Evans's approach is a whole new kettle of fish
What do footballs have in common with kettle bells? And what links the Russian military and the Patriots?
Allow running back Heath Evans to explain.
In an attempt to invigorate his body after eight NFL seasons, Evans started a new training regimen that ditches traditional weightlifting in favor of kettle bells. A native of Palm Beach, Fla., he is spending the next 41 days in South Florida with Pavel Tsatsouline, who trains elite units of the Russian military with kettle bells.
A kettle bell is a type of weight that, from afar, looks almost like an oversized padlock. Proponents say they are better than dumbbells, providing a more functional workout.
In a sport where every X and O is dissected until the next game, less attention is seemingly focused on the players' preparation. That's surprising, given that a player's body is one of his greatest assets.
"I don't think you go away from what you've always done, what got you here, but for me this is all about finding new ways to challenge my body," the 29-year-old Evans said. "[Patriots strength and conditioning coach] Mike [Woicik] and I talk about it all the time, trying to find ways to get stronger in other areas.
"I feel like if I maintain my strength for four or five years, I'm plenty strong enough to play in the league, but this is geared toward perfecting my strength and making my strength more functional on the field."
Evans uses the bench press as an example.
"When do you lie on the field and bench someone off you?" he asked. "The idea of kettle bells is to make the strength more conditioned, more flexible, and more explosive."
Evans is combining the kettle bell work with a "go raw" diet suggested by South Florida health expert Jordan Rubin, who has also helped Tom Brady and Matt Light. That means a menu filled with raw cream, ceviche (a.k.a seafood salad), and raw sockeye salmon.
