Pen’s down, pain’s up
Dolphins’ workout puts our reporter to the test
“Criticize Omar like he does when you guys mess up.” Trainer Tony Villani
FORTLAUDERDALE — The bestway to understand someone else is to walk a mile in their shoes.
It’s a challenge to empathize with the downside of being a professional athlete, but once you’ve spent three days recovering from one of their grueling workouts, things become clearer. Empathy blooms. It is easy to criticize NFL players for their performance, pay and conditioning, but howmany of us could actually do what they do?
For the past few offseasons I’ve used the summers to build a better body, following through on an epiphany inspired by Paul Soliai.
I once criticized the former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle for being overweight, and said he wasn’t going to survive as an NFL player.
Thatwas two years into Soliai’s accomplished 10-year career.
Not only did Soliai turn his career around, becoming a Pro Bowler, but it reminded me that criticism is a two-way street.
Despite being a few dozen pounds from 400, Soliai was still a far superior athlete than me, andwas in better shape considering he could run farther and faster than me, and thatwas long before I turned 40.
Years have come and gone, but Soliai’s inspiration remains.
I’ve slimmed down by 15 to 20 pounds, depending on how disciplined I amin the
kitchen and at the dinner table thatweek.
However, my shift the past few years has been about making gains, taking theworkouts to another level.
Tony Villani, owner of XPE Sports, has invited me to his Fort Lauderdale facility the past two years to spend a dayworking out with professional athletes while they prepare for training camp.
Even though they are supposed to be on a break, most pros are grinding every day, working harder than they did during organized team activities. And harder than most of us would— or could— in the gym, so they can be at their best during camp.
“MMAtraining three times aweek, strength training five times aweek, boxing four times aweek,” Dolphins defensive end Andre Branch said of his pre-training camp program. “I have a chef ... I eat very, very healthy. I only drinkwater and coconut water. [Physical therapy] twice aweek. A chiropractor three times aweek. Pilates three times aweek and yoga twice aweek. Steam roomevery day.” Empathy blooms. Not many could make a pro athlete’s sacrifices, but when it earns you a threeyear, $24 million contract like the one the Dolphins gave Branch this offseason, the burden becomes easier to carry.
Villani’sworkout begins with a full-court game of basketball for an hour, then 40 minutes of boxingwork before a session with the Shredmill, a self-powered treadmill used to help develop speed.
I skipped the basketball becausemy old knees can’t handle it, and it tookmy hands three days to recover from the boxingwork.
Villani had Dolphins cornerback ByronMaxwell come over to teach me proper technique on the Shredmill. He also encouragedMaxwell to “criticize Omar like he does when you guys mess up.”
Maxwell got on the Shredmill and got the power index to register a 12.
The number indicates howmuch power is being exerted on the self-propelled machine. Villani challengedme to get to 10 onmy first try. I got to 11. Intrigued bymy potential, the new challengewas to see whether I could get to 13, and to help the journeymy formwas corrected.
In our third round of the exercise, Maxwell— who was benched at one point last season but regained his starting spot— got to 13, showcasing the type of exertion it took.
I got to 12, then got pulled aside for another technique session, one similar to the kind of guidance Villani and his staff give draft prospects before they run some of the NFL scouting combine’s fastest 40-yard dash times.
After the second correction I made two attempts to get to 13, and on the second try victorywas mine.
I felt good aboutmyself, then Iwas reminded that Maxwell did his entire workout with a 15-pound weight strapped to his torso.
So I’d have toweigh myself down to truly put myself inMaxwell’s sneakers or cleats.
Empathy blooms.