Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens' dynamic quarterback, has become one of the NFL's most electrifying players. His exceptional athleticism and dual-threat capabilities have made him a constant threat to opposing defenses. Jackson's success isn't just due to natural talent; it's also a product of his dedication to fitness and nutrition. This article delves into the diet and workout regimen that helps fuel Jackson's performance on the field.
Pre-Game Ritual: Shrimp Alfredo
Before every game, Jackson indulges in a unique pre-game meal: shrimp Alfredo. This unconventional choice has become a personal tradition. As Jackson told CNBC, “Shrimp Alfredo, that’s my meal before the game." He believes that the pasta helps his brain, allowing him to maintain a level head and think clearly during the game.
This pre-game ritual aligns with sports nutrition principles. Carbohydrates, the body’s preferred energy source, provide quick and easily digestible fuel. Torey Armul, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, highlights the significance of this approach, commonly adopted by endurance athletes and bodybuilders who ‘carb up’ for enhanced performance.
Jackson's preferred shrimp Alfredo contains around 1150 calories, 71 grams of carbs, 40 grams of protein, and 70 grams of fat in a two-cup serving. This seemingly unconventional choice has become a personal tradition for Jackson. He supposedly picked up the habit of eating Pasta from his college days where it was a pre-game ritual.
Maintaining Mental Toughness
Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Jackson maintained his fitness routines and engaged with coaches and trainers through Zoom sessions. Despite standing at 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 212 pounds, the quarterback attributes his mental toughness to the inclusion of yoga and Pilates practices in his routine. Jackson said, “Before Covid-19, I was doing it twice a week. I was doing yoga twice a week and Pilates twice a week. It makes life go better. It makes your days better.”
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A High Metabolism and Varied Diet
Standing at 6’2″ and weighing 216 lbs, Lamar Jackson has a super high metabolism, which allows him to eat a variety of foods. Jackson is known to prepare his own diet which consists of variety of foods. He likes to consume a lot of carbs which gives him energy. Lamar Jackson is also fond of fruit juices and often spotted consuming the same on different occasions.
Rigorous Workout Plan
Unlike in the kitchen, he has a renowned trainer for his fitness activities: throwing coach Josh Harris. Harris has built a training protocol for him that works on his speed, strength, conditioning, and endurance. These are the exercises Lamar Jackson’s weekly plan consists of: Complete multiple offensive and defensive assignments designed by Harris that emulate a real-game situation.
Staying in Shape During the Offseason
Jackson depends on a quick circuit of resistance band, dumbbell, and barbell movements to stay active without needing to get bogged down in a full-on training session. The upper body and core-focused routine might not turn you into one of the most dynamic athletes in all of sports-but it can give you a useful upper body pump for the days you need a quick training fix.
Here's a breakdown of Jackson's offseason workout circuit:
- Resistance Band Curls: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps. Jackson trains his arms to build strength for passing. He says his home field in Baltimore often has "heavy wind," so forearm strength is essential for tight spirals.
- Dumbbell Incline Press: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps. After pumping up his arms, Jackson shifts focus to his chest. The incline position trains the upper chest.
- Pushup to Drag and Row: 3 sets of 6 to 12 reps per side. Jackson hits his chest again with the pushup, but adds a core and back component to the movement with a dumbbell drag and row.
- Russian Twist: 3 sets of 30 seconds. The Russian twist allows Jackson to add a rotational component to his core training, which he says is especially important for quarterbacks.
- Ab Rollouts: 3 sets of 15 reps. Core strength and stability is important for everything Jackson does on the field-so he uses rollouts to train his whole core as a unit, emphasizing anti-extension.
Weight Loss and Agility
Jackson is entering the 2024 NFL season considerably thinner than the past two seasons. Jackson has said he is 25 lb lighter than he was in 2022, when he added muscle weight to try to better withstand hits. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback has said he wants to be more agile on the field this year.
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While appearing on the Ravens' "The Lounge" podcast, Jackson revealed his somewhat unusual methods to losing all that weight. "I wasn't trying to eat as much in the morning. I was trying to eat in the afternoon," Jackson said. "I'll probably eat, like - I shouldn't eat it, probably; [Ravens lead nutritionist] Sarah [Snyder] wouldn't agree with it - so I eat, like, a Jimmy Dean sausage, corn dog sausage in the morning. Eat one or two of those, then probably work out, run or something. "So I was cutting fat - not really fat, a lot of the weight I gained - off fast. I'm just running, a lot of cardio, stuff like that. And I feel good."
Jackson did credit the Ravens training staff for giving him enough "carbs" and strength training to withstand Baltimore's rigorous training camp. Jackson said he is no longer out of breath when he runs the football and has any easier time communicating in huddles after plays. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta seems to approve of the changes in Jackson, telling reporters that Jackson looks "fast as heck" on the field.
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