Welcome back to the Body-Solid “Built for Life & Times” blog. This is our third issue and with today marking the official kickoff of the National Football League regular season, this issue is going to be all-football related! We have a few examples of actual NFL player workouts that you can try yourself, tailgate and football party recipes that are not only healthy but packed with protein, our typical motivational post to make sure you don’t slack off just because football is on and our featured Body-Solid product.
#Solidology – Workout like the pros
Even the most casual of NFL fan will be able to tell you one of the most physical gifted tight end in the NFL is New England Patriots’ star Rob Gronkowski. “Gronk” is a freak of nature at 6'6" and over 265 pounds. His combination of size, strength and speed has allowed Gronk to revolutionize the tight end position in the NFL.
Gronk had a bit of a head-start in the fitness and weightlifting world as his father, Gordy Sr., is co-founder and owner of G&G Fitness Equipment in Wiliamsville, NY. Gordy fully stocked Rob and his five brother’s basement with fitness equipment from G&G, one of Body-Solid’s proud sellers . I think it’s only fair we at Body-Solid take a portion of credit for Gronkowski’s success in the NFL.
Anyway, BodyBuilding.com has a great piece detailing Gronkowski’s weightlifting history and how his father ensured they trained properly. It’s a very good read for anyone interested in helping their children train effectively.
Now what you're really lookg for — What’s his routine and how can I train like the Patriots star? The following workout is an upper-body (chest, triceps and core) all Gronkowski brothers adhere to:
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Barbell Bench Press – Medium Grip | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 8 |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Butterfly | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Pushups | 1 | As many as possible in 30 seconds |
| EZ-Bar Skull Crushers | 3 | 10 |
| Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 10 |
| Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown | 3 | 10 |
| Bench Dips | 3 | 12 |
| Burpee | 1 | 10 |
In between each set, perform 10-20 reps of core exercise (Planks, medicine ball crunches, partner tosses, reverse crunches, Supermans)
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Each spring, numerous elite NFL players travel to the University of Miami to train with UM strength coach Andreu Swasey. Swasey runs the NFL's toughest off-season condition programing filled with the best muscle, speed and agility workouts.
Swasey is very old school when it come sto lifting weights — no Bosu balls, balance boards or foam rollers, instead Swasey focuses on traditional exercises like bench press, Romanian deadlifts, squats and Olympic lifts.
Here is Swasey's four-day plan that helps elite NFL athletes prepare for the season:
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest (minutes) | |
| Monday | Snatch-Grip Jump Shrug | 3 | 3-5 | 3-5 |
| Barbell Squat | 5 | 4-6 | 3-5 | |
| Push Press | 3 | 6-8 | 2-3 | |
| Back Extension | 2 | 10 | 1-2 | |
| Tuesday | Bench Press | 4 | 4-6 | 3-5 |
| Pullup | 4 | 8 | 2-3 | |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 2 | 12 | 1-2 | |
| Barbell Curls | 3 | 10 | 1-2 | |
| Thursday | High Pull | 3 | 3-5 | 3-5 |
| Front Squat | 3 | 6-8 | 2-3 | |
| Romanian Deadlift | 4 | 6-8 | 2-3 | |
| Lunge | 3 | 10 | 1-2 | |
| Friday | Dumbbell Row | 4 | 6-8 | 2-3 |
| Dumbbell Incline Bench Press | 3 | 10 | 1-2 | |
| Lateral Raise | 3 | 12 | 1-2 | |
| Lying Triceps Extension | 3 | 10 | 1-2 |
You can read the full article detailing the workouts and some tips from Swasey and NFL players at http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/inside-nfls-secret-training-camp?fullpage=true.
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How about conditioning your body throughout the NFL season? This Esquire.com piece takes a look at one man's journey through a workout assisted by then-New York Jets and current Miami Dolphis tight end Dustin Keller. This was Keller's basic conditioning plan with a few variations but it's a simple, effective workout for anyone:
Five-minute warm-up: jumping jacks, knee lifts, stretching.
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| Single-arm squat press | 2 (each hand) | 15 |
| Bent-over rows | 2 (each hand) | 15 |
| Mountain-climbers | – | 45-60 seconds |
| Balancing reciprocating bicep curls | 4 | 8 |
| Weighted curtsy lunges | 2 (each leg) | 10 |
| Tricep extensions | 2 (each hand) | 12-15 |
| Lateral lunges | 2 (each side) | 8-10 |
| Carido drills | 60 seconds | |
| Alternating arm push-ups | 2 (each side) | 4-6 |
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#SolidEats – Healthy, Protein-Packed Football Snacks
When you're watching football you can't help but be tempted by the loads of greasy pizza, taco dip and wings in front of you. Believe it or not, you CAN eat healthy, focus on getting the right amount of protein and still enjoy a football game. Here are a few recipes to bring out at your Sunday party.
Yogurt Basil Spread
Ingredients: 1/4 cup, plain, fat-free Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped, salt and pepper.
Directions: Mix the yogurt, mayo and garlic together until smooth. Stir in the fresh basil and salt & pepper. Serve with pieces of low-carb bred or with veggie sticks.
Nutrition Facts: Calories: 130. Total Fat: 7 g. Total Carb: 8 g. Protein: 12 g.
Coconut Yogurt Dip
Ingredients: 1/4 cup plain, fat-free Greek yogurt. 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp brown sugar substitute.
Directions: Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Serve with baked sweet potato fries.
Nutrition Facts: Calories: 63. Total Fat: 7 g. Total Carb: 6 g. Protein: 2 g.
High-Protein Spinach and Mushroom Dip
Ingredients: 1 cup 2% cottage cheese, 1/4 cup egg whites, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 cup chopped mushrooms, 1/2 cup chopped spinach.
Directions: In a large pan, saute the mushrooms and spinach over medium heat for 10 minutes. Blend cottage cheese, egg whites and garlic until smooth. Add cottage cheese mixture to large bowl and stir spinach & egg whites. Microwave for approx. 1 minute or until warm.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 66. Total Fat: 1 g. Total Carb: 4 g. Protein: 10 g.
Fully Loaded Chili
Ingredients:
- 1 pound 90% Lean Ground Beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped
- 1-3/4 cups water
- 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
- 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15-1/2 ounces) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon baking cocoa
- 2 teaspoons Louisiana-style hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions: In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the beef, onion and pepper until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, tomato sauce, beans, cocoa, hot sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon each of sour cream, crushed chips and cheese. Yield: 8 servings (2 quarts).
Nutrition Facts: Calories: 351. Total Fat: 9 g. Total Carb: 42 g. Protein: 26 g.
#Solidology – You don't get what you wish for. You get what you work for.
#SolidChoice – Body-Solid Plyo Boxes (BSTPB)
The
Body-Solid Plyo Boxes are a must-have training tool for explosive jump and speed training. Athletes of all levels use these boxes for forward, lateral, and other plyometric jumping drills.
Increase not only in your vertical jumping ability, but also drastically increase foot speed, cardiovascular endurance, overall leg strength and health, and "out of the blocks" explosion. The number of exercises you can perform are endless and only limited by your creativity. Professional, college, high school and even grade school athletes can improve performance and increase speed agility and all around fitness levels with plyometric training.
Available in multiple heights; 6″, 12”, 18", 24” 30” 36” and 42”. Designed to stack for easy storage. Feature heavy-duty 1” square steel construction and a red scratch-proof powder coat finish.
The platforms are reinforced 1/2″ plywood covered in nonslip rubber surface. 300 lb. weight capacity. Built to withstand years of abuse by athletes of all sizes.
Find out more about the Body-Solid Plyo Boxes or learn how to get your own at http://www.bodysolid.com/Home/BSTPB/Body-Solid_Plyo_Boxes
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That's it for today's issue. Hope you enjoy the beginning of the NFL season and don't forget — just because football is on means you should get lazy. Stay solid!
