Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow Shares His Injury Recovery Plan
AFTER HIS 2023 NFL campaign was cut short due to a right wrist injury, Joe Burrow had a singular mission this offseason: Add muscle to his 6’4” frame to withstand the rigors of a 17-game football season (and beyond).
“I put on 10 or 15 pounds since last season, which I’m hoping helps my body make it through the year. That’s the goal,” the Cincinnati Bengals’ star quarterback says. “It’s all about making sure my body is in tip-top shape, ready to go for Sundays.”
To bulk up and successfully bounce back from injury, the 27-year-old has relied on a balanced diet, hydration plan (he’s a BODYARMOR athlete, so he’s got some help in that department), and a workout program comprised of exercises that directly translate to the gridiron.
Burrow spoke with Men’s Health about his workout regimen, must-do exercises as a QB, his optimal diet (and the cheat meal that challenges it most).
MEN’S HEALTH: What is your main fitness goal heading into the upcoming 2024 NFL season?
JOE BURROW: This year is mainly just staying healthy, so I’m focusing more on listening to my body and taking breaks when I need them and making sure my hydration is on point day-to-day. My body is feeling good right now, we’re ready to go for the season.
MH: Can you walk us through your pre-game routine and how you focus on your hydration?
JB: My hydration doesn’t necessarily start pre-game, but [in] the days leading up to that. I’m going to be much more dialed on my water intake this season. I’ve been happy with where I’m at right now as far as that. BODYARMOR’s bottles are big and I’m drinking five to six of those a day so I’m going to the bathroom a lot, making sure that I’m staying hydrated, making sure I’m watching the color of [my] pee so it’s clear.
But as far as my pre-game routine, I’m in the stadium and going through my stretches inside and then I go out and throw. Then, we come back in and go through our normal warmup.
MH: As a quarterback what are some staple exercises that directly translate to the field, especially with your throwing motion?
JB: As far as throwing, [those] would be anti-rotation of the core to Pallof press, Pallof walkouts, core stabilization with bands, Keiser twists, Russian twists—anything core-related. Then glutes. So: Banded walkouts, hamstring walkouts. That whole midsection torso area is our main focus.
MH: Do you perform those to targeted sets and reps?
JB: It changes each week. Sometimes it’s high volume, low weight, sometimes it’s high weight, low volume. Before practice, I’m making sure to get my core activated just with very light weight, low reps. Making sure that’s it ready to go and contributed to the throwing motion that I need.
MH: Do you do any exercises that help to train for pressure situations in the pocket—like when you have to scramble out and make plays in a hurry?
JB: We do right-foot elevated split squats as well as isos [isometric holds] in that same position. On the field work, we do a ton of accelerations from a loaded position, kneeling position—several different positions—and exploding out, because you never know if you’re getting dragged down or tackled if you’re going to have to explode out from a lot of different body positions. I put my body in so many different positions, and I’m making sure my core and all my muscles are stable and strong in those positions.
MH: How do you stay loose on off days?
JB: I’m making sure I’m swimming some laps in the pool, getting some light cardio in that’s not super impactful on the joints. I’m doing a little sauna, cold tub every off-day. I have my hyperbaric chamber that I’m sitting in as well.
I think the swimming is great for my shoulder joints. So I’ll hit some backstroke to hit that contrast to get those muscles working the other direction, to make sure I’m not too front-loaded in my shoulder.
The sauna and cold tub gets my blood flow going, and hopefully gets blood to the joints and muscles that need it.
MH: What is your pre-workout diet? How did you adjust that toward gaining that muscle?
JB: Right now I’m eating breakfast before the workout. Then, I get back from my workout, I’m eating at 1:30 with my post-workout shake and then 4:30 I’m eating my first dinner. Then, 8:30 or 9:00 I’m eating my second dinner. So I’m making sure I’m getting about 4,500 calories in for the day.
During the season, it will have to be a little more because we’re on the field for so long and I still have to get my lifts in.
MH: Give us a sample of what the pre-workout breakfast and two dinners look like.
JB: I eat the same breakfast every day. It’s hash browns, kiwi, toast, eggs, orange juice and turkey bacon. My chef will vary [dinners] day-by-day. Post-workout [meal] is more carbs than usual. Dinner number one is more carbs.
MH: What’s the cheat meal that’s a challenge to your diet right now?
JB: Come October, pumpkin pie is my guilty pleasure. I’m a sucker for a good pumpkin pie.
MH: Is there a substitute that you can swap in that gives you that fix without ruining your nutrition plan?
JB: I hope so. I’m still looking for that. Hopefully, we can find something that gives me that texture with the pumpkin flavor come October.
MH: What are your expectations for the season?
JB: I’m really excited about our squad this year. I think we’re as deep as we ever been. My expectations are always to go out and win every game that we can. You’re not going to go out and be 17-0, but you’re going to go out and compete in every game and you’re going to get better throughout the season.
My goal week-to-week and day-to-day is to always just improve. If we continue improving, we’re going to be where we want to be by the end of the year.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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