The Grind: Patrick Mahomes’ Offseason Training Program
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As the reigning Super Bowl MVP and one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes spends his offseasons putting in the work to stay at the top of his game. While his training regimen is undoubtedly demanding, calling it “brutal” doesn’t fully capture the calculated approach behind it. Let’s take a deeper look at what Mahomes’ offseason entails and why it has helped propel him to elite status.
Strength Training
One of the cornerstones of Mahomes’ offseason program is strength training under the guidance of his personal trainer Bobby Stroupe. In the weight room, Stroupe puts Mahomes through exercises designed to build core power and stability. Some of the main lifts they focus on are squats, deadlifts, and lunges.
Squats work the entire lower body, targeting the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. They strengthen Mahomes’ base for throwing and help him drive off his back leg to generate velocity. Deadlifts reinforce his core and posterior chain. They train his hips to explode out of his stance and transfer energy up his body during throws. Lunges challenge his balance and single-leg strength, mimicking the movement of stepping into throws.
In addition to these big multi-joint lifts, Mahomes also performs exercises like shoulder presses, bicep curls, and triceps extensions to build strength in his upper body. Proper throwing mechanics require a balanced combination of lower and upper body power. Stroupe carefully programs sets, reps, and rest periods for optimal muscle growth without risking injury.
Agility and Footwork Drills
Another major component of Mahomes’ offseason is agility and footwork training. These drills are designed to improve his ability to maneuver the pocket, evade oncoming pass rushers, and make accurate throws on the run. Some examples of drills Stroupe incorporates include ladder footwork, cone drills, and shuttle runs.
Ladder footwork challenges Mahomes to move laterally and change directions quickly within a set of cones or lines on the ground resembling a ladder. Cone drills test his quick-twitch movements, having him zig-zag between cones spaced a few feet apart. Shuttle runs build straight-line speed over short distances.
Stroupe also designs drills that mimic game scenarios, such as having Mahomes side-step and throw on the move. Building foot speed and coordination in the offseason translates to better pocket mobility and throwing on the run during games. It allows Mahomes to extend plays and create outside of structure when needed.
Throwing Mechanics
While building strength and athleticism, Mahomes pairs these workouts with drills focused specifically on refining his throwing mechanics. With Stroupe monitoring his form, Mahomes performs a variety of passing drills that target different aspects of his delivery.
For example, he’ll stand in front of a JUGS machine and fire rapid 5-10 yard passes to work on his footwork, balance, and release speed. He’ll throw slants and outs on the run to sharpen his throwing on the move. Mahomes also works on deep ball accuracy, hitting targets 40+ yards downfield.
Stroupe pays close attention to the minute details, like Mahomes’ dropback, weight transfer, shoulder rotation, and follow through. Making subtle adjustments in the offseason helps Mahomes maintain elite ball placement and velocity as the physical demands of a season take their toll. His mechanics provide consistency, even when fatigued.
Conditioning
No NFL quarterback’s offseason would be complete without conditioning work to build the stamina needed for 60 minutes of fast-paced football. Stroupe incorporates various conditioning drills into Mahomes’ program, like sled pushes, battle ropes, sprints, and boot camp-style circuits.
Sled pushes challenge Mahomes to drive his feet through resistance, mimicking pushing through would-be tacklers. Battle ropes test his core strength and upper body endurance. Sprints build his short-burst speed over 10-40 yards. Circuit training mixes bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, and pushups to failure.
Stroupe also programs conditioning specifically for the fourth quarter, when fatigue starts to set in. For example, having Mahomes throw 50-yard passes while fatigued from sprints. Building this late-game endurance and ability to maintain mechanics when tired gives Mahomes an edge. Come the fourth quarter of close games, he has the stamina to lead game-winning drives.
The Intensity and Discipline Required
While the individual elements of Mahomes’ offseason program – strength training, agility drills, throwing mechanics work, and conditioning – may not seem overly brutal on their own, it’s the intensity and discipline with which he approaches them that makes his training truly demanding.
Stroupe designs each workout to push Mahomes right to the brink of what his body can handle. The weight sessions involve lifting near his one-rep max to continually build strength. The conditioning circuits are timed and scored to motivate peak effort. During drills, Stroupe expects 110% focus and intensity on every repetition.
Staying dedicated to this level of training, two to three times per day, five to six days per week, for months on end requires immense mental toughness. There’s no room for Mahomes to slack off or take days off. He must consistently show up and leave it all on the field, even during what some may see as downtime in the offseason. The discipline to maintain such a strict schedule is half the battle.
A Calculated Approach
While Mahomes’ offseason program is undeniably intense, it’s not simply about generic punishment or brutality for brutality’s sake. Stroupe designs each aspect of the training with Mahomes’ specific needs, weaknesses, and long-term development in mind.
For example, focusing on footwork and throwing mechanics is about refining the subtleties of his craft, not just building strength. Conditioning mimics in-game scenarios rather than random punishment. Even the intensity is purposeful – challenging Mahomes’ limits to improve, not risk injury. It’s a calculated approach tailored for optimal performance.
Building Overall Resilience
At its core, Mahomes’ demanding offseason program aims to build the physical and mental resilience needed to withstand an NFL season. The 16-game grind takes its toll on even the fittest athletes. By pushing through intense workouts now, Mahomes conditions his body and mind to perform under fatigue and adversity later.
The strength, endurance, and mental toughness he develops in the offseason translates directly to in-season and in-game success. Come the fourth quarter of a close playoff game, Mahomes has the fitness to lead a game-winning drive while others might be fatigued. His training gives him the ability to withstand hits, avoid injuries better, and play at an elite level all season long.
Conclusion: More Than Just Brutal
While Patrick Mahomes’ offseason training regimen is undoubtedly challenging, intense, and demanding, calling it simply “brutal” does the method behind it a disservice. Under Bobby Stroupe’s guidance, it’s a well-designed, periodized program focused on building the specific physical attributes and mental resilience Mahomes needs to perform at his best.
Rather than generic brutality, every aspect is tailored for Mahomes’ long-term development as a quarterback. It’s about refining his mechanics, building core strength, improving mobility and endurance, and developing the toughness to lead in critical moments. In this way, Mahomes’ “grind” is challenging but purposeful – and it has played a major role in propelling him to the top of the NFL.
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