Professional NFL players train themselves harder than ever before. They have shifted their focus to cutting-edge exercises that can help improve their athleticism and explosiveness.
These NFL players have some of the toughest workout routines that the average person probably cannot do. Here are the top eight explosive exercises for NFL players to get faster and stronger.
1- Three-Hurdle Drill
The three-hurdle drill improves quickness, which enhances fielding range and reaction time, as well as speed for base running.
Setup three six-inch-high hurdles. Stand on the first hurdle, then sprint laterally over the hurdles to your right. Once you step over the last hurdle, plant your right foot, and hold the position for three seconds. Repeat the drill sprinting laterally left. Four sets of five to six reps are idle to perform. Ensure to take rest for a minute between sets.
2- Chain Push-ups
Chain push-ups strengthen your upper body. The addition of the chain makes the exercise more impactful. This exercise increases the challenge to your chest and other upper-body muscles.
Chain push-up is similar to Bench Press. However, it places less stress on your shoulders while challenging your core.
Lay down the floor with the chain draped over you. You want to have it over the shoulder and then come around to this side of the lap. Hold yourself up in the beginning and then perform reps.
3- Box Jumps
Box jumps are vertical jumps with a landing on a box, which reduces the impact of the body’s displacement. It exploits the stretch-shortening cycle of the legs to improve the use of elastic energy.
Athletes tend to overload the body with external weighted exercises or use their bodies with a higher strain of gravity to make the landing more demanding than landing on a pillow.
4- Foam Roll
NFL players are prone to injuries and muscle contractions. Foam rolling helps football players recover their bodies and get back on the field quickly.
It exerts deep compression that causes the nerves to relax. Foam rolling also loosens muscle and gets the blood flowing. It rolls out muscle contractions and imbalances that develop from the pounding football players take in practice and games.
If football players use foam rollers consistently, it can have a major impact on your physical well-being.
5- Matrix Multi-Angle Lunges
Multi-angle lunges minimize the risk of muscular imbalance and injury. This exercise enhances the performance of NFL players in all physical activity through the reinforced supportive muscle.
This workout includes five different types of lunges.
- Forward lunge
- 45-degree forward lunge
- Side lunge
- 45-degree backward lunge
- Backward lunge
These lunges exercises strengthen the leg muscles to help improve movements in all directions.
6- Ankle Jumping
Ankle Jumps are vertical jump exercises that help develop reactive strength, mainly focusing on the Achilles and calves.
Keep your knees flexed and jump up & down quickly and as high as possible using your lower legs and ankles.
Not a lot of NFL players understand the importance of ankle flexibility and how it relates to success on the field. For players, the ankle is often a trouble spot and a potential source of injury. Thus, ankle jump builds explosive power in your lower legs and helps with ankle flexibility.
7- Landmine Row
Landmine row hits the core muscles, which have to remain tight to support the lower back. Landmine row affects the lats, middle and lower back, traps, rear shoulders, forearms, and biceps. It builds strength, power, and improves balance.
Landmine row also reduces joint stress while maximizing the tension and stabilization patterns of the shoulder. It translates very well to optimal shoulder and spinal health along with improved athletic performance.
Setup the barbell with plates and bend down with your back straight. Grip the bar with both hands between your legs and pull the barbell upward and squeeze your back muscles while you exhale. Finally, lower the bar back down until arms are extended and inhale and repeat.
8- Tire Flips
Tire flipping exercise builds strength and coordination from head to toe. It lets players train their lower hip explosion by lifting and flipping huge tires on their sides. To intensify the exercise, add some difficulty by using a tractor or big rig tires.
Flipping tires is one of the best exercises for athletes, such as football linemen, who need to exert force quickly to move heavy opponents. It forces the body to do repetitive explosive movements. A heavy tire with the explosive movement helps players train for the forceful impacts they can experience during the season.
Final Thoughts
In every sport, the ability to jump and accelerate is critical to success. Football players need to sprint faster over short distances, jump higher, and explode faster than their competition.
Strength training and plyometric training, together, can go a long way toward strengthening the football player’s body.