College Football Player Routine
While football players, even at the college level, live quite privileged lives compared to most, you'd be surprised at how much work it takes to even get to the level of a college football player. Whether you follow football in order to find the latest college Transfer Portal stats or because you just love the passion and entertainment of the sport, you're in the right place.
In this article, we'll be looking at all of the important things a college football player should be doing on a daily basis, explaining what work goes into making it at the top level, and giving you insight into their daily routine.
What's it like being a college football player?
Despite the common misconception that college players have everything handed to them and are looked after much more than your average college student, it isn't all sunshine and roses. While they are put on a stool somewhat, there is a tonne of work that goes into being a college football player, and these players often have very little time to experience college like most of their peers.
Wake Up and Eat Breakfast
The first thing college football players will do when they wake up is eat breakfast. It's incredibly important for them to fuel their bodies with everything they need before working out at practice. A typical breakfast for a college football player might include eggs, oatmeal, fruit, and a protein shake. If this is missed, they'll likely struggle to have energy for the morning training session.
Morning Workout & Practice
After breakfast, it's time to hit the weights or head to practice. College football players typically have highly strenuous practice routines that are designed by professional coaches and trainers to help them build up their key physical attributes. Practice is also important for perfecting their technique, developing new on-field skills, and growing their camaraderie with their teammates.
Eat Lunch
Once practice is over, it's time for lunch. College football players need to make sure they're eating enough food throughout the day to keep their energy levels up. For any professional or semi-professional athlete, knowing what goes into our body is one of the most important things to be aware of. It can have a significant impact on how you develop physically and what your limitations are.
Study
After lunch, they'll usually have some free time where they can rest or study before afternoon workouts begin. Despite being highly trained athletes, college players are still students after all, and they need to make sure that they don't fall behind. Many of these players are there on scholarships that are tied to their academic importance, so getting good test scores is an absolute necessity.
Afternoon Workouts & Meetings
In the afternoon, players will either have another practice session or a lifting session in the weight room. They might also have team meetings where they go over game strategies and watch films of upcoming opponents. This will help develop the tactical side of the game that's vital if they want to make the next step up and become an NFL player - it's important!
Dinner & Free Time
After evening workouts are done, it's time for dinner. Eating plenty of healthy foods to fuel their bodies to recover from all the physical activity during the day is essential. After dinner, they'll usually have some free time before bed where they can relax or study some more. As you can imagine, many players will not spend this time catching up on their studies...
Bedtime
Players need to get a good night's sleep so their bodies can recover from the day's workouts and be ready to perform at their best the next day. As boring as it might sound, having a good night's sleep is super important, especially if you're an athlete, as it allows your muscles to repair themselves and prepare for the next day's set of practice and training sessions.
What does it take to be a great NFL football player?
The answer may vary depending on who you ask, but typically, NFL players are some of the best athletes in the world, owning to how all-round they need to be. To become a great NFL player, one must first possess the natural ability and physical attributes to compete at such a high level. Being fast or strong in isolation isn't enough; you need to be an all-rounder if you want to make it.
However, even the most talented athletes will not make it to the NFL without years of dedication and hard work. Players must train their bodies rigorously and hone their skills through continuous practice to have any chance of making it to the professional level. Making sacrifices in the short term is non-negotiable if you're to make it as an NFL player.
