[author image=”http://echo.snu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/gladephoto-7773.jpg”]
Glade Pittenger, Staff Contributor
Glade Pittenger is a senior at SNU majoring in Sports Information. He hopes to become a commentator for NBA basketball, and loves health, fitness and nutrition. He also enjoys Herbalife because it helps him stay active and reach his goals. [/author]
I interviewed Derrick Gillis, sophomore, and Breyon Jackson, freshman, about how they will be training for the next season and making sure they are ready by the time the first game arrives.
Jackson is a Defensive Back for Southern Nazarene University. After asking what he will be doing this summer to improve his overall game he responded, “I plan to improve my game by doing various footwork drills, along with weight training. [I will be] consistently running everyday while doing football drills to improve my hand eye coordination. It’ll be tough working so hard as football is a tough sport to train for but it will be worth it at the end of the summer and by the time the season gets here.”
After that he also talked about the different workouts he will be doing this summer to get stronger, along with where each workout helps.
Next he also talked about the different workouts he will be doing this summer to get stronger and better and what each workout helps with.
“Power clean[s] [improve] leg explosiveness and hip movement. It’s used to become more explosive and drive [on the field]. Bench[es] [are] arm workout[s] used to get [the] chest and arms bigger. Squat[s] [help with] leg explosiveness. Tricep and bicep [workouts] create stronger muscles to be able to pull down. It is important to have all these workouts to increase my whole body as a football player, because [football] requires a bunch of strength to be able to play.”
I ask Gillis about what he plans to do this summer to get stronger and healthier as he sat out this season due to a right leg injury. He said, “For this summer I am scheduled to go through numerous amounts of workouts with my trainer back home. I will go through a very hard [progression of workouts] not only to lose some weight but to at least fight to get back healthy for the season. These workouts will be done twice a day. I will also be doing some SNU workouts just to follow through with the basic lifts that our coaches want us to do. I will spend a lot of time rehabbing and getting my mind right by going to the doc back at my old high school and letting them do a lot of therapy on my leg. I plan to be a different player that [has] a lot more strength and confidence.”
Make sure to check out the football team this next season as they have a new coaching staff. They are looking to have a successful season this coming fall semester.