At this point in his career, there’s no doubt that Russell Wilson is one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. Though he was picked up by the Seahawks in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, Wilson already has a Super Bowl ring—and with his combination of scrambling speed, throwing power, and accuracy, Wilson’s skill under center is hard to match.
Much of that quarterbacking prowess comes from his hard work in the gym. At 5′11″, 205 pounds, Wilson doesn’t have the frame of giants like Panthers QB Cam Newton—so he works out hard, day in and day out, by mixing up his training using weight work, speed exercises, Olympic lifts, and sprint drills to make sure he’s in prime athletic shape.
Wilson’s play on the field makes the Seahawks a perennial Super Bowl contender—and one of the most exciting teams to watch in the league. Here’s the workout that helped make Wilson a Super Bowl champion.
How it works
Wilson lifts weights four days per week. His sessions are split up into two speed days and two strength days. The speed days focus on variants of Olympic weightlifting exercises that develop power—this aids Wilson in running, cutting, and scrambling in the pocket.
The strength days include heavier lifts to build greater muscle power, as well as corrective exercises to prevent injury. For example, the dumbbell I-Y-T, band pull-apart, and scap pushup all focus on the upper back. The stronger the muscles around Wilson’s shoulder blades are, the better he can wind up for a deep pass, and the healthier his shoulders will be after hours of throws and brutal collisions.
Wilson used this kind of training to go from 208 pounds to 216 pounds during his time off from football, combining it with a diet designed to optimize his performance. If the workout below is good enough for one of football’s best, imagine what it can do for a backyard quarterback like you.
Directions
Perform each workout (Day 1, 2, 3, and 4) once per week, resting a day between each session. Complete all sets for one exercise before going on to the next.
