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GUEST EXPERT ARTICLE
Over the course of my 15-year kicking career, I have noticed a strong correlation between the vigor with which I attacked my off-season program, and my success during the regular season. For those who subscribe to a strong work ethic, this will come as no surprise. Although many kickers and punters may have a reputation for being lazy, all of the good ones I know are far from lazy.
Developing a Plan
Each off-season I would sit down in January and decide if I was passionate about playing another season. If I was, I would create a plan of attack. With the help of many great strength and conditioning coaches who have helped me throughout the years, I would come up with a workout regime that would get me where I needed to be come opening day.
A plan was helpful for many reasons. First, it gave me something to follow and work for. Even though it often got hard to follow my plan day in and day out, having a plan helps. Because my plan was very comprehensive, I knew I was working efficiently, and that I was not neglecting any aspect of my training. Second, by having a written plan I could track my successes and failures. For example, if my kickoffs faltered at the end of the season, I would adjust my regimen, and possibly kick a little less in the off-season or camp. I might have also looked at improving the stamina in my legs by doing higher repetitions in my weight lifting. If I did not have a written plan, it would have been difficult to go back and make adjustments.
Confidence through Hard Work
I also believe hard work breeds confidence. When I would go out to kick during the season, I knew that I have done everything in my power to prepare myself for that kick. This goes a long way. Self-doubt can be deadly with a position that requires as much mental fortitude as kicking does. Hardwork also earned the respect of my teammates. For all of the negative stories I have heard about kickers, I never encountered any problems. I believe this is because my teammates respected the professionalism I displayed in approaching my job. This is not just good for me, but for the entire team. As you know, a team is only as strong as its weakest link.
Professional Level off-season programs
My off-season program (you can access with a Premium membership) was very comprehensive. Neglecting any element of what it takes to be successful can overshadow an otherwise great off-season. The areas I focused on in my off-season training were kicking, running, weight training, mental training, and diet. Each one of these elements were critical to a kicker or punter's success. Each of these areas must be adjusted each month in order to ensure "peaking" at the beginning of the season. This type of accuracy in a program can only be achieved with the help of the NFL professionals, and a lot of tweaking from year to year. I believe the program that former NFL punter Tommy Barnhardt and myself have developed for you are as good as they get. We did not make up these programs to help you specifically. We created our programs to survive in the NFL. And they really work! So helping you guys by sharing our programs is a bonus.
I highly recommend that you work out hard in the off-season. If you do not, you are letting yourself, as well as your teammates down.
Good luck ! Learn more about Doug Brien >>> |
The Success of a Season is determined in the Off-Season
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