Patrick Mahomes has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. At just 26 years old, he already has an MVP award, Super Bowl ring, and multiple Pro Bowl selections under his belt. To maintain his elite level of play, Mahomes dedicates significant time and effort to his training, diet, sleep, and recovery. Through a combination of focused workouts, healthy choices, and interesting habits, he optimizes his body and mind for peak performance on the field.
Fitness: Explosive and Agile Workouts
A key part of Mahomes’ routine involves targeted strength and conditioning workouts to build explosiveness, agility, and overall fitness. He trains year-round with his personal trainer, Bobby Stroupe, to continually improve his physical abilities. Their workouts focus on exercises that translate well to the football field.
Single-leg jumps, hurdle bounds, and sled pushes/pulls are staples in Mahomes’ routine. Single-leg jumps build explosive power in his legs while challenging his balance and coordination. Hurdle bounds take it a step further by adding a rapid change of direction. These agility drills mimic the quick cuts and jumps Mahomes makes to evade pass rushers or scramble for yards.
Sled pushes and pulls target full-body strength and power. Pushing or pulling a weighted sled requires Mahomes to exert force through his entire body from his legs and core all the way up through his arms. The resistance builds lower body strength for planting and driving, as well as upper body power for throwing.
Sprints are another important element. Short, fast sprints mimic the bursts of speed required on the field, whether taking off on a scramble or accelerating out of his breaks as a receiver. Longer distance runs at a steady pace build his overall conditioning and stamina.
In addition to exercises focused purely on strength and speed, Mahomes’ workouts incorporate football-specific drills. He works on footwork patterns for drops back, lateral movements, and backpedaling. Target practice drills improve his accuracy on different throws. And 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 drills against teammates keep his competitive edge sharp.
This well-rounded fitness program continuously challenges Mahomes physically while directly translating to the skills he needs on the field. The combination of power, agility, and conditioning exercises maintain his explosiveness and elite athleticism as an NFL quarterback.
Diet: Fueling His Body with Nutritious Foods
In addition to dedicated training, Mahomes understands the importance of fueling his body properly. He consumes a diet focused on lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. Proper nutrition supports his intense workouts while providing sustained energy throughout long seasons.
When it comes to protein, Mahomes favors chicken, fish, eggs, and plant-based options like beans and lentils. These high-quality sources supply his body with the building blocks it needs to repair and grow muscle. He pairs proteins with plenty of complex carbs for longer-lasting energy. Whole grain pastas, brown rice, quinoa and starchy veggies like sweet potatoes fill him up without excess calories.
Fruits are a staple in Mahomes’ diet, with favorites like strawberries, oranges, and apples for natural sugars. Berries provide antioxidants while citrus fruits supply vitamin C. He washes them down with water instead of sugary drinks. Staying hydrated is crucial with his intense workouts, and water has no calories.
Mahomes avoids fast food, fried foods, and processed snacks due to the empty calories and fat. He’s also allergic to tree nuts, so those are off the menu. By focusing on whole, minimally processed foods, Mahomes optimizes his nutrition for peak performance and recovery. Clean eating supports his training while keeping him feeling energized throughout long practices and games.
Sleep: Getting Quality Rest
While fitness and nutrition are important, Mahomes understands that recovery is just as vital. That’s why he prioritizes getting quality sleep each night to allow his body and mind to recharge. He aims to be in bed by 10 PM and wake up around 7 AM to get a full seven to eight hours of sleep.
During the regular season, Mahomes sticks closely to this consistent sleep schedule. But as games get more intense in the playoffs, he actually increases the amount of sleep he gets. He’s said before that he might sleep as late as 9 AM during playoff bye weeks to ensure he’s fully rested.
Quality sleep is when the body does much of its repair work, building muscles after workouts and forming new neural connections in the brain. It’s especially important for an athlete like Mahomes who puts his body through rigorous training and games that require quick decision making under pressure. Getting sufficient deep sleep optimizes his recovery so he can perform at his best.
Interesting Habit: Doritos Before Bed
While Mahomes takes his training, nutrition, and sleep very seriously overall, he does have one somewhat surprising pre-bedtime habit – enjoying a bag of Doritos! The famous quarterback reportedly likes to unwind each night with some nacho cheese or cool ranch flavored chips.
At first glance, it may seem like an odd choice given his otherwise clean diet. But it highlights an important aspect of any routine – balance and the occasional treat. Depriving oneself completely isn’t sustainable long term. And for an athlete of Mahomes’ caliber, one small bag of chips likely has negligible effects on his performance, especially considering how well he fuels his body the rest of the time.
It’s a reminder that even elite athletes can indulge occasionally without consequences as long as the majority of their habits support their goals. Finding that balance between discipline and enjoyment is key to maintaining motivation over the long haul. So while Doritos before bed may not be part of everyone’s routine, it works for Mahomes and shows there’s room for the occasional vice.
Consistency and Dedication to His Craft
Through a combination of intense workouts, nutritious meals, sufficient sleep, and an interesting pre-bedtime snack, Mahomes has clearly found an approach that works for him. But what really sets him apart is his consistency in sticking to this routine day in and day out, year after year. He approaches his training, diet, recovery and film study with the same dedication as his on-field practice and games.
That level of commitment has paid dividends for Mahomes. It’s kept him at the top of his game physically and mentally while avoiding many of the injuries that can plague NFL quarterbacks. His success is a testament to the importance of optimizing every aspect of preparation, from explosive workouts to healthy fueling to quality rest. While genetics and natural talent play a role, Mahomes’ routines demonstrate how dedication to one’s craft can elevate performance to elite levels.
His approach serves as inspiration for athletes at any level. With targeted training, clean nutrition, sufficient recovery, and the occasional indulgence, it’s possible for others to similarly maximize their potential. Mahomes proves that taking a holistic view of one’s health and lifestyle habits as an integrated system can make a significant impact on performance. His commitment to continuous self-improvement inside and outside of practice is a big reason why he remains one of the best in the game today.
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