Get it!" one player yells as he spots another mid-bench press, sweat beading on his teammate's brow.
"A
little different from a regular gym, isn't it?" observes safety
Chinedum Ndukwe, taking in the weight room scene at a Bengals'
offseason strength training session.
And of
course, it isn't a typical gym scene "” machines hoisting 230+ pounds as
they were kids' toys, a soundtrack of rap music keeping time to
exercise reps, and a noticeable lack of female workout buddies.
It's
April, and the Cincinnati Bengals have already been at it for a month,
getting back in top shape months before their preseason games are even
a blip on ESPN's radar.
The Downstairs Dynamic
For
Chip Morton, head strength and conditioning coach for the Bengals, the
workday starts at 6:30 a.m. "” and that doesn't mean coffee and the
newspaper for this coach.
Morton, now in his
19th NFL season, preps the weight room, in-stadium basketball court,
and either the stadium field or practice field with equipment before
greeting the first group of players at 7:30. To build a team of
champions, he starts with a training staff of champions: Assistant Jeff
Friday, Carlos Woods and Bill Zenisek "” all of whom have worked on
Super Bowl sidelines.
"I've never had a staff
of full- and part-time people that were all championship coaches.
That's pretty unique," Morton says. "I have people that have character,
that are hungry, that are passionate, and have experienced it."
The
so-called "downstairs dynamic" of strength and conditioning coaches,
equipment maintenance and Coach Lewis is the extent of interaction for
the players at this time of the year "” and it's the perfect dynamic for
physical improvements.
Once the Bengals arrive
at Paul Brown stadium, exercises run the gamut with sprints, stationary
biking, weightlifting and stretching. Strength coaches troll the rooms,
recording times, offering encouragement and giving advice based on
players' individual needs.
For some, this is a shift in how they're used to training.
"It's
a more independent type workout than in college, because there,
everyone is the same age. Not everyone here has the same body
structure, so you have to find your way to peak performance," says
second-year safety Rico Murray.
Morton constantly considers the minimum effective dose, or the minimum amount of training, to illicit the maximum benefit.
Non-traditional
forms of training are also effective for accomplishing conditioning
goals. While the image of a 200-pound football player contorted in a
yoga pose might illicit giggles, the reality is that more are finding
the rewards of practicing some downward dogs.
"During
the season there's very little time for training "” it's about
maintaining what you build in the offseason," says quarterback Jordan
Palmer. "For me, I'm big into core and balance, and bench pressing
doesn't make me better, so I do Pilates and some mixed martial arts."
His
brother, quarterback Carson Palmer disagrees. "My wife does Pilates,"
he says. "Pilates and yoga aren't really football workouts "” you can
stretch on your own."
But in the eyes of Coach
Morton, anything to increase mobility and strength is good, depending
on individual players' needs. So while wide receivers Andre Caldwell
and Jerome Simpson choose hot yoga classes, Morton doesn't sweat any
training that improves his team.
As Iron Sharpens Iron
Out work, out run, out hit. One play at a time. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Strength.
The
phrases hover on the walls over the Bengals' weight room. They aren't
just meant for decoration "” they're part of the motivational attitude
the conditioning program employs.
"We want each
player to reach a potential," Friday says. "So even if a guy is a Pro
Bowl player or a Hall of Fame player, we still want them to be the best
they can be."
In this program, that means
motivation, not intimidation. "My motivation comes in the form of
encouragement," Morton explains. "We try to run a pretty positive ship.
Everybody's different, but in here we're not hollerers or screamers."
The
coaches understand the personality quirks in the players and try to
coach them based on these differences. For Bill Zenisek, the newest
addition to the staff, it took some adjusting.
"The
first couple of weeks I was here, I was trying to get to know who they
were," he says. "Now that I kind of have a sense of how they work the
best, then I can make them better than they were before."
But
the players do have a common personality trait "” competitiveness. The
coaches play off this in training. Putting an exercise as simple as a
grip or sprint against the clock, but mainly against one another, makes
everything improve: Effort, intensity and productivity.
One surprising byproduct of this competitive environment? Team bonding.
"It's
good for the camaraderie," says safety Ndukwe. "The guys are a lot
closer even than a few years ago. You really get to know the other
players better in the offseason."
The Road Ahead
After
hitting a high note in winning the AFC North Division Championship last
season, the Bengals still haven't lost the aftertaste of disappointing
seasons of the past.
It's too soon to tell what
the months ahead may hold for the Bengals, but for now, the coaches at
football's ground zero are optimistic. The team is returning 20 of 22
starters, plus many others who filled in for injured starters last
season.
"Now, from the bottom up, our roster is
full of seasoned players, so that's going to be exciting going into the
season and seeing how we approach each game, how we handle each game,
and how we put in our best effort," says coach Carlos Woods.
The
training program has adapted to last season's challenges, with a focus
on preventing injuries. After decreasing soft tissue injuries last
year, now the trainers concentrate on reducing wear and tear through
preparing the ligaments and joints, adjusting the amount of work,
recovery, nutrition and resting.
It's a comprehensive way to condition "” not just for the sake of playing, but conditioning to compete.
"It's
a special group and a special team. We see it every day," says Morton,
like a pleased parent sending his kids to the first day of school.
"We're proud of that. We're excited by it and encouraged by it."