Image via Complex Original
Friday night lights is more than a movie and a TV show, it’s a way of life to thousands of kids across the country. Academics is important, but Football Fridays have the players’ undivided attention. With that said, we got 10 tips from NFL trainer Todd Durkin—who also heads up the Under Armour Performance Training Council—to help get high school football players ready for their season.
10. Get Your Mind Right
"They’ve got to get their minds right. Mental preparation and imagery is important. They have to visualize success. Run through the plays in their head and put themselves in situations mentally as if they are in the game so that it’s second nature once they actually get in the game. Hear the crowd, see different formations and know how they’re going to react."
9. Your Body Is A Temple
"Make sure you dial in on your nutrition. Hydration is important, so make sure you get lots of water. You should be eating really clean, no fried foods or empty calories, but whole grain pastas, complex carbohydrates, vegetables and salads. You should be getting a two to one ratio of carbs to protein because that plays a major role in holding weight."
8. Trust Yourself
"Trust your preparation. You’ve been spending weeks and months in the offseason working hard for this moment, now it’s a matter of relaxing and having fun." #IWILL
7. Train To Get Better
"Don’t train to maintain, but train to get better. Twice a week, you should really go at in the weight room, because you still need to get good workouts in during the season."
6. Study Film Like A Pro
"Focus on your mental approach by watching game tape. Study film like a pro, because you can only spend so much time on the field. Review past performances and get a game plan for the next one, because the best players don’t just rely on their physical abilities."
5. Embrace The Grind
"Embrace the grind—it’s a mindset. It’s going to be a longer season against bigger, stronger, and faster guys. You should be spending a lot of time in the weight room, at least three times a week and focus on your legs. You might have to go to the gym on the weekends to flush everything out. Work on getting some cleans, squats, lunges, plyometrics and pull-ups in so that you’re focusing on your nonlinear muscles."
4. Be Humble and Hungry
"Rise up to the expectations that everyone has for them, and set high goals for themselves. You never want to get complacent with where you are. Be humble and hungry. Realize that there are guys that are better than you out there. Sometimes high school athletes think their world is the only one they live in and don’t understand that everyone is just as good as them in college. Get as many mental reps as possible and don’t let anyone outwork you."
3. Lead By Example
"Find out what your weaknesses are and focus on improving them. Also, be a leader in the classroom and in the community. When playoffs come around, the teams with the best leaders will have the edge. Doing these things well can be the difference between playing right away in college and not playing at all."
2. Game-Day Preparation
"Players shouldn’t be working out on game days. They should be reserving all of their energy for the game. The only thing they should be doing before the game is stretching. Get in a good stretch in the morning and before the game. Relaxation and breathing is good too. Also, try to stay off your feet."
1. Don’t Forget About Recovery
"Within 30 minutes after the game, you should get a shake that has a two-to-one ratio of carbs to protein. Within an hour and a half, you should have a meal—something like brown rice and chicken, whole grain pasta, or fish and make sure you have lots of greens. After game day is a good day to cheat and have a dessert also. Just make sure you’re eating complex carbohydrates and lean proteins.
"After the game, you should be doing a lot of stretching. They can also go workout the next day and get some striders, jogging and a light workout to get the blood flowing and relieve some of that soreness."