NFL TRAINING: TODD GURLEY’S 5 ESSENTIAL EXERCISES FOR EXPLOSIVE STRENGTH

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http://www.mensfitness.com/sports/f...leys-5-essential-exercises-explosive-strength

Los Angeles Rams star Todd Gurley is redefining the running back position in the NFL.

The 6’1”, 227-pound workhorse has a combination of power and speed that makes him one of the hardest players in the league to tackle.

Battering Ram: Todd Gurley is the New Face of Football in Los Angeles >>>

Whether he’s speeding untouched through the hole for a massive gain, hurdling over opponents to avoid a tackle, breaking through defenders for touchdowns, or tossing Packers linebacker Clay Matthews aside with ease, Gurley has shown that he is a force to be reckoned with in the NFL.

Need more proof? Just watch this brilliant run from Week 3 of the 2016 season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when Gurley uses his fantastic agility to deftly maneuver through a shifting line, bursting past a defender before twisting his way past another two defenders to gain an extra 10 yards before going down:


View: https://twitter.com/BaldyNFL/status/780806167538860032


Plays like that are why Gurley stands apart from his NFL counterparts at his position. And while the former Georgia Bulldog is key player for the Rams as they settle into their new city, he’s not taking anything for granted. Sure he's got the ability. But he also trains five to six days per week in the offseason and has an intense focus when he’s in the gym.

“Lower-body workouts are so important for me as a running back,” Gurley says. “They build strength and speed—that’s where the power comes from.” Gurley uses a range of exercises to get himself strong and stay in shape, including barbell back squats, deadlifts, box jumps, and glute raises.

“My favorite exercises are squats and my least favorite to do is upper-body stuff,” says Gurley. “Deadlifts, squats, and power cleans are big for my leg strength and stamina—I’m always squatting when I work out. I try and switch it up every week, but I do a lot of quad exercises, leg extensions, and hamstring curls to keep myself strong and get going.”

Gurley spoke to Men’s Fitness about his training and revealed some of the essential exercises he uses to dominate on the field.

 

[DaveFan'51]

At my age just one of these sessions would probably Kill me!!

 

[FrankenRam]

It's been years since I even thought about doing any serious lifting. And I'm sure training methods/theory have changed dramatically since those days. But one thing that always stuck with me that the trainer told us back then was that if you're going to do a lot of serious barbell work, you also need to find another type of exercise as well. And that because heavy lifting may develop bulk, but it also makes the muscles very taut. He was really big on swimming as an secondary approach because it develops a suppleness to the muscle tissue that offsets the tautness induced by the lifting.

I have not kept up on the 'theory' behind heavy lifting any more than I have actually doing it. But I've often thought back to that advice when reading about all the soft tissue injuries players suffer these days and wonder if players do much of anything other than weight lifting and cardio workouts these days, and if maybe that old trainer was on to something.

 

[Ramfansince79]

Power cleans = best exercise ever

 

[WestCoastRam]

That's a hell of a workout. Would never recommend it for a non-football player. I never put squat/power clean/deadlifts in the same day all together - too taxing on the nervous system - but will often mix two of those together with some upper body for a great full body workout.

 

[thirteen28]

Exercise #6: Be Todd Gurley