Fitness Training tips from the San Francisco 49ers!
Train Like a Pro
The golden walls of the 49ers weight room are empty. No pictures. No nonsense. This is a place of business for the players. The only thing breaking up the monotony is a lone white board. And written on that board are nine words that set the tone for the team’s off season conditioning program. “If you don’t want to work hard, Go Home!” With those words above them, the 49ers were ready to do work.
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| Joe Staley - SF 49ers offensive lineman |
But even though they are the world-class athletes, the 49ers didn’t begin their off season conditioning without a plan. Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Duane Carlisle divided the 14-week program into four phases. The team started with basic conditioning before moving on to football-specific exercises. “You are never going to get anything accomplished if you just jump into it,” Carlisle said. “You have to set goals, which will define your training program. You set the goal first, then work backwards to develop your program.” The 49ers goal was to have their players in peak physical condition by the start of training camp.
In phase one the players prepared their muscles and joints to take on greater loads in the future. They did so by pairing a pushing exercise (like bench press) with a pulling exercise (like seated rows). When doing this, the players minimized time between sets in order to burn more calories. Flexibility and mobility were also stressed in phase one, two important things Carlisle said most people overlook. As training camp came closer and closer, Carlisle shifted the focus to increasing the players’ strength and explosive power. To increase strength, lift about 75-percent of your maximum and do three-to-five reps per set. To increase explosive power, quickly lift a lighter weight several times.
Throughout it all, the team also spent time increasing muscle size. To do this, lift a moderate load anywhere between eight and 20 times, Carlisle said.
In addition to the workouts, the coaches also stressed the importance of a proper diet and rest to stay sharp throughout the training. “When you’re working out four straight days, you’re going to be fatigued by the end of the week,” Carlisle said. “But if we can minimize that fatigue by the end of the week by adopting proper nutrition strategies and by the players getting adequate rest, it will help them perform at a high level for each and every training session.”
These are some of the methods the 49ers used to prepare them for a grueling NFL season. But you don’t have to be a professional athlete to train hard. So whether you’re simply trying to lose a couple of pounds or aspiring to win a Super Bowl, those nine words hanging in the 49ers weight room will guide you to your goals.
