a yoga class or work |
| front of him, and the player with these | | | | out at the boxing gym. |