How active are you in your fantasy football league? Are you a quiet participant, smack talker, or the leader of the crew? More importantly, does football season get you so excited that it motivates your workout? Perhaps doing a few football exercises of your own will help you get in the game and choose the Dream Team for your fantasy football draft.
The conditioning a professional athlete goes through is intense, but you’d be surprised how easy you can incorporate a few, chosen football exercises into your routine and take your love of football to the next level. Start with the following exercises, and slowly increase your reps to get an idea of what it takes to train like your favorite NFL players.
Football Exercise 1: Planking
Planks are great for the obliques, which help protect the lower back. You can do this exercise on the gym floor or in the comfort of your own home. Lie down on one side and prop yourself up with your elbow, creating a straight line with your feet stacked. Hold for 60 seconds. Repeat on your opposite side. Do two or three sets.
Football Exercise 2: Tricep Dips
Using your own body weight is a great way to build muscle without the need for equipment or waiting your turn for a machine. This exercise helps strengthen the triceps, which is valuable for throwing, blocking, and other game fundamentals. Set yourself up near a chair or bench. Put your hands on the chair with knees slightly bent (easier) or fully extended (more difficult). Lower the body fully, hovering just above the floor, as you bend the elbows, and push up. Do three sets of 10 dips.
Football Exercise 3: Box Jumps
Use a sturdy gym box for this exercise. Although it should be high enough where the jump is challenging, it shouldn’t be so high that you risk injury. Bend the knees and jump with both feet landing on the box. Make sure that you do not lock out your knees. Then, step off the box. This counts as one rep. Do a total of 8 and increase the box height little by little to get the most out of your jumps.
Football Exercise 4: Kettlebell Lunge
Start with your knees slightly bent and shoulder-width apart. Hold the kettlebell with both hands in front of you. Step to the left with your left foot and lower your body for a lateral lunge. Make sure your knee does not go in front of your foot. Return to your starting position and then, complete the same movement for five reps. Switch to your right side and do the same movement, also for five reps. Do three sets for each leg. You can do this exercise without weights as well, or slowly increase the weight over time for an extra push.
When we watch football, it’s amazing to think of the agility, strength, and performance these athletes portray game after game. This ability is largely due to the conditioning they do, and how often they do it. Though we can’t promise success with your fantasy football roster, stick with your workout regimen – whether you decide to switch it up with these football exercises or not – and you will start to see results!
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