How NFL Players Stay Fit and Healthy

Have you found yourself watching the NFL and wondering how they stay fit and healthy? Perhaps you want to find out more about their fitness routines to aid your own? Or maybe you want to use this information to bet more strategically? Whatever your reason might be, we have the answer for you! 

It can be tricky knowing how to bet on in the NFL; with so many good players out there and endless reports and statistics, you can be left overwhelmed and stressed. We recommend checking out Fanduel’s player props to find information about the players and their stats. But what can you do now?

Well, you can stick with us! Today we will be walking you through how NFL players stay fit and healthy to help you learn more about the players and how they keep fit. Why not use this information to help place your future bets on the NFL? You never know what you could win!

How NFL players stay fit and healthy 

Let’s get straight into it! NFL players adhere to a strict diet, nutrition, and fitness plans to stay fit and healthy. These plans include off-season, too, ensuring they are ready for the next season. They also use these fitness plans to work on any performance issues from last season to allow the players to return fitter and ready to improve. Let’s look at how the players do this and maintain their fitness and health. 

Before training 

Before training begins, NFL players undergo a string of tests, including DNA tests. These tests help to understand their health and allow trainers to target nutrition to the player’s specific needs. The DNA test includes gut tests and allergy testing to ensure that the diets are tailored correctly to the player; after all, you don’t want to cause an illness! 

Once the tests are completed, they will be used to aid their training plans and the position that they play. NFL players will focus on the training areas they need to excel in their position; for example, a cornerback will focus on explosiveness and agility, speed and acceleration, and strength.

Based on the DNA tests, these areas will vary depending on the position and any requirements that need to be met. 

Nutrition

The diet and nutrition of an NFL player are just as important as their exercises. To increase muscle and decrease fat while training every day, NFL players need to eat lots of highly targeted calories. These can’t just come from fast food, as that would have long-term implications on their health. Instead, they will mostly eat whole foods. 

Their nutrition will be broken down into a macronutrient profile, similar to this: 

■ Protein 

NFL players will get their protein from supplements and lean meats like chicken and fish. The goal will be 1.5g of protein per pound of body weight. So a 20lb cornerback (the average weight for those players in the NFL) will eat 300g of protein a day. 

■ Carbohydrates

NFL players focus on getting their carbs from veggies and foods with low glycemic index starches, like quinoa. Getting carbs this way prevents their bodies from storing the glucose from carbs as fat while still giving them lots of energy to power through their training.

■ Fats 

NFL players will get their fats from nuts, olive oil, and fish. They will also take targeted supplements that help with their digestion and absorb as many nutrients as possible. These supplements and nutrition plans are often created by a professional to ensure that the players get the right nutrition for their bodies without harming themselves in the process. 

The diet and calories consumed will be determined by the size and weight of the player too. The players will want to eat what their body needs without risking gaining extra fat or not building muscle as they should.

■ Training 

The final part of an NFL player’s regime is their training. As we mentioned earlier, they will train every day to ensure they are at their fitness peak at all times. If an NFL player is injured, their fitness plan will be different and focus more on rehabilitation. The training programs will also vary depending on the player’s position, focusing on the most needed areas. 

■ Warm-ups 

Every player will start with a warm-up, ensuring that their bodies are ready for the workout ahead. These warm-ups include stretching, mobility, foam rolling, and fascia work. Most players will work their hamstrings, hip flexors, calves, shoulders, and quads, too, key parts of their bodies used in football. 

Players will also have more dynamic warm-ups, using resistance bands, high knees, carioca, shuffling, and some sprints. These warm-up exercises are often shown in movies or TV shows featuring football and are used by professionals in the NFL. 

■ Training 

As we mentioned earlier, the training players undertake will vary depending on the position they play. They will all involve a range of cardio and weight-based training, though. Most players will be training their leg muscles, core, and shoulders. Their training will be completed in gyms and on the field too. 

You can expect to see NFL trainers sprinting, jumping hurdles, squatting, using the bench press. They will also practice plays as part of their training to ensure they understand them and are ready for upcoming games. This element of training takes place throughout their training regimes but might be increased closer to upcoming matches. 

Experts devise the training plans for NFL players to ensure they are as fit as possible and ready for their matches. Any injuries or conditions flagged up will be considered, too, ensuring that players are looked after. 

■ Final word 

And there you have it, some of the ways NFL players stay fit and healthy. For them to perform well, their health and fitness need to be a priority, during on and off-seasons. Whether you use this information to inform future NFL bets better or influence your fitness routine, we hope you found it helpful!

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