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Workout Like the Texas Longhorns

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With such a long off-season, how do NCAA players keep in shape throughout the long winter? These guys can't afford to pile on the pounds over the holiday season and then hope to work it all off before the mid-March spring training begins. They have to keep in top shape all year round. The 2019 season doesn't begin until August 24 but these guys are hitting the gym hard now using a routine that would work well for anyone wanting to be at their very best physically, although we don't think you should try these workouts without checking with your gym instructor.

Weight Training

The regular season only runs from August 24 to December 14 but each game is physically demanding to these guys need to condition their bodies to cope with the demands of the game. Weight training is one of the best ways for players to get in shape but they don't lift heavy weights. Bench presses, incline presses, squats and power cleans are still part of a player's exercise routine but they don't just develop the power they need on the field through weight training.

Resistance Training

When players reach college football or the NFL, they don't need to lift as much weight and they're not required to lift weights all year-round. Instead, strength is developed with balancing balls, resistance bands, or jumping ropes. Some players used yoga, others perform lunges, some even play basketball to build up their strength. The reason for this is because some players believe that training with weights can damage their joints and shorten their careers, although there's not enough research to support this argument.

Texas Raw

If you'd like to take a quick look at the Longhorn's training routine, check out Texas Raw. Last summer, fans were given access to the team's off-season training routine through a short web-series called Texas Raw. The series featured McKnight addressing the team and telling the team they did well through spring practice before going on to show the punishing routine the players put themselves through. Check out the team's YouTube page or access the videos through the Longhorn's Twitter feed.

Texas Longhorns' Training Facilities

The Longhorns' Athletic Performance Center is located in DKR Stadium underneath the north end-zone. They have everything they need to keep in shape including a four-lane sprinting track that?s four yards long. Players can perfect their sprint times indoors there with or without resistance bands to help aid their conditioning. When they want to weight train, there are fourteen multipurpose racks all of which are equipped with bumper plates, bands, chains, and adjustable pull-up apparatus. There is also a performance nutrition area for the athletes to get the calories they need after a workout.

NFL's Craziest Off-season Workouts

Thanks to social media we can all have a look into the lives of our favorite players when they're away from the game. Social media also gives us access to some of the craziest workouts these players do. During the 2018 close season, Odell Beckham Jr. used a 5,400-pound Yukon Denali SUV to work on his arms and core strength by hooking up a tow rope and pulling the car. Saints RB Alvin Kamara also used a car in his workout. He decided to pull a Jeep while carrying weights across his shoulders. If you don't have access to the sort of money NFL players earn, don't worry. Any heavy SUV can be used instead of the GMC and Jeep.