What Was Former NFL Player Drew Brees’ Workout Routine and Diet Plan?

Drew Brees is one of the legends of the NFL (Image via Instagram)
Drew Brees is one of the legends of the NFL (Image via Instagram)

Drew Brees, aka Andrew Christopher, is a retired NFL football player from the United States. He was born in Dallas, Texas, and grew up there. Brees holds a number of records.

The former New Orleans Saints man went to Purdue University and got a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management. Even though he didn't start playing football till he was in high school, he lettered in three sports: football, basketball, and baseball.

Brees is known as one of the best quarterbacks of all time and holds many NFL records, including most career completions and touchdowns. In this article, we will discuss the diet and workout routine that helped Brees perform at his best and become an NFL elite.


Drew Brees' Workout Routine

Drew Brees' workout plan was geared toward making him stronger, faster, more agile, and more powerful. It was mostly about helping him get better at throwing and be more flexible, as well as to help him recover from past injuries.

From kettlebells to superbands to barbells and Bosu balls, Brees used a lot of different equipment in his workouts. He used to work especially hard on his core. To achieve that, he used to perform 53 reps of different core exercises every day. Improving his core strength and stability was a key factor in helping him perform on the field.

Drew Brees worked out six times a week. During each workout, he worked out different muscle groups with tools like barbells, kettlebells, TRX, Bosu balls, superbands, and so on.

Below we list the exercises he used to perform to train all important muscles of his body.

Monday and Thursday - Upper Body

  • Kettlebell bench press (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Kettlebell flys (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Kettlebell pushups (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Kettlebell burpee with shrug (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Kettlebell half-get-ups (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Superband band splitters (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Superband overhead triceps extensions (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Superband hammer curls (1 set, 30 seconds rest)

Tuesday and Friday - Lower Body

  • Barbell squat (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Kettlebell straight-leg deadlifts (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Kettlebell single-leg Romanian deadlift (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Superband split squat (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Hamstring curls (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Leg extensions (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Superband lateral walks (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • TRX sled drags (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Bosu ball Bulgarian lunge hop (1 set, 30 seconds rest)
  • Bosu foot taps (1 set, 30 seconds rest)

Wednesday and Saturday - Abs and TRX Workout

TRX:

  • TRX reverse flys (3-5 sets)
  • TRX atomic push-ups (3-5 sets)
  • TRX Knee tucks (3-5 sets)
  • Low row shortened position (3-5 sets)
  • Hip rotations with scorpion kick (3-5 sets)
  • Sprinter’s start with a hop (3-5 sets)
  • Power pulls (3-5 sets)
  • Suspended incline press (3-5 sets)

Abs:

  • Hover plank (3-5 sets)
  • Side plank (3-5 sets)
  • Split squat superb and rotations (3-5 sets)
  • Superband chops (3-5 sets)
  • Bicycle crunches (3-5 sets)
  • Oblique crunches (3-5 sets)

Sunday - Rest

Each of Drew Brees' workout sessions would begin with a well-structured warm-up routine. They prepared his body to take the load of his strenuous workouts.

At the end of his sessions, Brees ensured to stretch his muscles as a cool down. His warm-up and cool-down routine kept him free from any kind of training-related injury.


Drew Brees' Diet

While Drew Brees worked out like a maniac, he also made sure to eat properly to maximize the benefits of his workouts. He adhered to a strict diet that was balanced and healthy.

Drew Brees followed a diet that was higher in protein, moderate in carbohydrates, and very low in fats. Lean foods like grilled chicken and fish made up a sizable chunk of Brees' daily protein intake. He enjoyed consuming a lot of fruits and vegetables throughout the day to provide him with all vital vitamins and minerals.

Drew Brees typically consumed 4700 calories per day, which he did so in five meals. He regularly had protein and vitamin supplements to ensure that his body received proper nutrition in the required amounts.


Takeaway

The level of fitness Drew Brees maintained during his playing years is unmatched. He owes all the credit for that to his disciplined exercise regimen and sensible diet.

Brees' level of fitness is something you can accomplish too if you follow a well-planned diet and exercise routine. You can certainly use Drew Brees' exercise routine and eating plan to help achieve your goal.

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