Training the Quarterback
During my career, I have been blessed with a tremendous group of hardworking competitors who all played the quarterback position. Two went on to win the Heisman Trophies. Four have won national championships and one has won a Super Bowl. Four were drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. The thing that they all had in common was the Five Ps.
They were Passionate, they Prepared at the highest level, they Practiced like it was a game, they Performed like champions in the toughest arenas the sport could provide and they Persevered when hard times came their way.
This was about the only thing that all of the quarterbacks that I worked with had in common. Although they all played the same position they came in all shapes, sizes, and training backgrounds. Because of this I treated each as an individual. Though the template was similar for each, the variations and the changes that were added to each of their individual workouts were based on their needs.
Carson Palmer needed to work on his flexibility. Matt Leinart had to become stronger. John David Booty came in with some preexisting issues that we had to constantly work with as we developed his physical ability. Mark Sanchez was a gifted athlete but needed help with his core strength. Matt Barkeley needed to work on his speed and his core strength. Matt Hasselbeck needed work on his balance, flexibility, and core strength. Tavaris Jackson needed to work on his core strength and flexibility. Charlie Whitehurst needed help with his overall flexibility. Russell Wilson needed to focus early on with his flexibility and then later improving his core strength.
To begin with, my philosophy for training quarterbacks is from the ground up. This means I would begin my training organization with workouts that would start at their feet and move up their body until I finished with visual and reactive exercises (eyes and mind). A training list would look something like this:
Feet / Ankles: Balance and Body Awareness (Proprioception)
Mobility, Stability & Flexibility (Tennis Ball / Massage Ball / Ankle Complex)
Quickness Drills (Dots / Speed Box / Jump Rope)
Lower Body: Mobility, Stability & Flexibility: Vibe Roller / Bands / Active & Dynamic Complex
Strength (One Leg Squat / Box Step-up / Back Squat / Leg Press / Hamstring)
Quickness: QB Specific Speed, Agility and Power Movements
Hips: Mobility, Stability & Flexibility: (Vibe Roller / Active & Dynamic Hip Complex)
Power: (Med Ball Throw / Plyometrics / Trap Pull / Bands)
Strength: (See Lower Body)
Quickness: (COD Speed & Agility Drills)
Core: Mobility, Stability & Flexibility: (4-Way Core Complex, Thoracic Mobility)
Upper Body: Mobility, Stability & Flexibility: (Shoulder Bands / Shoulder Mobility Complex)
Strength: (Bands / Tubes / Machine Pressing (Blocked) / Cable / DB)
Neck: Mobility, Stability & Flexibility: (Neck Complex)
Strength: (Manual 5-Way Neck Exercises)
Vision / Reaction: (Vision Board Reaction / Eye hand coordination / Read & React Drill)
After speaking with each athlete, their position coach and the head coach I will watch the athlete during early training activities to see if there are glaring issues that need to be fixed right away before the athlete can move forward. While in the college ranks, we signed a QB with all of the skills, but came in with a history of back issues. I found this out after my interviews with the athlete and the coaches. Because the issues were on the table from the beginning the athlete was modified from the first day.
Most problems, and hence the solutions, can be found in working from the ground up. Too many focus on the quarterback’s upper body. A lack of velocity or distance won’t be found in the arm. It will be found in strengthening the lower body, improving the mobility of the hip, core, and scapula. Once mobility and range of motion have been improved the athlete will properly use their legs and core tie-in, and apply this power to the ball.
In Move or Die I talk about how Russell Wilson solidified his standing in my mind on the first day that he and the veterans worked out together. On the workout for legs, I had an option. The quarterbacks could choose either Leg Press or Back Squat. The Back Squat is more difficult but is much better for the athlete. I had the Leg Press because some of the athletes had not squatted during the off-season, which is their personal preference. Since we were practicing this week, I couldn’t very well have all the quarterbacks Back Squat. If I did this, those who hadn’t squatted would have their performance hindered by the workout. As a strength coach, you always defer to what keeps the athlete best prepared for the upcoming practice game.
In this case the two veteran quarterbacks decided to do the Leg Press, but the rookie, Russell Wilson, said he was going to Back Squat. After game three during that preseason, the rookie passed by the veterans and was named the team’s starting quarterback for the first game of the season. A position he did not relinquish for the rest of the time I worked with him.
He didn’t win it just because he squatted, I’m not saying that. I’m saying he became the starter because he never took the “easy” path. He always chose “the path less followed … and that made all the difference” to paraphrase Robert Frost.
To be the leader of the team, the leader in the office, or in your family, you need to continue to set the tone. Don’t neglect the little stuff. Instead, emphasize doing everything right in your life. Every day someone is watching you. Whether you recognize it or not you are teaching. Russell showed me who he was. And when he said he was going to be the starting QB, I believed him, and so did the rest of his teammates who saw him work every day.
Quarterbacks are all different. So are all the people you come into contact with each day. You must understand what is their strength and what is their weakness. Erase the weaknesses while you continue to enhance their strengths and you will have a great quarterback. When you have a great quarterback, you now have a chance to MOVE your team forward.
