I recently wrote about Vinny Testaverde not only starting a game for Carolina but also winning it. Now, Sports Illustrated has a breakdown on the workout that keeps him ready to play.
Here are the basics (SI didn't put them online so I had to pull them from the magazine):
Ten-to-15-yard sprints. On flat and uphill surfaces Testaverde runs while wearing a harness attached to his trainer to create resistance. Near the end of each sprint, his trainer unhooks the harness, forcing the QB to adjust abruptly to no resistance.
In four feet of water, Testaverde runs for 10 minutes doing a series of techniques, including high kicks (knees raised to waist level) and butt kicks (heels kicked back toward buttocks rapidly). The water minimizes impact and creates resistance.
Testaverde runs through the squares of a 10-foot agility ladder -- essentially a rope ladder lying on the grass -- using a variety of shuffling foot patterns. It hones coordination and footwork.
Using a two-foot rubber band with a handle on each end, Testaverde holds one side, his trainer the other. They face each other with the band taunt and Testaverde, arms forward, continually switches his grip on the band from left to right. This works the core; Testaverde does it standing on a balance disk to build his lower body.
What can we learn from this since we're not pro quarterbacks? Plenty. You can pull pieces from it for you workouts and you'll find yourself getting fitter faster. For instance, the water workout easily translates to any of us. So does the agility ladder, or just trying to use different footwork than simply going forwards all the time. And of course sprints are great. If you want to add resistance, simply buy a weight vest or parachute.
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