Editor's Note: Each Monday of the 2015-2016 football season, MEN'S FITNESS will present a workout (scalable for any fitness level) designed to burn off all the beer and pizza you probably devoured on Sunday while watching all that football. (Props if you ate healthy, though!) You can also do the routine before Monday night's big game as a preemptive measure. Previous workouts: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 13
Heading into Week 14 of the 2015 NFL season, the (5-7) New York Giants actually have a shot of winning their division, which remains in a dead heat after last Monday's NFC East matchup. After a heartbreaking loss to the New York Jets last weekend, you can bet that the Giants will go out under the lights playing to win, and hoping to break away from the NFC East pack. Meanwhile, the (5-7) Miami Dolphins return after a sloppy win against the Baltimore Ravens. Will their defense make another stand against Eli and Odell? We'll see which team has the most to play for this Monday night.
But before the games tonight, consider doing something to boost your own athletic performance. Moving a football down the gridiron is all about cuts, spins, jumps, and sprints so NFLers must do tons of speed and agility drills in practice. This routine, designed by Alli Forsythe, NASM certified trainer, will help you master those skills as well. Get outside and take advantage of the unseasonably warm temps in most of the country. You city pretty chilly? Keep in mind there are benefits to be had by working out in the cold. Whatever the weather, crush this workout today so you can sit and watch the game feeling accomplished tonight.
For this exercise, you will need between 8-16 markers. (Leftover beer cans work great.) The longer you can make your playing field, the more challenging it will be.
You will need a decent amount of space to do this. Start by placing one marker in front of you. 10 feet to your right and 6 feet ahead, place the next marker. 10 feet to your left and 6 feet forward, you will place your 3rd marker. You will want to continue over 10 feet and up 6 until you have a nice path down the center of diagonal markers.
Perform each drill three times, breaking no more than 30 seconds in between each.
FAST TO LAST
1: Start by sprinting halfway, tap the ground and sprint back. Sprint all the way to the end, tap the ground and sprint back.
2: Sprint halfway and stop. Back pedal (run backwards) to the start. Sprint to the end and back pedal to the start.
3: Reverse Plank Knee Tuck - Hold a reverse plank and drive your knees to your chest, alternating sides. Squeeze your glutes tight and don’t let your butt fall out of line with the rest of your body. Do 12 on each side.
OVER AND UP
1: Start at the first marker. Shuffle diagonally to the right by stepping to the right with your right foot and bringing your left foot in. Side step shuffle until you get to the marker on your right just ahead of you. Stay low to the group and keep your elbows up in front of you.
2: Perform 10 tuck jumps. Jump as high as you can drawing your knees to your chest and landing with soft knees on the balls of your feet. Try not to break between jumps. This will drive your heart rate up and keep it there. Continue moving right and left between markers performing 10 tuck jumps at each marker. Make your way back to the beginning following the same path, but side shuffling backwards this time.
3: Plank Knee to Elbow - Hold a plank driving your knee to your elbow, alternating sides each time. Do 12 on each side.
READY STEADY FIRE
1: Balancing on one leg, single leg hop to the marker. It doesn’t matter how many hops it takes to get there, but just try to get at least 12 inches off the ground each time while staying on the ball of your foot and landing with soft knees. When you get to the next marker, switch legs. Hop on the opposite leg to the next marker. Continue switching legs at each marker until you get to the end.
2: Driving your knees directly to your chest at a rapid speed, move your body laterally towards marker that is diagonally across from you, shifting the angle you move every time you are headed for a new marker.
3: Plyometric Push Up and Over - Using 2 markers placed 1 foot apart from each other, start with you hands between each. Perform a plyometric push up launching your left hand to the center of the markers and your right hand to the outside right of the two. Continue the plyo pushups to the right and left, alternating which hand is in the middle each time.
GET LOW
1: Remember the sprint drill? Well now you get to do it on all fours. In a quadruped position, (both hands and feet on the ground) crawl forward stepping the right hand/left leg, followed by the opposite forward as quickly as you can until you get to the mid-point, then crawl backwards to the finish. Repeat going all the way to the end, then back this time.
2: 10 Burpees. Jump your feet in, bound off of the ground and right back into a plank position
Alli Forsythe is a Los Angeles based SoulCycle Instructor, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, cyclist, triathlete, world traveler and writer. She can be seen on the 25th Season of The Amazing Race on CBS as one half of #TheCyclists.
